Applause (musical) resulting musical could not contain any dialogue or characters that had been created for the movie but could use the original material that the movie also used. In April 1969, it was announced that Strouse, Adams, and book writer Sidney Michaels were beginning to work on the show, with Lawrence Kasha producing. In July 1969, movie star Lauren Bacall was cast as aging theater star Margo Channing, the role played by Bette Davis in "All About Eve". Bacall greatly identified with the role, explaining, "The Margo Channing of "Applause" and myself were ideally suited. She was approaching middle age. So
B. D. Hyman B. D. Hyman Barbara Davis Hyman (née Sherry; born May 1, 1947) is an American author and pastor. She is the daughter of Bette Davis. Born in Santa Ana, California, she is the daughter of film star Bette Davis and artist William Grant Sherry and was adopted in 1950 by Davis's fourth husband, Gary Merrill. She took back her surname Sherry upon turning 16 years old, claiming that she wished to distance herself from Merrill. She appeared briefly (uncredited) as an infant in her mother's film "Payment on Demand" (1951). Under the screen name B. D. Merrill, she played a