No Time for Comedy

No Time for Comedy
No Time for Comedy
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	William Keighley
Screenplay by	Julius J. Epstein; Philip G. Epstein
Based on	No Time for Comedy; 1939 play; by S. N. Behrman
Produced by	Jack L. Warner
Starring	James Stewart; Rosalind Russell; Genevieve Tobin; Charlie Ruggles; Lawrence Grossmith; Louise Beavers
Cinematography	Ernest Haller
Edited by	Owen Marks
Music by	Heinz Roemheld
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date	September 14, 1940;
Running time	93 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

No Time for Comedy is a 1940 American comedy-drama film based on the play of the same name by S. N. Behrman, starring James Stewart, Rosalind Russell, Genevieve Tobin and Charlie Ruggles.

Plot

Gaylord Esterbrook, a reporter from Redfield, Minnesota (pop. 786, including livestock), writes a play about Park Avenue high society, even though he has never been to New York City. The play is being staged, but needs rewriting, so the producers bring Gaylord to New York. He meets the leading lady, Linda Paige, who initially mistakes him for an usher. The producer eventually loses faith in the play, but Linda persuades the other actors to continue on a cooperative basis. It becomes a success, and Gaylord and Linda get married. Gaylord proceeds to have four hits in four years, all starring Linda.

After his most recent hit, Gaylord meets Amanda Swift at a party. She feels that his talents are being wasted writing comedies. At her urging, he writes a tragedy about immortality called The Way of the World. The play has no part for Linda. Gaylord eventually decides to divorce Linda and marry Amanda. Linda then decides to marry Amanda's husband, Philo.

The Way of the World is a flop, with audiences laughing at unintentionally funny lines, prompting Amanda to drop Gaylord. However, Linda supports Gaylord in his time of need and they reconcile. She gets the idea for a comedy about smug, contemptible, callous stuffed shirts who think that dictators are inevitable and the average man is bloodthirsty and contemptible. Gaylord and Linda decide to start over, and even act out their initial meeting: Gaylord offers to buy Linda cigarettes as if he were an usher.

Cast

James Stewart as Gaylord Esterbrook
Rosalind Russell as Linda Page Esterbrook
Genevieve Tobin as Amanda Swift
Charlie Ruggles as Philo Swift
Allyn Joslyn as Morgan Carrell
Clarence Kolb as Richard Benson
Louise Beavers as Clementine
Robert Greig as Robert
J. M. Kerrigan as Jim
Lawrence Grossmith as Frank
Robert Greig as Robert
Frank Faylen as Cab Driver

Stage play

Katharine Cornell and Laurence Olivier in the Broadway production of *No Time for Comedy*, on the cover of *Stage* magazine (April 15, 1939)

S.N. Behrman's play opened on Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on April 17, 1939, running for 179 performances. The cast included Laurence Olivier as Gaylord Esterbrook and Katharine Cornell as Linda Paige, and it was directed by Cornell's husband Guthrie McClintic.

Olivier starred in this play in New York while his lover Vivien Leigh was filming Gone with the Wind in Hollywood, causing Leigh stress due to their separation, and according to GWTW lore, influenced her portrayal as Scarlett O'Hara and according to her personal assistant at the time, hurry production so she could be reunited with him.^[1]

Production

Julius Epstein later said "We had to make big changes" in adapting the play which "was just talk, talk, talk—no action really, no situations. It was very good talk, but we had to do a lot of changing on that."^[2]

Radio adaptations

Date	Program	Stars
February 9, 1941	Gulf Screen Guild Theatre	Norma Shearer, Mary Astor, Walter Abel, Hattie McDaniel^[3]
June 12, 1942	Philip Morris Playhouse	Melvyn Douglas^[4]
December 10, 1946	Hollywood Players	Gregory Peck^[5]
March 9, 1947	Theatre Guild on the Air	Florence Eldridge, Frances Fuller, Fredric March^[3]
October 18, 1953	Star Playhouse	Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer^[6]

References

^ Gone with the Wind DVD commentary
^ McGillian, Patrick (1986). "Julius J Epstein: A king of comedy". Backstory: interviews with screenwriters of Hollywood's golden age. Berkeley. pp. 181–182.
^ ^a ^b "Abel, Walter". radioGOLDINdex. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
^ "Philip Morris Playhouse". Harrisburg Telegraph. June 12, 1942. p. 13. Retrieved August 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Tuesday Star". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 7, 1946. p. 19. Retrieved September 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Kirby, Walter (October 18, 1953). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 48. Retrieved July 6, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

[1] Gone with the Wind DVD commentary

[2] McGillian, Patrick (1986). "Julius J Epstein: A king of comedy". Backstory: interviews with screenwriters of Hollywood's golden age. Berkeley. pp. 181–182.

[rg-3] "Abel, Walter". radioGOLDINdex. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2015.

[4] "Philip Morris Playhouse". Harrisburg Telegraph. June 12, 1942. p. 13. Retrieved August 2, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

[5] "Tuesday Star". Harrisburg Telegraph. December 7, 1946. p. 19. Retrieved September 12, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

[6] Kirby, Walter (October 18, 1953). "Better Radio Programs for the Week". The Decatur Daily Review. p. 48. Retrieved July 6, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.

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