Added: 3 years ago
From: TheaterRaven
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  • Comes across as a good fella..

  • I wonder if Michael, in 2004, turned the thought of doing the movie away? You can see even now, in 2012, "the phantom" tries to come out but maybe because it was too much for him he has completely resigned from being "the phantom". I don't want to ruin anything but for the 25th anniv he doesn't sing or even say anything, just an appearance, and at the very last celebratory group note being sung before the last bow you can see him shake like he wants to jump out as the phantom but can't or won't.

  • 2012!!!!!!

  • it's cute that they say 2012, I wish!! I'd definitely be buying a ticket :D

  • Michael has a rep (or had) of being a perfectionist in the workplace, so not everyone could handle that, but many were fine with that and respected that. You can't judge a celebrity by how he or she behaves one time or two or even a few - it's really not fair to them to be put on that kind of display, to have that kind of pressure to be almost perfect. He devotes a lot of time, and has for years, to charity - and that speaks more for him than anything else could. I

  • How I love this interview- though it's kind of weird seeing the woman get all flustered over Michael (not very professional). He handled it so well, however -he must have been completely embarrassed. I LOVE his voice - it's so delicate and light, really a lovely speaking voice. It's heartbreaking that this man, who has a bond with this role like nothing I've ever seen from another actor, was not given the chance to put his performance on permanent record. He seems like such a kind, gentle man.

  • Can I just say to stop all this movie original stuff, MC was supper to do the movie with Sarah 25 years ago but Sarah and Andrew got a divorce stoping all thought of making a movie with the original cast.

  • Looks a lot like Roger Daltrey here! Is meant to be a right arsehole in real life.

  • @ytpoliticsnigga Actually, Michael is a very sweet man in person. I had the honor of meeting him and he was nothing but kind and gracious. He even seemed a little shy when I mentioned how much of a fan I was.

  • @TheaterRaven I hope he's a nice guy, I read a story where he got shitty with some stage-hand then got him fired for smoking but I suppose you can't please everyone!

  • @TheaterRaven how cool:) when I first herd him sing I thought *WT*?? somebody who plays some one who is so silly has a such a beautiful voice:)

  • @ytpoliticsnigga did you mean roger or michael?

  • Comment removed

  • He is best remembered as the bumbling annoying Frank Spencer in Some Mothers Do Ave Em.

  • @IamTheDeviInDisguise yeah :) how true is that:)

  • when he said 'hopefully we're going to do a movie" i was like oooooh...

  • he's so awesome! I was screaming in my head when he came on! best phantom ever!

  • Awesome trainers, Michael. xD

  • Awe it's sad to hear him say he was going to do the movie...

  • 40 yr's in entertainment  and american's finnally figure out whio Michael crawford is

  • What an absolute gentleman and so modest. A very rare combination  in show business. Pleasure to watch thanks for posting

  • Does anyone else ever notice, in a great deal of his interviews, he slightly stutters when he speaks? Maybe it's just the way he talks, but I've always noticed that.

  • It's funny becuase now it almost is 2012... I would still buy tickets to see the original cast haha

  • michael crawford will always be my favourite phantom even though i've never seen him live. But i just cannot believe that the man who played Frank Spencer is an actual acting legend with this amazing voice and ability to make the phantom as real as possible. He is absolutely brilliant and he should definitely come back to the production of the phantom and take up his role again

  • @whiterobin It's heartbreaking given that Michael obviously cared a lot about this character, originated the role, then wasn't even considered for the movie that was eventually made with Gerard Butler, who I considered to be a poor substitute.

  • Screw the movie! Just get the video performance of him and Sarah Brightman available to public viewing!!! That's all I want :(

  • Did you know that Michael Crawford is a stage name? And that he stole the last name from a brand of crackers in England?

  • @heatofhiseyes Yes, I knew that. Michael mentions it in his autobiography.

  • "There's a cute looking face."

    "Goes to show you anyone has a chance."

