I think it's a big misconception that the Broadway stars of the Golden Age were strictly theatre actors. There were definitely a few who didn't cross over or made only one or two rare appearances.
Alfred Lunt made a name for himself in several films, during his rise to stardom on the stage, even scoring a Best Actor Oscar nomination in 1931. Then he devoted his life to theatre after that. No more films, but those movies at least helped to put him on the map. He did win an Emmy for Best Actor in the '60s as well.
Lynne Fontanne also scored an Oscar nomination in 1931 for the same movie ("The Guardsman"). She made even fewer film appearances than her husband. But Hollywood was definitely on her resume as well.
Ethel Merman and Ginger Rogers both appeared in "Girl Crazy" on Broadway which launched their film careers. Ginger became a megastar in Hollywood, but Ethel was also a bona fide movie star, making a successful string of films in the 1930s, and two major appearances in the '50s (Call Me Madam and There's No Business Like Show Business), plus a star turn in the '60s in the box office smash, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Katharine Cornell comes to mind as a Broadway star who never made a film, other than to appear as "herself" in Stage Door Canteen. Alfred Drake barely graced Hollywood as well.
Mary Martin made few films, but she did a string of them in the early '40s. And she made a big splash on TV recreating Peter Pan for several airings.
Robert Preston and Rex Harrison were both stage actors turned movie stars before they played their biggest Broadway roles in The Music Man and My Fair Lady.
Laurette Taylor (arguably the most influential stage actress ever to appear on Broadway) starred in silent films of the mid 1920s, including Peg O' My Heart.
The Barrymores all had hugely succesful film careers. Lionel and Ethel both won Oscars, and their Hollywood careers spanned decades. John was one of the biggest silent film stars in history.
So I don't really know where these "pure" theatre actors are. They never existed in the Golden Age, really. They were always crossing over into film, and later, TV.
HOW DARE THEY?!?!
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22