Theatre Royal

Summary: 1952 BBC live studio production of The Royal Family of Broadway, George Kaufman and Edna Ferber’s comedy about the Barrymore family.
Theatre play: The Royal Family of Broadway by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman [more information]
Play synopsis: This is a play about players, and specifically a famous theatrical family and their grand manner on and off the stage: ‘The story is a parody of the Barrymore family of actors, with particular aim taken at John Barrymore and Ethel Barrymore. The character Tony Cavendish, a heavy-drinking womanizer, represents John Barrymore. Julie Cavendish is the prima donna Broadway star Ethel Barrymore’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Family_%28play%29).
Production history: Its premiere on Broadway was at the Selwyn Theatre on 28 December 1927, where it ran for 345 performances to close in October 1928 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Royal_Family_%28play%29). ‘Originally called Theatre Royal, and first produced in this country by Noel Coward, with Marie Tempest and Laurence Olivier in the leading roles, it depicts in highly recognisable images the Cavendish family [...] both on and off-stage’ (Radio Times, 1 August 1958, p. 9).
Date of transmission: Tuesday 15 January 1952
Time: 8.00-10.00pm
Channel: BBC Television
Production company: BBC

Producer

Eric Fawcett

Playwright

Edna Ferber

Playwright

George S. Kaufman

Sets / Settings

James Bould

Cast

Origination: Live from studio
Vision original: Monochrome
Later transmissions: Presented again at 7.30pm on Thursday 17 January 1952.
Extant status: No archival copy is known to exist.
Play tags: America, as theme or setting; comedy; theatre or acting, as theme

Title: Radio Times, 11 January 1952 (Magazine)
Linking notes: listing, p. 45; article by Lionel Hale, ‘Raffish and Riotous’, p. 43

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