Boy Meets Girl is a three-act, seven-scene play, written by Bella and Samuel Spewack, staged and produced by George Abbott. It is a farce with a large cast, fast pacing, two settings and a film sequence. The action centers around two scenarists at the Royal Studios in Hollywood, their volatile producer, the fading western actor they write for, and a pregnant single waitress whose baby they turn into a film star. The play's title comes from a trope common to early film plots: Boy Meets Girl, Boy Loses Girl, Boy Gets Girl. Though not original to the play, the phrase received a boost in popular usage as a result.
The set designs were by Arne Lundborg. The show was a critical and popular success, winning the Dramatists Guild award for Best Comedy of the Season. It ran for twenty months on Broadway, closing after 669 performances. It was adapted for film in 1938, but had only two minor revivals on Broadway in later decades.
Characters Characters are listed in order of appearance within their scope.
Leads Robert Law is a thirtyish scenarist from Vermont at Royal Studios, an advocate of realism. Supposed to represent Charles MacArthur. Larry Toms is a somewhat sullen, puritanical, and self-absorbed fading western star at Royal Studios. J. Carlyle Benson is Law's older creative partner, expensively married, yet a romanticist. Thought to be based on Ben Hecht. C. Elliot Friday (C.F.) is a mercurial producer, the only college graduate at Royal Studios. Attributed to Irving Thalberg. Susie Seabrook is a pregnant single waitress, whose husband turned out to be a bigamist. Her goal is to finish high school.
Supporting Rossetti is the vulpine agent for Larry Toms, an opportunist and an impartial guller of clients. Miss Crews is Mr. Friday's cool, collected secretary, always popping in and out with messages and unwelcome news. Rodney Bevans is a proud young scion of English nobility, currently employed as an extra at the studio. Green is a studio songwriter who is a target of Law's mischief, C.F.'s ire, and Miss Crews' wit. Otto Slade is Green's composer partner, who has only three lines but plays piano onstage.
Featured Peggy is a manicurist who works on C.F.'s nails in the first act and disavows any interest in seeing a Larry Toms movie. A Nurse appears briefly in Act II Scene 2 pushing a pram with Happy in it. Doctor appears briefly in Act II Scenes 2 and 3. Chauffeur is assigned to Susie; called Simpson by her, he delivers her high school algebra book in Act II Scene 2. A Young Man located by Miss Crews in Act II Scene 2 for Susie, who is looking for Rodney but doesn't know his name. Studio Officer is a studio policeman called Smitty, who appears briefly in Act II Scene 3. Cutter is a film editor at Royal Studios, called Simmons by C.F., who appears briefly in Act II Scene 3. Another Nurse is seen in Act III Scene 1 interacting with Susie and Larry. Major Thompson is a middle-aged English gentleman, who confirms Bevan's identity in the last scene.
Voice-only B.K. is the Royal Studio chief executive, heard only thru an intercom, supposedly based on Louis B. Mayer. Radio Announcer is an emcee broadcasting live from the film premiere, and later on a radio spot.
Film-only Happy is Susie's baby boy, seen only on film at the beginning of Act II.
Synopsis "The story is too crack-brained to be intelligibly recorded here". --Brooks Atkinson
Original production Background The Spewacks had worked on the screenplay for Rendezvous at MGM studios during 1934; Boy Meets Girl was based on experiences and personalities they had encountered there. The first public announcement of it came when George Abbott put it on his production schedule during October 1935. Rehearsals started October 27, 1935. The first cast announcements came a day later, with Jerome Cowan, Joyce Arling, Charles McClelland, Royal Beal, and for a while Broderick Crawford, selected for the play.
George Abbott revealed to Victor Knox of the Buffalo Evening News that Warner Brothers had helped finance the play, but he and the Spewacks controlled the production. He further emphasized that the studio's stake amounted to only a quarter interest, and would play little part in determining film rights.
Cast + Cast during the tryout in Philadelphia and the original Broadway run Role Actor Dates Notes Robert LawAllyn JoslynNov 18, 1935 - Feb 20, 1937After 524 performances, Joslyn left for Hollywood.Roy RobertsFeb 22, 1937 - Jun 19, 1937Larry TomsCharles McClellandNov 18, 1935 - Nov 28, 1936Don DouglasNov 30, 1936 - Jun 19, 1937J. Carlyle BensonJerome CowanNov 18, 1935 - May 30, 1936Cowan left to make movies in Hollywood.Millard MitchellJun 01, 1936 - Jun 19, 1937Mr. Friday (C.F.)Royal BealNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937One night Beal suffered a burst appendix in Act I, but finished the performance after a shot of morphine.SusieJoyce ArlingNov 18, 1935 - Apr 17, 1937This was Arling's first starring and fourth stage role, all for George Abbott productions.TBDApr 19, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937Took over role when Arling was sent to a new road company by George Abbott.RossettiEverett H. SloaneNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937Miss CrewsLea PenmanNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937Rodney BevansJames MacCollNov 18, 1935 - Jun 1937Audiences were convinced MacColl was really English, but he was actually a NYC native.Richard WaringJun 1937 - Jun 19, 1937GreenGarson KaninNov 18, 1935 - Feb 22, 1936Kanin left to join the cast of Star Spangled only to see it flop.Jerry SloaneFeb 24, 1936 - Apr 04, 1936Sloane was promised a role in the next road company for yielding the part to Kanin again.Garson KaninApr 06, 1936 - May 1, 1937Will LeeMay 3, 1937 - Jun 05, 1937Sidney AndrewsJun 07, 1937 - Jun 19, 1937Otto SladeMaurice SommersNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937Sommers was the only cast member to never miss a performance during the entire run.PeggyPeggy