Post by CrazyForKate on Apr 15, 2010 15:27:04 GMT -5
For those of you unfamiliar with Toronto, Honest Ed's is a huge bargain store run by the Mirvishes, who basically own all the big theatres in the city. The store is covered, therefore, in posters and photos of the incredible assortment of stars that have played here. ( You go into buy one item and spend two hours wandering the place, staring at the walls.) This includes some of our favourite faces, like Ruth Gordon, Spence (though not from a stage appearance here, sadly ), and some random lady:
(Winter in Toronto. Ouch.)
But anyway, I found this one of Van Heflin, and was wondering, is this The Philadelphia Story?
Sorry for the poor quality- cell phone pic.
We know the show played Toronto at some point, because there's an anecdote of Kate being upset because the audience wasn't laughing- not realizing that Canada had just entered the war (this was of course pre Pearl Harbor) and wasn't up for a comedy. The age looks correct as well. But was Van Heflin part of the tour? And who is the woman? I can't really tell whether it's Shirley Booth or not, but she may not have been on the tour either- and if she was, it could have been an understudy or another female character (though I think it's Liz due to the telephone scene in the movie).
Of course, it's entirely possible that it's another play, though Phil Story appears to be the only one of the time successful enough to tour, and he didn't appear in another Broadway show until 1956. It could be an entirely Canadian production, too, stock or something. Really, all we can do to possibly guess is a) was he part of the tour? and b) who is the woman?
Also, it could be a photo from the Broadway run, but Honest Ed's photos tend to be Toronto, so that's less likely.
If anyone can help solve the mystery, it would be much appreciated!
(Winter in Toronto. Ouch.)
But anyway, I found this one of Van Heflin, and was wondering, is this The Philadelphia Story?
Sorry for the poor quality- cell phone pic.
We know the show played Toronto at some point, because there's an anecdote of Kate being upset because the audience wasn't laughing- not realizing that Canada had just entered the war (this was of course pre Pearl Harbor) and wasn't up for a comedy. The age looks correct as well. But was Van Heflin part of the tour? And who is the woman? I can't really tell whether it's Shirley Booth or not, but she may not have been on the tour either- and if she was, it could have been an understudy or another female character (though I think it's Liz due to the telephone scene in the movie).
Of course, it's entirely possible that it's another play, though Phil Story appears to be the only one of the time successful enough to tour, and he didn't appear in another Broadway show until 1956. It could be an entirely Canadian production, too, stock or something. Really, all we can do to possibly guess is a) was he part of the tour? and b) who is the woman?
Also, it could be a photo from the Broadway run, but Honest Ed's photos tend to be Toronto, so that's less likely.
If anyone can help solve the mystery, it would be much appreciated!