The play concludes with three pairs of young lovers united, along with an older pair charleys real aunt and jacks widowed father. A student is pressured into pretending to be a classmates aunt so he can act as a false chaperone. Sir francourt babbs babberly gets drafted by his old school chums charley and jack to pose as charley s aunt, a rich widow, to chaperon a meeting between the boys and their sweethearts, amy and kitty. But her role was a supporting one, as much of the story revolves around a young man masquerading around as. After two soso comedies, play girl and the man who lost himself, kays freelance career needed a new boost. Charleys aunt is a 1930 american comedy film directed by al christie and starring charles ruggles, june collyer and hugh williams. This was the third of many screen adaptations of charleys aunt, the beloved 19thcentury stage farce. Al christie this first talkie version of the evergreen.
A guide to visiting charleys aunt utah shakespeare festival. Find video, photos, forums, blogs and shop for some of. I suppose like most people, i first saw charleys aunt, brandon thomas centurieslong theatrical chestnut, back in high school. She chose to play the title role in twentieth centuryfoxs charleys aunt 1941. All the trivia you can handle about charleys aunt, 1930, directed by al christie, with charles ruggles, june collyer, hugh williams. The complications of the plot include the arrival of the real aunt and the attempts of an elderly fortune hunter to woo the bogus aunt. Brandon thomas play was also used as the source for the 1925 christie film co. By brandon thomas directed by joseph discher performances begin october 24 im charleys aunt from brazil, where the nuts come from. A comedic favorite to this day with colleges and high schools, the early crossdressing farce first produced in 1892 broke all theatrical records wherever it played, and has become a recognized worldwide classic through countless stage revivals. Our fall farce, charleys aunta hilarious farce written by brandon thomas and directed by ed knights.
Listen to comments from audience members and see some clips from the current suny fredonia production of the classic british farce charleys. It is based on the british writer brandon thomass 1892 play charleys aunt. Their purpose is to have a chaperone for their amorous visits. The film is one of many to be made based on the victorian farce charleys aunt. Charleys aunt directed byarchie mayo produced bywilliam perlberg written bygeorge seaton brandon thomas starringjack benny kay francis james ellison music byalfred newman cinematographyj. Charleys aunt 1930 film alchetron, the free social encyclopedia. Charleys aunt the winnipesaukee playhousemeredith nh. Though updated to 1930, the film adheres to the familiar plot as set down by thomas back in 1895. Its been enacted on stage countless times, all the way from small town theatre companies to broadway. Things get even more silly as babbs is soon being hounded by suitors interested in the aunts considerable fortune. The 1941 version of charley s aunt would be notable if only because it s one of the rare films in which jack benny is playing a real character, rather than a mere extension of his welldeveloped and recognizable personality.
Luckily, charley s aunt from brazil where the nuts come from is coming for a visit. Charleys aunt 1930 rita allen 20120425 it turned out that the jack benny version 1940s was unavailable, and so robert osbourne chose this earlier one. Unrated 1h 28min comedy 25 december 1930 usa charley wyckham and jack chesney pressure fellow student fancourt babberly to pose as charleys brazilian aunt donna lucia. The uproarious peoplepleasing farce has been adapted to film both silent in 1915 and sound in 1930 with the most famous cinematic. In its day, charley s aunt was the original west end blockbuster. The life of laura ingalls wilder tribute little house on the prairie tv show theme song. Arthur askeys professional nickname was bighearted arthur, which was added to the title to distinguish it from jack benny s version, for its limited american release. Her presence as a chaperone will allow him and his friend jack to ask their respective true loves, amy and kitty, for their hands in marriage. This first talkie version of the evergreen brandon thomas stage farce charleys aunt stars charlie ruggles, obviously having the time of his life in the leading role. Charleys aunt is a threeact farce that, when it premiered in 1892, was so wildly successful that it shattered theater records at the time, becoming the longestrunning play with well over a thousand performances in london, a broadway version, and an international tour it concerns two oxford students, jack and the eponymous charley, who are in love with kitty and amy, respectively. Kay francis gets to play the best character, the real charleys. Charleys aunt was officially commissioned by the local hunt in bury st.
Brandon thomass charleys aunt is a play ive heard about oftenits gone down in classic theatre lore pretty much like the mousetrap. The joke is pushed much further in the film, but it still helps sustain ian talbots pleasurable revival of this old. I suppose like most people, i first saw charley s aunt, brandon thomas centurieslong theatrical chestnut, back in high school. Sir francourt babbs babberly gets drafted by his old school chums charley and jack to pose as charleys aunt, a rich widow, to chaperon a meeting between the boys and their sweethearts, amy and kitty. With jack benny, kay francis, james ellison, anne baxter.
Charleys bighearted aunt film british comedy guide. Babbs roommates jack chesney james ellison and charley wyckeham richard haydn, in his film debut are desirous of. After a seventeenyear vacation, charleys aunt is returning to the utah shakespeare festival. It was an adaptation of the play charleys aunt by brandon thomas. Things get even more silly as babbs is soon being hounded by suitors interested in the aunt s considerable fortune. Oct 02, 2012 matthew horne and jane asher in charleys aunt at menier chocolate factory. Charley wyckham and jack chesney pressure fellow student fancourt babberly to pose as charley s brazilian aunt donna lucia. Charley wyckham and jack chesney pressure fellow student fancourt babberly to pose as charleys brazilian aunt donna lucia. Charleys aunt is a 1925 american silent comedy film directed by scott sidney and starring syd chaplin, ethel shannon and lucien littlefield. Since that time, charleys aunt has been revived many times, been produced as a motion picture, both silent and with sound, aired in an original television production, and even adapted into a musical. Good cast with jack benny in one of his best roles. Charleys aunt is a threeact farce that, when it premiered in 1892, was so wildly successful that it shattered theater records at the time, becoming the longestrunning play with well over a thousand performances in london, a broadway version.
