Charles Laughton (58 page)

Stanley talked casually about these things. After all, they are less frightening than the stuff we read in our daily papers.

Living is expensive there. Gasoline – fifty cents a gallon – $1.30 for a couple of beers – hotels way above average, but not bad – and by the Lord Harry, it is worth it. I cannot wait to get back – for July when the salmon are running, and for midwinter.

I want to go to Kodiak Island where the brown bears weigh up to a ton a piece – to the Pribilof Islands which are the breeding ground of millions of seals – to Point Barrow where there are polar bears – to the north slopes of the Brooks Mountains which are enamelled with flowers in high summer – but more than that to meet my first hosts in Alaska again.

Reprinted from
The Fabulous Country
,

an anthology compiled by Charles Laughton

for McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc.,

Copyright © 1962 by Charles Laughton.

The Plays

The Government Inspector
London

Barnes, 28 Apr 1926,
writ
. N. Gogol,
dir. and des
. Theodore Komisarjevsky. With: Elliott Seabrooke (Swistunov), James Lomas (Derzhimorda), Dan F. Roe (Luka Lukich), Hanley Drewitt (Amos Fyodorovich), Sidney Benson (Herr Hübner, Abdullin), Kimber Phillips (Artemi Philipovich), Frederick Lord (Bobchinski), Alfred Clark (Anton Antonovitch), Neil Curtis (Ivan Kusmich), Jack Knight (Dobchinski), Hilda Sims (Anna Andreyevna), Stella Freeman (Marya Antonovna), Jane Ellis (Avdotya), LAUGHTON (Osip), Claude Rains (Ivan Alexandrovich Khlestakov), John C. Laurence (Waiter, 2nd Merchant), Brian Watson (3rd Merchant, Gendarme), May Agate (The Locksmith’s Wife), Patricia O’Carroll (The Sergeant’s Wife).

Pillars of Society
London

Everyman Theatre, 13 June 1926,
writ
. Henrik Ibsen,
dir
. Sybil Arundale. With: Gilbert Ritchie (Krap), Orlando Barnett (Aune), Milton Rosmer (Dr Rörlund), Margaret Carter (Mrs Rummel), Drusilla Wills (Mrs Postmaster Holt), Barbara Everest (Mrs Bernick), Josephine Wilson (Miss Bernick), Brember Wills (Hilmar Tönnesen), Anne Bolt (Olaf), Marie Wright (Mrs Dr Lynge), Gwendolen Evans (Dina Dorf), J. Hubert-Leslie (Vigeland), LAUGHTON (Rummel), Sybil Arundel (Miss Hessel), Charles Carson (Consul Bernick), Michael Hogan (Johan Tönnesen).

The Cherry Orchard
London

Barnes, 28 Sept 1926,
writ
. A. Chekhov,
trans
. Constance Garnett,
dir. and des
. Theodore Komisarjevsky. With: Douglas Burbidge (Lopakhin), Stella Freeman (Dunyasha), LAUGHTON (Yepi Khodov), Edith Harley (A Servant), Dan F. Roe (Firs), Gabrielle Castarelli (Anya), Dorothy Dix (Mme Ranyevskaya), Lawrence Hanray (Gayev), Josephine Wilson (Varya), Martita Hunt (Charlotta), Oswald Lingard (Semeonov-Pishchik), W. Earle Grey (Yasha), Wilfred Fletcher (Trofimov), Leonard Calvert (A Tramp, Stationmaster), Gerard Barton (A Post Office Clerk), Leslie Paine (His Son), Monica Stracey (A Young Lady).

The Three Sisters
London

Barnes, Oct 1926,
writ
. A. Chekhov,
trans
. Constance Garnett,
dir. and des
. Theodore Komisarjevsky. With: Martita Hunt (Olga), Josephine Wilson (Irina), Margaret Swallow (Masha), Stella Freeman (A Maid), Leonard Upton (Tusenbach), Dan F. Roe (Chebutykin), LAUGHTON (Vassily Solyony), Douglas Burbidge (Andrey Prozorov), Gerald Barton (An Orderly, Mihail Petrov), Elsie French (Anfisa), Oswald Lingard (Ferapont), Douglas Jefferies (Vershinin), Alfred Sangster (Kulygin), Dorice Fordred (Natasha Ivanova), Anthony Ireland (Alexey Fedotik), Lionel Redpath (Vladimir Rode).

