By Andrew Gans
20 Oct 2005

The eagerly awaited TV version of "Once Upon a Mattress" — starring Tracey Ullman as the remarkably "shy" Princess Winnifred — will air on ABC-TV Dec. 18 as part of the "Wonderful World of Disney" series.

The TV film, as previously reported, also features Matthew Morrison as Sir Harry, Denis O'Hare as Prince Dauntless, Zooey Deschanel as Lady Larken, Tommy Smothers as King Sextimus, Michael Boatman as the Jester and Edward Hibbert as the Wizard. Broadcast time is 7-9 PM ET.

Carol Burnett, who starred in Mattress on Broadway in 1959 and on television in 1964 (in black and white) and in 1972 (in color), plays the conniving Queen Aggravain. The TV production — featuring a teleplay by Janet Brownell — was directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall with costume designs by Bob Mackie.

Once Upon a Mattress, which is essentially the fable of "The Princess and the Pea" set to music, marked Carol Burnett's Broadway debut, and her role as the comical Winnifred became one of Burnett's signature parts. Featuring a score by Mary Rodgers (music) and Marshall Barer (lyrics) and a book by Barer, Jay Thompson and Dean Fuller, the original Broadway company also included Jack Gilford, Joe Bova and Jane White. The 1996 Broadway revival featured "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker in the role created by Burnett with co-stars David Aaron Baker, Jane Krakowski and Mary Lou Rosato.

Executive producers of the new "Mattress" are Wicked's Marc E. Platt, actress Burnett and Marty Tudor.

The cast of "Once Upon a Mattress".
photo by ©2005 ABC, Inc.