''Born Yesterday'' is a play written by

Garson Kanin Garson Kanin (November 24, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American writer and director of plays and films. Early life Garson Kanin was born in Rochester, New York; his Jewish family later relocated to Detroit then to New York City. He at ...

which premiered on Broadway in 1946, starring

Judy Holliday Judy Holliday (born Judith Tuvim, June 21, 1921 – June 7, 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', June 9, 1965, p. 71. She began her career as part of a nightclub act before working in Bro ...

as Billie Dawn. The play was adapted into a successful 1950 film of the same name.

Plot

An uncouth, corrupt rich junk dealer, Harry Brock, brings his showgirl mistress Billie Dawn with him to

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

When Billie's ignorance becomes a liability to Brock's business dealings, he hires a journalist, Paul Verrall, to educate his girlfriend. In the process of learning, Billie Dawn realizes how corrupt Harry is and begins interfering with his plans to bribe a

Congressman A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...

into passing legislation that would allow Brock's business to make more money.

Productions

1946 Original Broadway

''Born Yesterday'' opened on February 4, 1946 on Broadway at the Lyceum Theatre and ran there until November 6, 1948; the play transferred to Henry Miller's Theatre on November 9, 1948 and closed on December 31, 1949, after a total of 1,642 performances. it was the seventh longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history. Judy Holliday starred as Billie, with Paul Douglas as Harry Brock and

Gary Merrill Gary Fred Merrill (August 2, 1915 – March 5, 1990) was an American film and television actor whose credits included more than 50 feature films, a half-dozen mostly short-lived TV series, and dozens of television guest appearances. He starr ...

as Paul Verrall. Written and directed by Garson Kanin, the scenic design was by Donald Oenslager and costume design by Ruth Kanin.

Jean Arthur Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene; October 17, 1900 – June 19, 1991) was an American film and theater actress whose career began in silent films in the early 1920s and lasted until the early 1950s. Arthur had feature roles in three F ...

was originally cast in the role of Billie but quit during tryouts. For his performance as Harry Brock, Paul Douglas was awarded the 1946

Clarence Derwent Award The Clarence Derwent Awards are theatre awards given annually by the Actors' Equity Association on Broadway in the United States and by Equity, the performers' union, in the West End in the United Kingdom. Clarence Derwent (23 March 1884 – 6 ...

for the most promising male performance. ;Original Broadway cast * Paul Douglas – Harry Brock *

– Billie Dawn *

– Paul Verrall * Carroll Ashburn – The Assistant Manager * Frank Otto – Eddie Brock * Larry Oliver – Senator Norval Hedges * Mona Bruns – Mrs. Hedges * C. L. Burke – waiter * Ellen Hall – Helen * Otto Hulett - Ed Devery Judy Holliday appeared as Billie Dawn in over 1,200 performances. Her replacements in the role included Jean Hagen and Jan Sterling.

1947 Original West End

The first British production of the play was directed and presented by

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...

, designed by Roger Furse, and made a star of Yolande Donlan. It began a regional tour on November 18, 1946, reaching London's

Garrick Theatre The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster, named after the stage actor David Garrick. It opened in 1889 with ''The Profligate'', a play by Arthur Wing Pinero, and another Pinero play, ...

on January 23, 1947 and playing until November 15, 1947. ;Original West End cast * Hartley Power - Harry Brock * Yolande Donlan - Billie Dawn * William Kemp - Paul Verrall * Launce Maraschal - Senator Norval Hedges * Bessie Love - Mrs. Hedges * Michael Balfour - Eddie Brock * Harry Lane - The Assistant Manager * Lionel Dunn - waiter * Mona Harrison - Helen *

Stanley Maxted Stanley Maxted (21 August 1895 – 10 May 1963) was a Canadian soldier, singer, radio producer, journalist and actor. He worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and later for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a war cor ...

- Ed Devery

Revival by Princeton University's Summer Theater in 1950

A production staged at

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

's McCarter Theatre, directed by Herbert Kenwith and starring

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American film actress whose career spanned seven decades. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ' ...

as Billie Dawn and Judson Pratt as Harry Brock, debuted June 19, 1950 and was enthusiastically received by Daily Home News critic Jack Lewis, who notes that "Kenwith's direction is in no small way responsible for the success of the show. More notable, however, is his selection of Shelley Winters and Judson Pratt to play the key roles. And their handling of these assignments is what made 'Born Yesterday' a laugh-filled experience for last night's audience." A brief tour of New England venues—necessarily limited by Winters' prior commitment—ensued, to similarly glowing reviews.

Revival by the Negro Drama Group in 1953–54

A production mounted by the Negro Drama Group at Broadway's President Theatre, starring Edna Mae Robinson as Billie Dawn, Powell Lindsay as Harry Brock and Henry Scott as Paul Verrall, was given a full review in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' on January 1, 1954, with the theatre critic (signature L. C.) mentioning that "...Mrs. Robinson is in private life the wife of

Sugar Ray Robinson Walker Smith Jr. (May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989), better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is often regarde ...

, the former welterweight and middleweight champion of the world" and that she "...is possessed of a natural flair for comedy. With some judicious direction she could go a long way toward achieving spectacular success in the theatre." Although the production received positive reviews, it closed after five days.

Watergate Era

According to theatre scholar Jordan Schildcrout, the Watergate scandal brought renewed interest in ''Born Yesterday'', with a surge of productions in the early 1970s starring

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million, and for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she p ...

