Charles Laughton (59 page)

French Leave
London

Vaudeville, 7 Jan 1930,
writ
. Reginald Berkeley,
dir
. Eille Norwood,
des
. Aubrey Hammond. With: Charles Groves (Corp. Sykes), Frederick Burtwell (Rifleman Jenks), Madeleine Carroll (Mademoiselle Juliette), James Raglan (Capt. Harry Glenister), LAUGHTON (Brigadier-General Archibald Root), Edward Scott-Gatty (Lieut. George Graham), Emlyn Williams (M. Jules Marnier), May Agate (Mme Denaux).

On the Spot
London

Wyndham’s, 2 April 1930,
writ. and dir
. Edgar Wallace. With: Frank Everart (Shaun O’Donnell), Agnes Somerset (A Nurse), Philip Valentine (A Priest), Julian Andrews (A Doctor), Roy Emerton (Captain Harrison), Douglas Payne (Patrolman Ryan), LAUGHTON (Tony Perelli), Gillian Lind (Minn Lee), John Gold (Kiriki), Emlyn Williams (Angelo), Ben Welden (Con O’Hara), Gladys Frazin (Maria Pouliski), Ben Smith (Jimmy McGarth), Dennis Wyndham (Mike Feeney).

Payment Deferred
London

St James’s Theatre, 4 May 1931,
writ
. Jeffrey Dell,
from the novel by
C.S. Forester,
dir
. H.K. Ayliff. With: Ernest Jay (Hammond), Quinton McPherson (A Prospective Tenant), LAUGHTON (William Marble), Louise Hampton (Annie Marble), Elsa Lanchester (Winnie Marble), Paul Longuet (Jim Medland), Jeanne de Casalis (Mme Collins), A.S. Homewood (Dr Atkinson),
and
Edgar K. Bruce, Ernest Haines (Furniture Removers).

The Cherry Orchard
London

Old Vic, 9–28 October 1933,
writ
. A. Chekhov,
trans
. Hubert M. Butler,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie. With: LAUGHTON (Lopakhin), Barbara Wilcox (Dunyasha), Marius Goring (Yepi Khodov), Athene Seyler (Lyubov Andreyevna), Ursula Jeans (Anya), Flora Robson (Varya), Leon Quartermaine (Leonid Andreyevitch), Elsa Lanchester (Charlotta Ivanovna), Roger Livesey (Semeonov-Pishchik), Morland Graham (Firs), James Mason (Yasha), Dennis Arundell (Trofimov), Ernest Hare (A Vagrant), John Allen (The Station Master), Raymond Johnson (A Post Office Clerk).

Henry VIII
London

Wells, 7–18 Nov 1933.

Old Vic, 21 Nov-2 Dec 1933,
writ
. W. Shakespeare,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie. With: Nicholas Hannen (Duke of Buckingham), Dennis Arundell (Duke of Norfolk), Ernest Hare (Lord Abergavenny, Duke of Suffolk), Robert Farquharson (Wolsey), James Mason (Cromwell), Desmond Walter-Ellis (Brandon), Derek Prentice (A Sergeant-at-Arms), LAUGHTON (Henry VIII), Flora Robson (Queen Katharine), Philip Thornley (Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham), Roger Livesey (Lord Chamberlain), Richard Goolden (Lord Sands, Cranmer), Christopher Hassall (Sir Thomas Lovell), Bertram Grimley (Sir Henry Guildford, 1st Usher), Ursula Jeans (Anne Bullen), Peter Croft (A Servant to Wolsey, 2nd Usher), Raymond Johnson (1st Gentleman), John Allen (2nd Gentleman), Orford St John (Sir Nicholas Vaux), Marius Goring (Cardinal Campeius, Garter King-at-Arms), Cecil Scott-Paton (Gardiner), Athene Seyler (Old Lady), Elsa Lanchester (A Singer), Morland Graham (Griffith), Frank Napier (Earl of Surrey), Evelyn Allen (Patience), Thorley Walters (A Messenger), Peter Copley (Capucius).

