A Less-Than-Grand- Finale

Abstract

This chapter examines Cole Porter's final musical venture, Aladdin , a 1958 live CBS television production created in response to the success of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1957). Despite its prestigious creative team, strong cast, and Porter's score, the show falters due to S. J. Perleman's unfocused book, which privileges the sorcerer Sui-Jamal over Aladdin, leaving the romantic leads underdeveloped and musically uninspired. While Cyril Ritchard steals the spotlight with Porter's witty songs, other performers struggle with limited material, and the telecast controversially omits Basil Rathbone's song “Wouldn't It Be Fun?” A 1959 London stage version, revised by Peter Coke, restructures the narrative with pantomime elements, new characters, and a stronger cast under Robert Helpmann's direction, achieving greater success. Finally, the chapter reflects on Porter's declining health, his retirement, and his death in 1964.