Rachel Crothers 1878-1958
Born December 12, 1878 in Bloomington, Illinois, Crothers received a university education at Illinois State (1892).  She went on to study dramatic art in Boston and New York City.  Her first Broadway production, The Three of Us (1906), was the first of many successful works through which she explored the position of women in contemporary U.S. society.  She is recognized as the most prolific and successful female dramatist of the early twentieth century.  (See the writer's bibliography below.) In addition she devoted much  time to philanthropic causes related to the theater.  One of the best known was the WWII Stage Door Canteen which she organized through the American Theatre Wing for War Relief. Crothers died  July 5, 1958 in Danbury, Connecticut.
 

Rachel Crothers Films
 

 
Silent Films:

  1. 39 East (1920)

  2. USA 1920 Black and White
    Produced by: Realart Pictures Inc.
    Sound Mix: Silent
  3. As Husbands Go (1934)

  4. USA 1934 Black and White
    Produced by: Fox Film Corporation [us]
    Language:  English
    Sound Mix: Silent
    Directed by Hamilton MacFadden
    Cast (in credits order)
        Warner Baxter - Charles Lingard
        Helen Vinson
  5. Little Journey, A (1927)

  6. USA 1927 Black and White
    Sound Mix:  Silent
    Directed by Robert Z. Leonard
    Cast (in credits order)
        Claire Windsor - Julia Rutherford
        William Haines (I) - George Manning
        Harry Carey Sr. - Alexander Smith (as Harry Carey)
        Claire McDowell - Aunt Louise
        Lawford Davidson - Alfred Demis
  7. Man's World, A (1918)

  8. USA 1918 Black and White
    Produced by:  Metro Pictures Corporation
    Sound Mix:    Silent
    Distributed by: Metro Pictures Corporation
    Directed by    Herbert Blaché
    Cast (in credits order)
        Emily Stevens -  Frankie Ware
        John Merkyl -    David Powell
        Frederick Truesdell - Malcolm Gaskell
        Florence Short - Lione Brune
        Baby Ivy Ward -  Kiddie
        Walter Hiers -   Larry Hanlon
        Sidney Bracey -  Emile Grimeaux
        Vera Roger -     Clara Oakes
        Lucile Dorrington -  Alice Ellery
        Vinney Binns -   Slavey
 
Sound Films
  1. Mother Carey's Chickens (1938)

  2. USA 1938 Black and White
    Produced by: RKO Radio Pictures
    Language:    English
    Runtime:     USA:82
    Sound Mix:   Mono
    Directed by  Rowland V. Lee
    Cast (in credits order)
        Anne Shirley -  Nancy Carey
        Ruby Keeler -   Kitty Carey
        James Ellison - Ralph Thurston
        Fay Bainter -   Mrs. Carey
        Walter Brennan - Mr. Popham
        Donnie Dunagan - Peter Carey
        Frank Albertson (I) - Rom Hamilton
        Alma Kruger -   Aunt Bertha
        Jackie Moran (I) - Gilbert Carey
        Margaret Hamilton - Mrs. Fuller
        Virginia Weidler - Lally Joy
        Frank Morgan (I) - Captain Carey
        Phyllis Kennedy -  Annabelle
        Harvey Clark -     Mr. Fuller
        Lucille Ward -    Mrs. Popham
        George Irving (I) -  Mr. Hamilton
  3. Let Us Be Gay (1930)

  4. USA 1930 Black and White
    Produced by: MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) [aka MGM-UA] [us]
    Runtime:  USA:78
    Sound Mix: Western Electric Sound System
    Directed by  Robert Z. Leonard
    Cast (in credits order)
         Norma Shearer -  Kitty Brown
         Rod La Rocque -  Bob Brown
         Marie Dressler - Mrs. Bouccicault
         Gilbert Emery -  Townley
         Hedda Hopper -   Madge Livingston
         Raymond Hackett - Bruce
         Sally Eilers -    Diane
         Tyrell Davis -    Wallace
         Wilfred Noy -     Whitman
         William J. O'Brien - Struthers
         Sybil Grove -     Perkins
  5. Splendor (1935)

