Gentlemen of the Press (play)
| Gentlemen of the Press | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Ward Morehouse |
| Date premiered | August 27, 1928 |
| Place premiered | Henry Miller's Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Journalism |
| Genre | Comedy |
Gentlemen of the Press is a three-act play written by Ward Morehouse. Producers Thomas E. Jackson and H. S. Kraft opened it on Broadway at Henry Miller's Theatre on August 27, 1928. George Abbott directed the production, which ran for 128 performances.[1][2]
The play is a comedy about Wick Snell, a journalist who decides to take a job as a publicist for a real estate firm. After a dispute with his new boss, Snell goes back to journalism.
Morehouse was a journalist who had worked for several different newspapers. The main character in Gentlemen of the Press was inspired by one of his co-workers who frequently complained about the difficulties of working in journalism.[3]
Cast and characters
[edit]The characters and opening night cast from the Broadway production are given below:[4]
| Character | Broadway cast |
|---|---|
| Wick Snell | John Cromwell |
| Charlie Haven | Hugh O'Connell |
| Myra May | Helen Flint |
| Braddock | Granville Bates |
| Ted Hanley | Paul Clare |
| Sweezer | Elmer Cornell |
| Riggs | Harry Cronk |
| Bellflower | Russel Crouse |
| Ollie Wilkins | J. Hammond Dailey |
| Haley | Harold Grau |
| Western Union Messenger | Louis Halprin |
| Night Porter | A. O. Huhn |
| Second Waiter | George Humbert |
| Pansy True | Carlotta Irwin |
| Dorothy Snell | Betty Lancaster |
| Cutler | Lawrence Leslie |
| Alonzo | Harry Levian |
| First Waiter | Thomas A. Linker |
| McBee | Millard Mitchell |
| Britt | Allan Nagle |
| Pop Blalock | John Paschall |
| Kelly | William Pawley |
| Abner Pennyfather | Duncan Penwarden |
| McManahan | Francis Pierlot |
| Copy Boy | Billy Quinn |
| Vickery | George Spelvin, Jr. |
| Kenner | J. H. Stoddart |
| Fitzgerald | Cornelius Vezin |
| Branch | Philip Wood |
Adaptations
[edit]Paramount Pictures adapted the play as a film of the same name in 1929, directed by Millard Webb. Walter Huston starred as Snell.
References
[edit]- ^ Hischak, Thomas S. (2009). Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows through 2007. McFarland. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-7864-5309-2.
- ^ Bordman, Gerald (1995). American Theatre: A Chronicle of Comedy and Drama, 1914–1930. Oxford University Press. pp. 357–358. ISBN 978-0-19-509078-9.
- ^ Kear, Lynn; Rossman, John (2008). The Complete Kay Francis Career Record: All Film, Stage, Radio and Television Appearances. McFarland. p. 19. ISBN 978-0-7864-3198-4.
- ^ "Gentlemen of the Press". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved January 9, 2023.