''Child of Manhattan'' is a 1932 play by

Preston Sturges Preston Sturges (; born Edmund Preston Biden; August 29, 1898 – August 6, 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. In 1941, he won the Academy Awards, Oscar for Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, Best Origina ...

, his fifth to be produced on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

and his last for almost twenty years as his career took him to Hollywood. It was adapted into a film of the same name, released in 1933 by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

, the second play of Sturges' to make it to the silver screen, after 1929's '' Strictly Dishonorable''.

Broadway production

Sturges wrote ''Child of Manhattan'' in 16 days. The out-of-town tryout took place at the Broadstreet Theatre in

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Peggy Fears Peggy Fears (June 1, 1903 – August 24, 1994) was an American actress, who appeared in Broadway musical comedies during the 1920s and 1930s before becoming a Broadway producer. Theater Leaving New Orleans at the age of 16, she attended the Semp ...

and A. C. Blumenthal and directed by

Howard Lindsay Howard Lindsay, born Herman Nelke, (March 29, 1889 – February 11, 1968) was an American playwright, librettist, director, actor and theatrical producer. He is best known for his writing work as part of the collaboration of Lindsay and Crouse ...

. Critical response was poor, and included such assessments as "Sheer trash," "deeply offensive," and commented on its "bathos and sweetish bosh." ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'' magazine said that the play was "as silly as it is trite."

Broadway cast

The opening night cast included: *

John Altieri John F. Altieri (October 16, 1969 – May 4, 2008) was an American singer and stage actor. Altieri was born in Brockton, Massachusetts. He graduated from Cardinal Spellman High School in 1987, where he became involved in school plays and acting ...

as ''John Tarantino'' *Franz Bendtsen as ''Lucinda, Limited'' *Alexander Campbell as ''Doctor Charley'' *

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

as ''Panama C. Kelly'' *Dorothy Hall as ''Madeleine McGonegal'' *Jackson Halliday as ''Buddy McGonegal'' *

Maude Odell Maude Odell (also spelled Maude O'Dell and sometimes known as Tillie Doremus or Maude Odell Doremus) (November 10, 1870 – February 27, 1937) was an American actress. She was one of the United States' best-known stage actresses of the early 20t ...

as ''Mrs. McGonegal'' *

Reginald Owen John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs. Career The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...

as ''Otto Paul Vanderkill'' *

Jessie Ralph Jessie Ralph Patton ( Chambers; November 5, 1864 – May 30, 1944), known as Jessie Ralph, was an American stage and screen actress, best known for her matronly roles in many classic films. Early life Jessie Ralph Chambers was the 13th child ...

as ''Aunt Minnie'' *Joseph H. Roeder as ''Eggleston'' *Harriet Russell as ''Luthy McGonegal'' *

Ralph Sanford Ralph Dayton Sanford (May 21, 1899 – June 20, 1963) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films and in at least 200 episodes on television between 1930 and 1960, mostly bit parts or supporting roles. Sanford frequently ...

as ''Spyrene'' *Helen Strickland as ''Miss Sophie Vanderkill'' *Elizabeth Young as ''Adelaide Vanderkill''

References

Notes

External links

* * * * Plays by Preston Sturges 1932 plays American plays adapted into films {{1930s-play-stub