''Peter Ibbetson'' is a play based on

George du Maurier George Louis Palmella Busson du Maurier (6 March 1834 – 8 October 1896) was a Franco-British cartoonist and writer known for work in ''Punch'' and a Gothic novel ''Trilby'', featuring the character Svengali. His son was the actor Sir Gerald ...

's 1891 novel of the same name. It debuted in the United States in 1917.

History

The play was written by John N. Raphael, a London newspaper correspondent, who had written the adaptation of the novel twenty years prior, and showed his work to actress

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 ...

, who was eager to bring it to America. Mantle, Burns
What's What in the Theatre
''The Green Book Magazine'', July 1917, pp. 24-28Peter Ibbetson - A Dramatic Tribute to Du Maurier's Persistent Charm
''Current Opinion'', June 1917, pp. 399-402 Raphael's play was actually first performed at a single London matinee show on June 23, 1915, as a benefit for a

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

charity held at

His Majesty's Theatre His Majesty's Theatre may refer to: *Her Majesty's Theatre, Brisbane, Australia, known as His Majesty's Theatre 1901–1952, demolished 1983 * His Majesty's Theatre, London, England, known as Her Majesty's Theatre 1952–2023 *His Majesty's Theatre, ...

. The actors donated their services, including

Owen Nares Owen Ramsay Nares (11 August 1888 – 30 July 1943) was an English stage and film actor. Besides his acting career, he was the author of ''Myself, and Some Others'' (1925). Early life Educated at Reading School, Nares was encouraged by his mo ...

playing the title role and

Henry Ainley Henry Hinchliffe Ainley (21 August 1879 – 31 October 1945) was an English actor. Life and career Early years Ainley was born in Morley, near Leeds, on 21 August 1879, the only son and eldest child of Richard Ainley (1851–1919), a textil ...

as Colonel Ibbetson.(19 April 1917)
"Peter Ibbetson" Has N.Y. Premiere
''The Sun''Entry
''Current Biography'' (snippet available online) (information on June 1915 matinee performance) The play debuted in the United States at the Republic Theatre in New York on April 18, 1917.Morrison, Michael A
John Barrymore, Shakespearean Actor
pp. 55-56 (1997)"Dreaming True" on the Stage
''Literary Digest'', June 2, 1917, pp. 1700-01 The cast featured

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Barrymore family, Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage ...

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in '' A Free Soul'' (1931 ...

and

Laura Hope Crews Laura Hope Crews (December 12, 1879 – November 12, 1942) was an American actress who is best remembered today for her later work as a character actress in motion pictures of the 1930s. Her best-known film role was Aunt Pittypat in '' Gon ...

. It ran for 71 performances into June 1917, and then re-opened in August. The play toured into May 1918. In London, the play debuted for a proper run at the

Savoy Theatre The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J. Phipps for Richard D'Oyly Carte and opened on 10 October 1881 on a site previously occupied by the Savoy Pal ...

on February 6, 1920, transferred to the Court in April, and ran for a total of 106 performances.

Basil Rathbone Philip St. John Basil Rathbone MC (13 June 1892 – 21 July 1967) was a South African-born English actor. He rose to prominence in the United Kingdom as a Shakespearean stage actor and went on to appear in more than 70 films, primarily costume ...

played the title role.Wearing, J.P
The London Stage 1920-1929: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel
p. 6 (2d ed. 2014) The play was revived on Broadway for 31 performances in April-May 1931 at the Shubert Theatre.

Original New York cast

*Peter Ibbetson ...

*Colonel Ibbetson ...

*Major Duquesois ...

Wallis Clark Wallis Hensman Clark (2 March 1882 – 14 February 1961) was an English stage and film actor. Biography Clark was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, the son of William Wallis Clark (1854 - 1930), an engineer. Prior to acting, Clark was an en ...

*Mr. Liston ... Montague Weston *Raphard Merrydew ... Leo Stark *Crockett ... Eric Hudson *The Bishop ... Alexander Loftus *Charlie Plunket ... Cecil Clovelly *Achille Grigoux ... Benjamin Kauser *The Prison Chaplain ... Lowden Adams *Mary, Duchess of Towers ...

*Mrs. Dean ...

*Mrs. Glyn ... Alice Wilson *Madge Plunket ... Catherine Charlton *Lady Diana Vivash ... Barbara Allen *Victorine ... Martha Noel *A Sister of Charity ... Nina Varesa(28 April 1917)
New Plays
''Billboard'', p. 19

Adaptations

''Peter Ibbetson'' was adapted for the September 10, 1939, presentation of the

CBS Radio CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broa ...

series '' The Campbell Playhouse''. The hour-long adaptation starred

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

(Peter Ibbetson),

Helen Hayes Helen Hayes MacArthur ( Brown; October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was an American actress whose career spanned 80 years. She eventually received the nickname "First Lady of American Theatre" and was the second person and first woman to have w ...

(Mary, Duchess of Towers), John Emery (Colonel Ibbetson),

Agnes Moorehead Agnes Robertson Moorehead (December 6, 1900April 30, 1974) was an American actress. In a career spanning four decades, her credits included work in radio, stage, film, and television.Obituary '' Variety'', May 8, 1974, page 286. Moorehead was t ...

(Mrs. Deane), Vera Allen (Madame Seraskier),

Everett Sloane Everett H. Sloane (October 1, 1909 – August 6, 1965) was an American character actor who worked in radio, theatre, films, and television. Early life Sloane was born in Manhattan on October 1, 1909, to Nathaniel I. Sloane and Rose (Gers ...

(Crockett), Eustace Wyatt (Warden), Ray Collins (Governor),

George Coulouris George Alexander Coulouris (1 October 1903 – 25 April 1989) was an English film and stage actor. Early life Coulouris was born in Manchester, Lancashire, England, the son of Abigail (née Redfern) anNicholas Coulouris a merchant of Gre ...

(Chaplain),

Edgar Barrier Edgar Barrier (March 4, 1907 – June 20, 1964) was an American actor who appeared on radio, stage, and screen. In the 1930s he was a member of Orson Welles' Mercury Theatre and was one of several actors who played Simon Templar on '' The Saint ...

(Judge), Richard Wilson (Turnkey), Kingsley Colton (Peter as a child) and Betty Philson (Mary as a child).

References

External links

* {{Peter Ibbetson Broadway plays 1917 plays