Best Foot Forward (musical)

Best Foot Forward
Original soundtrack recording from the 1963 Off-Broadway production
Music	Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
Lyrics	Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
Book	John Cecil Holm
Productions	1941 Broadway 1963 Off Broadway revival

Best Foot Forward is a 1941 musical with songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and a book by John Cecil Holm. Produced by George Abbott, after an out-of-town tryout, the production opened on Broadway on October 1, 1941 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it ran for 326 performances. It was directed by Abbott, with choreography by Gene Kelly, and starred Rosemary Lane. The show was Nancy Walker's Broadway debut and also launched June Allyson to stardom. Sets and lighting were by Jo Mielziner, and costumes were by Miles White.

The musical's success led to a 1943 film adaptation starring Lucille Ball, Allyson and Walker, and a 1954 television adaptation. A 1963 Off-Broadway revival at Stage 73 ran for 224 performances. It was directed and choreographed by Danny Daniels and featured newcomer Liza Minnelli, who won a Theatre World Award, and Christopher Walken.Veronica Lake was a replacement as Gale. A recording of this revival is available on CD.

Before Best Foot Forward, George Abbott had hired Hugh Martin to write musical arrangements for several shows, including Rodgers and Hart shows. By 1941, Larry Hart was suffering from alcoholism, and Richard Rodgers was having difficulty working with him. Abbot chose Martin and his collaborator to write the songs for his new musical with a high school theme based on an unpublished play by John Cecil Holm, whom he engaged to write the book. Abbott knew that lighthearted and innocent student-themed musicals, including a few of his own, had proved popular in past Broadway shows. The prep-school theme also allowed Abbott to hire a cast of inexpensive unknown actors who were too young to be pulled away from the show by the draft.