Gods of the Lightning (three-act drama) was written by Maxwell Anderson and Harold Hickerson, produced by Hamilton MacFadden and Kellogg Gary and staged by MacFadden, from October 24, 1928 to November 1928, at the Little Theatre, New York City.

   A scene from Gods of the Lightning (three-act drama) was written by Maxwell Anderson and Harold Hickerson, produced by Hamilton MacFadden and Kellogg Gary and staged by MacFadden. It ran for 29 performances from October 24, 1928 to November 1928 at the Little Theatre, New York City.

   The Sacco-Vanzetti case was the play's inspiration, Charles Bickford in the Sacco character role. Anderson later wrote an updated Sacco-Vanzetti play titled Winterset.

Lyceum Restaurant (Act I and III). Set designed by Cirker & Robbins for “Gods of the lightning” by Maxwell Anderson & Harold Hickerson. Little Theatre, 1928.

District Attorney's office (Act II, Scene 1). Set designed by Cirker & Robbins for "Gods of the lightning", 1928.

Point Valaine (a three-act play) written by Noël Coward (1899-1973), and first performed at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on January 16, 1935, and running for 55 performances until its closure on March 2, 1935.

   Scenes from Point Valaine (a three-act play) written by the English dramatist Noël Coward (1899-1973), and first performed on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on January 16, 1935, and running for 55 performances until its closure on March 2, 1935.

   Point Valaine was written as a vehicle for Alfred Lunt and his wife Lynn Fontanne, who starred together in the original Broadway production in 1934. The play is a story of sexual intrigue, jealousy and suicide in the West Indies. Its striking departure from Coward's familiar high society comedy did not appeal to audiences.

Broderick Crawford, Lynn Fontanne, and Philip Tonge in the original Broadway production of Noël Coward's "Point Valaine."

Stefan (Alfred Lunt) and Linda (Lynn Fontanne), 1934

Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne in the original Broadway production of "Point Valaine."

Lynn Fontanne in the original Broadway production of "Point Valaine."

Dantons Tod (3-act-play, first published in 1835) written by Georg Karl Büchner (1813-1837), produced by Members of the Jewish Repertory Theater, and directed by Michał Weichert, at the Nowości Theater, Warsaw, 1930.

A scene from Dantons Tod (3-act-play, first published in 1835) written by the German playwright Georg Karl Büchner (1813-1837),  produced by Members of the Jewish Repertory Theater,  and directed by Michał Weichert, at the Nowości Theater, Warsaw, 1930.

A scene from the third act of Dantons Tod (Danton’s Death) by Georg Büchnerhe Jewish Repertory Theater in a scene from the third act of Dantons Tod (Danton’s Death), by Georg Büchner, directed by Michał Weichert, at the Nowości Theater, Warsaw, 1930. Photograph by Alter Kacyzne.

Design for Living (a comedy play), written by Noël Coward (1899-1973), and produced at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theatre, on January 24th, 1933 and ran for 135 performances.

   Scenes from Design for Living (a comedy play), written by the English dramatist Noël Coward (1899-1973), and produced at New York's Ethel Barrymore Theatre, on January 24th, 1933 and ran for 135 performances. 

   This play concerns a trio of artistic characters, Gilda, Otto and Leo, and their complicated three-way relationship. Originally written to star Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt and Coward, it was premiered on Broadway, partly because its risqué subject matter was thought unacceptable to the official censor in London.

   Design for Living moved to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York City on January 24, 1933, after opening at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, on January 2. Although the play is high comedy, indirectly it reflects the grim world of the 1930’s, a world in which frivolous laughter barely conceals despair. 

Lynn Fontanne, Gladys Henson, Ethel Borden, Alan Campbell, Noel Coward, and Alfred Lunt in Design for Living.

Noël Coward and Lynn Fontanne in the original Broadway production of "Design for Living."

Lunt, Coward and Fontanne in Design for Living

The play starred ALFRED LUNT, LYNN FONTANNE and NOEL COWARD and featured CAMPBELL GULLAN, GLADYS HENSON, PHILIP TONGE, WARD BISHOP, ETHEL BORDEN, PHYLLIS CONNARD, ALAN CAMPBELL and MACLEARY STINNETT.

Landed Gentry (A Comedy in Four Acts) written by Somerset Maugham and produced at at the Duke of York’s Theatre as Grace, on October 15, 1910.

   Landed Gentry (A Comedy in Four Acts) written by the British playwright Somerset Maugham and produced at at the Duke of York’s Theatre as Grace, on October 15, 1910. 

   The play was written in 1910 and performed in the same year, on October 15, at the Duke of York’s Theatre as Grace. Like The Unattainable, it was performed under a gentler title and then changed to a more telling one in the published version. 

   New York Times :  1910/10/16 · archivesNEW MAUGHAM PLAY STAGED.; " Grace," Produced at Duke of York ...  LONDON, Oct. 15. -- A new play by N. Somerset Maugham was produced to-night at Charles Frohman's Duke of York's Theatre.

Dennis Eadie & Irene Vanbrugh as Claude & Grace Insoley 

The Drawing-Room at Kenyon-Fulton, Grace by Somerset Maugham

The most dramatic scene

What should Grace do?

The Play Pictorial - Grace, W. Somerset Maugham

Mr. Pim Passes By (1919) written by Alan Alexander Milne (1882 - 1956), and produced in Germany in 1932.

Scenes from Mr. Pim Passes By (1919) written by the British playwright Alan Alexander Milne (1882 - 1956), and produced in Germany in 1932.

Wassmann, Hans - Actor, Germany, with (from left) Kitty Aschenbach, Kaethe Haak, n.n., Eduard von Winterstein, Adele Sandrock in the play 'Mister Pim passes by' 

Cavalcade, written by Noël Coward (1899-1973), and produced at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, from 13th October 1931 to 10th September 1932.

Scenes from Cavalcade, written by the English dramatist Noël Coward (1899-1973), and produced, with its cast of 400, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London,  from 13th October 1931 to 10th September 1932.

Noel Coward’s play Cavalcade and its cast of 400 opens at the Drury Lane because of the theatre’s size and technical capacity. The 6 hydraulic lifts and space for lighting and flying effects made this one of the season’s most popular production

Filming a performance of Noel Coward's play Cavalcade, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, prior to making a film adaptation released in 1933, 1931. Illustration from Pageant of the Century (Odhams Press Limited, London, c1934).

(Left to right) Photograph of Noël Coward, maker unknown, early 1930s, London. Printed flyer for Noël Coward’s production of 'Cavalcade', 1932, Drury Lane Theatre, London. 

   'Cavalcade' is a dramatic film about an upper class English family and their servants, directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Clive Brook, Diana Wynyard, Una O'Connor and Herbert Mundin. It was an adaptation of the 1931 hit London stage play of the same name, by Noel Coward, which ran for 405 performances.

   The movie was a major financial success, grossing over seven times its production costs and it was also well received by the critics, being nominated for four Academy Awards and winning three, including Best Picture and best Director for Frank Lloyd. It was Lloyd's second Directing Oscar after winning in 1930 for 'The Divine Lady' and he would be nominated a third time for 'Mutiny on the Bounty' in 1935.

More information about Cavalcade