Oklahoma!

The very first musical play to be written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, Oklahoma! opened in New York in 1943 and would go on to run for an unprecedented 2,212 performances before closing in 1948. Its popularity endured beyond then however, prompting a 1955 film version that starred Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones and Gloria Grahame.

Oklahoma! was the third successful Rodgers and Hammerstein film vehicle within some twelve months, making them the hottest composers around. The success also proved beneficial to the likes of Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, with Shirley being a major star across some three decades.