''Dinner at Eight'' is a 1932 American play by George S. Kaufman and

Edna Ferber Edna Ferber (August 15, 1885 – April 16, 1968) was an American novelist, short story writer and playwright. Her novels include the Pulitzer Prize-winning '' So Big'' (1924), ''Show Boat'' (1926; made into the celebrated 1927 musical), '' Ci ...

. The plot deals with the Jordan family, who are planning a society dinner, and what they, as well as various friends and acquaintances—all of whom have their own problems and ambitions‚ do as they prepare for the event. The film adaptation '' Dinner at Eight'' followed and Mentone Productions released the spoof '' Supper at Six''. Several revivals, a made-for-TV movie, and an opera followed.

1932 Broadway production

''Dinner at Eight'', a three act

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 ...

play, opened October 22, 1932, at the

Music Box Theatre The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, the Music Box Theatre was designed by C. Howard Crane in a Palladian-inspir ...

, and closed May 6, 1933 after 232 performances. The play was produced by Sam H. Harris, staged by George S. Kaufman; Assistant Director:

Robert B. Sinclair Robert Bruce Sinclair (May 24, 1905 – January 3, 1970) was an American director who worked in film, Theatre, theater and Television show, television. Early years Robert Bruce Sinclair was born in Toledo, Ohio, the son of an insurance agent. ...

. To date the original 1932 Broadway production of ''Dinner at Eight'' has had the longest run with 232 performances vs. the 1933, 1966 and 2002 revivals with 218, 127 and 45 performances, respectively. Main cast: * Ann Andrews as Millicent Jordan *

Marguerite Churchill Marguerite Churchill (December 26, 1910 – January 9, 2000) was an American stage and film actress whose career lasted 30 years, from 1922 to 1952. She was John Wayne's first leading lady, in '' The Big Trail'' (1930). Early years She was ...

as Paula Jordan *

Constance Collier Constance Collier (born Laura Constance Hardie; 22 January 1878 – 25 April 1955) was an English stage and film actress and acting coach. She wrote hit plays and films with Ivor Novello and she was the first person to be treated with insul ...

as Carlotta Vance * Malcolm Duncan as Oliver Jordan * Austin Fairman as Dr J. Wayne Talbot *

Cesar Romero Cesar Julio Romero Jr. (February 15, 1907 – January 1, 1994) was an American actor and activist. He was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years. His wide range of screen roles included Latin lovers, historical figures in c ...

as Ricci *

Paul Harvey Paul Harvey Aurandt (September 4, 1918 – February 28, 2009) was an American radio broadcaster for ABC News Radio. He broadcast ''News and Comment'' on mornings and mid-days on weekdays and at noon on Saturdays and also his famous '' The Rest ...

as Dan Packard *

Sam Levene Sam Levene (born Scholem Lewin; August 28, 1905 – December 28, 1980) was a Russian Empire-born American Broadway, film, radio, and television actor and director. In a career spanning over five decades, he appeared in over 50 comedy and dr ...

as Max Kane *

Conway Tearle Conway Tearle (born Frederick Conway Levy, May 17, 1878 – October 1, 1938) was an American stage actor who went on to perform in silent and early sound films. Early life Tearle was born on May 17, 1878, in New York City, the son of the ...

as Larry Renault * Judith Wood as Kitty Packard *

Olive Wyndham Olive Frances Wyndham Meysenberg (June 16, 1886 – November 24, 1971) was an American actress on stage and in silent films. Early life Meysenburg was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of E. A. von Meysenburg, a German diplomat, ...

as Lucy Talbot

1933 London production

The original West End production of ''Dinner at Eight'' opened at the Palace Theatre on January 6th, 1933 and ran for 218 performances, directed by Kaufman and produced by Charles B. Cochran. Incidental music was composed by Hyam Greenbaum. The sets were designed by Livingston Platt. Main cast: *

Irene Vanbrugh Dame Irene Vanbrugh DBE ( Barnes; 2 December 1872 – 30 November 1949) was an English actress. The daughter of a clergyman, Vanbrugh followed her elder sister Violet into the theatrical profession and sustained a career for more than 50 year ...

as Millicent Jordan *

Jane Baxter Jane Baxter (9 September 1909 – 13 September 1996) was a British actress. Her stage career spanned half a century, and she appeared in a number of films and in television. Early life Baxter was born as Feodora Kathleen Alice Forde in Bremen, ...

as Dora *

Ivan Brandt Ivan Brandt (1903–1972) was a British stage and film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as ...

as Gustave *

Tristan Rawson Capel Tristan Rawson (20 January 1888 – 20 May 1974), known professionally as Tristan Rawson, was an English actor After an early career as an opera singer in Germany, he took up amateur dramatics in Switzerland during the First World War and ...

