20 Forgotten Broadway Stars Who Once Dominated the Stage

The screen, big or small, dominates our lives. However, it wasn't always that way. Before the advent of television and blockbuster movies, the stage reigned supreme. Be it vaudeville revues, musicals, or gripping dramas, the likes of Broadway helped establish acting as a respected and acclaimed art form.

In many ways, being a stage actor requires far more skill, talent, and perseverance than other forms of acting. Stage performers have to know how to sing, dance, act, and do it every night of the week without a drop in quality or charisma. The modern movie actor stands on the shoulders of giants. That career option only exists because countless stage actors showed the world that drama and fiction could be larger than life. Let's take a look at 20 forgotten Broadway stars who once dominated the stage. Their craft paved the way for all who came after them.

• Acting career: Lasting over five decades.
• Best known for: Her performances in "Girl Crazy," "Anything Goes," and "Annie Get Your Gun."
• Notable trait: One of the most sought-after Broadway stars for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice.

• Career start: Started her career as a child actress on television.
• Best known for: Her stage performances in "On the Town," "Sunday in the Park with George," and "The Goodbye Girl."
• Awards: Winner of two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards.

• Broadway debut: Made her Broadway debut with "Three Sisters" in 1973.
• Best known for: Performances in "Evita," "Gypsy," and "The Robber Bridegroom."
• Awards: Winner of three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and two Grammy Awards.

• Best known for: Her performances in "Can-Can" and "Guys and Dolls."
• Awards: Won two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awards, and a Drama League Award.
• Notable achievement: First Latino American to win a Kennedy Center Honor.

• Stage debut: Made her stage debut in "Show Boat" at 15 years old.
• Best known for: Her performances in "Damn Yankees," "Anna Christie" and "Chicago."
• Personal life: Married legendary dancer and choreographer Robert Fosse.

• Awards: Won a Tony Award for her performance in "Once Upon a Mattress."
• Television success: Transitioned to television where her program "The Carol Burnett Show" won five Golden Globe Awards and six Emmy Awards.
• Author: New York Times Best-Selling Author.

• Best known for: Her musical performances in "South Pacific," "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," and "Leave it to Me."
• Notable role: Also well known for her role as Maria von Trapp in "The Sound of Music."
• Awards: Won an Emmy Award and several Tony Awards; was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1973.

• Career start: Began a long and storied career as a child actor but became known for his soprano voice.
• Best known for: Stage performances in "Barnum" and "The Phantom of the Opera."
• Awards: Winner of two Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, and granted status as Officer of the British Empire.

• Best known for: His performances in "Evita" and "Sunday in the Park with George."
• Screen career: Found a second career on screen with roles in "The Princess Bride," "Dick Tracy," and "Criminal Minds."
• Awards: Tony Award Winner and recipient of a Golden Globe Award nomination.

• Stage debut: Made her professional stage debut in 1964 at 16 years old.
• Best known for: Her performances in "Evita," "The King and I," and "The Drowsy Chaperone."
• Albums: Also released 22 solo albums with multiple certified gold and platinum sellers.

• Stage debut: Made her stage debut at twelve years old.
• Best known for: Her stage performances in "The Women" and "Relatively Speaking."
• Transition to screen: Helped usher in a transition from stage to screen with performances in "The Thin Man," "Cheaper by the Dozen," and "Lonelyhearts."

• Era: Famous actress and singer from the Vaudeville era.
• Best known for: Her performances in "The Thoroughbred," "The Empire Show," and "Town Topics."
• Composer: A successful composer who had a second career performing her songs on television in the 1960s.

• Career length: Had an acting career that lasted over seven decades.
• Best known for: Her performances in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Hello, Dolly!"
• Awards: Won a Tony Award for "Hello, Dolly!" and received an Academy Award nomination for "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

• Early career: Had an early career as a traveling musician before making his acting debut in 1972.
• Best known for: His performances in "Les Misérables" and "The Phantom of the Opera."
• Awards: Won several awards including a Helen Hayes Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Theatre World Award.

• Career span: Had a storied career from the 1960s to the 21st century.
• Best known for: Her performances in "Cats," "Triumph of Love," and "Sunset Blvd."
• Awards: Tony Award Winner.
• Television career: Had a later career as a television actress.

• Broadway debut: Made her Broadway debut in 1946 with the comedy "Loco."
• Best known for: Her performances in "Bus Stop," "Sail Away," and "A Delicate Balance."
• Awards: Won two Emmy Awards and a Tony Award.
• Hall of Fame: Inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1995.

• Nickname: Known as the "First Lady of the American Theater."
• Stage debut: Made her Broadway stage debut at nine years old.
• Best known for: Her performances in "Pollyanna" and "Jean and the Calico Cat."

• Career: Lauded stage actress, but made her name in the film "Blazing Saddles."
• Best known for: "The Cosby Show," "The Sisters Rosensweig," and "Paper Moon."
• Awards: Won an Emmy Award and a Tony Award.

• Career length: Had a 66-year acting career, from stage to screen.
• Best known for: His performances in "My Fair Lady," "George Getting Married," and "French Without Tears."
• Awards: Won both a Tony Award and an Academy Award.

• Training: Student of Don Richardson and his muscle memory acting technique.
• Best known for: His performances in "Fiddler on the Roof," "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum," and Mel Brooks' "The Producers."
• Historical context: Blacklisted during the 1950s Red Scare.
• Awards: Three-time Tony Award Winner.