Gertrude Lawrence cameras and lighting could not function properly inside a Broadway theater. In 1943, Lawrence hosted a weekly series of American radio shows, some of them featuring discussions with guests and others adaptations of Hollywood hit films. In 1947, she returned to NBC for a production of the 1913 Shaw play "The Great Catherine". To promote "The King and I", Lawrence appeared on various television programs, including the Ed Sullivan-hosted "Toast of the Town", with Rodgers and Hammerstein joining her to perform selections from the show. Additionally, she appeared on several BBC Radio interview and variety shows before and after World
Rodgers and Hammerstein by David Merrick, and received five Tony Award nominations. South Pacific opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, and ran for over five years. Its songs "Bali Ha'i", "Younger Than Springtime", and "Some Enchanted Evening" have become standards. The play is based upon two short stories by James A. Michener from his book "Tales of the South Pacific", which itself was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. For their adaptation, Rodgers and Hammerstein, along with co-writer Joshua Logan, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. In the original production, Mary Martin starred as the heroine