    HAHA XD They're awesome. You're awesome, Michael!

  • what tv program is this ?

  • Michael Crawford was voted #17 in The Greatest Britons of All Time list. The list is very... I don't know how to explain. It's very 'now and then' or something. David Beckham is in it for example - put it that way. But for some reason I think Michael should be in it. He makes me want to burst into tears. That's good enough. Plus he helped Torvill and Dean with his Barnum experience and general niceness etc.

  • @McPerfectday LOL, if I remember correctly, Crawford ranked higher than Churchill! Now, really? It just shows how highly he is thought of in the public esteem.

  • i love you mike <3

  • he's actually alot like frank spencer, not completely an act.

  • ive only seen him being a complete moron as frank spencer strange watching him being normal !

  • @TheLightningmikester That's why ALW decided not to cast Steve Harley as the Phantom. He had a rock voice which is not right for the Phantom. MC got the rave reviews and the audience acclaim and Prince, ALW , MacIntosh were glad of their decision. To paraphrase the quote, Harley's type voice wasn't right for the role. This is all documented fact. Not just my opinion.

  • @TheLightningmikester Steve wasn't appropriate at all for the role, but as a rock singer he is very talented and definitely not annoying.

  • @TheLightningmikester Why would he have a rock'n'roll if he lives within an opera house? It just makes no sense to me...

  • such a shame we didn't ever see the movie with crawford

  • @chriswhiting7 Large numbers of people agree whole heartedly with that sentiment. What a loss, that it wasn't Michael. He IS the Phantom.

  • Yes, everyone who doesn't seem to know, Christine is supposed to be in a trance. Under the Phantom's spell.

  • @LOVxxE I think she's supposed to be in a trance or something. Idk; I was wondering that too!!!

  • It broke thousands of people's hearts that he wasn't in the movie. But that's why it was a box office flop. What an incredibly stupid decision to not cast Michael after he was already supposed to do it. Well, the powers that be really got hit in pocketbook, for their mistake. At least ALW knew it was a bad decision, as he admitted it.

  • What an adorable and talented man. It breaks my heart that he was not in the movie!

  • Why oh why didn't they make the movie back then? I love the 2004 movie version but with Michael and Christine, it would've been utterly fantastic!

  • MICHAEL IS AMAZINGGGGGG, BEST PHANTOM EVER!!!!! what the hell is that christine doing?

  • I Wish he was in the movie! but Butler is good too! but they would of both been good!

  • the christine in this clip looks really bored

  • the christine in this clip looks really bored

  • What the hell, why didn't they make the movie with MC?

    I love the 2004 movie, but a Phantom movie with Michael Crawford would've been epic. Damn. That makes me sad to know that they were planning but didn't go ahead with it. Then again, I suppose it makes his Phantom all the more mysterious... (:

  • He still has his smile from Some Mother's Do Have Em lol. Loved that show and hes to funny.

  • I agree! I would have preffered Michael Crawford by lightyears over who they wound up picking for the 2004 film. Michaels voice, acting and sensuality are the best ever for the role of the Phantom!!! Come back to performing Mikey! We all miss you terribly!

  • its too bad they never made the movie with mike and sarah. i can't say the 2004 version was terrible, but it would have been much better with those two as the leads

  • I completely agree. Michael is amazing!

  • @BAG1016 I agree. I LOOVE Gerrard Butler, but I don't think his voice was meant for that music.

  • WHAT?!

    THEY WERE GOING TO DO

    THE MOVIE WITH MICHAEL CRAWFORD & THEY BLEW HIM OFF 4 GERARD BUTLER?!?!?!?!?!?

    MAJOR SUCKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!

    p.s.

    i'm not saying Butler was terrible cuz he wasnt. I simply would have preferred the LEGENDARY michael crawford.....grr!

  • can someone tell me why he did not get the role in the movie?? an opera singer's voice matures with age, yes no wonder the movie flopped, i am old enough to have had the plessure of growing up with is man as some mother;s do hv em. I say remake the movie and put the two real singers on and see how much money it rakes in.

