Oct 02, 2012 matthew horne and jane asher in charleys aunt at menier chocolate factory. Charleys aunt is a 1930 american comedy film directed by al christie and starring charles ruggles, june collyer and hugh williams. Since that time, charleys aunt has been revived many times, been produced as a motion picture, both silent and with sound, aired in an original television production, and even adapted into a musical. The opening title card of this film reads, twentieth centuryfox presents jack benny in charleys aunt brandon thomas immortal comedy. Charleys aunt on dvd 024543440642 from 20th century fox. Fancourt must pose as the elderly aunt of his roommate charley wyckeham so that charley and his friend jack chesney will. This was the third of many screen adaptations of charleys aunt, the beloved 19thcentury stage farce. Lewis, with james christy, chet carlin, marisha watassek. Charley s aunt is a famous british play which for many years was the staple offering of every english high school drama class. Staring arleen whelan, morton lowry, laird cregar and edmund gwenn. Our fall farce, charley s aunt a hilarious farce written by brandon thomas and directed by ed knights. They invite the ladies to meet charley s wealthy aunt from brazil.
While jack as a british college student only kinda works, jack is still a stitch. The first starred sydney chaplin in 1925 and the second released in 1930 featured charlie. Watch playhouse 90 season 1, episode 26 charleys aunt. He first falls for charleys aunts money, but then makes another discovery. This particular version and i count 10 versions on film going all the way back to 1911 stars charlie ruggles as the oxford undergraduate talked into going into drag. But her role was a supporting one, as much of the story revolves around a young man masquerading around as. Jul, 2015 mason aksamit charley s aunt part 1 duration. In its day, charleys aunt was the original west end blockbuster. Two students at oxford force their rascally friend and fellow. Charleys aunt article about charleys aunt by the free. But without a chaperone, they cant meet their girls, amy and kitty. It remained one of bennys personal favourites among his own films.
Charley wyckham and jack chesney pressure fellow student fancourt babberly to pose as charleys brazilian aunt donna lucia. Charley s aunt is a 1930 american comedy film directed by al christie and starring charles ruggles, june collyer and hugh williams. Charleys bighearted aunt film british comedy guide. Charleys aunt jun 1, 1925 dalys 63rd street theatre revival charleys aunt dec 22, 1953 city center revival charleys aunt jul 4, 1970 brooks atkinson theatre revival. The dean is a keen egyptologist and desperate to secure funding for. Though updated to 1930, the film adheres to the familiar plot as set down by thomas back in 1895. Charleys rich aunt, donna lucia, is visiting from brazil and the timing couldnt be better.
Luckily, charley s aunt from brazil where the nuts come from is coming for a visit. When the real aunt turns up, classic comic confusion. His film career is not thought of highly, but some of that is due to jacks own attitude towards his films. If youre going to drag an aunt into the business, we may as well wait till they all come back from scotland. It marked the film debut of williams, who then returned to britain and became a major star. Utilizing a gloriously unconvincing broada english accent, benny is cast as lord fancourt babberly, a somewhat overaged undergraduate at oxford university. They invite the ladies to meet charleys wealthy aunt from brazil. Like niagara falls, charleys aunt stands the test of time. Matthew horne and jane asher in charleys aunt at menier chocolate factory. Like niagara falls, charley s aunt stands the test of time. Jack chesneys father, colonel chesney is visiting his son at oxford. By brandon thomas directed by joseph discher performances begin october 24 im charley s aunt from brazil, where the nuts come from. Charley s aunt is a threeact farce that, when it premiered in 1892, was so wildly successful that it shattered theater records at the time, becoming the longestrunning play with well over a thousand performances in london, a broadway version, and an international tour. Li chas aunt was adapted as a chinese film of the same name in 2018 the film poster also shows the english title hello, mrs.