as Oliver Jordan *

Margaret Vines Margaret Vines (16 January 1907 – 1 March 1997) was a British actress. She performed initially on stage, in the London West End, in the 1920s and 1930s. She then progressed into a career on screen, appearing in several films as well as TV pro ...

as Paula Jordon *

Leslie Perrins Leslie Perrins (7 October 1901 – 13 December 1962) was an English actor who often played villains. After training at RADA, he was on stage from 1922, and in his long career, appeared in well over 60 films. Hobbies Perrins and wife Violet w ...

as Ricci *

Mabel Terry-Lewis Mabel Gwynedd Terry-Lewis (born as Mabel Gwynedd Lewis) ( 28 October 1872 – 28 November 1957) was an English actress and a member of the Terry-Gielgud dynasty of actors of the 19th and 20th centuries. After a successful career in her twe ...

as Hattie Loomis *

Edie Martin Edie Martin (1 January 1880 – 22 February 1964) was a British actress. She was a ubiquitous performer, on stage from 1886, playing generally small parts but in high demand, appearing in scores of British films (although often uncredited). ...

as Miss Copeland *

Laura Cowie Laura Cowie (7 April 1892 – 11 February 1969) was a Scottish silent film actress. Early life Cowie was born on 7 April 1892 in Milltown of Rothiemay, Banffshire, Scotland. She was the daughter of farmer Alexander Cowie and his wife Anna Hutch ...

as Carlotta Vance *

Lyn Harding David Llewellyn Harding (12 October 1867 – 26 December 1952), known professionally as Lyn Harding, was a Welsh actor who spent 40 years on the stage before entering British made silent films, talkies and radio. He had an imposing and menac ...

as Dan Packard *

Carol Goodner Carol Marie Goodner (May 30, 1904 – November 29, 2001) was an American actress who appeared mostly in British films and television. Career Carol Goodner was born in New York City on May 30, 1904. A toe dancer when she was only four ye ...

as Kitty Packard * Marjorie Gabain as Tina * Martin Lewis as Dr J. Wayne Talbot *

Basil Sydney Basil Sydney (23 April 1894 – 10 January 1968) was an English stage and screen actor. Career Sydney made his name in 1915 in the London stage hit ''Romance'' by Edward Sheldon, with Broadway star Doris Keane, and he costarred with Keane in t ...

as Larry Renault * Susan Richmond as Miss Alden * Juliet Mansel as Lucy Talbot * Dora Gregory as Mrs Wendel

1966 Broadway revival

The revival opened on Broadway on September 27, 1966, at the

Alvin Theatre The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for ...

and closed on January 14, 1967, after 127 performances." 'Dinner at Eight' Broadway 1966"
Playbill, September 22, 2017 Produced by Elliot Martin, Lester Osterman, Jr., Alan King and Walter A. Hyman, Ltd. The play was directed by

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 h ...

. ;Main cast *

Judith Barcroft Judith Barcroft (born July 6, 1942 in Washington, D.C.) is an American Broadway and soap opera actress. She began her soap career in 1966 by creating the role of Lenore Moore on '' Another World'', a role she played until 1971. In 1970, she made ...

as Paula Jordan * Robert Burr as Dan Packard *

Mindy Carson Mindy Carson is an American former traditional pop vocalist. She was heard often on radio during the 1940s and 1950s. Early years Carson grew up in the Bronx, graduating from James Monroe High School. After graduation, she took a position as typ ...

as Lucy Talbot *

Arlene Francis Arlene Francis (born Arline Francis Kazanjian; October 20, 1907 – May 31, 2001) was an American actress, radio and television talk show host, and game show panelist. She is known for her long-running role as a panelist on the television game s ...

as Carlotta Vance *

June Havoc June Havoc (born Ellen Evangeline Hovick; November 8, 1912 – March 28, 2010) was a Canadian American actress, dancer, stage director and memoirist. Havoc was a child vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother Rose Thompson Hovick, ...

as Millicent Jordan *

Phil Leeds Phil Leeds (April 6, 1916 – August 16, 1998) was an American character actor. He is best known for appearing in many movies and television series, including guest appearances in ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'', '' Maude'', ''Friends'', ''Barney ...

as Max Kane *

Jeffrey Lynn Jeffrey Lynn (born Ragnar Godfrey Lind; – November 24, 1995) was an American stage-screen actor and film producer who worked primarily through the Golden Age of Hollywood establishing himself as one of the premier talents of his time. Thr ...