Liliom
London

Duke of York’s, 23 Dec 1926,
writ
. Ferencz Molnar,
trans
. Osmond Shillingford and Anthony Ellis,
dir. and des
. Theodore Komisarjevsky,
mus. comp. and arr
. Max Deutsch. With: Stella Freeman (Dancer), Beryl Harrison (Marie), Fay Compton (Julie), Violet Farebrother (Mrs Muskat), Ivor Novello (Liliom), Wm. Kendall (Berkovicz, 1st Mounted Policeman), Ben Webster (Police Captain, Sec. of the Magistrate), J. Hamilton Kay (Detective), Margaret Webster (Mrs Kalman), LAUGHTON (Ficsur), Ernest Hare (2nd Mounted Policeman), Dan F. Roe (Young Kalman), Douglas Jefferies (Wolf), Douglas Burbidge (Athlete, Linz), Alfred Sangster (Police Surgeon, Court Policeman), Drew MacIntosh (1st Policeman), Alfred Hilliard (2nd Policeman), Marjorie Mars (Louise).

The Greater Love
London

Prince’s Theatre, 23 Feb 1927,
writ
. J. B. Fagan,
dir
. Fagan and Lewis Casson,
des
. Fagan. With: Charles Bealby (Count Ivan Sergevitch Pestoff), Lawrence Hanray (Prof. Panshine), Brember Wills (Zabalow), John H. Moore (Porphery Micolaievitch), Ronald Kerr (Dr Abramitch), Lewis T. Casson (Polusky, Col. Schultz), Sybil Thorndike (Nadeshda Ivanova), Colin Keith-Johnston (Vassili Ivanovitch), Ada King (Tatiana Sergevna), Chris Walker (Piotr), Henry Hewett (Captain Pavel Kaulbach), Basil Gill (Col. Tzaloff), Doug Thompson (Sergeant), Charles Herriot (Lieut.), Brember Wills (Nuhlin), LAUGHTON (Gen. Markeloff),
Desmond
Deane (Col. Almazoff), Wallace Wood (Captain Alexieff), Elliott Seabrooke (Captain Nazernoff), John H. Moore (Officer).

Angela
London

Prince’s Theatre, 14 Mar 1927,
writ
. Lady Bell,
dir
. Lewis T. Casson. With: Dora Barton (Hon Mrs Carr), Jessie Bateman (Lady Hartley), Sadie Speight (Mrs Priestman), John H. Moore (Footman), Lilian Moubrey (Servant), Sybil Thorndike (Angela Guiseley), LAUGHTON (Sir James Hartley), Lewis T. Casson (Valentine Guiseley), Lawrence Hanray (Jack Wilding), Thomas Warner (Mr Priestman), Percy Varley (Mr Lambert), Zillah Carter (Violet Guiseley), Winifrid Oughton (Clare Marriner), Ronald Kerr (Geoff Marriner), Wallace Wood (Mr Wilson), Godfrey Baxter (Clerk), Brember Wills (John Quarll).

Naked
London

Royalty Theatre, 18 Mar 1927,
writ
. Luigi Pirandello,
dir
. Theodore Komisarjevsky. With: Nancy Price (Ersilia Drei), Allan Jeayes (Ludovico Nota), Florence Tyrell (Onoria), LAUGHTON (Cantavalle), George Relph (Franco Raspigi), Joan Levett (Emma), Elliott Seabrooke (Consul Grotti).

Medea
London

Prince’s Theatre, 27 Apr 1927,
writ
. Euripides,
trans
. Gilbert Murray,
dir
. Lewis T. Casson,
cos
. Bruce Winston. With: Sybil Thorndike (Medea), Lawrence Anderson (Jason), LAUGHTON (Creon), Lawrence Hanray (Aegeus), Lilian Moubrey (Nurse), John H. Moore (Attendant), Lewis T. Casson (Messenger),
and
Zillah Carter, Margaret Webster, Iris Baker, Ursula Granville, Renee Rubens, Grace Poole, Penelope Spencer (Chorus).

The Happy Husband
London

Criterion, 15 June 1927,
writ
. Harrison Owen,
dir
. Basil Dean. With: Laurence Grossmith (Bill Rendell), David Hawthorne (Arthur Tolhurst), LAUGHTON (Frank K. Pratt), Madge Tetheridge (Dot Rendell), Ann Trevor (Sylvia Fullerton), Eric Cowley (‘Sosso’ Stephens), Stella Arbenina (Consuelo Pratt), A.E. Matthews (Harvey Townsend), Sheila MacGregor (Ada), Mabel Sealby (Stella Tolhurst), Carl Harbord (A Visitor).