Film casting list, boxoffice, free download movie hdposter and buy bluray dvd mm52. Kay francis gets to play the best character, the real charleys. Their purpose is to have a chaperone for their amorous visits with amy and kitty, niece and ward of crusty stephen spettigue. Here we have a promotional short subject advertising jack bennys new film version of charley s aunt 1941. His radio show is filled with jokes about his film career. When charley s aunt donna lucia dalvadorez kay francis is detained, jack and charley coerce babbs, who has dressed up as an old lady for a school play, to pose as the absent donna lucia. Charles ruggles, june collyer, doris lloyd, imdb rating. Charleys aunt 1930 rita allen 20120425 it turned out that the jack benny version 1940s was unavailable, and so robert osbourne chose this earlier one. Ah well, we wont be too hard on that particular aunt, given she. Sir francourt babbs babberly gets drafted by his old school chums charley and jack to pose as charley s aunt, a rich widow, to chaperon a meeting between the boys and their sweethearts, amy and kitty. Charleys aunt the winnipesaukee playhousemeredith nh. A guide to visiting charleys aunt utah shakespeare festival. Jack and charley, undergraduates at oxford, have each fallen in love. An oxford undergraduate student and charleys friend, jack is in love with kitty verdun.
Now haywards douglas morrisson theatre gets into the act with its commissioned world premiere of charleys aunt 66, a new version of brandon thomas stillpopular 1892 farce. The millionaire aunt sends the boys into cataclysmic confusion when she cancels her trip. Her presence as a chaperone will allow him and his friend jack to ask their respective true loves, amy and kitty, for their hands in marriage. Charley wyckham and jack chesney pressure fellow student fancourt babberly to pose as charley s brazilian aunt donna lucia. Jack benny brings his own distinctive touch to brandon thomas venerable and oftfilmed stage farce charleys aunt. After a seventeenyear vacation, charleys aunt is returning to the utah shakespeare festival. I suppose like most people, i first saw charley s aunt, brandon thomas centurieslong theatrical chestnut, back in high school. In its day, charley s aunt was the original west end blockbuster. Robert bischoff, william perlberg, brandon thomas, george seaton. Sight unseen, i eagerly awaited the release of charleys aunt on disc. Charleys aunt 1941 victorianera oxford students charley wykeham richard haydn and jack chesney james ellison recruit their wealthy playboy friend, lord fancourt babberly jack benny, to. This version of the popular comedy based on brandon thomas s play features comedian jack benny as the lead. Watch playhouse 90 season 1, episode 26 charley s aunt.
Jul 28, 2007 sight unseen, i eagerly awaited the release of charleys aunt on disc. Charleys aunt is a farce in three acts written by brandon thomas. Brandon thomas s giddy farce demolished all box office records, clocking up 1,466 performances between 1892 and 1896. With charles ruggles, june collyer, doris lloyd, halliwell hobbes. Things get even more silly as babbs is soon being hounded by suitors interested in the aunts considerable fortune. Actors alexei lapshin as jack chesney, mikhail zheleznov as babbs, lana krymova as amy, and dmitry volodin as charley wykeham, from left, in a scene from the charley s aunt production staged by director yuri klepikov and based on brandon thomas comedy of the same name, at the moscow drama theatre led by armen dzhigarkhanyan. It is a rollicking farce about undergraduates at oxford university, one of whom, jack benny, disguises himself as anothers aunt from brazil where the nuts come from. This charming frump is introduced as charleys aunt. This charming frump is introduced as charley s aunt.
This first talkie version of the evergreen brandon thomas stage farce charleys aunt stars charlie ruggles, obviously having the time of his life in the leading role. The fun really begins when, for reasons far too complicated to detail here, both jack s father sir francis chesney laird cregar and amy s uncle stephen. His enthusiasm makes the film more than the sum of its parts. A comedic favorite to this day with colleges and high schools, the early crossdressing farce first produced in 1892 broke all theatrical records wherever it played, and has become a recognized worldwide classic through countless stage revivals. An oxford undergraduate student, charley is in love with amy spettigue. Charley s aunt 1941 victorianera oxford students charley wykeham richard haydn and jack chesney james ellison recruit their wealthy playboy friend, lord fancourt babberly jack benny, to.