as Dr J. Wayne Talbot * Darren McGavin as Larry Renault *

Walter Pidgeon Walter Davis Pidgeon (September 23, 1897 – September 25, 1984) was a Canadian-American actor. He earned two Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his roles in '' Mrs. Miniver'' (1942) and ''Madame Curie'' (1943). Pidgeon also starred in ...

as Oliver Jordan *

Pamela Tiffin Pamela Tiffin Wonso (October 13, 1942 – December 2, 2020) was an American film and television actress. Early life Tiffin was born in Oklahoma City to Stanley Wonso and Grace Irene (Tiffin) Wonso of Russian and British ancestry, but grew up in ...

as Kitty Packard

2002 Broadway revival

The revival opened on Broadway on December 19, 2002 and closed on January 26, 2003 after 45 performances and 28 previews. Produced by

Lincoln Center Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT), the Beaumont is the only Broad ...

André Bishop André Bishop (born November 9, 1948) is an American theatrical producer, and Artistic Director and Producing Artistic Director, of Lincoln Center Theater. He has produced over 80 Broadway plays and musicals and has won numerous Tony Awards. E ...

: Artistic Director;

Bernard Gersten Bernard Gersten (January 30, 1923 – April 27, 2020) was an American theatrical producer. Beginning in the 1960s through the early 2000s, Gersten played a major role in shaping American drama and musical theatre. From 1960 to 1978, Gersten wo ...

: Executive Producer. Directed by

Gerald Gutierrez Gerald Gutierrez (February 3, 1950 – December 29, 2003) was an American Tony Award-winning stage director. He was born and died in Brooklyn, New York. Career Gutierrez was a graduate of Midwood High School in Brooklyn, New York, and then the Jui ...

.Isherwood, Charles
"Review: ‘Dinner at Eight’"
''Variety'', December 19, 2002 ;Main cast: * Joanne Camp as Lucy Talbot * Kevin Conway as Dan Packard *

John Dossett John Dossett (born April 15, 1958) is an American actor and singer. Early life and education Dossett attended Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Delaware, from 1972 through 1976, where he was an announcer for the school's radio station, ...

as Dr. J. Wayne Talbot *

Christine Ebersole Christine Ebersole (born February 21, 1953) is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in film, television, and on stage. She starred in the Broadway musicals '' 42nd Street'' and ''Grey Gardens'', winning two Tony Awards. She has co- ...

as Millicent Jordan *

Joe Grifasi Joseph G. Grifasi (born June 14, 1944) is an American character actor of film, stage and television. Grifasi was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Patricia (née Gaglione) and Joseph J. Grifasi, a skilled laborer. Grifasi graduated from Bi ...

as Max Kane * Byron Jennings as Larry Renault *

James Rebhorn James Robert Rebhorn (September 1, 1948 – March 21, 2014) was an American character actor who appeared in over 100 films, television series, and plays. At the time of his death, he had recurring roles in the series '' White Collar'' and ''Hom ...

as Oliver Jordan *

Marian Seldes Marian Hall Seldes (August 23, 1928 – October 6, 2014) was an American actress. A five-time Tony Award nominee, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for '' A Delicate Balance'' in 1967, and received subsequent nomination ...

as Carlotta Vance * Emily Skinner as Kitty Packard * Samantha Soule as Paula Jordan * David Wohl as Mr. Fitch The play received 2003

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

nominations for Best Revival of a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play (Ebersole and Seldes), Best Scenic Design (

John Lee Beatty John Lee Beatty is an American scenic designer who has created set designs for more than 115 Broadway shows and has designed for other productions. He won two Tony Awards, for ''Talley's Folly'' (1980) and ''The Nance'' (2013), was nominated for ...

), and Best Costume Design (Catherine Zuber)."Awards, 2003"
ibdb.com, retrieved September 21, 2017

Adaptations

Adaptations of the play include: * '' Dinner at Eight'', a 1933 film directed by

George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...

* '' Dinner at Eight'', a 1989 made-for-TV film directed by

Ron Lagomarsino Ron Lagomarsino is an American film, theatre and television director. Life and education Lagomarsino is from San Francisco, California. He is an alumnus of Santa Clara University and Tisch School of the Arts. Directing credits His television cre ...

* '' Dinner at Eight'', a 2017 opera by

William Bolcom William Elden Bolcom (born May 26, 1938) is an American composer and pianist. He has received the Pulitzer Prize, the National Medal of Arts, a Grammy Award, the Detroit Music Award and was named 2007 Composer of the Year by Musical America. He ...

References

External links

* {{George Kaufman 1932 plays Broadway plays American plays adapted into films Plays by Edna Ferber Plays by George S. Kaufman Plays adapted into operas