As a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Broadway Bears roared into their sixth anniversary commemorating classic Broadway performers and performances as well as paid tribute to Award winning Broadway Costume Designers. This newest cast of 40 bears hit the auction block on March 24th, 2003, started at 6:00 p.m. with a private reception and a VIP advance preview of The Broadway Bears VI. The evening took place once again at the wonderful "Broadway friendly" B. B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd Street on the revitalized 42nd Street in the heart of New York City's Broadway Theatre District.

Broadway's annual bear hug--the Sixth Annual Broadway Bears Auction--brought together theater lovers and teddy bear collectors. The event raised $116,495 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. As usual, a cavalcade of Broadway stars were on hand at the warm and fuzzy event. To date, the six Broadway Bears auctions have raised a total of $883,307.

WILDCAT

1960

Wildcat Jackson

"Hey, look [her] over!" The "Wildcat Jackson" Bear celebrates Celeron, NY's most famous leading lady - the inimitable Lucille Ball, who made her only Broadway appearance in this Cy Coleman/Carolyn Leigh musical (with a book by N. Richard Nash). This was Coleman's first complete Broadway score, and the madcap Lucy played an early-20th century (on-land...) oil-driller! Re-created from an 8"x11" production photo, Wildbearcat's costume thoroughly replicates the original - complete with buttoned, blue denim workshirt; zippered blue jeans with a button at the waist; hip-riding, black leather, coin-ornamented belt (with "silver" buckle); laced work boots; and even a pair of work gloves hanging from her back pocket. This bear also sports a real-hair wig (red, of course), as well as a pair of long lashes and luscious Lucy-red lips! Accompanied by a reproduction of the "Wildcat Oil Co." bass drum, as well as the framed Lucy photograph, all we can do is warn you - she may be "fresh outta clover, mortgaged up to here," but ever-the-optimist, still she says, "Look out, world - here I come!"

ORIGINAL COSUME DESIGN: ALVIN COLT

BROADWAY BEAR CREATED BY: CANDY JOHNSON

With the assistance of: Miriam Carlin (wig);
and special thanks to Ric Wyman (photograph donation)

Signed by: Lucie Arnaz and Alvin Colt    (Alvin signed it the night of the auction, I watched!)

 

 

This is the display of the Wildcat bear showing everything it comes with - the bear, the drum and the photo of Lucy in costume.

This is Me with Alvin Colt, the costume designer for Wildcat.

	This is the page in the program that I had Mr. Colt autograph for me. (Notice they called her "Wildcat Johnson" in error.)
	To see all the bears that were auctioned, click here for the Broadway Cares web site.

 

.............Some other WILDCAT stuff I threw onto this page.............
Lucille Ball with Don Tomkins sing "What Takes My Fancy" in WILDCAT.