Originally Posted by
sansradio
While I, too, agree that this honor, while well-deserved, maybe shouldn't supplant Mr. Atkinson's, Lena definitely paid her dues on Broadway, starring in a Tony-nominated turn in Jamaica opposite Ricardo Montalban for 558 performances and, of course, her one-woman show Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music, which ran for 333 performances, won her a special Tony and made her an even bigger household name.
However, your point is well taken about Merm and Martin; one could argue that perhaps Ethel Waters is also overdue for such an honor, having paved the way for Horne and also having had a lengthier Broadway resumé.
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