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Reginald Denham See play(s) Reginald Denham was born January 10, 1894, in London, England. As a writer, most of Denham’s original works were collaborations: with Edward Percy he wrote LADIES IN RETIREMENT, SUSPECT, TRUNK CRIME, and GIVE ME YESTERDAY; with his wife, Mary Orr, he wrote BE YOUR AGE, DARK HAMMOCK, DEAD GIVEAWAY, MURDER MINOR, and WALLFLOWER; and with Conrad Smith he wrote A DASH OF BITTERS. On his own he is the author of the plays BLUE HEAVEN, OH, MAMA! NO, PAPA!, and RECIPE FOR A CRIME.
Mary Orr See play(s) Mary Orr first appeared on stage at Syracuse University as the ingénue in NEW TOYS; made her professional debut at the Ivoryton Playhouse, Connecticut, as Mary Norton in SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE; National Theatre, Washington, DC, played Mary Lou Gregg in JULIE THE GREAT; returned to Ivoryton Playhouse to play Ollie Frey in A CHURCH MOUSE, Nancy Lee Faulkner in THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 16TH, Stonewall Jackson in SAILOR BEWARE, and Claire in CO-RESPONDENT UNKNOWN; understudied role of Curley’s Wife in OF MICE AND MEN at The Music Box, New York, Nov. 1937; made her New York debut at the Morosco, June 1938, when she took over the role of Rosemary in BACHELOR BORN; toured 1939, as Curley’s Wife in OF MICE AND MEN; Biltmore, Sept. 1940, played Jennie and understudied Jessica Tandy in JUPITER LAUGHS; Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, 1941, Blanche in JENNIE; Stony Creek, Connecticut, 1942, Corinee Mahon in MALICE DOMESTIC. Also in stock, in 1942, played Alda in DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY, Alma Kent in EVENING RISE, Margaret in PLAY WITH FIRE; Wilbur, Boston, Dec. 1942, Hazel in THE WIFE TAKES A CHILD; stock 1943, played Ada in THE LATE CHRISTOPHER BEAN and Martha Ladd in WITHOUT LOVE; Cort Theatre, New York, Jan. 1944, Ruth Hennincut in WALLFLOWER; Forest Theatre, Dec. 1944, Coral Platt in DARK HAMMOCK; played in stock in 1948 as Ann Marvin in THIS THING CALLED LOVE, Emily Blackman in CHICKEN EVERY SUNDAY, Liz Imbrie in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, and Anne Rogers in GOODBYE AGAIN; Elitch Gardens, Denver, Colorado, 1952, as leading lady played Shirley in LOVE AND LET LOVE, Alice Christie in BLACK CHIFFON, Maude Abbott in GLAD TIDINGS, Alice in THE NUMBER, and Liz Kendall in BUY ME A BLUE RIBBON; New Century, NY, Oct. 1953, Alice Dunbar in SHERLOCK HOLMES with Basil Rathbone; Ethel Barrymore, Feb. 1955, Miss Swift in THE DESPERATE HOURS with Paul Newman and Karl Malden; John Drew, Easthampton, NY, 1958, Mrs. Lincoln in ABRAHAM LINCOLN and Lucienne Ravinel in MONIQUE; starred in Australia and New Zealand, 1964, as Edith Lambert in NEVER TOO LATE; toured U.S., 1970, as Mrs. Bradman in BLITHE SPIRIT; Stage 73, NY, Jan. 1976, played Elizabeth Avery Stern in her own play, GRASS WIDOWS. With Reginald Denham wrote the following plays: WALLFLOWER, DARK HAMMOCK, 1944; ROUND TRIP, 1945; THE PLATINUM SET (produced in London), 1950; SWEET PERIL (London), 1952; BE YOUR AGE (NY), 1953; MINOR MURDER (London), 1967. She is the author of the novels "Diamond in the Sky" (1955), "A Place to Meet" (1961), "The Tejera Secrets" (1974), "Rich Girl, Poor Girl" (1975), and "Lucky Star" (1976). Her novelette "The Wisdom of Eve," first published in "Cosmopolitan" in 1947, was the basis for the film "All About Eve" (1950, Oscar winner) and of the musical APPLAUSE (1970, Tony winner). With Reginald Denham she wrote nearly fifty television scripts. She acted frequently on television, notably in "Suspect," 1942, the first play presented on television and on "Studio One," Philco Playhouse, Colgate Theater, etc.; appeared first in films in 1971 in "Pigeons." Mary left the stage in 1976 until the death of her husband in Feb. 1983; she returned later that year and acted as Lady Westholme in APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH for the Apple Corps Theater and appeared for them again as Miss Fiske in LADIES IN RETIREMENT, 1984; played Nano in NICKIE AND NANO, University of Mass., 1985; Virginia in VILLA SERENA for The American Stage Company in Teaneck, NJ, 1985; and her play DOUBLE HONEYMOON premiered at the Georgetown Workshop Theater, Washington, DC; FALSE ALARM, a comedy, premiered in Munich, Germany, and was a smash hit, 1989. The play version of ALL ABOUT EVE, under various titles, has been a success in Paris, Milan, Greece, and Spain. Ms. Orr appeared in the leading role in her own play NEVER TOO OLD at Saint Peter’s at Citicorps (three performances, staged reading), which had its world premiere in Dusseldorf, Germany, 1994; as book writer and lyricist, a musical ENCHANTED AFTERNOON premiered in Detroit, 1992, and was performed as a showcase in New York, Oct. 1993. Another play, FINAL CALLING, had a New York staged reading for two performances at the Greenwich House Theatre; a revised version of THE WISDOM OF EVE opened at The Theater Royal Haymarket, London, in 1996.

