Diva/Mensch pair for Jan 7, 2026

We had a funny situation with the Tony for Best Actor in a Musical in 1952.

Diva: Yul Brynner

Mensch: Best Supporting Actor in a Musical?

They really thought that was a supporting role? My litmus test is - - who is it about? Like when What's Love Got To Do With It? was up for Oscars they gave both Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne nominations for leading performances. Ike Turner IS the leading male figure in the movie but from my point of view, who is it about? The movie is about Tina, so then Ike would be a supporting performance. So in the case of The King and I, I guess the story kind is about Anna but it's about her life with him and the story ends with the death of the king. I see it as a leading role, and so did the Oscars when they gave Brynner the Oscar for Best Actor.

These silent home movies were taken by Richard Rodgers himself!