His film career is not thought of highly, but some of that is due to jacks own attitude towards his films. His enthusiasm makes the film more than the sum of its parts. In 1934 a german version charleys aunt was released. Matthew horne and jane asher in charleys aunt at menier chocolate factory. Charley s aunt 1941 victorianera oxford students charley wykeham richard haydn and jack chesney james ellison recruit their wealthy playboy friend, lord fancourt babberly jack benny, to. Brandon thomas s giddy farce demolished all box office records, clocking up 1,466 performances between 1892 and 1896. Charley s aunt characters breakdowns including full descriptions with standard casting requirements and expert analysis.
Our fall farce, charley s aunt a hilarious farce written by brandon thomas and directed by ed knights. The fun really begins when, for reasons far too complicated to detail here, both jack s father sir francis chesney laird cregar and amy s uncle stephen. Find video, photos, forums, blogs and shop for some of the best movies ever made only at tcm. Charley s aunt oct 2, 1893 standard theatre original charley s aunt mar 19, 1906 manhattan theatre revival charley s aunt jun 1, 1925 daly s 63rd street theatre revival. Charleys aunt the shakespeare theatre of new jersey.
Charleys aunt 1930 two oxford buddies ask a chum charlie ruggles to pose as ones aunt and chaperon a double date. Its all right, charley, dont go, its only that fool brassett. His radio show is filled with jokes about his film career. Charleys aunt is a 1941 american historical comedy film directed by archie mayo. Charleys aunt is a 1930 american comedy film directed by al christie and starring charles ruggles june collyer and hugh williams it was an. Charley s aunt plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips. With charles ruggles, june collyer, doris lloyd, halliwell hobbes. Charleys tante is a 1934 german comedy film directed by robert a. With charles grodin, vincent gardenia, anne francis, joyce bulifant. Sight unseen, i eagerly awaited the release of charleys aunt on disc. This version of the popular comedy based on brandon thomass play features comedian jack benny as the lead.
Jack and charley, undergraduates at oxford, have each fallen in love. Charleys aunt is a film directed by al christie with charles ruggles, june collyer, doris lloyd, halliwell hobbes, year. Watch playhouse 90 season 1, episode 26 charleys aunt. Like niagara falls, charleys aunt stands the test of time.
More unabashed hilarity with this hit from the late 19th century. While jack as a british college student only kinda works, jack is still a stitch. Jul 28, 2007 sight unseen, i eagerly awaited the release of charleys aunt on disc. Oct 17, 2010 listen to comments from audience members and see some clips from the current suny fredonia production of the classic british farce charley s aunt. Jack benny brings his own distinctive touch to brandon thomas venerable and oftfilmed stage farce charleys aunt. But without a chaperone, they cant meet their girls, amy and kitty. Like niagara falls, charley s aunt stands the test of time. Charleys rich aunt, donna lucia, is visiting from brazil and the timing couldnt be better. Join stageagent today and unlock amazing theatre resources and opportunities. This version of the popular comedy based on brandon thomas s play features comedian jack benny as the lead. It was the third filmed version of the stage farce of the same name by brandon thomas. The film isnt a comic masterwork but its a fun way to spend an hour and a half.
Nov 10, 2012 charleys aunt 20 september 10 november 2012. Arthur askey took the leading role in a 1940 british film charleys bighearted aunt that developed themes from the original play. It marked the film debut of williams, who then returned to britain and became a major star. Here we have a promotional short subject advertising jack bennys new film version of charleys aunt 1941. Benny, predating jack lemmons work in some like it hot, is a marvel as the english earl posing as an oxford classmates aunt. The film s sets were designed by art director franz schroedter. Read info about the screenplay for charleys aunt, 1930, directed by al christie, with charles ruggles, june collyer, hugh williams. It was one of a handful of leading roles for syd chaplin, older brother of the more famous charlie it is an adaptation of brandon thomas 1892 farce of the same name about an oxford university student who dresses up as a woman to fool a visitor. The dean is a keen egyptologist and desperate to secure funding for. It remained one of bennys personal favourites among his own films.
This particular version and i count 10 versions on film going all the way back to 1911 stars charlie ruggles as the oxford undergraduate talked into going into drag. This comedy will grace our stage for the first time in our 56year history. The first starred sydney chaplin in 1925 and the second released in 1930 featured charlie. When charley s aunt donna lucia dalvadorez kay francis is detained, jack and charley coerce babbs, who has dressed up as an old lady for a school play, to pose as the absent donna lucia. Stemmle it starred fritz rasp, paul kemp and max gulstorff. Utilizing a gloriously unconvincing broada english accent, benny is cast as lord fancourt babberly, a somewhat overaged undergraduate at oxford university. Jack benny masquerades as charleys aunt and gets involved in several scrapes while a student at oxford. The story centres on lord fancourt babberley, an undergraduate whose friends jack and charley persuade him to impersonate the latters aunt. Turner classic movies presents the greatest motion pictures of all time from one of the largest film libraries in the world. Jack benny playing with enthusiasm and romping merrily and crazily along the route, takes fullest advantage of laugh opportunities. Their purpose is to have a chaperone for their amorous visits with amy and kitty, niece and ward of crusty stephen spettigue. Charleys aunt plot summary, character breakdowns, context and analysis, and performance video clips.
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