''My Wife's Family'' is a comedy play by the British-based American writer Fred Duprez based on an earlier story by Harry B. Linton and Hal Stephens. It premiered at the Princes Theatre,

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

before transferring to the Garrick Theatre in London's West End where it ran for 118 performances between 3 March and 13 June 1931. The original West End cast included

Ernie Lotinga Ernest Lotinga (19 March 1875 – 28 October 1951) was a British comedian and film actor. Lotinga became known for the Josser character whom he portrayed in a series of comedy films during the 1930s. Biography Lotinga was born in Sunderland into ...

Arnold Bell Arnold Bell (23 May 1901 – 12 March 1988) was a British actor. Selected filmography * ''Convict 99'' (1919) - Warder Gannawy * '' Doctor Josser K.C.'' (1931) * '' Josser in the Army'' (1932) - Becker * ''Doss House'' (1933) - Reporter * '' ...

Hugh E. Wright Hugh E. Wright (13 April 1879 – 12 February 1940) was a French-born, British actor and screenwriter. He was the father of actor Tony Wright. Musical theatre *'' Charlot Revue'' (1925), as both lyricist (one song) and actor *''Houp La!'' (19 ...

and Joan Ingram.Wearing p.96 It was revived on a number of occasions and made into several films. A

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

, the play's comedy revolves around a newly-married wife who overhears her husband talking about a Baby grand piano and mistakenly believes he has an illegitimate child.

Adaptations

In 1931 it was made into the British film ''

The Wife's Family ''The Wife's Family'' (also released as ''My Wife's Family'') is a 1931 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Gene Gerrard, Muriel Angelus, and Amy Veness. It was based on the popular stage farce by Fred Duprez. The play was ...

'' which was followed by two further British adaptations '' My Wife's Family'' (1941) and '' My Wife's Family'' (1956). It was also adapted into Scandinavian films, the Swedish ''

Mother-in-Law's Coming ''Mother-in-Law's Coming'' (Swedish: ''Svärmor kommer'') is a 1932 Swedish comedy film directed by Paul Merzbach and starring Karin Swanström, Nils Wahlbom and Magda Holm.Larsson & Marklund p.130 It was shot at the Råsunda Studios in Stockholm ...

'' (1932) and ''

Voi meitä! Anoppi tulee ''Voi meitä! Anoppi tulee'' (AKA''The Mother-in-Law Cometh'') is a 1933 Finnish comedy film directed by Erkki Karu and starring Mia Backman, Uuno Laakso and Georg Malmstén. It was based on a popular stage farce '' My Wife's Family'' by Fre ...

'' shot in Finland in 1933.

References

Bibliography

* Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999. * Wearing, J.P. ''The London Stage 1930-1939: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel''. Rowman & Littlefield, 2014. 1930 plays British plays West End plays British plays adapted into films {{1930s-play-stub