J. B. Fagan
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James Bernard Fagan (18 May 1873 – 17 February 1933) was an Irish-born actor, theatre manager, producer and playwright active in England. After turning from the law to the stage, Fagan began his acting career, including four years from 1895 to 1899 with
Herbert Beerbohm Tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree (17 December 1852 – 2 July 1917) was an English actor and theatre manager. Tree began performing in the 1870s. By 1887, he was managing the Haymarket Theatre in the West End, winning praise for adventurous progra ...
's company at Her Majesty's Theatre. He then began to write plays, returning eventually to acting during World War I. In 1920, he took over London's Court Theatre as a Shakespearean playhouse and soon began to produce plays at other
West End theatre West End theatre is mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres in and near the West End of London.Christopher Innes, "West End" in ''The Cambridge Guide to Theatre'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 1194–1 ...
s. His adaptation of '' Treasure Island'' in 1922 was a hit and became an annual Christmas event. He was the first manager of the
Oxford Playhouse Oxford Playhouse is a theatre designed by Edward Maufe and F.G.M. Chancellor. It is situated in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum. History The Playhouse was founded as ''The Red Barn'' at 12 Woodstock Road, North Oxfor ...
for several years in the 1920s. As a producer, he popularised
Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...
and Seán O'Casey in Britain. In 1929, he was a director of the Festival Theatre, Cambridge. Several of his plays were adapted for film, and he moved to
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...
in his last years.


Early life and career

Fagan was born in Belfast, the eldest of the five children (three boys and two girls). His father, Sir James Fagan, was a surgeon at the Belfast Royal Hospital and an inspector of Irish reformatories, and his mother was Mary Catherine Fagan, née Hughes. He attended
Clongowes Wood College Clongowes Wood College SJ is a voluntary boarding school for boys near Clane, County Kildare, Ireland, founded by the Jesuits in 1814, which features prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel ''A Portrait of the Artist as a Yo ...
near Clane, County Kildare and then moved to England.Sharp, Robert
"Fagan, James Bernard"
''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 26 October 2010
Initially interested in a career in the church, Fagan began studying law at Trinity College, Oxford in 1892 but left in 1893 without a degree. He worked for a time in the Indian Civil Service but abandoned this career for the stage."Mr J. B. Fagan dead", ''The West Australian'', 20 February 1933, p.9
/ref> Fagan began his career as an actor with the company of Sir Frank Benson for two years, then joining, from 1895 to 1899, the company of
Herbert Beerbohm Tree Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree (17 December 1852 – 2 July 1917) was an English actor and theatre manager. Tree began performing in the 1870s. By 1887, he was managing the Haymarket Theatre in the West End, winning praise for adventurous progra ...
at Her Majesty's Theatre. There he appeared in ''Katherine and Petruchio'', ''A Man's Shadow'', ''Julius Caesar'', ''The Musketeers'' and ''Carnac Sahib''. He started writing plays in 1899, with ''The Rebels'', for the time forsaking acting. Other early plays were ''The Prayer of the Sword'' (1904); ''Under Which King'', a revue, ''Shakespeare v. Shaw'', and ''Hawthorne, USA'' (all 1905); ''Gloria'' (1907); ''A Merry Devil'' and ''False Gods'' (a translation of Eugène Brieux's ''La foi'' (1909); ''The Dressing Room'' (1910); ''Bella donna'' (1911; adapted from Robert Hitchens's novel); and ''The Happy Island'' (1913). In 1913 he returned to the stage touring as the Rt Hon. Denzil Trevena in his own play, ''The Earth'' (originally produced in 1909). He next wrote ''The Fourth of August'' (1914) and ''Doctor O'Toole'' (1917). In 1917 he produced his first play, his own adaptation of the Brieux play ''Damaged Goods'' at
St Martin's Theatre St Martin's Theatre is a West End theatre which has staged the production of ''The Mousetrap'' since March 1974, making it the longest continuous run of any show in the world. The theatre is located in West Street, near Shaftesbury Avenue, in t ...
. He next produced ''The Wonder Tales'' and ''The Little Brother'' at the Ambassadors' Theatre in London. He took over the Court Theatre in London's
Sloane Square Sloane Square is a small hard-landscaped square on the boundaries of the central London districts of Belgravia and Chelsea, located southwest of Charing Cross, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The area forms a boundary betwe ...
as a Shakespearean playhouse in 1920. ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' called his revivals of ''
Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vio ...
'', ''
The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...
'', ''Henry the Fourth (Part Two)'' and ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a comedy written by William Shakespeare 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict amon ...
'' "memorable for their freshness, sanity and distinction, and eserving ofa place in theatrical history". ''The Merchant of Venice'' transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre, where Fagan also produced ''
The Government Inspector ''The Government Inspector'', also known as ''The Inspector General'' ( rus, links=no, Ревизор, Revizor, literally: "Inspector"), is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836, the pla ...
'' and ''Madame Sand'' (both 1920). At the Court, he revived ''Damaged Goods'' and, in 1921, with the assistance of the author, produced
G.B. Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
's ''
Heartbreak House ''Heartbreak House: A Fantasia in the Russian Manner on English Themes'' is a play written by George Bernard Shaw, first published in 1919 and first played at the Garrick Theatre in November 1920. According to A. C. Ward, the work argues that "cul ...
'', with
Edith Evans Dame Edith Mary Evans, (8 February 1888 – 14 October 1976) was an English actress. She was best known for her work on the stage, but also appeared in films at the beginning and towards the end of her career. Between 1964 and 1968, she was no ...
as "Lady Utterwood". This was not a success and folded after 63 performances. In 1922 he produced his play ''The Wheel'' at the Apollo Theatre. Its success allowed him to repay his creditors. Even more successful was his adaptation of '' Treasure Island'' at the Savoy Theatre with
Arthur Bourchier Arthur Bourchier (22 June 186314 September 1927) was an English actor and Actor-manager, theatre manager. He married and later divorced the actress Violet Vanbrugh. Bourchier was noted for roles both in classical drama, particularly William S ...
as "Long John Silver", which opened 26 December 1922. It was to be revived every Christmas until the outbreak of World War II.


