A stage show becomes a Broadway hit, then is made into a movie. But is the reverse common?
I’m not limiting this to musicals, but few examples come to mind. I think “State Fair” was originally a film, then converted to a stage production; correct me if I am wrong.
An obvious one is “The Producers,” although it got changed from a play to a musical in the translation.
And of course “The Lion King.”
Can you think of other examples?
“Beauty and the Beast”
“42nd Street”
“Gigi”
“On the Twentieth Century”
(And yes, “State Fair”)
Technically, there were films of “Les Miserables” and “Jeckyl and Hyde” before they were musicals, but the musicals weren’t based on the film, but rather the book.
And then there’s “Mame.” It was a book, a play, and then a movie, before being made into a musical (and then a movie).
“Little Shop of Horrors” - the stage musical was based on the Roger Corman movie.
Interesting that, of the examples given, the process of movie-to-stage is often play-to-musical, that is, music is added to an otherwise complete, non-musical production. I wonder why? To add CD’s to the auxiliary income?
Mel Brooks didn’t feel the need for Zero Mostel to break into song in the film, yet Nathan Lane in the stage production does. Why?
There’s a play based on MAS*H. I don’t know if it was ever performed on Broadway, but it’s now available for anyone.
Scruff
Haven’t heard about that one. How close to Broadway did it get? Did they add any song & dance? 
“Phantom of the Opera” (like “Little Shop” it started as a non-musical movie).
“George M” (inspiration and the basic plot line from “Yankee Doodle Dandy”)
Didn’t “High Society” (movie had Sinatra, Crosby, Louis Armstrong and Grace Kelly) have about a one or two week run on Broadway?
And Chuck, are you sure about “Gigi” and “State Fair”? (of course you are, you always double check your facts before you post, but still these two -especially “State Fair”- are bugging me.
I’m still waiting for Burt Reynolds’“At Long Last Love” to make it to Broadway.
TV
Phantom was a novel first. (I’ve read it – it’s not very good IMHO. ;))
“Big” is another movie-made-musical.
Oh, and MAS*H was a play first, IIRC, and the movie was based on it…I think.
“Footloose” is another recent example
There was also Tommy (based on the Who movie)
Carrie: The Musical (lasted 8 whole shows!)
Footlose
Planet of the apes (at least on the Simpsons
Others have asked why most of the movies turned shows are musicals, someone suggested CD sales but I think it is more because musicals do better on broadway in general so most new commercial shows are musicals.
“Big”, “Saturday Night Fever”, “Footloose”…
Silk Stockings (1955; score by Cole Porter) was based on the 1939 movie Ninotchka. It was later turned into a movie itself.
I’ll keep 'em coming as I think of them.
MAS*H was a novel first by Richard Hooker. It was adapted by Ring Lardner, Jr. for the screen and in turn that script was tweaked further by Robert Altman.
I’m not quite sure how it would work as a play. But I could be mistaken.
Okay I’m gonna cheat. Got these from a book… but, I promise I would have gotten most of them myself without looking.
Fanny (1954) was adapted from three (French?) films: Marius, Fanny and Cesar.
Destry Rides again (1959) was from a film of the same name.
Carnival (1961) from Lili.
She Loves Me (1963) from Shop Around the Corner and/or In the Good Old Summertime.
Here’s Love (1963) from Miracle on 34th Street.
Promises, Promises (1968) from The Apartment.
Zorba (1968) from Zorba the Greek.
A Little Night Music (1973) from Smiles of a Summer Night.
“Kiss of the Spider Woman”
TV Time “State Fair” was definitely a movie first – the Rogers and Hammerstein site states it was written directly for film in 1945, and didn’t appear on Broadway until 1996.
Various sources say “Gigi” was an original score by Lerner and Lowe. I’m just unclear if it actually was staged on Broadway, but I seem to recall it was.
As to why musicals instead of plays – it’s because a play can only mimic the movie. Why pay $100 to see Casablanca when you can see the movie for $4 or less? A musical usually adds music, or at least an element of spectacle, to the film. It’s a much different experience.
Also: add “Sweet Charity” from “Nights of Cabiria”
Thanks Chuck
Another recent movie to Broadway show is Victor\Victoria. Julie Andrews started the show (she was in the movie), until she started having her recent throat problem. She is supposedly singing again, so hopefully she will be able to fill the role again. (Last I knew it was still playing, not sure) I loved the movie, it also has Robert Preston, James Garner, and Alex Karras. Great movie, if you haven’t seen it you should. Great period piece.
Sunset Blvd.