FRED GWYNNE In "Arsenic and Old Lace"

[Monsters For Sale]

Anyone ever see the 1969 made-for-TV version of "Arsenic and Old Lace", starring Lilian Gish, Helen Hayes, Bob Crane, David Wayne - and Fred Gwynne as Jonathan Brewster?



It would be interesting the see Fred utter the line "He said I looked like Boris Karloff!" three years after he appeared on "The Munsters" as Herman Munster.

Is the full, color show available anywhere?

I understand that it was the second TV version of the play.  Anyone know who was in the first and what year it was broadcast?

This is the only clip I could find of the show.  Unlike the show, this TV promo clip is in B&W:

Lillian Gish, Helen Hayes in Arsenic & Old Lace (1969) Bob Crane, Fred Gwynne

[Wich2]

>I understand that it was the second TV version of the play.  Anyone know who was in the first and what year it was broadcast?<

It's at least the third, Adam; Boris did it twice on TV (and at least twice on the radio.)

-Craig

[Monsters For Sale]

>I understand that it was the second TV version of the play.  Anyone know who was in the first and what year it was broadcast?<

It's at least the third, Adam; Boris did it twice on TV (and at least twice on the radio.)

-Craig

I knew Boris did it on the radio - didn't know about the TV versions.  I wonder if they exist on tape/DVD?

[jimmycurry01]

I knew Boris did it on the radio - didn't know about the TV versions.  I wonder if they exist on tape/DVD?

At least one certainly does exist on DVD. That would be the 1962 version with Boris Karloff, Tony Randall, and Tom Bosley.

[Flower]

Boris Karloff was in the original 1941 play .. I never think of him as being a stage actor.

I would love to see Lillian Gish and Helen Hayes as the Brewster sisters.

[Count_Zirock]

I saw the Broadway revival with Jean Stapleton, Polly Holiday, Tony Roberts, Abe Vigoda as Jonathan, and William Hickey as Dr. Einstein (who was later replaced by Larry Storch, after Hickey took ill).

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[Haunted hearse]

Boris would have loved to be in the movie version, but I understand that the problem was the stage show was very popular, and it would have hurt the boxoffice if Karloff left the stage to play it on film.  he was supposedly sold on playing the part when he was told he had only one line, "I killed him because he said he looked like Boris Karloff".  Of course, in the versions I've seen, he has a lot more than one line.

[Count_Zirock]

Karloff loved doing live theater, and was under contract for the show for three years. It was during that period that the film was made. Karloff had moved to NYC, and I've read more than one amusing story about kids getting the surprise of their lives when they trick-or-treated in his neighborhood on Halloween.

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[Haunted hearse]

Karloff loved doing live theater, and was under contract for the show for three years. It was during that period that the film was made. Karloff had moved to NYC, and I've read more than one amusing story about kids getting the surprise of their lives when they trick-or-treated in his neighborhood on Halloween.

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When he played "Captain Hook", he often had children as vistors.  He promised if they were good, he'd let them play with his hook.  For the part of the Pirate, he used a double hook. 

[Mord]

Gwynne looks a little like actor Michael Shannon in the picture.

[DougMolitor]

I saw this production. It was great - Crane, whatever his personal foibles, was a funny performer. Gilford was a stitch. Just an amazing cast! Gwynne looked both like Karloff and like Massey's scarred makeup from the Capra film. Oddly, Gwynne did a (pretty good) Karloff impression as Jonathan. Which made zero sense: Plastic surgery or no, why would a guy named Jonathan Brewster *sound* like Boris Karloff?

[Monsters For Sale]

I saw this production. It was great - Crane, whatever his personal foibles, was a funny performer. Gilford was a stitch. Just an amazing cast! Gwynne looked both like Karloff and like Massey's scarred makeup from the Capra film. Oddly, Gwynne did a (pretty good) Karloff impression as Jonathan. Which made zero sense: Plastic surgery or no, why would a guy named Jonathan Brewster *sound* like Boris Karloff?

Nice post.

And, welcome, New Blood!  You're gonna like the UMA.

[Wolfman]

Welcome aboard NB. Always nice to get some New Blood on this site. LOL

JP

[Mike Scott]

Welcome to the UMA, Doug!