''The Master of Thornfield'' is a 1954 play by

Huntington Hartford George Huntington Hartford II (April 18, 1911 – May 19, 2008) was an American businessman, philanthropist, stage and film producer, and art collector. He was also heir to the A&P supermarket fortune. After his father's death in 1922, Hartfor ...

, which is an adaptation of

Charlotte Bronte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populou ...

's 1847 novel ''

Jane Eyre ''Jane Eyre'' ( ; originally published as ''Jane Eyre: An Autobiography'') is a novel by the English writer Charlotte Brontë. It was published under her pen name "Currer Bell" on 19 October 1847 by Smith, Elder & Co. of London. The first ...

''. It was later rewritten by John F. Matthews. The play marked

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian-American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, freque ...

's return to the stage after many years.

US Production

Errol Flynn

In 1957 it was announced

would star in a production in the US opposite Jan Brooks directed by

Peter Ashmore Vice-Admiral Sir Peter William Beckwith Ashmore (4 February 1921 – 31 July 2002) was a Royal Navy officer. After retirement from the navy he became Master of the Household to the Sovereign. Early life Ashmore was the son of Vice-Admiral Lesl ...

. Flynn had not appeared on stage since the 1930s. He was enticed to do so by a large salary, including free accommodation at one of Huntington's houses, and the writer's promise to produce a play that Flynn had written, an adaptation of the 1839 play ''Richelieu'' by

Edward George Bulwer-Lytton Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, PC (25 May 180318 January 1873) was an English writer and politician. He served as a Whig member of Parliament from 1831 to 1841 and a Conservative from 1851 to 1866. He was Secret ...

. Flynn was reportedly paid a flat fee of $100,000 plus $1,000 a week expenses. The play opened in Detroit with a view of bringing it to New York. ''Variety'' reported response was "dismal". Flynn struggled with the show, often forgetting lines. He quit the play in Cincinnati claiming that the play was "no more fit for Broadway than ''

Jack and the Beanstalk "Jack and the Beanstalk" is an English fairy tale. It appeared as "The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean" in 1734 4th edition On Commons and as Benjamin Tabart's moralized "The History of Jack and the Bean-Stalk" in 1807. Henry Co ...

''... I can't do much with the way its written." Hartford responded that, "In my defence, I'd like to say that I have as yet to hear my play, from Mr Flynn, as it was written." Flynn was replaced by John Emery and Demetrios Vilain replaced Ashmore as director.

Hedda Hopper Hedda Hopper (born Elda Furry; May 2, 1885February 1, 1966) was an American gossip columnist and actress. At the height of her influence in the 1940s, her readership was 35 million. A strong supporter of the House Un-American Activities Committ ...

later wrote that she heard Flynn "just wouldn't study" only rehearsing nine hours in four weeks, and thinking Flynn instead simply wanted to accept a role in '' The Roots of Heaven''.

Post-Flynn

Eric Portman Eric Harold Portman (13 July 1901 – 7 December 1969) was an English stage and film actor. He is probably best remembered for his roles in several films for Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger during the 1940s. Early life Born in Halifax, ...

took over the role of Rochester and the production was renamed ''Jane Eyre''.'Jane Eyre' At the Shubert By Richard L. Coe. ''The Washington Post and Times-Herald'' (1954-1959) ashington, D.C17 Apr 1958: C10. The production debut in New York on 1 May 1958 and ran for 52 performances.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Master of Thornfield 1954 plays Plays based on novels Works based on Jane Eyre