''Write Me a Murder'' is a mystery play in three acts by

Frederick Knott Frederick Major Paull Knott (28 August 1916 – 17 December 2002) was an English playwright and screenwriter known for complex crime-related plots. Although he was a reluctant writer and completed a small number of plays, two have become well ...

, which premiered on

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 Stre ...

at the

Belasco Theatre The Belasco Theatre is a Broadway theater at 111 West 44th Street, between Seventh Avenue and Sixth Avenue, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Originally known as the Stuyvesant Theatre, it was bu ...

on October 26, 1961, presented by the Compass Productions, Inc., directed by

George Schaefer George Scha(e)f(f)er may refer to: * George J. Schaefer (1888–1981), American film producer and studio executive * George Schaefer (finance), American banking executive * George Schaefer (director) (1920–1997), American television and theatre ...

stage design Scenic design, also known as stage design or set design, is the creation of scenery for theatrical productions including Play (theatre), plays and Musical theatre, musicals. The term can also be applied to film and television productions, wher ...

Warren Clymer Warren Edward Clymer (December 29, 1922 – July 16, 2007) was an American art director, production designer and set decorator. He won two Primetime Emmy Awards and was nominated for five more in the category Outstanding Art Direction for his w ...

costume design Costume design is the process of selecting or creating clothing for a performers. A costume may be designed from scratch or may be designed by combining existing garments. "Costume" may also refer to the style of dress particular to a nation, a ...

by Noel Taylor. It ran for 196 performances, closing on April 14, 1962 at the Belasco Theatre.

Plot

The play tells the story of the brothers Clive and David Rodingham, who inherit the family fortune upon the death of their father. They then meet business man Charles and his wife Julie, a would-be thriller writer. Charles is anxious to work with the brothers on property deals, and so encourages David, who is also a writer, to co-write a murder story with Julie. It isn’t long before the two concoct the perfect crime, which twisted into a reality.

Original production

''Write Me a Murder'' opened at the Belasco Theater on October 24, 1961, and it ran for 196 performances.

Original cast

James Donald James Donald (18 May 1917 – 3 August 1993) was a Scottish actor. Tall and thin, he specialised in playing authority figures, particularly military doctors. Early life Donald was born in Aberdeen, the fourth son of a Scottish Presbyterian mi ...

as The Hon. David Rodingham *

Denholm Elliott Denholm Mitchell Elliott (31 May 1922 – 6 October 1992) was an English actor. He appeared in numerous productions on stage and screen, receiving BAFTA awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for ''Trading Places'' (1983), '' A Private Fu ...

as The Hon. Clive Rodingham *

Kim Hunter Kim Hunter (born Janet Cole; November 12, 1922 – September 11, 2002) was an American theatre, film, and television actress. She achieved prominence for portraying Stella Kowalski in the original production of Tennessee Williams' ''A Streetcar ...

as Julie Sturrock *

Ethel Griffies Ethel Griffies (born Ethel Woods; 26 April 1878 – 9 September 1975) was a British actress. She is remembered for portraying the ornithology, ornithologist Mrs. Bundy in Alfred Hitchcock's classic ''The Birds (film), The Birds'' (1963). She app ...

as Dr. Elizabeth Woolley *

Torin Thatcher Torin Herbert Erskine Thatcher (15 January 1905 – 4 March 1981) was a British actor who was noted for his flashy portrayals of screen villains. Personal life Thatcher was born 15 January 1905 in Bombay, British India, to British parents, Tor ...

as Charles Sturrock *

Robert Milli Robert A. Milli (March 15, 1933 – July 18, 2019) was an American television actor. Early years Milli was born in Brooklyn, New York, and studied theater at Catholic University and the University of Maryland. Career Milli was perhaps best kno ...

as Mr. Tibbit * Herbert Voland as Constable Hackett

Awards

Knott was awarded an Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Play from the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is a professional organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the E ...

. He had won an earlier

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...

in this same category for ''

Dial M for Murder ''Dial M for Murder'' is a 1954 American crime thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings, Anthony Dawson, and John Williams. Both the screenplay and the successful stage play on which it was ...

''.

References

{{Reflist 1961 plays Detective, mystery and crime plays Broadway plays Thriller plays