The Man With Blond Hair is a play by Norman Krasna based on a true story. Although Krasna became better known for comedy this was a drama; the writer later said that he "really wrote" the play "to win the Nobel Peace Prize".[1] The play only ran for 7 performances on Broadway. This failure prompted him to return to comedy and Krasna wrote Dear Ruth his most popular hit.
Two Nazi airmen, Rudolph and Stumer, escape internment in Canada and find themselves in New York where they are arrested. A policeman arranges for them to escape so the policeman may recapture and beat them.
Stumer escapes but Rudolph is captured by a gang of kids. They are about to force him to jump off a roof when Ruth, fiancée of one boy Involved, takes him away to her apartment via the fire escape.
At Ruth's apartment he is fed and well treated by her mother, while the boys search for him. One of the boys is shot by the police before he is about to spot Rudolph. Rudolph gives himself up to the police.
Original cast
Eleanor Lynn as Ruth Hoffmann
Rex Williams as Rudolph
Bernard Lenrow as Stumer
Dora Weissman as Mrs Hoffmann
Coby Ruskin as Harry
Robert Williams as Matt
Alfred Ryder as John
James Gregory as Frank Connors
Curt Conway as Sidney
Rex Williams as Carl
George Wallach as messenger boy
Francis de Sales as McCarthy
Owen Martin as Harvey
Background
In September 1941 Krasna arrived in New York to begin rehearsals. The play was then called Fire Escape. RKO were financing the entire production and Krasna was making his Broadway directorial debut.[2][3]
Reception
The Christian Science Monitor called the play "essentially immature and inconclusive."[4]
The New York Times said it "contains several interesting scenes, offers two excellent tenement settings... and bits of engaging acting... this correspondent was never bored... but it could never believe his melodrama. It looked very like a loosely contrived and whimsical play, more interested in bravaura scenes than integrity."[5]
Production history
The Broadway production closed after seven performances.[6] This led to Krasna delay plans to put on a play he had written with Groucho Marx, The Time of Elizabeth. "I got burned on the other one; we want to be careful next time", said Krasna.[7] Krasna sold the story to the movies. In October 1943 Warners announced they purchased Night Action as a vehicle for Helmut Dantine and were to make it after Dantine finished Northern Pursuit.[8] Warners did not say how much they paid for it.[9] In October George Sklar was assigned to write the script.[10] However the film was not made.[11]
References
^Patrick McGilligan, "Norman Krasna", Backstory: Interviews with Screenwriters of Hollywood's Golden Age, California Press p 225
^"Notes on the Theatre as the New Season Gets Slowly Under Way: GOSSIP OF THE RIALTO". New York Times. Sep 21, 1941. p. X1.
^"ANNE OF ENGLAND' TO ARRIVE TONIGHT". New York Times. Oct 7, 1941. p. 27.
^"The Man With Blond Hair". The Christian Science Monitor. Nov 5, 1941. p. 20.
^BROOKS ATKINSON (Nov 5, 1941). "THE PLAY". New York Times. p. 30.
^"FIVE PLAYS LISTED TO OPEN THIS WEEK". New York Times. Nov 10, 1941. p. 20.
^"DARK HORSE' OFF TO SUNDAY NIGHT". New York Times. Nov 13, 1941. p. 34.
^"SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD". New York Times. Oct 27, 1943. p. 27.
^"LOOKING BACKWARD AT THE 1943–44 SEASON: Being a Summary and Many Figures of the Year's Activities". New York Times. 4 June 1944. p. X1.
^"Of Local Origin". New York Times. Oct 28, 1943. p. 28.