Paul I
London

(Royal) Court Theatre, 4 Oct 1927,
writ
. D. Merejkovsky, adapt. by John Alford
and
J.C. Dale,
dir. and des
. Theodore Komisarjevsky. With: Carl Harbord (Grand Duke Alexander), Lydia Sherwood (Elizabeth), George Hayes (Paul I), Elliott Seabrooke (Grand Duke Constantin), Arthur Macrae (Lieut. Marin, Ropchinsky), LAUGHTON (Gen. Count Pahlen), Hugh Barnes (Gen. Talyzin), Bramwell Fletcher (Col. Prince Yashvil), Vivian Beynon (Gen. Bennigsen), Ian Davison (Col. Argamakov), Dan F. Roe (Dr Rodgerson, Col. Baron Rosen), Dorothy Green (Empress Marie), Dorothy Cheston (Princess Anna Gagarine), W.E.C. Jenkins (Lieut. Bibikov, Kirilov), G. Vernon (Cornet Gardanov), Scott Sunderland (Prince Platon Zoubov), Barry K. Barnes (Prince Nicolas Zoubov).

Mr Prohack
London

(Royal) Court Theatre, 16 Nov 1927,
writ
. Arnold Bennett and Edward Knoblock,
dir. and des
. Theodore Komisarjevsky. With: LAUGHTON (Mr Prohack), Hilda Sims (Mrs Prohack), Lydia Sherwood (Susie Prohack), Carl Harbord (Charles Prohack), Juliet Mansel (Machin), Scott Sunderland (Softly Bishop), Frederick Cooper (Ozzie Morfey), Dorothy Cheston (Lady Massulam), Dan F. Roe (Hollins), Arthur Macrae (Tailor’s Boy), Elsa Lanchester (Mimi Winstock), Elliott Seabrooke (Sir Paul Spinner).

A Man with Red Hair
London

Little Theatre, 27 Feb 1928,
writ
. Benn W. Levy,
from the novel of
Hugh Walpole,
dir
. Theodore Komisarjevsky,
des
. Aubrey Hammond. With: Ion Swinley (David Dunbar), Keyo Akimoto (A Servant), J.H. Roberts (Charles Percy Harkness), Gillian Lind (Hesther Tobin), LAUGHTON (Mr Crispin), James Whale (Herrick Crispin), George Bealby (Dr Tobin), Kay Chiba (Another Servant), O. Morai (Another Servant).

The Making of an Immortal
London

Arts Theatre Club, 1–2 Apr 1928,
writ
. George Moore,
dir
. Robert Atkins,
des
. George Sheringham,
mus. arr
. Sir Thomas Beecham. With: Malcolm Keen (Richard Burbage),
Edmund
Gwenn (Anthony Grindle), Edward Chapman (Christopher Fir), D. Hay Petrie (Jack Ford), Billy Shine (Jack Thornley), Brian Glennie (Prenny Lister), Thomas White (Robert Warner), George Brijan (Stephen Frion), Sandford Gorton (Henry Cuffe), LAUGHTON (Ben Jonson), Leslie Faber (Francis Bacon), Charles Carson (William Shakespeare), Sybil Thorndike (Queen Elizabeth), Clement Hamelin, Leslie Coles, More O’Ferrall (Javelin Men), John Laurie, Geoffrey Clark, Cyril Hardingham (Players), Barbara Horder (Maid of Honour).

Riverside Nights
London

Arts Theatre Club, Sun. 24 June 1928,
writ. and arr
. Nigel Playfair and A.P. Herbert,
dir
. Nigel Playfair,
mus
. Alfred Reynolds. With: Marie Brett-Davies, Joan Carr, Renee de Vaux, Elsa Lanchester, Florence McHugh, Violet Marquesita, D.H. Petrie, Nigel Playfair, Mark Raphael, Scott Russell, Penelope Spencer, Laura Wilson, Geoff Wincott, Fay Yeatman,
and for this occasion only
CHARLES LAUGHTON. (Laughton and Lanchester performed ‘The Ballad of Frankie and Johnny’.)

