1932 play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur
Twentieth Century is a 1932 play by
Ben Hecht and
Charles MacArthur based on the unproduced play Napoleon of Broadway by Charles B. Millholland, inspired by his experience working for the eccentric
Broadway impresario
David Belasco .
Synopsis
The Hecht-MacArthur
comedy is set in the observation car of the
20th Century Limited , travelling from Chicago to New York's
Grand Central Terminal . Aboard the luxury train are
egomaniacal
theatre producer Oscar Jaffe, desperately in need of a hit, and his former paramour and protégé, temperamental
actress Lily Garland (born Mildred Plotka), who abandoned him for a
Hollywood career. Oscar is determined to sign her for his new show, and Lily is just as determined to ignore his advances, both professional and personal.
Richard Maney
Richard Maney, an American theatrical press publicity agent, was satirized in the play.
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Productions
The first
Broadway production, directed by
George Abbott , opened on December 29, 1932 at the
Broadhurst Theatre , where it ran for 152 performances.
Moffat Johnston and
Eugenie Leontovich were the stars, with
William Frawley in a featured role.
[14] It was adapted for a critically acclaimed
film adaptation of the same name two years later.
The play has been revived on Broadway twice. The first, directed by
José Ferrer , opened on December 24, 1950 at the ANTA Playhouse, where it ran for 233 performances. The production starred Ferrer as Oscar and
Gloria Swanson , who designed her own gowns, as Lily.
Werner Klemperer and
Edward Platt were also in the cast.
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The second revival, an adaptation by
Ken Ludwig directed by
Walter Bobbie , opened on March 25, 2004, at the
Roundabout Theatre Company 's
American Airlines Theatre , where it ran for 27 previews and 84 performances.
Alec Baldwin and
Anne Heche headed a cast that included
Dan Butler ,
Tom Aldredge and
Julie Halston .
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Tony Award nominations went to Heche and Aldredge, and the production earned a
Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Set Design of a Play.
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Adaptations
Film
Hecht and MacArthur adapted their play for the 1934 screwball comedy
Twentieth Century , directed by
Howard Hawks and starring
John Barrymore and
Carole Lombard .
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Radio
Orson Welles ,
Sam Levene and
Elissa Landi starred in
The Campbell Playhouse radio adaptation of Twentieth Century , broadcast March 24, 1939, on CBS Radio.
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Television
Twentieth Century has been presented on television at least three times:
Musical
On the Twentieth Century , a musical adaptation of the play by
Betty Comden ,
Adolph Green and
Cy Coleman , opened on Broadway on February 19, 1978, with
John Cullum and
Madeline Kahn as the stars. It was directed by
Harold Prince and played for 11 previews and 449 performances.
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References
^
a
b
"Twentieth Century · Orson Welles on the Air, 1938-1946" . orsonwelles.indiana.edu . Retrieved 8 September 2023 .
https://web.archive.org/web/20180506035555/https://orsonwelles.indiana.edu/wowza4/welles/_definist_/mp4:122.high.mp4/122.high.m3u8
"The Campbell Playhouse" . RadioGOLDINdex. Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
"The Campbell Playhouse" .
Internet Archive . Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
The Campbell Playhouse . March 24, 1939. CBS radio. "Twentieth Century". Sponsored by:
Campbell's Soup . The comedy by
Ben Hecht and
Charles MacArthur , set in a cross-country train. A Hollywood producer and a star clash on rails. Guest is Richard Maney, a real-life press agent who was satirized in the story.
Charles MacArthur (author),
Bernard Herrmann (composer, conductor),
Edgar Kent ,
Elissa Landi ,
Ernest Chappell (announcer),
Everett Sloane ,
Gus Schilling ,
Howard Teichmann (editor),
Orson Welles (host),
Ray Collins (narrator), Richard Maney (guest),
Sam Levene ,
Ben Hecht (author), Alan Reed (billed as Teddy Bergman). 58:53.
^ Maney, Richard (1957).
Fanfare: The Confessions of a Press Agent . Harper. Retrieved 9 September 2023 .
^
"Richard Maney" . LIFE . Time Inc. 14 May 1945. Retrieved 9 September 2023 .
^
"Richard Maney – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB" . www.ibdb.com . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
^
"Richard Maney" . NYPL Digital Collections . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
^
https://playbill.com/article/frank-goodman-press-agent-during-broadways-golden-age-dies-at-89-com-130702
^
https://playbill.com/article/the-book-shelf-tales-of-a-broadway-flack-and-photos-and-poems-by-the-harnicks-in-the-outdoor-museum-com-197655
^
"A Night at the '21' Club" . emuseum.nyhistory.org . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
^
"Vincent Sardi Jr.: 1915 – 2007" . Chicago Tribune . 2007-01-05. Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
^ Gibbs, Wolcott (1941-10-03).
"THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS WRONG" . The New Yorker .
ISSN
0028-792X . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
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"Richard Maney, Theatrical Press Agent, Dies at 77" . The New York Times . 1968-07-02.
ISSN
0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
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"1946 - AL HIRSCHFELD CARTOON DRAWING - RICHARD MANEY BEATS THE DRUM PRESS AGENT | #497119707" . Worthpoint . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
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"The Theatre: Portrait of a Press Agent" . Time . 1940-01-08.
ISSN
0040-781X . Retrieved 2024-03-07 .
^
"Twentieth Century (1932 production)" . IBDB.com .
Internet Broadway Database .
^
"Twentieth Century (1950 production)" . IBDB.com .
Internet Broadway Database .
^ Hernandex, Ernio.
"Baldwin and Heche Pull Into the Broadway Station With New 'Twentieth Century', Opening March 25" playbill.com, March 25, 2004
^
"Twentieth Century (2004 production)" . IBDB.com .
Internet Broadway Database .
^
"Twentieth Century" .
AFI Catalog of Feature Films . Retrieved 2015-04-04 .
^ TCM
Notes
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"On the Twentieth Century " . IBDB.com .
Internet Broadway Database .
External links
Films directed Films written Plays written Related