You can take the man out of OH! CALCUTTA!, but you can't take the OH! CALCUTTA! out of the man!

My fabulous husband gave me Season One of MAUDE, one of my favorite TV shows from the 1970s, starring Bea Arthur, Bill Macy, and Adrienne Barbeau (among many others). I loved the theme song, which was written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Dave Grusin:

Lady Godiva was a freedom rider
She didn't care if the whole world looked
Joan of Arc with the Lord to guide her
She was a sister who really cooked

Isadora was the first bra burner
And you're glad she showed up (Oh yeah)
And when the country was falling apart
Betsy Ross got it all sewed up

And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude
And then there's Maude
And then there's

That old compromisin', enterprisin', anything but tranquilizing,
Right on Maude!

I miss those great TV show themes! Here is a handy website that has all the lyrics to shows from the '50s, '60s and '70s.

Of course when I was watching the show as a kid, I didn't know that Bill Macy had bared it all in the original cast of OH! CALCUTTA! Well, it didn't take long for Bill to start stripping down again on MAUDE. That's right, in the second episode entitled "Doctor Doctor", Carol's young 7-year old son Phillip is caught "playing doctor" behind the garage with a young female neighbor. The girl's conservative father, Dr. Arthur Harmon (played by "Different Strokes" actor, Canadian Conrad Bain) is livid and an argument ensues between him and Maude about sexual freedom. Of course Maude's position is that the naked body is beautiful and the kids shouldn't be ashamed.

Later in the show, Bill Macy gets totally drunk and proceeds to strip down to his underwear in front of Carol and Maude, and both the women are horrified. I thought it was great that not only the conservative guy was shown to have "hang ups", but even liberals can harbor some hang ups about nudity as well. We actually address that very point in one of the scenes in NAKED IN AMERICA -- THE MUSICAL.

Needless to say, since it was primetime, Bill Macy kept his boxers on!

Technorati tags: Broadway Musicals Musical Theatre Movie Musicals Theatre American Theatre