Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Fantod
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/3/14
#1Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 6:22am
Just trying to compile a list and can only think of a few.
The Philadelphia Story
A Streetcar Named Desire
Summer and Smoke (1952 revival)
Sweet Bird of Youth
Any others? I'm sure there are a lot more.
#2Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 7:21am
The Subject was Roses - Albertson and Sheen
Tea and Sympathy - Kerr and Kerr
A Hatful of Rain - Franciosa
The Ritz - Moreno, Weston, Stiller and Abraham
Barefoot in the Park - Redford, Natwick and Edelman
The Pleasure of His Company - Ruggles
Same Time, Next Year - Burstyn
Thieves - Thomas
Updated On: 6/24/15 at 07:21 AM
#2Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 7:25am
It looks like you mean just some (or even only one) of the original actors. If so, Born Yesterday can be added (and many more).
TomSloan
Swing Joined: 1/3/05
#3Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 8:23am
"The Subject was Roses - Albertson and Sheen
Tea and Sympathy - Kerr and Kerr
A Hatful of Rain - Franciosa
The Ritz - Moreno, Weston, Stiller and Abraham
Barefoot in the Park - Natwick
The Pleasure of His Company - Ruggles
Same Time, Next Year - Burstyn
Thieves - Thomas"
Barefoot in the Park also starred Robert Redford from the original cast as well.
Tom5
Broadway Star Joined: 9/23/11
#4Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 8:57am
The two easiest: My Fair Lady/Rex. The Music Man/Robert Preston.
#5Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 9:04am
FUNNY GIRL
BELLS ARE RINGING
THE MIRACLE WORKER
edit: Oops! Just realized the OP said "plays"....not shows.
Updated On: 6/24/15 at 09:04 AM
Mattbrain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/23/05
#6Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 9:08am
Angels in America - Jeffrey Wright
Phyllis Rogers Stone
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/16/07
#7Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 9:25am
Come Back, Little Sheba
The Bad Seed
#8Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:30am
""The Subject was Roses - Albertson and Sheen
Tea and Sympathy - Kerr and Kerr
A Hatful of Rain - Franciosa
The Ritz - Moreno, Weston, Stiller and Abraham
Barefoot in the Park - Natwick
The Pleasure of His Company - Ruggles
Same Time, Next Year - Burstyn
Thieves - Thomas"
Barefoot in the Park also starred Robert Redford from the original cast as well.
"
Oh yes. You are correct. How could I forget that fact! Also Herb Edelman was in the original cast and he played the same role in the film. Thanks for the correction!
sorano916
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/6/08
#9Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:42am
Arsenic and Old Lace - Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, and John Alexander did the film while given time off from the play
#10Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:43am
Come Back To The Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean - Cher, Karen Black, Sandy Dennis
#11Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:53am
Six Degrees of Separation - Stockard Channing
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#12Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 11:44am
Frost/Nixon: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen
The Great White Hope: James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander
The Substance of Fire: Ron Rifkin
Tribute: Jack Lemmon
The Odd Couple: Walter Matthau
A Raisin In The Sun: Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeill, Diana Sands, John Fiedler, Lou Gossett, Ivan Dixon
A Soldier's Play/Story: Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington, William Allen Young
Biloxi Blues: Matthew Broderick
Play It Again, Sam: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Jerry Lacey
A Man For All Seasons: Paul Scofield
The Petrified Forest: Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogart
Mr. Roberts: Henry Fonda
Harvey: James Stewart
I Am A Camera: Julie Harris
The Member of the Wedding: Julie Harris, Ethel Waters and Brandon DeWilde
Any Wednesday: Rosemary Murphy
A Thousand Clowns: Jason Robards, William Daniels, Gene Saks, Barry Gordon
Updated On: 6/24/15 at 11:44 AM
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#13Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 12:55pm
Auntie Mame
The Bad Seed
The Miracle Worker
The Great White Hope
La Cage aux Folles (the play)
The History Boys
Torch Song Trilogy
Winterset
Romanoff and Juliet (Ustinov)
The Gin Game (for tv)
Butley
The Entertainer
Wonderful Town
Shirley Valentine
Disraeli (Arliss)
The King and I (Brynner)
Equus (Firth)
Driving Miss Daisy (Freeman)
Educating Rita (Walters)
The Petrified Forest (Howard, Bogart)
Dodsworth (Huston)
Funny Girl (Streisand - Academy Award, Medford - AA nomination)
The Music Man (Preston, Kelton)
Lost in Yonkers
Butterflies are Free (Heckart)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Ives, Sherwood)
Death of a Salesman (Dunnock, Kennedy, Mitchell)
Blithe Spirit (Rutherford)
Dancing at Lughnasa (Brennan)
#14Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 12:58pm
The thread title specifically states plays, so why are people listing musicals?