Reginald Denham See play(s)

Reginald Denham was born January 10, 1894, in London, England. As a writer, most of Denham’s original works were collaborations: with Edward Percy he wrote LADIES IN RETIREMENT, SUSPECT, TRUNK CRIME, and GIVE ME YESTERDAY; with his wife, Mary Orr, he wrote BE YOUR AGE, DARK HAMMOCK, DEAD GIVEAWAY, MURDER MINOR, and WALLFLOWER; and with Conrad Smith he wrote A DASH OF BITTERS. On his own he is the author of the plays BLUE HEAVEN, OH, MAMA! NO, PAPA!, and RECIPE FOR A CRIME.

Mary Orr See play(s)

Mary Orr first appeared on stage at Syracuse University as the ingénue in NEW TOYS; made her professional debut at the Ivoryton Playhouse, Connecticut, as Mary Norton in SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE; National Theatre, Washington, DC, played Mary Lou Gregg in JULIE THE GREAT; returned to Ivoryton Playhouse to play Ollie Frey in A CHURCH MOUSE, Nancy Lee Faulkner in THE NIGHT OF JANUARY 16TH, Stonewall Jackson in SAILOR BEWARE, and Claire in CO-RESPONDENT UNKNOWN; understudied role of Curley’s Wife in OF MICE AND MEN at The Music Box, New York, Nov. 1937; made her New York debut at the Morosco, June 1938, when she took over the role of Rosemary in BACHELOR BORN; toured 1939, as Curley’s Wife in OF MICE AND MEN; Biltmore, Sept. 1940, played Jennie and understudied Jessica Tandy in JUPITER LAUGHS; Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey, 1941, Blanche in JENNIE; Stony Creek, Connecticut, 1942, Corinee Mahon in MALICE DOMESTIC. Also in stock, in 1942, played Alda in DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY, Alma Kent in EVENING RISE, Margaret in PLAY WITH FIRE; Wilbur, Boston, Dec. 1942, Hazel in THE WIFE TAKES A CHILD; stock 1943, played Ada in THE LATE CHRISTOPHER BEAN and Martha Ladd in WITHOUT LOVE; Cort Theatre, New York, Jan. 1944, Ruth Hennincut in WALLFLOWER; Forest Theatre, Dec. 1944, Coral Platt in DARK HAMMOCK; played in stock in 1948 as Ann Marvin in THIS THING CALLED LOVE, Emily Blackman in CHICKEN EVERY SUNDAY, Liz Imbrie in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, and Anne Rogers in GOODBYE AGAIN; Elitch Gardens, Denver, Colorado, 1952, as leading lady played Shirley in LOVE AND LET LOVE, Alice Christie in BLACK CHIFFON, Maude Abbott in GLAD TIDINGS, Alice in THE NUMBER, and Liz Kendall in BUY ME A BLUE RIBBON; New Century, NY, Oct. 1953, Alice Dunbar in SHERLOCK HOLMES with Basil Rathbone; Ethel Barrymore, Feb. 1955, Miss Swift in THE DESPERATE HOURS with Paul Newman and Karl Malden; John Drew, Easthampton, NY, 1958, Mrs. Lincoln in ABRAHAM LINCOLN and Lucienne Ravinel in MONIQUE; starred in Australia and New Zealand, 1964, as Edith Lambert in NEVER TOO LATE; toured U.S., 1970, as Mrs. Bradman in BLITHE SPIRIT; Stage 73, NY, Jan. 1976, played Elizabeth Avery Stern in her own play, GRASS WIDOWS. With Reginald Denham wrote the following plays: WALLFLOWER, DARK HAMMOCK, 1944; ROUND TRIP, 1945; THE PLATINUM SET (produced in London), 1950; SWEET PERIL (London), 1952; BE YOUR AGE (NY), 1953; MINOR MURDER (London), 1967. She is the author of the novels "Diamond in the Sky" (1955), "A Place to Meet" (1961), "The Tejera Secrets" (1974), "Rich Girl, Poor Girl" (1975), and "Lucky Star" (1976). Her novelette "The Wisdom of Eve," first published in "Cosmopolitan" in 1947, was the basis for the film "All About Eve" (1950, Oscar winner) and of the musical APPLAUSE (1970, Tony winner). With Reginald Denham she wrote nearly fifty television scripts. She acted frequently on television, notably in "Suspect," 1942, the first play presented on television and on "Studio One," Philco Playhouse, Colgate Theater, etc.; appeared first in films in 1971 in "Pigeons." Mary left the stage in 1976 until the death of her husband in Feb. 1983; she returned later that year and acted as Lady Westholme in APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH for the Apple Corps Theater and appeared for them again as Miss Fiske in LADIES IN RETIREMENT, 1984; played Nano in NICKIE AND NANO, University of Mass., 1985; Virginia in VILLA SERENA for The American Stage Company in Teaneck, NJ, 1985; and her play DOUBLE HONEYMOON premiered at the Georgetown Workshop Theater, Washington, DC; FALSE ALARM, a comedy, premiered in Munich, Germany, and was a smash hit, 1989. The play version of ALL ABOUT EVE, under various titles, has been a success in Paris, Milan, Greece, and Spain. Ms. Orr appeared in the leading role in her own play NEVER TOO OLD at Saint Peter’s at Citicorps (three performances, staged reading), which had its world premiere in Dusseldorf, Germany, 1994; as book writer and lyricist, a musical ENCHANTED AFTERNOON premiered in Detroit, 1992, and was performed as a showcase in New York, Oct. 1993. Another play, FINAL CALLING, had a New York staged reading for two performances at the Greenwich House Theatre; a revised version of THE WISDOM OF EVE opened at The Theater Royal Haymarket, London, in 1996.