Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole

Last updated
Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole
Written by William Goldman
James Goldman
Date premiered5 October 1961
Place premieredMorosco Theatre, New York
Original languageEnglish
Subjectmilitary
GenreDrama
Settingarmy post in southern USA

Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole is a 1961 play by American brothers and playwrights James Goldman and William Goldman near the beginning of their careers. Both had served in the army in the 1950s. The comedy is about a supply sergeant at an army post in the South. [1]

Contents

William Goldman later recalled "we had both been in the army at the same time and it seemed like a decent enough idea and magically we got it on." [2]

Background

Brothers James and William Goldman had been permitted to serve together in the Army in 1955. They were stationed with the 101st Airborne division. [3]

The Goldman brothers had received a grant from the Ford Foundation to observe production of the musical Tenderloin. They also wrote a musical together A Family Affair. William Goldman had written a novel about service in the army, Soldier in the Rain . He denied that there were any other similarities between that and Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole. "The only connection between the two", he said, "is that I was involved in writing both." [1]

Roger Stevens and Joseph Fields optioned the play. [1]

Original production

The original production starred Peter Fonda and Darren McGavin and was directed by Jerome Chodorov. It ran for 84 performances. James Caan appeared in the cast. [4]

The production was budgeted for $100,000 and was brought in at $85,000. The show was launched with "two-for" tickets at certain matinees. [5] [6]

It was the New York stage debut of Peter Fonda, who was selected over 200 other actors. [7] Fonda was originally rejected for the role, the producers saying they wanted someone closer to Robert Morse. However a number of months later he was called back to audition again and was given the part. James Caan was his understudy. [8]

Screen rights were sold to the America Corporation for $125,000, with a ceiling of $125,000. [5] They also invested $45,000 in the production. [9]

Reception

Variety said "There is definite merit to this production. It spouts humorous lines within comical situations, and the dialog and action are in competent hands. The theme is offbeat, replete with both. laugh and human interest potentials. But it’s going to require a bit of blood, sweat and know-how. to meld into hit proportions the many talents on tap." [10]

Howard Taubman of the New York Times did not like the play, saying "the plot is spaced out as mechanically as if it were to run forever on the home screen." [11]

Fonda's performance earned him a New York Drama Critics' Circle Award. [12]

The production transferred to Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Times called it "a routine service comedy." [13]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "STEVENS, FIELDS COMBINE FORCES: PRODUCERS PLANNING 'BLOOD SWEAT AND STANLEY POOLE' – NAPOLEON MUSICAL SET By SAM ZOLOTOW". New York Times. Jan 23, 1961. p. 19.
  2. Egan p 29
  3. L. F. (Oct 1, 1961). "NEWS OF THE RIALTO". New York Times. ProQuest   115515288.
  4. Clifford, Terry (Mar 9, 1975). "If Jimmy Caan had it to do over...". Chicago Tribune. p. g18. Right now, I do feel like a 'star'." His career turnabout came in 1969, with Coppola's 'The Rain People.' Caan calls himself "the only New York Jewish cowboy.
  5. 1 2 S. Z. (Oct 9, 1961). "MOROSCO DEVISES BOX-OFFICE SPUR". New York Times. ProQuest   115433578.
  6. "Ad Coupons as Sub for Twofers". Variety. 11 October 1961. p. 69.
  7. S. Z. (May 17, 1961). "MORE U.S. ACTORS PLAN A LATIN TOUR". New York Times. ProQuest   115479005.
  8. Fonda, Pete (1999). Don't tell dad : a memoir. p. 144,150–153.
  9. S. Z. (Aug 30, 1961). "FESTIVAL THEATRE CONSIDERS SHIFTS". New York Times. ProQuest   115501724.
  10. "Blood Sweat and Stanley Poole". Variety. 13 September 1961. p. 13.
  11. H. T. (Oct 6, 1961). "The theatre: G.I. blues". New York Times. ProQuest   115251997.
  12. Jamie Diamond, "Peter Fonda Finds a Bit of Henry Within", New York Times, 8 June 1997, accessed 24 November 2012
  13. Harford, M. (Mar 13, 1962). "Ring's 'stanley poole' routine army farce". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest   168086601.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Goldman</span> American novelist, screenwriter and playwright (1931–2018)

William Goldman was an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. He first came to prominence in the 1950s as a novelist before turning to screenwriting. Among other accolades, Goldman won two Academy Awards in both writing categories—once for Best Original Screenplay for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and once for Best Adapted Screenplay for All the President's Men (1976).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Corman</span> American film director, producer, and actor (1926–2024)

Roger William Corman was an American film director, producer and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he was known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Fonda</span> American actor (1940–2019)

Peter Henry Fonda was an American actor, who was a prominent figure in the counterculture of the 1960s. Fonda was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Easy Rider (1969), and the Academy Award for Best Actor for Ulee's Gold (1997). For the latter, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. Fonda also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999). He was the son of Henry Fonda, younger brother of Jane Fonda, and father of Bridget Fonda.