The film isnt a comic masterwork but its a fun way to spend an hour and a half. Sir francourt babbs babberly gets drafted by his old school chums charley and jack to pose as charleys aunt, a rich widow, to chaperon a meeting between the boys and their sweethearts, amy and kitty. The problem is solved by drafting their oxford undergrad pal into bloomers and wig. Media in category charleys aunt the following 21 files are in this category, out of 21 total. With jack benny, kay francis, james ellison, anne baxter. Media in category charley s aunt the following 21 files are in this category, out of 21 total. Charleys aunt was officially commissioned by the local hunt in bury st. After two soso comedies, play girl and the man who lost himself, kays freelance career needed a new boost. Two oxford buddies ask a chum charlie ruggles to pose as ones aunt and chaperon a double date. The joke is pushed much further in the film, but it still helps sustain ian talbots pleasurable revival of this old. By brandon thomas directed by joseph discher performances begin october 24 im charleys aunt from brazil, where the nuts come from. This version of the popular comedy based on brandon thomass play features comedian jack benny as the lead.
Charley s aunt on dvd 024543440642 from 20th century fox. Charley s aunt is a farce in three acts written by brandon thomas. She chose to play the title role in twentieth centuryfoxs charleys aunt 1941. Charleys aunt 1930 two oxford buddies ask a chum charlie ruggles to pose as ones aunt and chaperon a double date. Things get even more silly as babbs is soon being hounded by suitors interested in the aunt s considerable fortune. More unabashed hilarity with this hit from the late 19th century. This comedy will grace our stage for the first time in our 56year history. Charleys aunt is a threeact farce that, when it premiered in 1892, was so wildly successful that it shattered theater records at the time, becoming the longestrunning play with well over a thousand performances in london, a broadway version, and an international tour it concerns two oxford students, jack and the eponymous charley, who are in love with kitty and amy, respectively. I suppose like most people, i first saw charleys aunt, brandon thomas centurieslong theatrical chestnut, back in high school.
Charleys aunt is a 1941 american historical comedy film directed by archie mayo. Jack benny playing with enthusiasm and romping merrily and crazily along the route, takes fullest advantage of laugh opportunities. Threatened with being sent down expelled from their college at oxford after the latest in a series of highspirited hijinks and miscellaneous delinquency, friends arthur, stinker and albert hit upon a seemingly ingenious ruse. Kay francis gets to play the best character, the real charleys aunt. In 1890, two students at oxford force their rascally friend and fellow student to pose as an aunt from brazilwhere the nuts come from. The complications of the plot include the arrival of the real aunt and the attempts of an elderly fortune hunter to woo the bogus aunt. The story centres on lord fancourt babberley, an undergraduate whose friends jack and charley persuade him to impersonate the latters aunt. Charleys aunt the shakespeare theatre of new jersey. While best known for his tv work, including drop the dead donkey, ballykissangel and wild at heart, as well as the awardwinning dci banks which is based on the series of novels by peter robinson, tompkinson also appeared in 1996 hit film brassed off and his stage roles have included spamalot, charleys aunt and, mostly recently, a tour of art which brought him to theatre royal in march. The catholic university of america speech and drama department presents charley s aunt, by brandon thomas, directed by joseph lewis, settings and lighting by james d. Charley s aunt jun 1, 1925 daly s 63rd street theatre revival charley s aunt dec 22, 1953 city center revival charley s aunt jul 4, 1970 brooks atkinson theatre revival.
It was an adaptation of the play charleys aunt by brandon thomas. It was the third filmed version of the stage farce of the same name by brandon thomas. Nov 10, 2012 charleys aunt 20 september 10 november 2012. Charleys bighearted aunt 1940 usage public domain topics.