Measure for Measure
London

Old Vic, 4–20 Dec 1933,
writ
. W. Shakespeare,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie. With: Roger Livesey (Vincentio), Frank Napier (Escalus), LAUGHTON (Angelo), Dennis Arundell (Lucio), Peter Copley (1st Gentleman), Peter Croft (2nd Gentleman), Athene Seyler (Mistress Overdone), Lawrence Baskcomb (Pompey), James Mason (Claudio), Ernest Hare (Provost), Elsa Lanchester (Juliet, A Singer), Marius Goring (Friar Peter, Abhorson), Flora Robson (Isabella), Evelyn Allen (Francisca), John Allen (A Justice), Morland Graham (Elbow), Desmond Walter-Ellis (Froth), Cecil Scott-Paton (Servant to Angelo), Ursula Jeans (Mariana), Morland Graham (Barnardine), Anna Brunton (Mistress Kate Keepdown).

The Tempest
London

Wells, 8–20 Jan 1934.

Old Vic, 22 Jan–3 Feb 1934,
writ
. W. Shakespeare,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie. With: Patrick Ross (Master of the Ship), John Allen (Boatswain), Marius Goring (King of Naples), Ernest Hare
(Sebastian)
, Dennis Arundell (Antonio), Clifford Evans (Ferdinand), Evan John (Gonzalo), Ursula Jeans (Miranda), LAUGHTON (Prospero), Elsa Lanchester (Ariel), Roger Livesey (Caliban), Desmond Walter-Ellis (Adrian), James Mason (Francisco), Lawrence Baskcomb (Trinculo), Morland Graham (Stephano), Margaret Field-Hyde (Iris), Flora Robson (Ceres), Evelyn Allen (Juno).

The Importance of Being Earnest
London

Old Vic, 5 Feb-3 Mar 1934,
writ
. Oscar Wilde,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie. With: Morland Graham (Lane), George Curzon (Algernon Moncrieff), Roger Livesey (John Worthing), Athene Seyler (Lady Bracknell), Flora Robson (Gwendolen Fairfax), Elsa Lanchester (Miss Prism), Ursula Jeans (Cecily Cardew), LAUGHTON (Canon Chasuble), James Mason (Merriman).

Love for Love
London

Wells, 6–31 Mar 1934,
writ
. W. Congreve,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie,
des
. Vivian Forbes. With: Barrie Livesey (Valentine Legend), James Mason (Jeremy), Dennis Arundell (Scandal), Ernest Hare (Trapland), Marius Goring (Buckram), LAUGHTON (Tattle), Athene Seyler (Mrs Frail), Morland Graham (Foresight), Raymond Johnson (Servant), Margery Phipps-Walker (Servant to Miss Prue), Ursula Jeans (Angelica), Sam Livesey (Sir Sampson Legend), Flora Robson (Mrs Foresight), Elsa Lanchester (Miss Prue), Roger Livesey (Ben Legend), Alta Hershey (Jenny).

Macbeth
London

Old Vic, 2–28 Apr 1934,
writ
. W. Shakespeare,
dir
. Tyrone Guthrie. With: Ernest Hare (Duncan, Seward), Marius Goring (Malcolm), Thorley Walters (Donalbain), John Moody (A Sergeant, 2nd Murderer), Dennis Arundell (Ross), LAUGHTON (Macbeth), Frank Napier (Banquo), Athene Seyler (1st Weird Sister, Gentlewoman), Phyllis Hatch (2nd Weird Sister), Elspeth Currie (3rd Weird Sister), Desmond Walter-Ellis (Angus), Flora Robson (Lady Macbeth), Raymond Johnson (Servant, Messenger), Alan Foss (Fleance), Morland Graham (Porter), Roger Livesey (Macduff), James Mason (Lennox), Russell Waters (An Old Man), Patrick Ross (1st Murderer, Doctor), Stephan Schnabel (3rd Murderer), Evelyn Allen (Lady Macduff), Nigel Stock (Boy, son to Macduff), John Allen (Menteith), Derek Prentice (Caithness), Cecil Scott-Paton (Messenger), John Moody (Seyton), Peter Copley (Young Seward).

