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American Morning

Showbiz Today Reports: 'The Producers' Earns Record 12 Tony Awards; Anthony Quinn Dies

Aired June 04, 2001 - 10:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL OKWU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, everyone. I'm Michael Okwu, in New York.

Stars of the stage were honored were last night in New York at the 55th Annual Tony Awards. Broadway's biggest honors were handed out at Radio City Music Hall.

And the biggest winner of all? Take a guess. That's right. If you missed it, you missed history.

"The Producers," starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, wasn't alone in victory, although, at times, it sure seemed that way.

CNN's Bill Tush was there and has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW BRODERICK, TONY WINNER: ... powerful. I'm the king of the world.

BILL TUSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No one was surprised "The Producers" would win some Tonys, with 15 nominations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They've broken the record: "The Producers."

TUSH: But a record-breaking 12 wins for the show within a show?

MEL BROOKS: I'm so thrilled about tonight. Can you imagine a sweep, 12 Tonys?

TUSH (on camera): Right.

BROOKS: In my wildest imagination I never thought that anything like this could happen. And here it's happening. Boy, it makes you believe in God. It's just a wonderful, wonderful thing.

TUSH: But did you ever think...

BROOKS: Never in my life did I.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the lucky person who would accept this personally warmed Tony award is Nathan Lane.

TUSH (voice-over): It was a bittersweet win for Nathan Lane, who was victorious over his co-star, and Tony co-host, Matthew Broderick.

Another from the show, Cady Huffman, picked up Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

(on camera): You won the Tony tonight.

CADY HUFFMAN, TONY WINNER: I did.

TUSH: For Ulla.

HUFFMAN: Ulla, ya.

TUSH: Gadahbleday (ph).

HUFFMAN: Gadahbleday (ph), ya.

TUSH: Ya.

(voice-over): And "The Producers"'s director, Susan Stroman, had a double win, for Best Direction in a Musical, and Choreography.

SUSAN STROMAN, TONY WINNING DIRECTOR, "THE PRODUCERS": "The Producers" has not only embraced the theatrical community, but also, seemingly, the world. So it is become a phenomenon, and you never expect that.

TUSH: Although it was certainly the night of "The Producers," some other shows took home awards. The latest incarnation of "42nd Street" won the Best Revival of a Musical, and it star, Christine Ebersole, took home the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical.

CHRISTINE EBERSOLE, TONY WINNER: It was surreal, you know, I just thought, Don't trip going up the stairs."

TUSH: Mary-Louise Parker won Best Actress in a Play for "Proof," which also proved to be the Best Play, according to Tony.

MARY-LOUISE PARKER, TONY WINNER: Actually, when they called Dan for Best Director, that's the one that sort of got me the most. I was crying, I was really excited. By the time they got to me, the moment was a little bit dreamier. It was a little bit more surreal.

TUSH: It was a mutual admiration society when Best Actor and Best Featured Actor in a Play were both honored for "The Invention of Love."

ROBERT SEAN LEONARD, TONY WINNER: It didn't feel better than me winning. I just felt it when I saw him win; I didn't feel it when I won. But it was more exciting when I won. And also, it's more fun -- it's like watching the Nicks: You can root someone on and not be a part of it.

RICHARD EASTON, TONY WINNER: You and Bobby Sean?

TUSH (on camera): Yes, right. It's terrific isn't it?

EASTON: It's wonderful.

TUSH (voice-over): But certainly the 55th Annual Tony Awards will go down in history as the awards show that produced the most wins for one single musical, the show about two producers trying to put on Broadway's biggest flop.

Bill Tush, CNN Entertainment News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OKWU: In other entertainment news, Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of its most prolific stars. Legendary stage and film actor Anthony Quinn has died. The 86-year-old actor passed away yesterday at a Boston hospital. Doctors say he died of pneumonia with respiratory failure. The two-time Oscar winner was born into a poor family in Mexico, and as a young man, studied architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright. He gained fame for some 200 movies, including "Zorba the Greek," "Viva Zapata!" and "Lawrence of Arabia." He is survived by his wife and thirteen children, ages four to 60.

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