Oxford Playhouse and later years

Fagan was persuaded by Jane Ellis, the actress who with Alfred Ballard founded the
Oxford Playhouse Oxford Playhouse is a theatre designed by Edward Maufe and F.G.M. Chancellor. It is situated in Beaumont Street, Oxford, opposite the Ashmolean Museum. History The Playhouse was founded as ''The Red Barn'' at 12 Woodstock Road, North Oxfor ...
"Red Barn" in 1923, to be its first manager. A misfortune occurred while his effects were being transferred from London to Oxford; the lorry caught fire at Gerrard's Cross, and his rare book collection and irreplaceable original writings were destroyed, as well as stage properties and costumes. His attempt to license the theatre was stymied by the University's Vice-Chancellor, Dr Lewis Farnell, who had the power to prohibit staging of plays of which he disapproved (he had banned a Grand Guignol play starring
Sybil Thorndike Dame Agnes Sybil Thorndike, Lady Casson (24 October 18829 June 1976) was an English actress whose stage career lasted from 1904 to 1969. Trained in her youth as a concert pianist, Thorndike turned to the stage when a medical problem with her ...
in Oxford in 1922 and a lecture by birth-control pioneer
Marie Stopes Marie Charlotte Carmichael Stopes (15 October 1880 – 2 October 1958) was a British author, palaeobotanist and campaigner for eugenics and women's rights. She made significant contributions to plant palaeontology and coal classification, ...
in 1923). But Fagan's supporters, including the Chancellor George Curzon, forced a partial backdown. His first production at the Oxford Playhouse was a restaging of ''Heartbreak House''; Shaw was in the audience.
Flora Robson Dame Flora McKenzie Robson (28 March 19027 July 1984) was an English actress and star of the theatrical stage and cinema, particularly renowned for her performances in plays demanding dramatic and emotional intensity. Her range extended from q ...
, John Gielgud,
Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor, known for his commanding, stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Amo ...
,
Margaret Rutherford Dame Margaret Taylor Rutherford, (11 May 1892 – 22 May 1972) was an English actress of stage, television and film. She came to national attention following World War II in the film adaptations of Noël Coward's '' Blithe Spirit'', and Osca ...
,
Robert Donat Friedrich Robert Donat (18 March 1905 – 9 June 1958) was an English actor. He is best remembered for his roles in Alfred Hitchcock's '' The 39 Steps'' (1935) and ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939), winning for the latter the Academy Award for ...
and
Tyrone Guthrie Sir William Tyrone Guthrie (2 July 1900 – 15 May 1971) was an English theatrical director instrumental in the founding of the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre at his ...
were in his company at the theatre. He produced ''
The Cherry Orchard ''The Cherry Orchard'' (russian: Вишнёвый сад, translit=Vishnyovyi sad) is the last play by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Written in 1903, it was first published by ''Znaniye'' (Book Two, 1904), and came out as a separate edition ...
'', at other theatres, to favourable reviews, popularising
Anton Chekhov Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (; 29 January 1860 Old Style date 17 January. – 15 July 1904 Old Style date 2 July.) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who is considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. His career ...
in Britain. From 16 November 1925, with
Dennis Eadie Dennis Eadie (14 January 1869 – 10 June 1928) was a British stage actor who also appeared in three films during the silent era. Eadie was a leading actor of the British theatre, appearing in plays by Edward Knoblauch and Louis N. Parker. In 19 ...
, he presented ''
Juno and the Paycock ''Juno and the Paycock'' is a play by Seán O'Casey. Highly regarded and often performed in Ireland, it was first staged at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1924. It is set in the working-class tenements of Dublin in the early 1920s, during the Ir ...
'' by Seán O'Casey at the
Royalty Theatre The Royalty Theatre was a small London theatre situated at 73 Dean Street, Soho. Established by the actress Frances Maria Kelly in 1840, it opened as Miss Kelly's Theatre and Dramatic School and finally closed to the public in 1938.
. He staged O'Casey's ''The Plough'' followed the next year. At the Oxford theatre, Fagan produced ''Full Moon'', the first play by Emlyn Williams, and gave him a role in his own play, ''And So to Bed'' (1926), based on the life of
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...
, in London. Fagan received little support from
Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
or the play-going public and resigned in 1929."Playhouse Players"
OxfordPlayhouse.com, accessed 22 October 2010
His successor was
Stanford Holme Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
, who broadened its appeal and, despite the straitened times, made it financially viable. Other productions in these years included Strindberg's ''The Spook Sonata'' at the
Globe Theatre The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, on land owned by Thomas Brend and inherited by his son, Nicholas Brend, and gra ...
(1927), as well as some New York City productions. His own plays in this period included '' The Greater Love'' (1927) and an adaptation of ''The Beetle'' (1928). In 1929, he was a director of the Festival Theatre, Cambridge, where his friend
Terence Gray Terence James Stannus Gray (14 September 1895 – 5 January 1986), was a theatre producer who created the Cambridge Festival Theatre as an experimental theatre in Cambridge. He produced over 100 plays there between 1926 and 1933. Later in l ...
was director. Fagan also produced many works for the Irish Players. Beginning in the 1920s, several of Fagan's plays were adapted for the cinema. Fagan moved to Hollywood in 1929 for the filming by
Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. The following busin ...
of his play ''The Wheel'' as ''The Wheel of Life''. Other film work included his co-adaptation of the screenplay for the 1932 film '' Smilin' Through'', and he co-wrote Paramount's ''Forgotten Commandments'' the same year. His play ''Bella donna'' was filmed four times, including posthumously in 1946 (as ''Temptation''), and a 1936 film, ''
The Improper Duchess ''The Improper Duchess'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Yvonne Arnaud, Hugh Wakefield and Wilfrid Caithness. The film is based on the 1931 play of the same name by J. B. Fagan in which Arnaud had starred. ...
'' was based on his 1931
play of the same name Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * Pla ...
.