Sandy Dennis Sandra Dale Dennis (April 27, 1937 – March 2, 1992) was an American actress. She made her film debut in the drama '' Splendor in the Grass'' (1961). For her performance in the comedy-drama film '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1966), she ...

Chita Rivera Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero (January 23, 1933 – January 30, 2024), known professionally as Chita Rivera, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. Rivera received numerous accolades including two Tony Awards, two Drama Desk Awa ...

, and Karen Valentine at major regional theatres, as well as

Lynn Redgrave Lynn Rachel Redgrave (8 March 1943 – 2 May 2010) was a British and American actress. During a career that spanned five decades, she won two Golden Globe Awards and was nominated for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Awards, two Em ...

in a London revival directed by

Tom Stoppard Sir Tom Stoppard (; born , 3 July 1937) is a Czech-born British playwright and screenwriter. He has written for film, radio, stage, and television, finding prominence with plays. His work covers the themes of human rights, censorship, and politi ...

. The critic Michael Billington noted, "With the Watergate scandal coming to a head, the play suddenly seems as fresh and relevant as the day it was written." Kanin himself later asserted, "When the play was written it was a fable, but after Watergate it became a documentary."

1989 Broadway revival

The play was revived on Broadway in 1989. It opened at the

46th Street Theatre The Richard Rodgers Theatre (formerly Chanin's 46th Street Theatre and the 46th Street Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 226 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1925, it was ...

in previews on January 18, 1989, officially on January 29, 1989,Rich, Fran
"Review/Theater; Right-Thinking Ingenuousness Cleans Up a Nation"
''New York Times'', January 30, 1989 and closed on June 11, 1989 after 153 performances. It was directed by Josephine R. Abady and starred Edward Asner and

Madeline Kahn Madeline Gail Kahn (''née'' Wolfson; September 29, 1942 – December 3, 1999) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She was known for her comedic roles in films directed by Peter Bogdanovich and Mel Brooks, including '' What's Up, Doc ...

, who received a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a 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 ...

nomination for Best Actress in a Play. ;1989 revival cast Source:''New York Times'' * Edward Asner – Harry Brock *

– Billie Dawn *

Franklin Cover Franklin Edward Cover (November 20, 1928 – February 5, 2006) was an American actor best known for his role in ''The Jeffersons'', Tom Willis, half of one of the first interracial marriages to be seen on prime-time television. Life and career C ...

– Ed Devery * Daniel Hugh Kelly – Paul Verrall * Joel Bernstein – Eddie Brock * Charlotte Booker – Manicurist * Peggy Cosgrave – Mrs. Hedges * Heather Ehlers – Helen, a maid * Paul Hebron – Another Bellhop, Barber, Waiter * Gregory Jbara – Bellhop, Bootblack * Ron Johnston – The Assistant Manager * John Wylie – Senator Norval Hedges

2011 Broadway revival

The second Broadway revival opened at the

Cort Theatre The James Earl Jones Theatre, originally the Cort Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 138 48th Street (Manhattan), West 48th Street, between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater ...

for previews 31 March 2011, performances began on April 24, 2011. The show closed on 26 June 2011 after 28 previews and 73 performances. Directed by

Doug Hughes Douglas Hughes is an American theatre director. Early life Hughes is the son of acting couple Barnard Hughes (1915–2006) and Helen Stenborg. He attended Harvard University, starting as a biology major and graduating with a degree in English. ...

, the play starred Jim Belushi as Harry Brock, Nina Arianda as Billie Dawn and

Robert Sean Leonard Robert Lawrence Leonard (born February 28, 1969), known professionally as Robert Sean Leonard, is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Neil Perry in the drama film ''Dead Poets Society'' (1989) and Dr. James Wilson in the med ...

as Paul Verrall. The 2011 revival was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play and Best Costume Design of a Play ( Catherine Zuber). ;2011 revival cast * Jim Belushi as Harry Brock * Nina Arianda as Billie Dawn * Frank Wood as Ed Devery *

as Paul Verrall * Michael McGrath as Eddie Brock * Liv Rooth as A Manicurist * Patricia Hodges as Mrs. Hedges * Jennifer Regan as Helen, a maid * Fred Arsenault as Bellhop #1 * Danny Rutigliano as Bellhop #2/Bootblack * Bill Christ as A Bellhop #3/Barber * Andrew Weems as The Assistant Manager * Terry Beaver as Senator Norval Hedges

Film adaptations

The 1950 film adaptation, made by

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

with direction by

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

starred Judy Holliday and

William Holden William Franklin Holden (né Beedle Jr.; April 17, 1918 – November 12, 1981) was an American actor and one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1950s. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the film '' Stalag 17'' (1953) and the Pri ...

. A 1993 remake directed by

Luis Mandoki Luis Mandoki (born August 17, 1954) is a Mexican film director, working in Mexico and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood. Early life and education Luis Mandoki was born on August 17, 1954 in Mexico City. His parents are Hungarian Jews. He ...

and released through Buena Vista Pictures, starred

Melanie Griffith Melanie Richards Griffith (born August 9, 1957) is an American actress. Born in Manhattan to actress Tippi Hedren, she was raised mainly in Los Angeles, where she graduated from the Hollywood Professional School at age 16. In 1975, 17-year-old ...

as Billie Dawn and updated the plot."'Born Yesterday', 1993"
Internet Movie Database, accessed June 18, 2011

References

External links

* {{Garson Kanin 1946 plays American plays adapted into films Broadway plays Works by Garson Kanin Plays originally directed by Garson Kanin