  • I totally agree with you!!!!

  • he seems tierd.

  • Actually I think he was in his mid 40's (Erik)

  • What year did this interview take place?

  • @mijessegirl It was Jan of 1990.

  • Thanks!

  • Some say they did not cast him in the movie because of his age. However, if the movie had been made in the early 90s, he would have been in his early 50s. Prime of life for a male actor. ALSO, with the mask on, the phantom is ageless! He could have carried it off in 2004 when the movie was made. Absolutely no excuse.

  • Michael Crawford had no problem making us laugh when he was Frank Spencer...LOL...

  • Yes, it was a monumental mistake not to cast Michael in the movie. He owns the role, and many thousands of people only wanted him in the role. No wonder the movie was a big flop! So many people were outraged he wasn't in it. I'm so glad I got to see him play it, Just sensational!

  • One of the biggest mistakes in film making was to not cast him in the movie. Hollywood always gets it wrong. He would have been a sensation reprising his role on screen.

  • I had seen some taped performances of the Original Cast, you can find some of them on the YouTube itself, but we can barely get into it, due to the lack of image and sound quality. Though we have the OLC Recording, it would be good to have a Stage Version of it.. I have the one with John Cudia, which also can be found here, in YouTube, but it's a "bootleg", high quality, but still, a bootleg.

  • You are so right!!!

  • i loved him in dolly

  • I believe it was Jan 22 1990. I saw him there 4 times. He finally left in April under doctors orders and then came back in December 31 til the end of April 1991 which finally made it 1300 performances, if I remember correctly.

  • I hear that tho OLC was taped for Phantom, but it hasn't been released. I think that's a real crime. Thousands of people would snap that up in a second. Myself included.

  • Did they REALLY taped the movie with the OLC? I understand that it may be a rumor, but do you have any kind of source that leads us to that?

  • I know that a taped performance of the stage show exists, but the only people allowed to view it are actors who are going to play the Phantom or college students getting a degree in musical theater. As for a movie, no, there is no movie with the original cast. The movie was SUPPOSED to be done back in the '90s with Crawford and Brightman, but had to be put on hold because of Lloyd Webber and Brightman's divorce and it wasn't made until 2004 with Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum.

  • Michael is adorable!

    Wow...I wish I could have had the chance to see him perform as the Phantom live..

    I also wish I could have been Christine too! But that's another story ! hehe :*

  • I like the way he laughs. *-*

  • Michaels voice sounds fine so whats your problem with Michael lately "thecopykidofthestarz". First you PRETEND to like him and now your dissing Mike. Thank God Michael has a whole lot more class then you do. Also thanks for missing one heck of a great interview with him and not noticing how ADORABLE this man is!!!

  • *sigh* He is just so completely charming!

  • I adore Michael Crawford. He is so talented and yet such a humble man. I think he is terrific!

  • I LOVED him in Condorman!

  • God, his laugh is intoxicating.... its so cute.

  • *swoon* I'ts been said before before, but he's so darn cute!

    7:23 just broke my heart, though. Stupid Joel Schumacher...

  • I think we should all smother Michael with hugs and kisses "Nergaladdictchic" and "littlelotte8". I TOTALLY AGREE...Michael is beyond adorable, cute, sexy and hot! Hes just a totally awesome dude in every way! Sorry...got carried away. Lols. Are either one of you going to the big fan/charity fundraising event in June in Long Beach, Ca?

  • Man, I just want to squeeze him and hug him and smother him with kisses... he's so freaking adorable!!!!!!!!!!!! :) <3

  • i just want to hug him!!!!!!!

  • Since Michael is more emotional, sensual, mysterious and sexy as the Phantom then Butler( Plus Mikes got a great voice)all all I can say is Joel Schumacher is an asshole "fkhang9223"! I wish Michael could have been the Phantom in the movie too!

