A comedy in three acts by Ferenc Molnar, and translated from
the Hungarian by Melville Baker. Opened at the Cort Theatre, New York City,
October 23, 1923. After 255 performances, the play closed on June 1, 1924.
Produced by Charles Frohman; staged by David Burton. Managing Director: Gilbert
Miller; Stage manager: Arthur J.
Wood; Assistant Stage Manager: Boswell Davenport. First and third act settings designed and painted by Herman
Rosse. Costumes: Eva Le Gallienne's dresses by Molyneux, Paris; Mr. Merivale's uniforms by B.
C. Simmons, London; Other uniforms and
dresses by Brooks-Mahieu. After closing at the Cort Theatre, the cast and crew
took a break for the summer. The Swan then reopened at the Empire Theater
and ran from August 25 through September 20,
1924. The play, with most of the New York cast, then went on a tour of major U.S.
cities until the spring of 1925.
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Eva Le Gallienne, Halliwell Hobbes, Basil Rathbone (photo by Nickolas Muray) |
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Cast of Characters
Dr. Nicholas Agi |
Basil Rathbone |
George |
Alan Willey |
Arsene |
George Walcott |
Princess Beatrice |
Hilda Spong |
Alexandra |
Eva LeGallienne |
Father Hyacinth |
Halliwell Hobbes |
Symphorosa |
Alice John |
Prince Albert |
Philip Merivale |
Colonel Wunderlich |
Henry Warwick |
Count Lutzen |
Carl Hartberg |
Alfred |
Stanley Kalkhurst |
Caesar |
Richie Ling |
Maid |
Nancie B. Marsland |
Princess Maria Dominica |
Alison Skipworth |
Countess Erdley |
Geraldine Beckwith |
Ladies in Waiting |
Jane Shaw and Margaret Farr |
Lackeys |
Tom Collins and
Boswell Davenport |
Hussars |
Jack Cobb and Stanley Grand |
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Act I A Pavilion in the Garden
of Beatrice's Castle. A Summer Afternoon Act II A
Reception Room in the Castle. Late the Same Evening
Act III The Drawing Room of a
Suite in the Castle. Early the Next Morning. |
![](swanplaybill_small.jpg)
Swan playbill |
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Synopsis of the play:
The story starts on a summer day in a pavilion in the garden of the
Princess Beatrice's castle. The pavilion serves as a classroom for the young
princes, George and Arsene. Professor Agi (Rathbone) is their tutor. It
happens that Prince Albert, a royal neighbor and heir to a throne, is a
guest in Princess Beatrice's castle. Prince Albert is tall, about 35,
gracious and handsome. Princess Beatrice, whose royal family was dethroned
by Napoleon, is eager for her daughter Alexandra to marry Prince Albert so
that she may sit on a throne.
Princess Beatrice and Alexandra come from the garden to warn Professor
Agi and the boys that Prince Albert has announced an intention of visiting
them in their schoolroom. He is interested in their studies and he would
also like to see them fence. Princess Beatrice is a matronly woman, and a
dominating spirit in her household. Alexandra, her daughter, is a slim,
beautiful girl in her early twenties, serene and wistful, a passive and
rather interested figure in the royal game, who has so far accepted without
protest the positions into which the older and presumably wiser players of
her family have moved her.
Princess Beatrice takes the boys to see Father Hyacinth, their uncle,
leaving Alexandra to arrange the day's program with the tutor. The plan is
for the boys to demonstrate their fencing skills, and then Alexandra will
take Prince Albert on a tour of the rose garden. Professor Agi is
disappointed that Alexandra will not be demonstrating her own fencing skill.
Beatrice is distressed by the fact that Prince Albert seems no more than
casually interested in Alexandra. And he's due to leave tomorrow! Beatrice
devises a stratagem to arouse Albert's interest in Alexandra through
jealousy. She instructs Alexandra to flirt with her young brothers' tutor.
Father Hyacinth is a little worried about the effect on the tutor this
game they are planning to play with him. Alexandra is concerned that
Professor Agi might misunderstand her flirtation.
Alexandra invites Professor Agi to join the family at the reception being
given in honor of the Prince that evening.
