The Philadelphia Story (play)

The Philadelphia Story is a 1939 American comic play by Philip Barry. It tells the story of a socialite whose wedding plans are complicated by the simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband and an attractive journalist. Written as a vehicle for Katharine Hepburn, its success marked a reversal of fortunes for the actress, who was one of the film stars deemed "box office poison" in 1938.

This article is about the play. For the film adaptation, see The Philadelphia Story (film).

The Philadelphia Story
First edition
Written byPhilip Barry
Date premiered28 March 1939 (1939-03-28)
Place premieredShubert Theatre, New York City
Original languageEnglish
SubjectLove, marriage, divorce
GenreComedy
SettingThe suburbs of Philadelphia in the 1930s

Production

The character of Tracy Lord was inspired by Helen Hope Montgomery Scott, a Philadelphia socialite known for her hijinks, who married a friend of playwright Philip Barry.[1] Barry wrote The Philadelphia Story specifically for Katharine Hepburn, who ended up not only starring in but also financially backing the play, forgoing a salary in return for a percentage of the play's profits.[2] The play was a great success on Broadway, and was Hepburn's first great triumph after a number of Hollywood failures had led the Independent Theatre Owners of America to publicly deem her and a number of other film stars "box office poison".

Produced by the Theatre Guild, The Philadelphia Story opened on March 28, 1939, at the Shubert Theatre in New York City, and closed on March 30, 1940.[3] The three-act comedy was directed by Robert B. Sinclair, with lighting and scenery by Robert Edmond Jones.[4]

Cast
Katharine Hepburn in the Broadway stage production of The Philadelphia Story

Adaptations

Film

Hoping to create a film vehicle for herself which would erase the label, Hepburn accepted the film rights to the play from Howard Hughes, who had purchased them as a gift for her. She then convinced MGM's Louis B. Mayer to buy them from her for only $250,000 in return for Hepburn having veto over producer, director, screenwriter, and cast.[2][5][6]

In 1940 the play was adapted to film, in a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture directed by George Cukor with Hepburn as the star, and starring Cary Grant as C.K. Dexter Haven and James Stewart as Macaulay Connor.

In 1956, it was adapted to a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film version, High Society with Grace Kelly in the Tracy Lord role, Bing Crosby as C.K. Dexter Haven and Frank Sinatra as Macaulay Connor.

Radio

Radio adaptations of The Philadelphia Story include a half-hour presentation on The Prudential Family Hour of Stars (26 February 1950), starring Sarah Churchill, Norma Jean Nilsson, Gerald Mohr and Gene Kelly.[7] An hour-long adaptation was broadcast 17 August 1952, on Best Plays, with a cast including Joan Alexander, Betty Furness, Myron McCormick and Vera Allen.[8]

Television

The Philadelphia Story was adapted for the second season of the NBC-TV series, Robert Montgomery Presents. Starring Barbara Bel Geddes (Tracy Lord), Richard Derr (Macauley Connor) and Leslie Nielsen (C. K. Dexter Haven), the one-hour live program aired 4 December 1950.[9]

On 8 December 1954, a live 60-minute adaptation of the play was broadcast on the CBS-TV series, The Best of Broadway. The cast included Mary Astor (Margaret Lord), Dorothy McGuire (Tracy Lord), Charles Winninger (Uncle Willie), Neva Patterson (Liz Imbrie), Richard Carlson (Mike Connor), Dick Foran (George Kittredge), John Payne (C.K. Dexter Haven) and Herbert Marshall (Seth Lord).[10]

A two-hour adaptation aired on NBC-TV on 7 December 1959, directed by Fielder Cook and starring Gig Young (C.K. Dexter Haven), Diana Lynn (Tracy Lord), Christopher Plummer (Mike Connor), Ruth Roman (Liz Imbrie), Mary Astor (Margaret Lord), Don DeFore (George Kittredge), Alan Webb (Seth Lord), and Leon Janney (Sidney Kidd). The instrumental theme for this version, "Tracy's Theme", was released as a single by Robert Mersey under the name "Spencer Ross" and became a Top 20 hit.

Copyright for The Philadelphia Story was registered in 1939 by Barry and his wife, portrait artist Ellen Semple Barry,[11] and was renewed by her in 1967.[12] Her estate retains copyright to the play.[13]

References
  1. Irvine, Ian "The Real Philadelphia Story" at ReelClassics.com
  2. Melear, Mary Anne "The Philadelphia Story" (TCM article)
  3. Golden, Herb (26 November 1940). "The Philadelphia Story (review)". Variety. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  4. Atkinson, Brooks (29 March 1939). "The Play: Katharine Hepburn Appearing in Philip Barry's 'The Philadelphia Story' for the Theatre Guild". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  5. TCM Notes
  6. All Movie Overview
  7. "The Prudential Family Hour of Stars". RadioGOLDINdex. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  8. "Best Plays". RadioGOLDINdex. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  9. "Robert Montgomery Presents". Classic Television Archive. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  10. "Best of Broadway". Classic Television Archive. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  11. Library of Congress, Copyright Office (1939). Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 1. Group 3. Dramatic Composition and Motion Pictures. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 39.
  12. Library of Congress, Copyright Office (1967). Catalog of Copyright Entries 3D Ser Vol 21 Pts 3–4 Dramas and Works Prepared for Oral Delivery. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 146.
  13. Blake, Jason (2 November 2013). "Copyright closes the book on Philadelphia Story". The Age.
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