Movie adaptations of plays that starred the original actors

[Fantod]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 6:22am

Just trying to compile a list and can only think of a few.

The Philadelphia Story

A Streetcar Named Desire

Summer and Smoke (1952 revival)

Sweet Bird of Youth

 

Any others? I'm sure there are a lot more.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 7:21am

The Subject was Roses - Albertson and Sheen

Tea and Sympathy - Kerr and Kerr

A Hatful of Rain - Franciosa

The Ritz - Moreno, Weston, Stiller and Abraham

Barefoot in the Park - Redford, Natwick and Edelman

The Pleasure of His Company - Ruggles

Same Time, Next Year - Burstyn

Thieves - Thomas

Updated On: 6/24/15 at 07:21 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 7:25am

It looks like you mean just some (or even only one) of the original actors. If so, Born Yesterday can be added (and many more).

[TomSloan]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 8:23am

"The Subject was Roses - Albertson and Sheen
Tea and Sympathy - Kerr and Kerr
A Hatful of Rain - Franciosa
The Ritz - Moreno, Weston, Stiller and Abraham
Barefoot in the Park - Natwick
The Pleasure of His Company - Ruggles
Same Time, Next Year - Burstyn
Thieves - Thomas"

Barefoot in the Park also starred Robert Redford from the original cast as well.

 

[Tom5]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 8:57am

The two easiest: My Fair Lady/Rex. The Music Man/Robert Preston.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 9:04am

FUNNY GIRL

BELLS ARE RINGING

THE MIRACLE WORKER

edit: Oops! Just realized the OP said "plays"....not shows.

Updated On: 6/24/15 at 09:04 AM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 9:08am

Angels in America - Jeffrey Wright

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 9:25am

Come Back, Little Sheba
The Bad Seed

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:30am

""The Subject was Roses - Albertson and Sheen
Tea and Sympathy - Kerr and Kerr
A Hatful of Rain - Franciosa
The Ritz - Moreno, Weston, Stiller and Abraham
Barefoot in the Park - Natwick
The Pleasure of His Company - Ruggles
Same Time, Next Year - Burstyn
Thieves - Thomas"
Barefoot in the Park also starred Robert Redford from the original cast as well.
 "

Oh yes. You are correct. How could I forget that fact! Also Herb Edelman was in the original cast and he played the same role in the film. Thanks for the correction!

 

[sorano916]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:42am

Arsenic and Old Lace - Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, and John Alexander did the film while given time off from the play

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:43am

Come Back To The Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean - Cher, Karen Black, Sandy Dennis

[ooblogway]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 10:53am

Six Degrees of Separation - Stockard Channing

[The Other One]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 11:44am

Frost/Nixon: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen

The Great White Hope: James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander

The Substance of Fire: Ron Rifkin

Tribute: Jack Lemmon

The Odd Couple: Walter Matthau

A Raisin In The Sun: Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeill, Diana Sands, John Fiedler, Lou Gossett, Ivan Dixon

A Soldier's Play/Story: Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington, William Allen Young

Biloxi Blues: Matthew Broderick

Play It Again, Sam: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Jerry Lacey

A Man For All Seasons: Paul Scofield

The Petrified Forest: Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogart

Mr. Roberts: Henry Fonda

Harvey: James Stewart

I Am A Camera: Julie Harris

The Member of the Wedding: Julie Harris, Ethel Waters and Brandon DeWilde

Any Wednesday: Rosemary Murphy

A Thousand Clowns: Jason Robards, William Daniels, Gene Saks, Barry Gordon

Updated On: 6/24/15 at 11:44 AM

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 12:55pm

Auntie Mame 

The Bad Seed

The Miracle Worker 

The Great White Hope 

La Cage aux Folles (the play)

The History Boys

Torch Song Trilogy

Winterset

Romanoff and Juliet (Ustinov)

The Gin Game (for tv)

Butley

The Entertainer

Wonderful Town 

Shirley Valentine

Disraeli (Arliss)

The King and I  (Brynner)

Equus (Firth)

Driving Miss Daisy (Freeman)

Educating Rita (Walters)

The Petrified Forest (Howard, Bogart)

Dodsworth (Huston)

Funny Girl (Streisand - Academy Award, Medford - AA nomination)

The Music Man (Preston, Kelton)

Lost in Yonkers 

Butterflies are Free (Heckart)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Ives, Sherwood)

Death of a Salesman (Dunnock, Kennedy, Mitchell)

Blithe Spirit (Rutherford)

Dancing at Lughnasa (Brennan)








 

Updated On: 6/24/15 at 12:55 PM

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 12:58pm

The thread title specifically states plays, so why are people listing musicals?

 

[The Other One]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:02pm

"Death of a Salesman (Dunnock, Kennedy, Mitchell)"

I thought about including this film, and Dunnock and Mitchell do indeed repeat their stage performances as Linda and Happy, but Kennedy was replaced in the film by Kevin McCarthy.  Still, a worthy inclusion, even if it's hard not to think of Willy as the one true starring role.

[LarryD2]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:13pm

Here's a question: in the original London production of CLOSER, Clive Owen played the role of Dan. In the subsequent film, he played the role of Larry. Similarly, Joe Mantello played Ned Weeks in the revival of THE NORMAL HEART, then played Mickey Marcus in the film. Can anyone think of other cases where an actor from a stage production starred in the film adaptation, but a different role?

[The Other One]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:51pm

"Here's a question: in the original London production of CLOSER, Clive Owen played the role of Dan. In the subsequent film, he played the role of Larry. Similarly, Joe Mantello played Ned Weeks in the revival of THE NORMAL HEART, then played Mickey Marcus in the film. Can anyone think of other cases where an actor from a stage production starred in the film adaptation, but a different role?"

If you're going the other way around, Jason Robards played Jamie Tyrone in the film version of LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT but played the elder Tyrone in two later revivals of the play.

 

I can think of some musicals in which that happened (George Chakiris, Tony Mordente and David Winters all played different roles on stage in WEST SIDE STORY than they did on film as did Colm Wilkinson in LES MISERABLES) but as for plays...hmmm.  Interesting question and I will think that over.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 1:52pm

Patty Duke played Annie Sullivan in the television remake of THE MIRACLE WORKER...and she won an Emmy for it.

Updated On: 6/24/15 at 01:52 PM

[The Other One]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:02pm

"Patty Duke played Annie Sullivan in the television remake of THE MIRACLE WORKER...and she won an Emmy for it."

 

Yes.  I remember that.  Also Matthew Broderick in the original stage and then film version of TORCH SONG TRILOGY.

 

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:39pm

"but Kennedy was replaced in the film by Kevin McCarthy"

Thanks TheOtherOne.  My only defense is that I have always confused those two.

I have no defense for leaving off The Member of the Wedding.

Julie Harris also originated the role of Sally in I Am A Camera and played her in the movie.

Updated On: 6/24/15 at 02:39 PM

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:46pm

Alfred Hitchcock's adaptaton of "Juno And The Paycock" had the original Juno from the Abbey Theatre production reprising her role, and also original cast member, Oscar-winner Barry Fitzgerald in a different (smaller) role.

[best12bars]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:49pm

Our Town (1940) had the original Emily, Stage Manager, Mrs. Soams, and Simon Stimson.

1776 had much of the original cast, and almost all others had been replacements.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:50pm

Jason Robards, in addition to playing James, Sr., in revivals of Long Day's Journey, and Jamie in the movie, originated the role of Jamie on stage.

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 6/24/15 at 2:52pm

The new movie "London Road" (a musical, sorry Carlos) features much of the original London cast reprising their roles.