Peter Pan
London

London Palladium, 26 December 1936,
writ
. J.M. Barrie,
dir
. Stephen Thomas. With: Elsa Lanchester (Peter Pan), LAUGHTON (Captain Hook), Peter Murray Hill (Mr Darling), Cecily Byrne (Mrs Darling), Pamela Standish (Wendy), Clive Baxter (John), Paul Dunger (Michael), Wallie Scott (Nana), Jenny Wren (Tinker Bell), T. Best (Tootles), D. Blatcher (Nibs), Charles Hawtrey (Slightly), Robert Holland (Curley), Stanley Axham (1st twin), D. Smith (2nd Twin), Charles Dow (Smee), Harold Scott (Gentleman Starkey), Edwin McCarthy (Cookson), Victor Thornton (Mullins), William Luff (Cecco), Hamilton Hunter (Jukes), Granville Darling (Noodler), Claude Talbot (1st Pirate), Richard Turner (2nd Pirate), Sam Henry (Black Pirate), Garrett Hollick (Great Big Little Panther), Olive Wright (Tiger Lily), M. Milne (Mermaid), Kathleen Weston (Baby Mermaid), Helen Moore (Liza), T. Bray (Ostrich), David Little and Basil Macrae (Crocodile).

The Life of Galileo
Los Angeles
and
New York

Coronet Theatre, Los Angeles, 30 July–17 August 1947,
writ
. Bertolt Brecht,
trans
. LAUGHTON and Brecht,
dir
. Joseph Losey, Brecht and LAUGHTON,
des
. Robert Davison. With: LAUGHTON (Galileo), Hugo Haas (Barberini), Frances Heflin (Virginia), Bill Phipps (Andrea), Eda Reiss Merin (Mrs Sarti), Peter Brocco (Old Cardinal), Stephen Brown (Street Singer). Subsequently: Maxine Elliott’s Theatre, New York, 7 December 1947.

The Cherry Orchard
Los Angeles

Stage Theatre, Los Angeles, 6 June 1950,
writ
. A. Chekhov,
dir
. Charles Laughton,
des
. Harry Horner. With: Eugenie Leontovich (Mme Ranyevsky), CHARLES LAUGHTON (Gaev), Carol Brannan (Anya), Belita (Varya), Maria Bazzi (Charlotta Ivanovna), Hal Bokor (Semyonov-Pistchik), Vic Perrin (Yasha), Bill Phipps (Trofimov), Jed McKee (a vagrant), Louise Carman (girl), Margaret Field (Dunyasha), Bob Anderson (Lopahin), Richard Lupino (Epihodov), William Cottrell (Firs).

Don Juan in Hell
New York

Carnegie Hall, one performance, 1951,
writ
. Bernard Shaw,
dir
. LAUGHTON. With: LAUGHTON (Devil), Charles Boyer (Don Juan), Sir Cedric Hardwicke (Statue), Agnes Moorehead (Donna Anna).

John Brown’s Body
New York

New Century Theatre, 14 Feb–11 Apr 1953,
writ
. Stephen Vincent Benet,
adapt. and dir
. LAUGHTON,
mus. and eff
. Walter Schumann,
on stage choral dir
. Richard White. With: Tyrone Power, Judith Anderson, Raymond Massey
and
Joe Baker, Don Burke, Betty Benson, Keith Carver, Jack B. Dailey, Barbara Ford, Gillian Grey, Homer W. Hall, Les Helsdon, Bob Jensen, William Longmire, Donna McDaniel, John McMahon, Roger Miller, Smith Russell Jr., Lynda Stevens, Jack Vander-Laan, Robert Vaughn, Gordon B. Wood.

The Caine Mutiny Court Martial
New York

Plymouth, 21 Jan 1954 (opened),
writ
. Herman Wouk,
adapted from his novel
, ‘The Caine Mutiny’,
dir
. LAUGHTON. With: John Huffman (Stenographer), Greg Roman (Orderly), Henry Fonda (Lieut. Greenwald), John Hodiak (Lieut. Stephen Maryk), Ainslie Pryor (Lieut. Cdr. John Challee), Russell Hicks (Capt. Blakely), Lloyd Nolan (Lieut. Cdr. Philip Francis Queeg), Robert Gist (Lieut. Thomas Keefer), Eddie Firestone (Signalman Junius Urban), Charles Nolte (Lieut. [jg] Willis Seward Keith), Paul Birch (Capt. Randolph Southard), Stephen Chase (Dr Forrest Lundeen), Herbert Anderson (Dr Bird),
and
Larry Barton, Jim Bumgarner, T.H. Jourdan, Richard Farmer, Richard Norris, Pat Waltz (Members of the Court).