![](swan07_small.jpg)
The tutor (Rathbone) with his royal pupils |
![](swan06_small.jpg)
Alan Willey, Basil Rathbone, George Walcott |
![](swan25_small.jpg)
Eva Le Gallienne, Hilda Spong, Alan Willey, George Walcott, Basil Rathbone |
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Tutor and fencing instructor (played by Basil Rathbone) |
Act II begins that same evening in the banquet
hall of the castle, which is set for the late evening supper. Alexandra and
Professor Agi come from the ballroom. Agi has been telling her of his stars. Not
of the mystery and beauty of them, but of their remoteness. Prince Albert enters
and notices the princess and the tutor. As planned, the sight of Alexandra and Agi together arouses Albert's interest in
the princess, and he shows definite signs of jealousy. Agi,
however, is not aware he is being used, and he tells the princess of his
feelings for her. Alexandra feels terribly guilty and confesses the plan to
Agi. He is of course hurt, and that makes Alexandra feel even more guilty. She
tells her uncle, "I never was so sorry for anyone in my life." After
talking with her a bit, Alexandra's uncle realizes that her
feelings are something other than pity or remorse. She's in love with the tutor.
Father Hyacinth seeks diplomatically and kindly to
explain to them that their happiness will vanish with the night's
breeze. The daylight must separate them.
Having been told that Alexandra is the object of unwanted attention, Albert
accosts Agi, calling him "ill-bred" and a "presumptuous intruder." The princess
tries to defend Agi, and then suddenly she throws her arms around Agi's neck and
kisses him passionately. Flustered, Albert withdraws.
The Swan![](swan33_small.jpg) One of those rare and treasured experiences that more than justifies
even a season that can tolerate the tawdriness of Red Light Annie and Abie's
Irish Rose is The Swan by Franz Molnar. So fine it is that its torch advances
immediately to the van of these 50 fitful flames of drama winking at each other
across the New York night. Such plays as this give playwrights actors, directors
stuff to dream on. ... Yet Molnar's credit column cannot justly be starred with all the eulogy. The
Charles Frohman Co. have created a perfect medium for the transference of his
inventions. Translation, setting, costumes, direction are virtually without a
flaw. Yet all of these would be valueless without the players. To Eva Le Gallienne is entrusted the important title role. Miss Le Gallienne is
a very quiet actress, expressing with a poignant emphasis that she who would be
queen cannot employ the palace as a playroom for emotion. Basil Rathbone is her
tutor; Philip Merrivale her prince. They seem manufactured, moulded, polished
for their parts. Among the remainder of the consistently competent company are
the capable veterans Hilda Spong and Alison Skipworth. From the tenor of these remarks it might erroneously be inferred that
The Swan
possesses tragic, ravenesque propensities. The Swan is a comedy. The wisdom of
it is equaled, nay surpassed, by the pungence of its wit.
Time magazine, November 5, 1923 |
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The next morning,
Albert's mother, Princess Dominica arrives and announces that Albert wishes to
marry Alexandra. Dominica reveals that Albert was delighted with Alexandra from
the start, but did not dare show his feelings until his mother arrived and gave
her approval. Beatrice realizes that her scheme to use the tutor
to make Albert jealous was totally unnecessary.
Father Hyacinth insists on telling Dominica everything that has happened and
convinces her that because Albert was acting disinterested, Alexandra HAD to kiss
the tutor
there was nothing else to do! Dominica understands, and says that
they must see that the young professor leaves well provided for.
Assuming that he will be fired, Professor
Agi is prepared to leave and pretends that nothing happened
between them, but Alexandra is
insulted that her kiss seems to mean so little to him. Agi says he felt that it
was pity rather than love that caused her to kiss him. Her pride is hurt. Now
she is calling him presumptuous. Whereas before she had defended Agi,
calling him a free spirit, now it is Albert reminding Alexandra that Agi is a
free spirit.
And before he knows it Prince Albert himself has added one more kiss to
the startled and flushed cheek of the tutor. Agi leaves them now, unhappy,
but a little proud, it may be, of his martyrdom.
