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A Gentleman from Mississippi
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Wikipedia article
'A Gentleman from Mississippi' is a 1908 comedic play by Harrison Rhodes and Thomas A. Wise.(1 August 1908). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1908/08/01/104743778.pdf A New Political Play], 'The New York Times' It was popular when released, debuting on Broadway on September 28, 1908, and playing for 407 performances at the Bijou Theatre, and on the roof garden of the New Amsterdam Theatre during the summer of 1909. Douglas Fairbanks played the leading role of Bud Haines.Lachman, Marvin. [https://books.google.com/books?id=L16QBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA71 The Villainous Stage: Crime Plays on Broadway and in the West End], p. 71 (2014)
Receiving positive reviews from the critics,Patterson, Ada (December 1908). [https://books.google.com/books?id=a_FAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA336&dq=#v=onepage&q&f=false "Tom" Wise on the Business of Being Funny], 'The Theatre', Vol. 8, No. 94, pp. 336-38.Darnton, Charles (30 September 1908). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1908-09-30/ed-1/seq-15/ New Plays: "A Gentleman from Mississippi" is Well Worth Meeting], 'The Evening World'(November 1908). [https://books.google.com/books?id=a_FAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA286#v=onepage&q&f=false BIJOU. "A Gentleman from Mississippi"], 'The Theatre', Vol. 8, No. 93, p. 286 (with photographs)(30 September 1908). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1908/09/30/105012774.pdf New Comedy at Bijou; A Night of Laughter]. 'The New York Times' it was produced by William A. Brady and Joseph R. Grismer, and was one of the "major hits of its day."Bordman, Gerald & Thomas S. Hischak. [https://books.google.com/books?id=DiI1wIyatvUC&pg=PA256#v=onepage&q&f=false The Oxford Companion to American Theatre], p. 256 (2004)(23 April 1909). [http://fultonhistory.com/Newspaper4/Huntington%20NY%20Long%20Lslander/Huntington%20NY%20Long%20Lslander%201909-1911%20Grayscale/Huntington%20NY%20Long%20Lslander%201909-1911%20Grayscale%20-%200120.pdf A Find Old Gentleman], 'The Long Islander' ("has proven one of the most successful plays producued in New York city this season. It has been running ... for the past nine months and is playing to capacity houses at every performance.") U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt saw the play shortly before its Broadway debut at a Washington warm-up performance at the National Theatre, and proclaimed it a "perfectly corking play. Bully! A ripper!"(27 November 1909). [https://books.google.com/books?id=_URJAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187 The Theatre], 'The Independent'Bogar, Thomas A. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ac3wCQAAQBAJ&pg=PA195#v=onepage&q&f=false American Presidents Attend the Theatre], p. 195 (2006)(27 September 1908). [http://digital.chipublib.org/cdm/ref/collection/examiner/id/15435 Roosevelt at Political Play Says He Can Hardly Keep Off the Stage], 'Chicago Examiner' Roosevelt's successor, William Howard Taft, also later saw and approved of the play, and was featured in some of the play's advertising.[http://www.legendaryauctions.com/lot-26694.aspx Flyer ("How President Taft Laughed at the Comedy")] (c. 1909)
It was adapted into a novel based on the play's success,(12 June 1909). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1909/06/12/101036594.pdf Books for Summer Reading], 'The New York Times' and the play traveled widely after closing on Broadway, where actor Burr McIntosh returned from the stage after a long break to take over for Wise.(22 November 1913). [https://books.google.com/books?id=HUs_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA877#v=onepage&q&f=false Burr McIntosh before the camera], 'The Moving Picture World'
The play was also made into a silent film in 1914, where Wise reprised his role, and a young Evelyn Brent was also in the cast.(10 February 1915). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092557/1915-02-10/ed-1/seq-6/ A Gentleman from Mississippi], 'Fairmont West Virginian' (background to writing of play, and Wise's interest in film role) A plan to make another film based on the play in 1936 was never completed.(7 April 1936). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/04/07/88650928.pdf Screen Notes], 'The New York Times'
Harrison and Rhodes also collaborated on a second play, 'An Old New Yorker' (1911).
Plot
The play's setting is Washington, D.C., where corrupt Senators are attempting to profit off a planned naval base in Mississippi. The junior Senator of Mississippi, William Langdon (played by Wise), decides to fight the scheme, assisted by his private secretary Bud Haines (played by Fairbanks).
Original Broadway cast
* William A. Langdon ... Thomas A. Wise
* Horatio Peabody ... W.J. Brady
* James Stevens ... Hal De Forrest
* Charles Norton ... Ernest Baxter
* Randolph Langdon ... Stanhope Wheatcroft
* "Bud" Haines ... Douglas Fairbanks
* Dick Cullen ... Harry Stubbs
* Colonel Beverly Stoneman ... Frederick Bock
* Clerk at International Hotel ... E.H. Bender
* Colonel J.D. Telfer ... Charles Chappelle
* Signore Caracioli ... M.W. Rale
* A Bridegroom ... Donald Mackintire
* A Porter ... Henry Gibson
* A Bellboy ... Charles Johnson
* Carolina Langdon ... Harriet Worthington
* Hope Georgia Langdon ... Lola May
* Amelia Butterworth ... Agnes De Lane
* Mme. Des Aretins .. Karen Nielsen
* A Bride ... Sallie Livingston(30 September 1908). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030214/1908-09-30/ed-1/seq-7/ "A Gentleman from Mississippi" Pleases Large Audience], 'New York Tribune', p. 7.
References
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