By Richard Harland Smith
Act One
Brief Synopsis
A poor Brooklyn boy joins forces with an experienced playwright to conquer Broadway.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Dore Schary
Director
George Hamilton
Moss Hart
Jason Robards Jr.
George S. Kaufman
Jack Klugman
Joe Hyman
Sam Levene
Richard Maxwell
Ruth Ford
Beatrice Kaufman
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Adaptation
Biography
Release Date
Jan
1963
Premiere Information
New York opening: 26 Dec 1963
Production Company
Dore Schary Productions
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures
Country
United States
Location
New York City, New York, USA
Screenplay Information
Based on the book Act One by Moss Hart (New York, 1959).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 50m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Synopsis
In 1929 young Brooklynite Moss Hart, influenced by the great playwrights, devotes his leisure time to writing for the theater. Failing in his aspirations, however, he accepts a job as social director in the Catskills and then stages plays at the YMHA in Newark. Eventually he takes the advice of agent Richard Maxwell and writes a comedy, Once in a Lifetime , which deals with the early days of Hollywood films, despite the fact that his knowledge of the movie industry is derived from the pages of Variety . After being subsidized by a friend, Joe Hyman, he sends the manuscript to producer Warren Stone, who promises a decision within a week. When months pass without any word, Hart's friends sneak a copy of the play to Sam Harris, who agrees to produce it if George Kaufman will collaborate on the script and also direct. Although Kaufman consents, the Atlantic City opening is a failure, and he considers quitting until Hart comes up with an idea that both men feel will turn the play into a hit. It finally opens to rave reviews in New York City in September 1930, thus beginning the longlasting Kaufman-Hart collaboration.
Director
Dore Schary
Director
Cast
George Hamilton
Moss Hart
Jason Robards Jr.
George S. Kaufman
Jack Klugman
Joe Hyman
Sam Levene
Richard Maxwell
Ruth Ford
Beatrice Kaufman
Eli Wallach
Warren Stone
Joseph Leon
Max Siegel
George Segal
Lester Sweyd
Martin Wolfson
Mr. Hart
Sam Groom
David Starr
Sammy Smith
Sam H. Harris
Louise Larabee
Clara Baum
David Doyle
Oliver Fisher
Jonathan Lippe
Teddy Manson
Bert Convy
Archie Leach
Sylvie Straus
Mrs. Hart
Arno Selco
Bernie Hart
Allen Leaf
Harry
Lulu B. King
Maid
Earl Montgomery
Alexander Woollcott
Bill Desmond
George Jean Nathan
Joe Demar
Heywood Broun
Drummond Erskine
Franklin P. Adams
Kenneth Moss
Robert E. Sherwood
Crew
Edward Carrere
Set dec & prod Designer
Gene Coffin
Costumes
Mort Fallick
Film Editor
Joel Freeman
Prod Supervisor
Skitch Henderson
Music comp & Conductor
Michael Hertzberg
Assistant Director
Dean Newman
Makeup
Arthur J. Ornitz
Director of Photography
Walter Reilly
Associate Producer
Maurice Rosenblum
Sound
Roger Rothstein
1st & 2nd Assistant Director
Dore Schary
Screenwriter
Dore Schary
Producer
Dore Schary
Company
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Film Details
Genre
Drama
Adaptation
Biography
Release Date
Jan
1963
Premiere Information
New York opening: 26 Dec 1963
Production Company
Dore Schary Productions
Distribution Company
Warner Bros. Pictures
Country
United States
Location
New York City, New York, USA
Screenplay Information
Based on the book Act One by Moss Hart (New York, 1959).
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 50m
Sound
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Articles
Act One
Celebrating his motion picture debut in Crime and Punishment (1959), Hollywood newcomer George Hamilton treated himself to a trip to Jamaica, where, while billeted in a Montego Bay hotel, he made the acquaintance of playwright Moss Hart and Hart's wife, actress Kitty Carlisle. Taking the actor under his wing, Hart declared Hamilton to be the perfect choice to play him in a film adaptation of his bestselling theatrical memoir, Act One. Made under the auspices of Warner Brothers, Act One (1963) was the only feature ever directed by longtime Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executive Dore Schary and boasts an exceptionally fine cast. In addition to Jason Robards, Jr., in the role of Hart's acerbic writing partner George S. Kaufman, Act One provided early paychecks for such up-and-coming players as Jack Klugman, George Segal, David Doyle, Kenneth Mars (in his film debut), and Bert Convy (as Archie Leach... aka Cary Grant), as well as the more seasoned likes of Eli Wallach and Sam Levene. (To modern eyes, the most interesting casting choice might be Jonathan Lippe, later Jonathan Goldsmith, a long-time Hollywood character actor who is best known now as "The Most Interesting Man in the World" in TV spots for Dos Equis beer.) Though the autobiographical film charts Hart and Kaufman's success with the stage play Once in a Lifetime, Act One was not a success. Next up for George Hamilton was yet another biopic, Your Cheating Heart (1964), which chronicled the brilliant career and sad demise of country-western singer Hank Williams.
By Richard Harland Smith
By Richard Harland Smith
Act One
Celebrating his motion picture debut in Crime and Punishment (1959), Hollywood newcomer George Hamilton treated himself to a trip to Jamaica, where, while billeted in a Montego Bay hotel, he made the acquaintance of playwright Moss Hart and Hart's wife, actress Kitty Carlisle. Taking the actor under his wing, Hart declared Hamilton to be the perfect choice to play him in a film adaptation of his bestselling theatrical memoir, Act One. Made under the auspices of Warner Brothers, Act One (1963) was the only feature ever directed by longtime Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer executive Dore Schary and boasts an exceptionally fine cast. In addition to Jason Robards, Jr., in the role of Hart's acerbic writing partner George S. Kaufman, Act One provided early paychecks for such up-and-coming players as Jack Klugman, George Segal, David Doyle, Kenneth Mars (in his film debut), and Bert Convy (as Archie Leach... aka Cary Grant), as well as the more seasoned likes of Eli Wallach and Sam Levene. (To modern eyes, the most interesting casting choice might be Jonathan Lippe, later Jonathan Goldsmith, a long-time Hollywood character actor who is best known now as "The Most Interesting Man in the World" in TV spots for Dos Equis beer.) Though the autobiographical film charts Hart and Kaufman's success with the stage play Once in a Lifetime, Act One was not a success. Next up for George Hamilton was yet another biopic, Your Cheating Heart (1964), which chronicled the brilliant career and sad demise of country-western singer Hank Williams.
By Richard Harland Smith
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Filmed in Manhattan. Archie Leach is Cary Grant's real name.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States April 25, 1964
Released in United States Winter December 26, 1963
Released in United States April 25, 1964 (New York City)
Released in United States Winter December 26, 1963