And now Alexandra and Prince Albert are alone. Albert begs Alexandra to
not be angry with him. He understands everything, even her kissing the
professor. He asks her to marry him, and she agrees.
The End
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Basil Rathbone, Eva Le Gallienne |
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The banquet scene, Act II |
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Philip Merivale, Eva Le Gallienne, Basil Rathbone |
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Philip Merivale, Eva Le Gallienne, Basil Rathbone |
Casting for the play began in August 1923. Rehearsals began the week of
September 10. The part of Princess Alexandra was first offered to Billie Burke.
She would have accepted the role had not her husband, Flo
Ziegfeld, forbidden her. In her autobiography, Billie recalled:
My chance to return to the theater in a play of major
importance in a role that I could have acted to my credit came
suddenly during one of my quiet seasons, with an offer from Gilbert
Miller. I had been waiting and hoping for something like this. ... "I
must do this," I told Flo. "No good. No," he said. He knew what this
Molnar play would mean for me. ... He had produced plays for me, and
although none of them had failed, none of them had advanced me. He was
jealous of Gilbert Miller. Our arguments about this were athletic. I
broke some china ... and I shrilled about my career. But Flo was calm
and sullen. I did not get to do The Swan.
(from With a
Feather on My Nose, 1948, by Billie Burke, p. 205) |
Prior to the Broadway opening, the cast performed The Swan in two cities:
- Detroit (Detroit Opera House, the week of October 8)
- Montreal (His Majesty's Theatre, the week of October 15)
In his autobiography, Rathbone stated that the pre-Broadway performances were
in Detroit and Toronto. There's no evidence that The Swan was performed
in Toronto. It is likely that Rathbone confused Montreal and Toronto when
writing.
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The cast and crew of The Swan
at the Detroit Opera House
Back row: Jack Cobb, Halliwell Hobbes, Tom Collins, Basil
Rathbone, Henry Warwick, Eva LeGallienne, Philip Merivale, Gilbert Miller,
David Burton, Philip Wood, Richie Ling, Stanley Kalkhurst,
Boswell Davenport
Front row: Carl Hartberg, Nancie Marsland, Hilda Spong, George Walcott, Alan
Willey, Sandor Incze, Alice Johns,
Alison Skipworth, Geraldine Beckwith |
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The lead actors on stage:
Eva Le Gallienne, Halliwell Hobbes, Philip Merivale,
Alan Willey, Basil Rathbone, George Walcott, Hilda Spong, Alice
Johns (I cannot identify the two actors sitting against the back wall.) |
One of the drama critics who saw the play in Detroit reported that it was dull,
disappointing and too long. The performances in Montreal were marred by Eva Le
Gallienne having a bad cold. The company clearly worked out whatever kinks there
may have been, and by the
time they opened on Broadway on October 23, The Swan was a
big hit!
Basil Rathbone described opening night in this way: "The day had been heavy with
moisture and as curtain time approached a veritable cloudburst poured from the
heavens. We played the first act to a house that slowly filled up, having
struggled to get to the theatre, and which was mostly in understandably bad
humor. At the end of the first act we received a mild reception. ... The
second act, however, went well, and at the final curtain we received a
standing ovation. I saw a man about fourth row center throw his hat in the
air. I learned later that it was Alexander Woollcott [drama critic for the New
York Herald]." (In and Out of Character, pp. 52-53)
After the success of opening night, there were long lines at the box office. In November,
Variety reported
"Pulling motor car trade but strong upstairs also" and "Another comedy smash which surprised the talent with a bulls-eye
on Broadway after a weak start out of town." (November 22, 1923)
Rathbone recalled, "The Swan by Ferenc Molnar is
probably the most memorable play of my life. I loved it passionatelyand
it made me a star in America. But above all, it was during The Swan
that I met Ouida. That was in November 1923." (In and Out of Character, p.
