Louder, Please

Louder, Please
Written byNorman Krasna
Date premiered12 November 1931
Place premieredNew York
Original languageEnglish
Subjectcomedy
SettingPublicity Offices of Criterion Pictures, Hollywood

Louder, Please is a play by Norman Krasna, the first of Krasna's plays to be produced on Broadway. It was heavily influenced by The Front Page and also Five Star Final. He wrote it while working as a press agent at Warner Bros. and many of the characters were rumored to be based on real people.[1] Krasna admitted the lead was based on publicity man Hubert Voight and other characters were based on Warners cameraman Buddy Longworth, Bernie Williams and Jack Warner.[2]

The original production was directed by George Abbott and starred Lee Tracy.[3][4]

The New York Times said "the entertainment spurts out of the direction rather than the play.[5]

It was successful enough for Krasna to be hired as a writer for Columbia Pictures.[6] That studio bought the film rights by March 1932.[7] The film was never made. In March 1962 Edward Buzzell bought the film rights. Again it was not made.[8]

Plot

Publicity men fake the disappearance of a film star who is "lost at sea".[9]

References

  1. ^ MUSICAL TO OPEN TODAY AT WARNERS: Los Angeles Times 28 Sep 1933: 11
  2. ^ Characters From Real Life Basis for "Louder Please" Los Angeles Times 15 Oct 1933: A7.
  3. ^ BROUN PLANS TO GIVE NEW INTIMATE REVUE New York Times 25 Sep 1931: 34.
  4. ^ THE THEATRE: Hollywood Satire Wall Street Journal 19 Nov 1931: 4.
  5. ^ THE PLAY: Slandering the Movies Again. Pasquinade of Opera. By J. BROOKS ATKINSON. New York Times 13 Nov 1931: 26.
  6. ^ Patrick McGilligan, "Norman Krasna", Backstory: Interviews with Screenwriters of Hollywood's Golden Age, California Press p 217
  7. ^ Political Satires Newest Plan of Hollywood Film Producers Los Angeles Times 16 Mar 1932: A9.
  8. ^ Rights Secured Los Angeles Times (1 Mar 1963: C13.
  9. ^ "Louder, Please". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)