  • well joe the director, wanted to make the cast of the movie young...to bring out the really emotional lovee between all three of the characters...but i would really like to see MC by the phantom in the movie!

  • poor Michael..... And he's so adorable too........ it must have broken his heart

  • I totally agree MagnoliaOnBroadway. I will never forgive Webber and Schumacher for what they did to Michael. Mike is such a sweetheart and down to earth guy. This man loves people and his fans so much and really is a humble man as well. Michael didn't deserve to get stabbed in the back and let down the way he did. I've met MC several times and he is adorable and very talented as well. The movie fans should watch this interview and then tell me MC isn't sexy, attractive and super cute to boot!!

  • I'd love to Meet MR MICHAEL CRAWFORD!!!

  • What did Webber and Schumacher do to Michael?

  • Not casting him for the movie...

  • I really didn't like Sarah as Christine, my reason being that her voice is just so annoying! I mean, it sounds like she just shoved a hose of helium down her throat and left it there for some time. Michael Crawford however, is a different story. I really really loved seeing him as the phantom, and am thoroughly pissed off that he wasn't in the movie. The excuse, "he was too old" is bull, because Erik is supposed to be significantly older than Christine.

  • AAAH! this makes me so depressed because he wasn't in the movie!

  • Thats not true "TangoMaureen07"! Sarah may have been to old but Michael was definetly not to old. Read the book by Leroux and you will see that Michael was actually closer to the Phantoms age as described in the book then the guy they wound up picking. Plus Michael is still in great shape, sings a heck of a lot better then the film dude and would be wearing make-up in the film. Plus the movie wouldn't have faired any worse at the box office. You don't have to like MC but don't diss him!!!

  • Why didn't they make the movie with him and Sarah? It would have been PERFECT!

  • Because they waited to long and they were to old.... :(

  • In 1990 the would make a movie but sarah brightman has been divorce from Andrew so the made the movie in 2004.

  • It truly is heartbreaking to hear such a wonderful and sensitive, loving man(and adorableand attractive as hell)talk about something that meant so much to him and know an asshole like Webber would eventually screw him out of it!!!! All I can say is Michael should have been given a chance to do the Phantom film and Schumacher and Webber have no class at all compared to Michael who clearly is a lot classier! Plus you are one heck of a sexy guy MC and it has nothing to do with playing the Phantom

  • It breaks my heart to hear him talk about the movie, especially considering what a poor substitute Gerard Butler was.

  • I know. It shatters my heart to hear him talk about the film and then hear the audience's enthusiastic reaction to it. They could have made it back then. I hate the petty excuse of ALW and Sarah's divorce--that was their personal life, PotO is their professional, they need to get over it and commit to their work. Heck, Lon Chaney and Rupert Julian (the director for the silent film) hated each other so much they weren't even speaking and yet THEIR version still got made.

  • exactly that is pure bullshit. And they went back to the drawing board 3 times to make that movie.

  • @TheaterRaven you make a valid point. lol. it would have been awesome and nostalgic years later to see Crawford and Brightman on DVD!

  • I absolutely want to thank you for posting this! I love how Michael talks about the character of the Phantom. He is such a incredible guy! Warm and friendly, funny and very down to earth. Plus he is such a handsome and cute man. I love how boyish looking he is in this segment and how shy he comes off. I also love seeing that jacket again!!! That brings back memories. It's sad though to hear Michael say that he was promised the movie and told he would be doing it. ALW is an ass!

  • Agreed. Michael is an amazingly wonderful man--down to earth, amazingly deep, a beautiful, beautiful soul. And yes, ALW is an ass for not having him be in the film, especially when it appeared that Michael WOULD play the role, even when the film's production was postponed to 2004. Ah, well, nothing we can do now. At least we can enjoy the recordings and interviews that feature him!

  • Thank you soooo much for reposting this. I have had the worst of weeks and this really cheered me up!!!! Thank you, thank you!

  • You're welcome. :)

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