52) Although Rathbone ended up marrying Ouida, these were the early
days of their courtship. He also found himself attracted to his beautiful
co-star Eva Le Gallienne, and actually had an affair with her. For more on this, visit
these pages:
Critic George Jean Nathan wrote, "In the case of The Swan, as it has been produced
in the Cort Theater, the reviewer simply wipes off the old professorial
frown and becomes a press agent. for here is a good play so brilliantly
produced and so persuasively acted that there is nothing for him to do but
to gallop around the town and urge everyone he meets to make a bee-line for
the box office. ... Eva Le Gallienne is
completely admirable as the princess whose heart goes out to the young
tutor. Basil Rathbone and Philip Merivale are excellent in the roles of the
tutor and the heir apparent. The rest of the company is thoroughly
competent. David Burton's and Miller's direction is a beautiful piece of
work." (The Judge, November 1923)
At the request of author Ferenc Molnar, a benefit matinee of
The Swan was given
on April 25, 1924. The proceeds in entirety were turned over to the hospitals of
Budapest. Dr. Oscar Fodor, a noted Hungarian surgeon, was in New York City on the mission of
raising funds for the institutions.
In May the Actors Equity Association went on strike, and the cast members
of The Swan were notified that they must terminate their engagement
by May 31, 1924. And so, after 255 performances, The Swan closed at the Cort Theatre.
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Cort Theatre in 1912 |
![](../../potpourri/homes/JamesEarlJonesTheatre2022_small.jpg)
The James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022 |
The Cort
Theatre opened in 1912 and operated as a legitimate theater until 1969. From
1969 to 1972 the theater was used as a television studio. The studio
reverted to a legitimate theater in 1972. The Cort Theatre closed on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19
pandemic. During the shutdown, the theatre was renovated and expanded to
the tune of $47 million. It reopened in the fall of 2022 with a new
name: The James Earl Jones Theatre. |
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Basil Rathbone spent the summer in England. He and Ouida and their
friend Jack Miltern rented a
house in Pangbourne, Berkshire. On Basil's agenda was obtaining a divorce from
his wife Marion, so that he would be free to marry Ouida. Basil and Marion had been separated since
1919, but were still legally married. Marion agreed to a divorce, and it
became final on July 6, 1925. Basil's visit home that summer was tinged
with sadness, however. His father had died on June 13, a few weeks before
Basil arrived in England.
Rathbone returned to the United States on August 16, and prepared for the
reopening of The Swan at the Empire Theatre in New York City. The play
ran at the Empire Theatre from August 25 to September 20, 1924. There
were a few cast changes for the
supplementary run, which preceded a country-wide tour. Henrietta Watson replaced
Hilda Spong (as Princess Beatrice), who went into partial retirement on her estate in southern
France. Reginald Owen replaced Philip Merivale as Prince Albert; Frank Roberts replaced Stanley Kalkhurst
as Alfred; Teddy Jones replaced George Walcott as Arsene; Tupper Jones
replaced Alan Willey as George; Milton Sherman replaced Boswell Davenport as a Lackey.
THE SWAN![](swan29_small.jpg)
The Swan is one of those rare plays in which satire is
successfully blended with romance. In this particular case it is done
with a knowing hand, and the result yields one of the most satisfying
evenings the season has afforded.
Molnar has taken a not altogether new theme and treated it in a delightful
way. It is the story of the low-born man who falls in love reverently, but
nevertheless strongly, with a princess. In this case she happens to be a
princess with a match-making mother intent on wedding her to the royal heir. He
does not respond to the trap set for him, so a tutor in the household is
designated to act as a spur to the prince's affections. This is the man who is
in love with the princess, and when, fired with the graciousness with which she
treats him, he learns of the part he is acting he flares up and declares himself
to all and sundry. Declaring oneself is not done in royal circles, it seems, and
the princess, contrite over her part in the wounding of a noble character, gives
him a good buss on the lips before the scandalized company. This is the climax
of a second act which for interest and suspense has not its equal in any play
now on Broadway. All that can be done after it is to wind the play up as quickly
as possible, and this is done without an appreciable slackening of the interest.
A tall piece of playwriting I call this, and it stamps Molnar as perhaps none
other of his plays has as a consummate master of his art.
Now, this play would be almost hopeless if it were not given absolutely the
right treatment. I do not know of a play in which quite so much depends on the
creation of an atmosphere and proper sort of direction. Also, I do not call to
mind a play in which this has been quite so successfully accomplished. The
credit for this goes to David Burton, and I think it can be said without in any
degree overstating the case that the lion's share of whatever success The
Swan may have will be due to him.
