The Philadelphia Story (play)
| The Philadelphia Story | |
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First edition
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| Written by | Philip Barry |
| Date premiered | March 28, 1939 |
| Place premiered | Shubert Theatre, New York City |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Love, marriage, divorce |
| Genre | Comedy |
| Setting | The suburbs of Philadelphia in the 1930s |
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.
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. Barry wrote The Philadelphia Story specifically for Katharine Hepburn, who ended up not only starring in but also financially backing the play, foregoing a salary in return for a percentage of the play's profits. 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".
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.
Produced by the Theatre Guild, The Philadelphia Story opened March 28, 1939, at the Shubert Theatre in New York City. The three-act comedy was directed by Robert B. Sinclair, with lighting and scenery by Robert Edmond Jones.
Katharine Hepburn
Vera Ellen, Dan Tobin, Katharine Hepburn and Lenore Lonergan
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