Alibi
London

Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 12 Nov 1928,
writ
. Michael Morton,
from the novel by
Agatha Christie,
dir
. Sir Gerald duMaurier,
des
. Stafford Hilliard and J. Crosbie-Frazer. With: Lady Tree (Mrs Ackroyd), Jane Welsh (Flora Ackroyd), E. Disney Roebuck (Parker), Basil Loder (Major Blunt), Iris Nobel (Ursula Bourne), H. Forbes-Robertson (Geoffrey Raymond), Gillian Lind (Caryl Sheppard), LAUGHTON (Hercule Poirot), J.H. Roberts (Dr Sheppard), Oliver Johnston (Ralph Paton), Norman V. Norman (Sir Roger Ackroyd, Bart.), John Darwin (Inspector Davies), J. Smith-Wright (Mr Hammond), Constance Anderson (Margot).

Mr Pickwick
London

Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 15 Dec 1928,
writ
. Cosmo Hamilton and Frank C. Reilly,
from the novel by
Charles Dickens,
dir
. Basil Dean,
des
. Aubrey Hammond,
cos
. Mr Simmons. With: Eliot Makeham (Sam Weller), May Chevalier (Housekeeper), Gypsy Raine (Betsy), Delring Wells (Augustus Snodgrass), Harold Scott (Nathaniel Winkle), Lamont Dickson (Tracy Tupman), Oswald Roberts (Waiter, Mr Jackson, Sergeant Snubben), Wallace Douglas (Mr Trundle, Gamekeeper’s Boy), Richard Turner (Bob Sawyer), Denis Mowbray (Ben Allen), Bruce Winston (Tony Weller, Sergeant Buzfuz), Ambrose Manning (Mr Wardle), Kathleen Gelder (Emily Wardle), Kathleen Kelly (Isabella Kelly), Madeleine Carroll (Arabella Allen), Susan Richmond (Rachel Wardle), Jack Corps (Fat Boy), Dotrice Fordred (Mary), J. Hubert Leslie (Mr Perker), LAUGHTON (Mr Pickwick), D.J. Williams (Cabman, Justice Stareleigh), George Curzon (Alfred Jingle), Mary Clare (Mrs Bardell), Billy Salmon (Master Bardell), Eugene Leahy (Gamekeeper, Mr Skimpin), Huntley Gifford (Butler), Rollie Emery (Mrs Cluppins), Anne Esmond (Mrs Sanders), Huntley Gifford (Mr Phunky), Archibald McLean (Mr Dodson), Richard Coke (Mr Fogg), Walton Palmer (Mr Roker), Arthur Bawtree (Job Trotter).

Beauty
London

Strand, 16 July 1929,
writ
. Michael Morton,
from the French of
Jacques Deval,
dir
. Felix Edwardes. With: Oswald Skilbeck (Gustave), Lady Tree (Henriette Sopite), Morton Selten (Xavier Sopite), Grace Wilson (Mme Vadiche), Gwendolen Floyd (Mme Toube), Ena Grossmith (Berenice Toube), Isabel Jeans (Estelle Duparc), Eric Maturin (Paul de Severac), LAUGHTON (Jacques Blaise), Alex Chentrens (Bonamy), W.E.C. Jenkins (Adolphe), Dorothy Dunkels (Rose), E. Lyall Swete (Prof Flammet).

The Silver Tassie
London

Apollo, 11 Oct 1929,
writ
. Sean O’Casey,
dir
. Raymond Massey,
des
. Augustus John (Act 2), G.E. Calthrop (Acts 1, 3, 4). With: Barry Fitzgerald (Sylvester Heegan, 3rd Soldier), Sidney Morgan (Simon Norton), Eithne Magee (Mrs Heegan), Beatrix Lehmann (Susie Monican), Una O’Connor (Mrs Foran), Ian Hunter (Teddy Foran), LAUGHTON (Harry Heegan), Billy Barnes (Jessie Taite, 4th Stretcher-Bearer), S.J. Warmington (Barry Bagnal, 6th Soldier), Leonard Shepherd (The Croucher), LAUGHTON (1st Soldier), Ian Hunter (2nd Soldier), Jack Mayne (4th Soldier), G. Adrian Byrne (5th Soldier), Sinclair Cotter (The Corporal), Ivo Dawson (The Visitor), Alban Blakelock (The Staff Wallah), Emlyn Williams (The Trumpeter), Norman Stuart (1st Stretcher-Bearer), Oswald Lingard (2nd Stretcher-Bearer), Charles Schofield (3rd Stretcher-Bearer), Clive Morton (1st Casualty), James Willoughby (2nd Casualty), Hastings Lynn (Surgeon Forby Maxwell), Audrey O’Flynn (Sister of the Ward).