Melissa Manchester talks about ‘Cagney,’ Clive Davis, more

“Made it, Ma! Top of the world!” are the famous last words uttered by James Cagney in the classic 1949 gangster movie “White Heat.”

The line could also apply to the film’s star, whose mother, Carolyn, played a key role in his story. Now the steely matriarch is brought to life by actress-singer Melissa Manchester in “Cagney: The Musical,” which is playing at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor through July 26.

The show, which chronicles Cagney’s life from growing up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side to achieving Hollywood stardom, is the latest highlight in a 50 years-plus career of highlights for Manchester. Among them: backing up Bette Midler as part of the Harlettes; penning and recording hit songs including “Whenever I Call You Friend” and “Midnight Blue”; winning a Grammy in 1983 for “You Should Hear How She Talks About You”; and acting in films (“For the Boys”), TV (“Blossom”) and on stage (as Fanny Brice’s mom in the national tour of “Funny Girl”).

Manchester, 75, recently chatted by phone from Sag Harbor about “Cagney”; why she loves Long Island; her friendship with music industry giant Clive Davis, who died last month; and more.

Are you a Cagney fan?

I am. In fact, when I was 5 years old, I remember being home sick and there was a TV show on in New York called “Million Dollar Movie” and they showed “Yankee Doodle Dandy” [starring Cagney as song-and-dance man George M. Cohan] over and over again all week. I memorized that movie.

What’s the most fun part about playing Ma Cagney?

It’s her grit and digging into that. The father is around at the beginning of the show, but he’s a drinker and he’s beloved and then he dies, and it becomes evident that she’s the backbone of the family. She teaches Cagney how to box and dance and she’s his steady support. What she did was instill in him his moral compass, and that for me is the main element that creates the touchstone in the presence of his life. … The dancing was something that his mother suggested as a career, and he took the gift of her permission and ran with it and became a star.

You played Fanny Brice’s mother and now you’re playing James Cagney’s mother. So have you now entered the phase of your career where you’re playing only show biz moms?

[Laughs.] With Fanny Brice’s mom, her voice was all the voices I grew up with in the Bronx and Brooklyn, and in “Cagney,” I have this bit of an Irish brogue which is authentic to her, so yeah, it’s fascinating to be in this period of my life. What I know to be true is what I learned as a mother and now a grandmother, so it’s very lovely to bring those elements of truth to the roles. 

Was the brogue something you learned for the part?

I asked the director and all of the creatives … how much of a brogue do you want? They said you will find what it is you need to serve the role. The only thing that I knew to be true in finding the balance of a brogue was remembering how magnificent Anne Bancroft was in the film of “The Miracle Worker.” She had this brogue and it was more of a suggestion than a full brogue, and I thought, that’s all I need. I channeled her until I found my own rhythm and my own nuance to serve the dialogue.

Of all the songs you’ve performed and written, is there one that’s truly special to you?

Songs are like children. You love them all individually. “Midnight Blue” I have a particular tenderness for because it was my first hit with Carole Bayer Sager and there’s nothing like that first time. As they say in the industry, the only thing harder than the first time is a second time. I’m very grateful that on my latest CD, “Re:View,” that I got to rerecord “Midnight Blue” with Dolly Parton as a lovely duet. And to finally record “Whenever I Call You Friend” with my co-writer Kenny Loggins, we waited about 45 years to get to that, so that was kind of thrilling.

Speaking of “Whenever I Call You Friend,” I read that when you first played it for Clive Davis, he didn’t care for it.

He didn’t dig it and didn’t see the hit potential. And then Kenny went off and had a big hit with it with Stevie Nicks. The sweet thing about Clive and I is that many years after I was released from Arista Records, we resolved all of whatever pain there was between us and we ended up very dear friends. 

My condolences to you on his passing.

Thank you. He had just come to see me at 54 Below and he said to me, call me whenever you’re performing. I was just about to call him about Sag Harbor and then he passed away.

You’ve performed on Long Island before at Westbury Music Fair, Adelphi University, Jones Beach and Tilles Center. What do you like about coming here?

It’s very beautiful and the people are very jolly. When I played at Eppy’s Place [My Father’s Place in Roslyn] so long ago, I shared the bill with Bruce Springsteen, so that was kind of a hoot.