  6. USA 1935 Black and White
    Produced by:  United Artists [us] / Goldwyn Pictures Corporation
    Language:     English
    Runtime:      USA:75
    Also Known As: Splendour (1935)
    Directed by   Elliott Nugent
    Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
         Miriam Hopkins - Phyllis Manning Lorrimore
         Joel McCrea -    Brighton Lorrimore
         Paul Cavanagh -  Martin Deering
         Helen Westley -  Mrs. Lorrimore
         Billie Burke -   Clarissa
         David Niven -    Clancey Lorrimore
         Katharine Alexander -  Martha Lorrimore
         Ruth Weston -    Edith Gilbert
         Arthur Treacher - Captain Ballinger
         Torben Meyer -    Baron Von Hoffstatter
         Ivan F. Simpson - Fletcher
  7. Susan and God (1940)

  8. USA 1940 Black and White
    Produced by:    MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) [aka MGM-UA] [us]
    Certification:  Germany:12
    Language:  English
    Runtime:        USA:115
    Also Known As:  Gay Mrs. Trexel, The (1940)
    Directed by     George Cukor
    Cast (in credits order)
         Joan Crawford -  Susan Trexel
         Fredric March -  Barry Troxel
         Ruth Hussey -    Charlotte
         John Carroll (I) -   Clyde
         Rita Hayworth -  Leonora Stubbs
         Nigel Bruce -    "Hutchie"
         Bruce Cabot (I)- Michael
         Rose Hobart -    Irene Burrows
  9. When Ladies Meet (1933)

  10. USA 1933 Black and White
    Produced by:  MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) [aka MGM-UA] [us]
    Language:     English
    Runtime:      USA:85
    Sound Mix:    Western Electric Sound System
    Distributed by: Loew's Inc.
    Also Known As:
        Strange Skirts (1933)
        Truth Is Stranger (1933)
    Directed by   Harry Beaumont
        Robert Z. Leonard
    Cast (in credits order) verified as complete
         Ann Harding -   Clare Woodruf
         Robert Montgomery - Jimmie Lee
         Myrna Loy -     Mary Howard
         Alice Brady -   Bridget Drake
         Frank Morgan (I) - Rogers Woodruf
         Martin Burton - Walter Manning
         Luis Alberni -  Pierre
  11. When Ladies Meet (1941)

  12. USA 1941 Black and White
    Produced by:  MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) [aka MGM-UA] [us]
    Language:     English
    Run Time:     108 min
    Also Known As: Strange Skirts (1941)
    Directed by   Robert Z. Leonard
    Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification
         Joan Crawford -  Mary Howard
         Robert Taylor -  Jimmy Lee
         Greer Garson -   Claire Woodruff
         Herbert Marshall - Rogers Woodruff
         Spring Byington -  Bridget Drake
         Rafael Storm -     Walter Del Canto
         Mona Barrie -      Mabel Guiness
         Max Willenz -      Pierre
         Leslie Francis -   Janet Hopper
         Florence Shirley - Homer Hopper

    Writer's Bibliography for Rachel Crothers
                      from:  Lynn D. Todd, "Rachel Crothers," in Dictionary of  Literary Biography, Volume 7: Twentieth-Century
                                                  American Dramatists.

                       Productions

                            Elizabeth, 18 April 1899, Madison Square Theatre, New York, 

                            Criss-Cross, 20 April 1899, Madison Square Theatre, New York

                            Mrs. John Hobbs, April 1899, Madison Square Theatre, New York

                            The Rector, 3 April 1902, Savoy Theatre, New York

                            Nora, September 1903, Savoy Theatre, New York

                            The Point of View, 1904, Manhattan Theatre, New York

                            The Three of Us, 17 October 1906, Madison Square Theatre, New York

                            The Coming of Mrs. Patrick, 6 November 1907, Madison Square Theatre, New York

                            Myself-Bettina, 5 October 1908, Daly's Theatre, New York

                            A Man's World, 8 February 1910, Comedy Theatre, New York

                            Ourselves, 13 November 1913, Lyric Theatre, New York

                            Young Wisdom, 5 January 1914, Criterion Theatre, New York

                            The Heart of Paddy Whack, 25 November 1914, Grand Opera House, New York

                            Old Lady 31, 30 October 1916, Thirty-ninth Street Theatre, New York

                            Mother Carey's Chickens, by Crothers and Kate Douglas Wiggin September 1917, Cort Theatre, New York