One of the things which indicates the excellence of Mr. Burton's guiding hand
is the superb way in which everyone of the cast plays his or her role.
Individually and as an ensemble this cast could hardly be bettered, but if there
is one member of it who stands out above the rest then my cap will be shied in
the direction of Basil Rathbone. He is the leading man par excellence, with the
looks, bearing and acting capacity which should go with the genius, but is not
always found there. Mr. Rathbone, as the tutor in love with the princess,
reveals himself as a superlative actor; a player with a firm grip on all the
essentials of his art and the intellect the put them to the best use. He was
sincere always, never wavered a hair's breadth from the part, and made it a
completely engaging character. It is the sort of acting which we always hope to
see but seldom do.
Eva Le Gallienne plays the princess, and incidentally does the finest work
she has even done in it. There is a glamour to her characterization of the role
which is exactly what it requires, and at the same time there is the underlying
sweetness, the sub-surface spirituality necessary to make it sympathetic.
Without this the play would fall to pieces; with it the play is credible and
satisfying.
The prince was excellently done by Philip Merivale; Halliwell Hobbes made an
unforgettable figure of a practical-minded friar, Alice John was delightful as a
minor princess, Richie Ling was exactly right as a pompous major domo, and Hilda
Spong, the match-making mother of the princess, with the exception of an
irritatingly granular quality of voice, fulfilled all the role's requirements.
...
Alison Skipworth made her first appearance in the last act. When she had done
this, she just took the play into her hands, wrapped it up into a neat package
and walked off with it. Whenever she was on the stage no one else stood a
chance, and this was done without once pushing herself out of focus or doing
anything save play her part legitimately, with the soundest knowledge of its
values and the way to get the out. I make a healthy obeisance to Miss Skipworth
as one actress who knows what to do and how to do it.
Now, take all these elements: a good play, a well-acted play, a
capably-directed play, and what have we? To my way of thinking we have a piece
which will satisfy an inordinate number of playgoers. Those who muff the satire,
the rich fun-poking at the make-believe sanctity of royalty, which distinguishes
The Swan above all else, will be amply entertained by the high romance
and gentle comedy of the rest of it. Thus, it seems to me, The Swan has them
going and coming. I cannot see failure anywhere about it. On the contrary, I
hazard the guess, perilous as it may be, that it will not only be a
distinguished success, but a popular one as well.
A genuinely fine play, extremely well directed and played.
Gordon Whyte, The Billboard, November 3, 1923
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The tour of The Swan began with a ten-week run at the Blackstone
Theatre in Chicago, commencing the week of September 22 and ending November
29, 1924. Business was
good during the first few weeks, and then dropped off. Variety
(December 10, 1924) reported: "The Swan went out on small grosses for
no other reason than the New York bookers over-estimate Chicago's strength to
hold up dramatic grosses after a certain number of weeks. Despite it is the
second largest city in the country, Chicago's record dramatic clientele for
any kind of a hit dwindles out after six to eight weeks, particularly when
grosses of $16,000 to $18,000 are expected."
The company then performed The Swan in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (December 1-6, 1924) and
St. Louis, Missouri (American Theater, December 8-13, 1924).
The week before Christmas the company was laid off. Rathbone went to New York to be
with Ouida. It was during this visit that they adopted their dog Moritz. (You
can read more about Moritz here:
http://www.basilrathbone.net/potpourri/dogs/ )
Christmas week 1924 was spent in
Washington DC, where the company performed The Swan at the National
Theatre from December 22 to 27, with matinees on
Christmas Day and Saturday. They closed out the year back in New York, at Werba's Brooklyn Theatre, December 29, 1924
January 3, 1925.
Next on the tour was
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the company stayed for four weeks at the Garrick
Theatre, January 5 through January 31, 1925.
Variety reported, "In the dramatic field The Swan held the
spotlight. It was for this show that the matinee business was particularly
notable, Saturday being completely S.R.O. and Wednesday close to it."
