25th Tony Awards


The 25th Annual Tony Awards ceremony was held on March 28, 1971, at the Palace Theatre in New York City. The ceremony was broadcast by ABC television. Hosts were Lauren Bacall, Angela Lansbury, Anthony Quayle and Anthony Quinn.

The ceremony

The theme was to show highlights from 25 years of musicals that had won Tonys, and the stars who introduced them. The show opened with "What's Happening at the Palace". The presenters were Dick Cavett, Carol Channing and Ruby Keeler.
Saluting 25 Years of Tony Award-Winning Musicals:
The finale was "There's No Business Like Show Business" sung by the entire company.
The performers: Edie Adams, Lauren Bacall, Vivian Blaine, Tom Bosley, Yul Brynner, Carol Channing, William Daniels, Alfred Drake, Nanette Fabray, Jill Haworth, Florence Henderson, Stanley Holloway, Richard Kiley, Angela Lansbury, Paul Lynde, Patricia Morison, Robert Morse, Zero Mostel, Robert Preston, John Raitt, Leslie Uggams, Gwen Verdon, Virginia Vestoff, Ray Walston, David Wayne.

Winners and nominees

Winners are in bold
Best PlayBest Musical

  • Company
  • * The Me Nobody Knows
  • * The Rothschilds
    • Best Book of a MusicalBest Original Score Written for the Theatre
  • George Furth – Company
  • * Robert H. Livingston and Herb Schapiro – The Me Nobody Knows
  • * Sherman Yellen – The Rothschilds
  • Company – Stephen Sondheim
  • * The Rothschilds – Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick
  • * The Me Nobody Knows – Gary William Friedman and Will Holt
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
  • Brian Bedford – The School for Wives as Arnolphe
  • * John Gielgud – Home as Harry
  • * Alec McCowen – The Philanthropist as Philip
  • * Ralph Richardson – Home as Jack
  • Maureen Stapleton – The Gingerbread Lady as Evy Meara
  • * Estelle Parsons – And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little as Catherine Reardon
  • * Diana Rigg – Abelard and Heloise as Heloise
  • * Marian Seldes – Father's Day as Marian
    • Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
  • Hal Linden – The Rothschilds as Mayer Rothschild
  • * David Burns – Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen as Col. Wainwright Purdy III
  • * Larry Kert – Company as Bobby
  • * Bobby Van – No, No, Nanette as Billy Early
  • Helen Gallagher – No, No, Nanette as Lucille Early
  • * Susan Browning – Company as April
  • * Sandy Duncan – The Boy Friend as Maisie
  • * Elaine Stritch – Company as Joanne
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a PlayBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
  • Paul Sand – Paul Sills' Story Theatre as Various Characters
  • * Ronald Radd – Abelard and Heloise as Gilies de Vannes
  • * Donald Pickering – Conduct Unbecoming as Capt. Rupert Harper
  • * Ed Zimmermann – The Philanthropist as Donald
  • Rae Allen – And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little as Fleur Stein
  • *Lili Darvas – Les Blancs as Madame Neilsen
  • * Joan Van Ark – The School for Wives as Agnes
  • * Mona Washbourne – Home as Kathleen
    • Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a MusicalBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
  • Keene Curtis – The Rothschilds as Various Characters
  • * Charles Kimbrough – Company as Harry
  • * Walter Willison – Two by Two as Japheth
  • Patsy Kelly – No, No, Nanette as Pauline
  • * Barbara Barrie – Company as Sarah
  • * Pamela Myers – Company as Marta
    • Best Direction of a PlayBest Direction of a Musical
  • Peter Brook – A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • * Lindsay Anderson – Home
  • * Stephen Porter – The School for Wives
  • * Clifford Williams – Sleuth
  • Harold Prince – Company
  • * Michael Kidd – The Rothschilds
  • * Robert H. Livingston – The Me Nobody Knows
  • * Burt Shevelove – No, No, Nanette
    • Best ChoreographyBest Scenic Design
  • Donald Saddler – No, No, Nanette
  • * Michael Bennett – Company
  • * Michael Kidd – The Rothschilds
  • Boris Aronson – Company
  • * John Bury – The Rothschilds
  • * Sally Jacobs – A Midsummer Night's Dream
  • * Jo Mielziner – Father's Day
    • Best Costume DesignBest Lighting Design
  • Raoul Pene Du Bois – No, No, Nanette
  • * Jane Greenwood – Hay Fever and Les Blancs
  • * Freddy Wittop – Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen
  • R.H. Poindexter – Paul Sills' Story Theatre
  • * Robert Ornbo – Company
  • * William Ritman – Sleuth

    • Special awards

  • Elliot Norton, drama critic, for distinguished theatrical commentary.
  • Ingram Ash, president of Blaine-Thompson Advertising, for decades of devoted service to the theatre.
  • Playbill, for chronicling Broadway through the years.
  • Roger L. Stevens

    Multiple nominations and awards

    • These productions had multiple nominations:
    The following productions received multiple awards.