^Davis, George Kidder. "Columbia Pictures vs Krasna". Supreme Court Appellate Division-First Department.
with, blond, hair, with, blond, hair, play, norman, krasna, based, true, story, although, krasna, became, better, known, comedy, this, drama, writer, later, said, that, really, wrote, play, nobel, peace, prize, play, only, performances, broadway, this, failure. The Man With Blond Hair is a play by Norman Krasna based on a true story Although Krasna became better known for comedy this was a drama the writer later said that he really wrote the play to win the Nobel Peace Prize 1 The play only ran for 7 performances on Broadway This failure prompted him to return to comedy and Krasna wrote Dear Ruth his most popular hit The Man with Blond HairWritten byNorman KrasnaDate premiered4 November 1941Place premieredNew YorkOriginal languageEnglishSubjectNazisGenreDramaSettingRoof of an East Side tenement The Hoffman living room Contents 1 Plot 2 Original cast 3 Background 4 Reception 5 Production history 6 References 7 External linksPlot EditTwo Nazi airmen Rudolph and Stumer escape internment in Canada and find themselves in New York where they are arrested A policeman arranges for them to escape so the policeman may recapture and beat them Stumer escapes but Rudolph is captured by a gang of kids They are about to force him to jump off a roof when Ruth fiancee of one boy Involved takes him away to her apartment via the fire escape At Ruth s apartment he is fed and well treated by her mother while the boys search for him One of the boys is shot by the police before he is about to spot Rudolph Rudolph gives himself up to the police Original cast EditEleanor Lynn as Ruth Hoffmann Rex Williams as Rudolph Bernard Lenrow as Stumer Dora Weissman as Mrs Hoffmann Coby Ruskin as Harry Robert Williams as Matt Alfred Ryder as John James Gregory as Frank Connors Curt Conway as Sidney Rex Williams as Carl George Wallach as messenger boy Francis de Sales as McCarthy Owen Martin as HarveyBackground EditIn September 1941 Krasna arrived in New York to begin rehearsals The play was then called Fire Escape RKO were financing the entire production and Krasna was making his Broadway directorial debut 2 3 Reception EditThe Christian Science Monitor called the play essentially immature and inconclusive 4 The New York Times said it contains several interesting scenes offers two excellent tenement settings and bits of engaging acting this correspondent was never bored but it could never believe his melodrama It looked very like a loosely contrived and whimsical play more interested in bravaura scenes than integrity 5 Production history EditThe Broadway production closed after seven performances 6 This led to Krasna delay plans to put on a play he had written with Groucho Marx The Time of Elizabeth I got burned on the other one we want to be careful next time said Krasna 7 Krasna sold the story to the movies In October 1943 Warners announced they purchased Night Action as a vehicle for Helmut Dantine and were to make it after Dantine finished Northern Pursuit 8 Warners did not say how much they paid for it 9 In October George Sklar was assigned to write the script 10 However the film was not made 11 References Edit Patrick McGilligan Norman Krasna Backstory Interviews with Screenwriters of Hollywood s Golden Age California Press p 225 Notes on the Theatre as the New Season Gets Slowly Under Way GOSSIP OF THE RIALTO New York Times Sep 21 1941 p X1 ANNE OF ENGLAND TO ARRIVE TONIGHT New York Times Oct 7 1941 p 27 The Man With Blond Hair The Christian Science Monitor Nov 5 1941 p 20 BROOKS ATKINSON Nov 5 1941 THE PLAY New York Times p 30 FIVE PLAYS LISTED TO OPEN THIS WEEK New York Times Nov 10 1941 p 20 DARK HORSE OFF TO SUNDAY NIGHT New York Times Nov 13 1941 p 34 SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD New York Times Oct 27 1943 p 27 LOOKING BACKWARD AT THE 1943 44 SEASON Being a Summary and Many Figures of the Year s Activities New York Times 4 June 1944 p X1 Of Local Origin New York Times Oct 28 1943 p 28 Davis George Kidder Columbia Pictures vs Krasna Supreme Court Appellate Division First Department External links Edit The Man with Blond Hair at the Internet Broadway Database The Man with Blond Hair at the Playbill Vault archive Review of 1941 Broadway production at Variety Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Man with Blond Hair amp oldid 1088799503, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
