''The Oldest Living Graduate'' is the third and final play in the series ''

A Texas Trilogy ''A Texas Trilogy'' (also known as ''The Bradleyville Trilogy'') is a set of three plays written by Preston Jones. The three plays are set in a mythical West Texas town and employ idiosyncratic language and characters that present an evocative dep ...

'' by Preston Jones.

History

The original name of ''A Texas Trilogy'' was ''The Bradleyville Trilogy''. The trilogy was first performed in its entirety at the Dallas Theater Center in 1975.

Production history

''The Oldest Living Graduate'' premiered at the Down Center Stage in November 1974. The three plays were first presented together as ''The Bradleyville Trilogy'' on in 1975 at the Dallas Theater Center. The trilogy was most successful under the direction of

Alan Schneider Alan Schneider (December 12, 1917 – May 3, 1984) was an American theatre director responsible for more than 100 theatre productions. In 1984 he was honored with a Drama Desk Special Award for serving a wide range of playwrights. He directed th ...

in its premier as ''A Texas Trilogy'' at the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

's Eisenhower Theater in Washington, D.C. during July and August of 1976. The trilogy debuted on Broadway at the

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for the Shubert brothers. The Bro ...

on September 23, 1976, directed again by Alan Schneider. It closed after a mere 20 performances on October 29, 1976. It featured the following cast: *Clarence Sickenger –

Henderson Forsythe Henderson Forsythe (September 11, 1917 – April 17, 2006) was an American actor. Forsythe was known for his role as Dr. David Stewart #2 on the soap opera ''As the World Turns'', a role he played for 32 years, and for his work on the New York sta ...

*Colonel J. C. Kinkaid –

Fred Gwynne Frederick Hubbard Gwynne (July 10, 1926 – July 2, 1993) was an American actor, artist and author widely known for his roles in the 1960s television sitcoms ''Car 54, Where Are You?'' as Francis Muldoon and as Herman Munster in ''The Munsters'' ...

*Floyd Kinkaid – Lee Richardson *Maureen Kinkaid –

Patricia Roe Patricia Roe (September 18, 1928 – May 18, 2005), later known as Patricia Roe Bell, was an American actress, best known for her work in Broadway theatre and in the soap operas ''Guiding Light, The Guiding Light'' (Sara McIntyre) and ''One Life ...

*Claudine Hampton – Avril Gentles *Martha Ann Sickenger –

Kristin Griffith Kristin Griffith (born September 7, 1953) is an American actress. Filmography *''Interiors'' (1978, by Woody Allen) – Flyn *'' The Europeans'' (1979, by James Ivory) – Lizzie Acton *''Flesh & Blood'' (1979 TV movie) – Michelle *''CHiPs ...

*Major Leroy W. Ketchum – William LeMassena *Cadet Whopper Turnbull –

Paul O'Keefe Paul O'Keefe (born April 27, 1951) is an American actor best known for his work as Ross Lane, the younger brother of Patty Duke's character Patty Lane in the television series ''The Patty Duke Show'' and for the movie '' The Daydreamer''. Born i ...

*Mike Tremaine – Ralph Roberts

Television presentation

''The Oldest Living Graduate'' was performed live April 7, 1980, as the debut presentation of the NBC-TV series, ''NBC Live Theatre''. Performed at

Southern Methodist University , mottoeng = "The truth will make you free" , established = , type = Private research university , accreditation = SACS , academic_affiliations = , religious_affiliation = United Methodist Church , president = R. Gerald Turner , ...

, the production featured

Henry Fonda Henry Jaynes Fonda (May 16, 1905 – August 12, 1982) was an American actor. He had a career that spanned five decades on Broadway and in Hollywood. He cultivated an everyman screen image in several films considered to be classics. Born and ra ...

George Grizzard George Cooper Grizzard Jr. (April 1, 1928 – October 2, 2007) was an American stage, television, and film actor. He was the recipient of a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Tony Award, among other accolades. Life and career Grizzard ...

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...

and

Timothy Hutton Timothy Tarquin Hutton (born August 16, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He is the youngest recipient of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, which he won at age 20 for his performance as Conrad Jarrett in ''Ordinary People ...

. It was NBC's first live drama presentation in prime time in 18 years, when an adaptation of ''Rebecca'' aired April 8, 1962, on the series '' Theatre '62''.

References

Sources

https://archive.today/20120713074945/http://alkek.library.txstate.edu/swwc/archives/writers/jones.html

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Oldest Living Graduate, The 1974 plays