Personal

Fagan married first actress Elizabeth Kirby in 1897 and later another actress, who acted under the stage name of Mary Grey. She was previously Mrs. Ada Bevan Ritchie, ''née'' Ada Bryant, a sister of actor Charles Bryant. The couple's daughter, Gemma Fagan, was also an actress, who married the cricketer
Oliver Battcock Oliver Gordon Battcock (16 September 1903 – 26 September 1970) was an English cricketer, actor and producer. Battcock was a left-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born in Slough, Buckinghamshire. Battcock made his debu ...
. Fagan's hobbies included golf and tennis. He died in
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...
,
California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, at the age of 59 of a heart attack following influenza.


Selected plays

*''The Prayer of the Sword'' (1904) *''The Earth'' (1910) *''Bella Donna'' (1912) *''Hawthorne of the U.S.A.'' (1913) *''The Wheel'' (1922) *''And So to Bed'' (1926) * '' The Greater Love'' (1927) *''
The Improper Duchess ''The Improper Duchess'' is a 1936 British comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Yvonne Arnaud, Hugh Wakefield and Wilfrid Caithness. The film is based on the 1931 play of the same name by J. B. Fagan in which Arnaud had starred. ...
'' (1931) *''Doctor O'Toole'' (1938)


References


Sources

* Chapman, Don. ''Oxford Playhouse: high and low drama in a university city'', University of Hertfordshire Press (2009) *


External links

* * * * *
Plays by J.B. Fagan
at Great War Theatre {{DEFAULTSORT:Fagan, J. B. 1873 births 1933 deaths Irish theatre managers and producers Irish dramatists and playwrights Irish male dramatists and playwrights Irish male stage actors Male actors from Belfast