James Goldman was an American playwright and screenwriter. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay The Lion in Winter (1968). His younger brother was novelist and screenwriter William Goldman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Caan</span> American actor (1940–2022)

James Edmund Caan was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (1972) – a performance that earned him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He reprised his role in The Godfather Part II (1974). He received a motion-picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Raft</span> American actor (1895–1980)

George Raft was an American film actor and dancer identified with portrayals of gangsters in crime melodramas of the 1930s and 1940s. A stylish leading man in dozens of movies, Raft is remembered for his gangster roles in Quick Millions (1931) with Spencer Tracy, Scarface (1932) with Paul Muni, Each Dawn I Die (1939) with James Cagney, Invisible Stripes (1939) with Humphrey Bogart, and Billy Wilder's comedy Some Like It Hot (1959) with Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon; and as a dancer in Bolero (1934) with Carole Lombard and a truck driver in They Drive by Night (1940) with Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino and Bogart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Cummings</span> American actor (1910–1990)

Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) and Princess O'Rourke (1943), and in dramatic films, especially two of Alfred Hitchcock's thrillers, Saboteur (1942) and Dial M for Murder (1954). He received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and won the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actor in a Single Performance in 1955. On February 8, 1960, he received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to the motion picture and television industries, at 6816 Hollywood Boulevard and 1718 Vine Street. He used the stage name Robert Cummings from mid-1935 until the end of 1954 and was credited as Bob Cummings from 1955 until his death.

<i>Comes a Horseman</i> 1978 film by Alan J. Pakula

Comes a Horseman is a 1978 American Western drama film starring Jane Fonda, James Caan, Jason Robards, and Richard Farnsworth, directed by Alan J. Pakula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Hutton</span> American actor (1934–1979)

Dana James Hutton, known as Jim Hutton, was an American actor in film and television best remembered for his role as Ellery Queen in the 1970s TV series of the same name, and his screen partnership with Paula Prentiss in four films, starting with Where the Boys Are. He is the father of actor Timothy Hutton.

Charles K. Feldman was a Hollywood attorney, film producer and talent agent who founded the Famous Artists talent agency. According to one obituary, Feldman disdained publicity. "Feldman was an enigma to Hollywood. No one knew what he was up to – from producing a film to packaging one for someone else."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jocelyn Brando</span> American actress and writer (1919–2005)

Jocelyn Brando was an American actress and writer. She was best known for her role as Katie Bannion in the film noir The Big Heat (1953).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Levin (director)</span> American film director

Henry Levin began as a stage actor and director but was most notable as an American film director of over fifty feature films. His best known credits were Jolson Sings Again (1949), Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) and Where the Boys Are (1960).

<i>Misery</i> (film) 1990 film by Rob Reiner

Misery is a 1990 American psychological thriller film directed by Rob Reiner, based on Stephen King's 1987 novel of the same name, starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, Richard Farnsworth, and Frances Sternhagen. The plot centers around an author who is held captive by an obsessive fan who forces him to rewrite the finale to his novel series.

<i>The Young Doctors</i> (film) 1961 film by Phil Karlson

The Young Doctors is a 1961 American drama film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Ben Gazzara, Fredric March, Dick Clark, Ina Balin, Eddie Albert, Phyllis Love, Aline MacMahon, George Segal, and Dolph Sweet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert L. Lippert</span> American film producer

Robert Lenard Lippert was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in San Francisco, and at his height, he owned a chain of 139 movie theaters.

<i>Lady in a Cage</i> 1964 film by Walter Grauman

Lady in a Cage is a 1964 American psychological thriller film directed by Walter Grauman, written and produced by Luther Davis, and starring Olivia de Havilland and James Caan. The film was released by Paramount Pictures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al Zimbalist</span> American film producer

Alfred N. Zimbalist was a producer of low-budget films such as Robot Monster, Monster from Green Hell, Cat-Women of the Moon, Watusi and Baby Face Nelson.

<i>Tammy and the Doctor</i> 1963 film by Harry Keller

Tammy and the Doctor is a 1963 Eastmancolor romantic comedy film directed by Harry Keller and starring Sandra Dee as Tambrey "Tammy" Tyree and Peter Fonda as Dr. Mark Cheswick. It is the third of the four Tammy films.

<i>The Young Lovers</i> (1964 film) 1964 film by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr.

The Young Lovers is a 1964 black-and-white American romantic drama film. It was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in November 1964. The sole directorial effort of its producer, Samuel Goldwyn Jr., it stars Peter Fonda and Sharon Hugueny, with second leads Nick Adams and Deborah Walley. Scripted by George Garrett from a 1955 novel by Julian Halevy, the film was shot in September–October 1963 and released a year later.

The Spiral Staircase is a 1961 American television film. It is a television adaptation of Ethel Lina White's novel Some Must Watch which was filmed in 1946 as The Spiral Staircase. It was directed by Boris Sagal.

References