The tour continued in:
- Newark, NJ: Broad Street Theatre, February 2-7, 1925
- New York, NY: Riviera Theatre, February 9-14, 1925
- Boston, MA: Hollis St. Theatre, February 16March 14, 1925 (4
weeks)
- Albany, NY: Capitol Theatre, March 19-21, 1925
- Pittsburgh, PA: Nixon Theatre, March 23-28, 1925
The Swan ended its tour in San Francisco, where it was performed at the
Columbia Theatre from April 14 through May 2,
1925 (3 weeks). Eva Le Gallienne had left the company, and Philip
Merivale had rejoined it. The cast for the San Francisco performances included
Laura Hope Crews, Alison Skipworth, Margallo Gillmore,
Florence Shirley, Ilka Chase, Noma Havey, Betty Hall, Phyllis Pearce, Philip
Merivale, Basil Rathbone, Frank Reicher, Leonard Mudie, Elmer Brown and William
Pearce. Variety (April 29, 1925) reported that the play was
"highly praised and enthusiastically patronized."
"Basil Rathbone as the tutor who falls in love with the princess proves
himself an actor of fine quality." The
San Francisco Examiner, April 17, 1925
![](swan17_small.jpg)
Basil Rathbone, Philip Merivale, Eva LeGallienne, Halliwell
Hobbes |
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Basil Rathbone, Halliwell Hobbes, Eva LeGallienne |
"Basil Rathbone, polished and sincere, does an expert
feat of acting as Dr. Agi; his silent anguish when informed that he has
been used as a mop to sweep the floor for another, was a poignant
masterpiece of emotion." St.
Louis Post Dispatch, December 9, 1924 |
![](swan12_small.jpg)
Halliwell Hobbes and Basil Rathbone |
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Basil Rathbone, Eva LeGallienne, Philip Merivale |
About
Rathbone's costars:
- Eva Le Gallienne (Alexandra) acted with Rathbone in another play, The Assumption of Hannele,
in 1924. They appeared together on stage again in 1953 in An Evening with Will Shakespeare.
- Halliwell Hobbes (Father Hyacinth) was in two films with Basil Rathbone. He
played Brunton in Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943), and Lord
Sunderland in Captain Blood (1935).
- Philip Merivale (Prince Albert) appeared with Rathbone in the 1942 film
Crossroads.
- Alison Skipworth (Princess Maria Dominica), shared the stage with Basil
Rathbone in two other plays on Broadway: Port O'London (1926) and The Grand Duchess and the Waiter
(1925)
" ... a silvery, delicately wrought and
utterly delightful play that found in America the kind of performance which
playwrights have in mind when they say their prayers at night. ... one of the
best comedies in years." Alexander Woolcott, The New York Herald,
October 24, 1923
![](The_Pittsburgh_Press_Sun__Mar_22__1925_c_small.jpg) |
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"Basil Rathbone puts into the role of the silent but
adoring tutor of her brothers a passion which is neither underdone nor
exaggerated." Evening Star,
Washington, DC, December 23, 1924 "The Tutor, a character that exalts
the dignity and might of learning and its mastery over all princes in
the modern world, is as evenly and vigorously sustained by Basil
Rathbone." John Corbin, The New
York Times, October 24, 1923
"Basil Rathbone
played the tutor with fine dignity." Arthur Hornblow, Jr., Theatre magazine, vol. 38, December 1923
"Basil Rathbone
played the part of the tutor with exceptional skill." The Gazette Times,
Pittsburgh, PA, March 24, 1925 |
You can download and read Molnar's play on archive.org:
https://archive.org/details/fashionsformena00glazgoog/page/n168/mode/2up
(The book on archive.org contains two plays by Molnar. The
Swan begins on page 169.)
You can read an abridged version of The Swan here:
https://thegreatbaz.wordpress.com/2020/03/21/molnars-play-the-swan/
Promo Photos of Basil Rathbone:
Three film versions of The Swan have been made: a silent film in
1925 (starred Frances Howard, Adolph Menjou and Ricardo Cortez), 1930
(starred Lillian Gish, Rod La Rocque and Conrad Nagel, and called One Romantic Night),
and 1956 (starred Grace Kelly, Alec Guiness, and Louis Jourdan). . |