                            Once Upon a Time, 15 April 1918, Fulton Theatre, New York

                            A Little Journey, 26 December 1918, Little Theatre, New York

                            39 East, 31 March 1919, Broadhurst Theatre, New York

                            He and She, 12 February 1920, Little Theatre, New York

                            Nice People, 2 March 1921, Klaw Theatre, New York

                            Everyday, 16 November 1921, Bijou Theatre, New York

                            Mary the Third, 5 February 1923, Thirty-ninth Street Theatre, New York

                            Expressing Willie, 16 April 1924, Forty-eighth Street Theatre, New York

                            A Lady's Virtue, 23 November 1925, Bijou Theatre, New York

                            Venus, 26 December 1927, Masque Theatre, New York, 8.

                            Let Us Be Gay, 21 February 1929, Little Theatre, New York

                            As Husbands Go, 5 March 1931, John Golden Theatre, New York

                            Caught Wet, 4 November 1931, John Golden Theatre, New York

                            When Ladies Meet, 6 October 1932, Royale Theatre, New York

                            Susan and God, 7 October 1937, Plymouth Theatre, New York

                       Books

                            Criss-Cross (New York: Dick & Fitzgerald, 1904).

                            The Rector (New York: French, 1905).

                            A Man's World (Boston: Badger, 1915).

                            The Three of Us (New York: French, 1916).

                            Old Lady 31 (New York: French, 1923).

                            A Little Journey (New York: French, 1923).

                            Expressing Willie (New York: Brentano's, 1924).

                            39 East (Boston: Baker, 1925).

                            The Heart of Paddy Whack (New York: French, 1925).

                            Mother Carey's Chickens, by Crothers and Kate Douglas Wiggin (New York: French, 1925).

                            Once Upon a Time (New York: French, 1925).

                            Six One-Act Plays (Boston: Baker, 1925)--includes The Importance of Being a
                            Woman, The Importance of Being Clothed, The Importance of Being Married,
                            The Importance of Being Nice, Peggy, and What They Think

                            Mary the Third (Boston: Baker, 1925).

                            Let Us Be Gay (New York: French, 1929).

                            Everyday (New York: Co-national Plays, 1930).

                            As Husbands Go (New York: French, 1931).

                            Caught Wet (New York: French, 1932).

                            When Ladies Meet (New York: French, 1932).

                            Susan and God (New York: Random House, 1938).

                       Other

                            Nice People, in Contemporary American Plays, ed. Arthur Hobson Quinn (New York: Scribners, 1923), pp. 135-217.

                            "The Construction of a Play," in The Art of Playwriting, lectures by Crothers and others (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1928); republished
                            (Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press, 1967), pp. 115-134.

                            He and She, in Representative American Plays 1767 to the Present Day, ed. Quinn (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1953), pp. 891-928.

                       Periodical Publications

                            Katy Did, Smart Set, 27 (January 1909): 129-136.

                            Mrs. Molly, Smart Set, 27 (March 1909): 104-113.

                            "Troubles of a Playwright," Harper's Bazaar, 45 (January 1911): 14, 46.

                            "Future of American Stage Depends on Directors," New York Times Magazine, 3 December 1916, p. 13.

                            "The Producing Playwright," Theatre Magazine, 27 (January 1918): 34.

                            The Importance of Being Clothed, Harper's Bazaar, 55 (June 1920): 61, 134, 136.

                            What They Think, Ladies' Home Journal, 40 (February 1923): 12-13, 126, 128, 131.

                            Peggy, Scribner's Magazine, 76 (August 1924): 175-183.
     

     

     

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