Major Barbara
New York

Martin Beck Theatre, 30 Oct 1956,
writ
. Bernard Shaw,
dir
. LAUGHTON,
des
. Donald Oenslager. With: LAUGHTON (Andrew Undershaft), John Astin (Morrison), Frank Gero (Footman), Louise Latham (Maid), Cornelia Otis Skinner (Lady Britomart), Frederic Warriner (Stephen), Glynis Johns (Major Barbara), Myra Carter (Sarah), Burgess Meredith (Adolphus Cusins), Richard Lupino (Charles Lomax), Sally Gracie (Rummy Mitchems), Walter Burke (Snobby Price), Nancy Malone (Jenny Hill), Colin Keith-Johnston (Peter Shirley), Eli Wallach (Bill Walker), Patricia Ripley (Mrs Baines).

The Party
London

New Theatre, 28 May 1958,
writ
. Jane Arden,
dir
. LAUGHTON. With: Ann Lynn (Henriette Brough), Joyce Redman (Frances Brough), John Welsh (Harold Lingham), Elsa Lanchester (Elsie Sharp), Albert Finney (Soya Marshall), LAUGHTON (Richard Brough).

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, 2 June 1959,
writ
. W. Shakespeare,
dir
. Peter Hall. With: Anthony Nicholls (Theseus), Stephanie Bidmead (Hippolyta), Donald Layne-Smith (Philostrate), Roy Dotrice (Egeus), Priscilla Morgan (Hermia), Albert Finney (Lysander), Edward de Souza (Demetrius), Vanessa Redgrave (Helena), Cyril Luckham (Quince), LAUGHTON (Bottom), Peter Woodthorpe (Flute), Donald Eccles (Starveling), Michael Blakemore (Snout), Julian Glover (Snug), Ian Holm (Puck), Zoe Caldwell (A Fairy), Robert Hardy (Oberon), Mary Ure (Titania),
and
Mavis Edwards, Georgine Anderson, Judith Downes, Margaret O’Keefe, Jean Owen, Malcolm Ranson, Michael Scole (Fairies). (Among supernumeraries was Diana Rigg.)

King Lear
Stratford-upon-Avon

Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, 18 Aug 1959,
writ
. W. Shakespeare,
dir
. Glen Byam Shaw,
des
. Motley. With: Anthony Nicholls (Earl of Kent), Cyril Luckham (Earl of Gloucester), LAUGHTON (Lear), Stephanie Bidmead (Goneril), Angela Baddeley (Regan), Zoe Caldwell (Cordelia), Julian Glover (Albany), Paul Hardwick (Cornwall), Edward de Souza (King of France), Roy Dotrice (Burgundy), Albert Finney (Edgar), Michael Blakemore (Knight to Lear), Peter Woodthorpe (Oswald), Ian Holm (Fool), Stephen Thorne (Curan), Michael Graham Cox (1st Regan Servant), Roger Bizley (2nd Regan Servant), David Buck (3rd Regan Servant), Donald Eccles (Gloucester’s Tenant), Kenneth Gilbert (Doctor), Roy Spencer (Herald), Peter Mason (Edmund’s Captain), Stanley Wheeler (Herald’s Trumpeter), Arthur Allaby (Edgar’s Trumpeter), Don Smith (Cordelia Messenger), Richard Rudd (Regan Soldier), Dave Thomas (Edmund Standard-Bearer).

The Films

Blue Bottles
(
silent
)

England, 1928, 20 mins, Angle pictures.
Dir
. Ivor Montagu,
sc. based on a story by
H.G. Wells,
ph
. F.A. Young,
a.d
. Frank Wells. With: LAUGHTON, Elsa Lanchester, Marie Wright, Joe Beckett, Norman Haire.

Day Dreams
(
silent
)

England, 1928, 23 mins, Ideal Films.
Dir
. Ivor Montagu,
sc. and a.d
. Frank Wells,
based on a story by
H.G. Wells,
ph
. F.A. Young,
a.d
. Frank Wells. With: LAUGHTON, Elsa Lanchester, Harold Warrender, Dorice Fordred, Marie Wright.

Piccadilly

England, 1929, 89 mins, British International.
Dir
. E. A. Dupont,
sc
. Arnold Bennett.
ph
. Werner Brandes,
a.d
. Alfred Junge. With: LAUGHTON, Gilda Grey, Jameson Thomas, Anna May Wong, King Ho-Chang, Cyril Ritchard, Hannah Jones.