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#15Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:02pm
"Death of a Salesman (Dunnock, Kennedy, Mitchell)"
I thought about including this film, and Dunnock and Mitchell do indeed repeat their stage performances as Linda and Happy, but Kennedy was replaced in the film by Kevin McCarthy. Still, a worthy inclusion, even if it's hard not to think of Willy as the one true starring role.
LarryD2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/1/14
#16Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:13pm
Here's a question: in the original London production of CLOSER, Clive Owen played the role of Dan. In the subsequent film, he played the role of Larry. Similarly, Joe Mantello played Ned Weeks in the revival of THE NORMAL HEART, then played Mickey Marcus in the film. Can anyone think of other cases where an actor from a stage production starred in the film adaptation, but a different role?
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#17Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:51pm
"Here's a question: in the original London production of CLOSER, Clive Owen played the role of Dan. In the subsequent film, he played the role of Larry. Similarly, Joe Mantello played Ned Weeks in the revival of THE NORMAL HEART, then played Mickey Marcus in the film. Can anyone think of other cases where an actor from a stage production starred in the film adaptation, but a different role?"
If you're going the other way around, Jason Robards played Jamie Tyrone in the film version of LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT but played the elder Tyrone in two later revivals of the play.
I can think of some musicals in which that happened (George Chakiris, Tony Mordente and David Winters all played different roles on stage in WEST SIDE STORY than they did on film as did Colm Wilkinson in LES MISERABLES) but as for plays...hmmm. Interesting question and I will think that over.
#18Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:52pm
Patty Duke played Annie Sullivan in the television remake of THE MIRACLE WORKER...and she won an Emmy for it.
Updated On: 6/24/15 at 01:52 PM
The Other One
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
#19Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:02pm
"Patty Duke played Annie Sullivan in the television remake of THE MIRACLE WORKER...and she won an Emmy for it."
Yes. I remember that. Also Matthew Broderick in the original stage and then film version of TORCH SONG TRILOGY.
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#20Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:39pm
"but Kennedy was replaced in the film by Kevin McCarthy"
Thanks TheOtherOne. My only defense is that I have always confused those two.
I have no defense for leaving off The Member of the Wedding.
Julie Harris also originated the role of Sally in I Am A Camera and played her in the movie.
#21Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:46pm
Alfred Hitchcock's adaptaton of "Juno And The Paycock" had the original Juno from the Abbey Theatre production reprising her role, and also original cast member, Oscar-winner Barry Fitzgerald in a different (smaller) role.
#22Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:49pm
Our Town (1940) had the original Emily, Stage Manager, Mrs. Soams, and Simon Stimson.
1776 had much of the original cast, and almost all others had been replacements.
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
henrikegerman
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/29/05
#23Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:50pm
Jason Robards, in addition to playing James, Sr., in revivals of Long Day's Journey, and Jamie in the movie, originated the role of Jamie on stage.
#24Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors
Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:52pm
The new movie "London Road" (a musical, sorry Carlos) features much of the original London cast reprising their roles.
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