The original Broadway cast recording of West Side Story had already proved to be a major success on both sides of the Atlantic, but the eventual release of the film soundtrack took the show to an even higher level. Starring Natalie Wood as Maria (although for the purposes of the film, it is Maria Nunez who does the singing) and Richard Beymer as Tony (with Jimmy Bryant providing the singing voice), West Side Story was both a box office success and smash hit record. In Britain, the album would top the chart for 13 weeks and spend more than three years on the listings (including a run of 142 consecutive weeks during which time it spent only one week outside the Top Ten), even as Merseybeat began its rise to popularity. The winner of more Academy Awards than any other musical film in history, West Side Story has retained its appeal in the fifty years or so since original release.