Peter Pan on Stage and Screen, 1904-2010, 2d ed.

418 Pages·2011·21.36 MB·English

by  Bruce K. Hanson

PETER PAN ON
STAGE AND SCREEN,
1904–2010
SECOND EDITION
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P P
ETER AN ON
S S ,
TAGE AND CREEN
1904–2010
SECOND EDITION
Bruce K. Hanson
Foreword by Stewart Stern
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
“The Croc” and “Happy Is the Boy” by Moose Charlap and Carolyn Leigh. Used by permission of
June Silver •“I’ve Gotta Crow” from Peter Pan. Lyric by Carolyn Leigh. Music by Mark Charlap. © 1954 (renewed)
Carolyn Leigh and Mark Charlap. All rights controlled by Edwin H. Morris & Company, a Division of MPL
Music Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation•“Just Beyond
the Stars” and “Never Land” by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe. Copyright © 2001. Used by permission
of George Stiles and Anthony Drewe •“Never Never Land,” “Wendy,” and “Distant Melody” from Peter Pan.
Lyric by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Music by Jule Styne. © 1954 (renewed) Betty Comden, Adolph Green
and Jule Styne. All rights controlled by Edwin H. Morris & Company, a Division of MPL Music Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation•“The Old Gavotte” by Morgan Lewis
and Nancy Hamilton. © 1954. Used by permission of the Actors’ Fund of America •“When I Went Home” from
Peter Pan. Lyric by Carolyn Leigh. Music by Mark Charlap. © 1969 (renewed) Carolyn Leigh and Mark Charlap.
All rights controlled by Edwin H. Morris & Company, a Division of MPL Music Publishing, Inc.
All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of Hal Leonard Corporation•“Wild Indians” by
Moose Charlap and Carolyn Leigh. Copyright © 1954. Used by permission of June Silver.
Unless otherwise noted, photographs are from the author’s collection.
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Hanson, Bruce K.
Peter Pan on stage and screen, 1904–2010 /
Bruce K. Hanson ; foreword by Stewart Stern. — 2nd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-4778-7
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
1. Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860–1937. Peter Pan.
2. Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860–1937—Adaptations.
3. Acresses—Great Britain—Interviews.
4. Actresses—United States—Interviews.
I. Hanson, Bruce K. Peter Pan chronicles. II. Title.
PR4074.P33H36 2011 822'.912—dc22 2011016253
BRITISHLIBRARYCATALOGUINGDATAAREAVAILABLE
© 2011Bruce K. Hanson. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
On the cover: Hayley Mills as Peter Pan
(photograph by Tom Hustler, Ormand Street Hospital)
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
For Dale
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Foreword by Stewart Stern 1
Introduction 5
1. James Barrie: The Man Who Wouldn’t Grow Up 9
2. Nina Boucicault and the First Peter Pan 24
3. Maude Adams: Peter Pan Lands in America 52
4. Cecilia Loftus and the Mermaids 74
5. Vivian Martin and the Unknown Peter Pans 82
6. Pauline Chase and an Afterthought 86
7. Marilyn Miller: The Ziegfeld Treatment 106
8. Betty Bronson: The Silent Treatment 125
9. Jean Forbes-Robertson and Other English Lasses 143
10. Eva Le Gallienne: The Civic Repertory Theatre 166
11. Jean Arthur: A Touch of Bernstein 182
Between pages 200 and 201 are 12 color plates
containing 14 photographs
12. The Disney Touch 201
13. Mary Martin: A Musical Peter Pan 210
14. Margaret Lockwood and Toots: A Family Affair 257
15. Mia Farrow and Another Musical 280
16. Sandy Duncan: Back on Broadway 285
17. Cathy Rigby: Peter Pan—A Record Breaker 294
18. A Change of Gender: Peter Pan as a Real Boy 303
Afterword: The Lasting Appeal of Peter Pan 325
Appendix A: A Selected Discography 329
vii
viii Table of Contents
Appendix B: Casts of Peter Pan 336
Chapter Notes 371
Bibliography 377
Index 381
Acknowledgments
A book that chronicles the stage and film history of J.M. Barrie’s most famous play
could not have been written without the aid of many people. However, almost without
exception, the enthusiasm and generosity that greeted me as I interviewed writers, performers
and directors of productions of Peter Pan from 1924 through the present date was over-
whelming, with each participant eager to share memories and anecdotes. It is my pleasure
to thank the following people, some of whom have since departed this world, who shared
their memories for this book: Mary Brian Tomasini, Elizabeth Charlap, Betty Comden,
Sandy Duncan, Charles Eaton, Edward Ancona, Adolph Green, Mary Hunter, Josephine
Hutchinson, Sondra Lee, Julia Lockwood, Mary Martin, Carl Meyer, Kathleen Nolan,
Esther Ralston, Cathy Rigby, Jerome Robbins, Norman Shelly, Dinah Sheridan, Keith Stava,
Sandy Stewart, Jule Styne.
Although Mary Martin was the first person I made contact with, my first realinterview
was with Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who good-naturedly allowed me to “Drop
That Name” in order to obtain other interviews. In particular, Kathleen Nolan and Sondra
Lee helped tremendously in understanding the daily turmoil the cast and crew experienced
as they attempted to create a musical version of the play and then transfer it from California
to Broadway to television. It was during one of our interviews that Kathy nonchalantly
mentioned her ritual Saturday “morning brunches with Josie,” or the “Wendy brunches.”
Inquiring, with fingers crossed, did she mean Josephine Hutchinson, she replied, of course,
that they were great friends and in fact, Josie lived upstairs in the penthouse of the same
building. Kathy arranged an introduction which led to another unforgettable interview.
The following people were also very helpful: David Drummond of Pleasures of Past
Times on Cecil Court in London. His shop, one of the last of its kind, is a cornucopia of
theatre ephemera and stories. Howard and Ron Mandelbaum of Photofest have been no
less supportive this second go-round than they were the first. Their generosity and aid are
always above and beyond what one should expect. Photographer Bob Willoughby was help-
ing me with photographs until his death. His son, Chris Willoughby, graciously picked up
where his father left off, allowing me to use several photos from the Mary Martin production.
Also much gratitude to Simon Moss of www.stagememories.com, who not only enabled me
to buy many of the illustrations for this book, but also offered advice for this edition. And
many thanks to David Smith for offering vintage Peter Panprograms at vintage prices. They
helped immeasurably with the London cast list appendix.
June Silver again agreed to the publication of several of her sister’s lyrics which helped
tremendously in understanding the musical journey that transpired. For the use of songs
ix