HartNov 18, 1935 - Mar 14, 1936Hart left the play to get married.Julie LawrenceMar 16, 1936 - May 2, 1936Edith Van CleveMay 4, 1936 - Jun 1937She was a production assistant for George Abbott and simultaneously in the cast of Three Men on a Horse.Barbara LeedsJun 1937 - Jun 19, 1937A NurseHelen GardnerNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937DoctorPerry IvinsNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937ChauffeurEdison RiceNov 18, 1935 - Dec 21, 1936Rice left to join the cast of the second company opening in Chicago.Juan VarroDec 23, 1936 - Jun 1937Varro was also an assistant stage manager.UnknownJun 1937 - Jun 19, 1937This character was dropped from the theater program after May 1937 A Young ManPhilip FavershamNov 18, 1935 - Jun 1937He was the son of William Faversham and Julie Opp.Carl FrankJun 1937 - Jun 19, 1937Studio OfficerGeorge W. SmithNov 18, 1935 - Jun 1937Besides acting, Smith also served as stage manager for the play.Juan VarroJun 1937 - Jun 19, 1937CutterRobert FoulkNov 18, 1935 - Jun 1937Foulk was also an assistant stage manager for this play.George W. SmithJun 1937 - Jun 1937Another NurseMarjorie LytellNov 18, 1935 - Feb 22, 1936She was the wife of Philip Faversham, also in this play.Georgette McKeeFeb 24, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937McKee took over when Lytell left to appear in Star Spangled.Barbara LeedsNov 18, 1935 - Jun 1937UnknownJun 1937 - Jun 19, 1937This character was dropped from the theater program after May 1937Major ThompsonJohn ClarkeNov 18, 1935 - Jun 19, 1937Clarke was an English opera singer whom Abbott persuaded to take this straight dramatic role.HappyJudith Ann RoyThough the character was a boy, the second act film sequence was played by George Abbott's niece.
Tryouts Boy Meets Girl had its sole tryout at the Broad Street Theatre in Philadelphia, opening on November 18, 1935, for a week-long run. Both local reviewers were positive about the play and cast, predicting Broadway success for it, and neither had any suggestions for improvement. One mentioned the rumor that the screenplay writer characters of Robert Law and J. Carlyle Benson were based on Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht. The same reviewer labelled the farce as "a satire without the ire" and thought it a burlesque.
The critics may have had no suggestions, but according to George Abbott audiences reacted negatively to one part of the film sequence, showing C.F. auditioning babies for the part of Happy. Viewers felt sorry for the infants who didn't get the job, so that first part of the film sequence was cut after Philadelphia.
Premiere The Broadway debut for Boy Meets Girl occurred at the Cort Theatre on November 27, 1935. Columnist Rowland Field spotted Ben Hecht, George M. Cohan, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Irving Berlin, Herbert Bayard Swope, Helen Lynd, Philip Dunning, and Max Gordon among the first-night crowd. Burns Mantle noted the audience's laughter "frequently rose to shrieks and seldom dwindled to anything as non-committal as a giggle".
Reception Arthur Pollock in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle said: "There are plays so bad that to dismiss them with a line is to overestimate them. And there are plays so good description seems superfluous. Boy Meets Girl is nothing more than a knockout". He felt that Boy Meets Girl successfully stood comparison with Once in a Lifetime, an earlier satire on Hollywood, as well as with George Abbott's own Broadway. As for the play's two screenwriters being based on real-life figures, Pollock was dismissive: "Some say the two are meant to be Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur, but the play proves that that rumor has no foundation. They are too funny."
Both Burns Mantle in the Daily News and Brooks Atkinson in The New York Times attributed much of the play's success to George Abbott's casting and direction. Atkinson called it "an extraordinarily hilarious comedy" and stated: "George Abbott has cast it and directed it with uncommon exactitude and vitality".
By March 22, 1936, the play had had over 145,000 viewers, with an average weekly gross of $18,000 and advance sales of $70,000, and was coming up to its 150th performance on April 1, 1936.This was for the Cort Theatre in New York, and did not include figures from the second company at the Selwyn Theatre in Chicago.
Change of Venue Boy Meets Girl gave its last performance at the Cort Theatre on May 15, 1937, opening at the Ambassador Theatre on May 17, 1937. The move was to make way for George Abbott's new comedy, Room Service, and was accompanied by a 50% discount on ticket prices.
Closing The original Broadway run closed at the Ambassador Theatre on June 19, 1937, after 669 performances.
Second Company Three weeks after the Broadway premiere, the sale of advance tickets was such that George Abbott announced that a second company of the Broadway production would open in Chicago on January 19, 1936. The second company would star Polly Walters, Eric Dressler, Harold Vermilyea, and Philip Van Zandt. Before doing short tryout runs in Buffalo, New York and Cincinnati, Ohio, there was a morning preview of it before a picked audience of players and other stage folks at the Cort Theatre.
The first tryout opened at the Erlanger Theatre in Buffalo on January 6, 1936. The play's opening dialogue was punctured by an unexpected intruder, a yowling gray cat so vocal it drowned out lines in the first act. Stage crew members chased it up and down the aisles and across the orchestra pit to the delight of the audience, before it disappeared into the basement.
The second tryout opened at the Cox Theatre in Cincinnati on January 12, 1936. One local reviewer said: "What the poverty of the English language forces me to call the plot of Boy Meets Girl revolves about the antics of two pleasantly insane scenarists. From the curtain's rise there is not a dull, and scarcely a lucid, moment...".