Video: Darryl Maximilian Robinson As John Lawless In The Happiest Millionaire at The Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project

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THE EXCALIBER SHAKESPEARE COMPANY LOS ANGELES ARCHIVAL PROJECT PRESENTS DARRYL MAXIMILIAN ROBINSON AS THE BUTLER JOHN LAWLESS IN A 2011 55TH ANNIVERSARY REVIVAL OF "THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE"

"Darryl Maximilian Robinson as the butler was an audience pleaser." --Mary Tower Oliver, The Los Feliz Ledger, June 11, 2011.

LA Theatre Veteran Darryl Maximilian Robinson Shares Stage Notes On A 2011 55th Anniversary Revival of Playwright Kyle Crichton's Rarely Produced "The Happiest Millionaire".

About Playwright Kyle Crichton's Original 1956 Broadway Comedy Play The Happiest Millionaire.

At least a full decade before the late and renowned Walt Disney utilized a large portion of its story as the basis of his last big screen musical, playwright Kyle Crichton's stage comedy The Happiest Millionaire was born Nov. 20, 1956 under the lights of New York's Great White Way on the boards of The Lyceum Theatre and starring revered Hollywood screen legend Walter Pidgeon ( a two-time Academy Award Best Actor nominee ) in the title role of the eccentric Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle. Written by Mr. Crichton and based upon the memoir My Philadelphia Father ( which he co-wrote with Cordelia Drexel-Biddle Duke ), The Happiest Millionaire was originally produced and directed on Broadway by Howard Erskine and Joseph Hayes.

Mr. Pidgeon's distinguished supporting cast included future Tony Award Winner George Grizzard as his daughter's suitor, Angier Duke, skilled veteran actor Martin Ashe his glib butler, John Lawless, stately leading lady Ruth Matteson as his devoted and loving wife, Mrs. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle, and a young comic actor Joe Bishop ( who would later find fame as a member of "The Rat Pack" and as a popular comedic talk show host under the name of Joey Bishop ) in the small role of Charlie Taylor.

Mr. Pidgeon ( who had not been on the New York stage since the 1930s ) enjoyed a triumphant return to Broadway, ( and with his gifted cast ) charmed critics and delighted audiences for 271 performances.

The Happiest Millionaire is a zany comedy inspired by the real-life eccentricities and quirky behavior of Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle.The turn-of-the-20th-century ( just prior to American involvement in World War I ) Biddle Mansion is the gathering place of prize-fighters, pplet alligators and would-be opera singers. Biddle's daughter, Cordelia, wants to marry the wealthy Angier Duke, by his parents are shocked by Mr. Biddle's free-wheeling life-style. Laughs and mayhem ensue as the situation resolves itself.

Now, more than 65 years old, playwright Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire is seldom performed on the stage.

However, in 2011, the popular and well-attended Glendale Centre Theatre ( California's Family Fun Theatre-In-The Round ) mounted a well-received 55th Anniversary Revival Production of this seldom-performed work staged by the late and wonderfully-skilled character actor and comedian Mario Di Gregorio, a successful director of multiple productions at The GCT.

The talented Greater Los Angeles Area 55th Anniversary Cast of the 2011 Revival of Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire included Paul Michael Nieman as Mr. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle, Andrea Stradling as Mrs. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle and veteran and Joseph Jefferson Citation Award-winning Chicago stage actor and play director Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( The Founder of the multiracial, non-Equity professional chamber theatre The Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and The Excaliber Shakspeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project ) as The Butler John Lawless.

The 2011 Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's original Broadway comedy play, the hilarious "The Happiest Millionaire", delighted a new generation of theatre-going audiences decades after its original Broadway production.

Chicago-born and stage-trained actor Darryl Maximilian Robinson was most recently seen by Windy City theatregoers in his critically-praised dual roles of The Chairman Mr. William Cartwright and The Mayor Thomas Sapsea in the 2018 Saint Sebastian Players Chicago revival of Rupert Holmes'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' at the more than a century old St. Bonaventure Church for which he received a 2019 BroadwayWorld Chicago Award nomination for Best Performer In A Musical or Revue. And more recently, Darryl Maximilian Robinson was named a winner of a 2022 Making The World Happening Award for his numerous online theatre-related offerings at Allevents.in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4INzaOqvaA
Ages: Family Friendly 12 and older.

2011 Zed Promo Card of Darryl Maximilian Robinson as Butler John Lawless in The Happiest Millionaire by Lord Starfyre.

Joined by the Entire Cast, veteran and award-winning stage actor and play director Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( far right ) appeared as The Butler John Lawless in the 2011 Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire. Photo courtesy of May Family Adventures.

Darryl Maximilian Robinson as The Butler John Lawless in the 2011 Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire. Photo courtesy of Dash Porter.

In 2011, Excaliber Shakespeare Company of Chicago and Excaliber Shakespeare Company Los Angeles Archival Project Founder Darryl Maximilian Robinson starred as The Butler John Lawless in the Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire. Program Headshot by Mitchell Rose.

The late, great stage and screen legend Walter Pidgeon starred as Mr. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle in the original 1956 Broadway production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire.

Joined onstage by Paul Michael Nieman as Mr. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle and Andrea Stradling as Mrs. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle, Darryl Maximilian Robinson ( center ) almost gives Service With A Smile in his role of The Butler John Lawless in the 2011 Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire. Photo courtesy of Dash Porter.

2011 Glendale Centre Theatre Marquee Show Banner for the 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire.

Surrounded by Members of The Biddle Family, Darryl Maximilian Robinson as The Butler John Lawless ( center right ) engages in a discussion regarding the prohibition of wine in the 2011 Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's The Happiest Millionaire. Photo courtesy of Dash Porter.

Working With An Actor And Director Truly Skilled In Comedy!: Seen here in his regalia as The Ghost of Christmas Present, Darryl Maximilian Robinson truly enjoyed appearing onstage ( and earning many laughs ) with the late and wonderful character actor and comedian Mario Di Gregorio ( who is best remembered for his popular, multi-decade, critically-praised praised performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in GCT's traditional musical version of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' ), and who also served as a highly effective Director of rollicking comedy in Glendale Centre Theatre"s 55th Anniversary Revival of Kyle Crichton's 'The Happiest Millionaire.' 2010 'A Christmas Carol' Photo of Mr. Di Gregorio and Mr. Robinson courtesy of Glendale Centre Theatre.

You Yelled, Sir!: Darryl Maximilian Robinson as The Butler John Lawless promptly responds when his service is called upon by his highly eccentric employer Mr. Anthony J. Drexel-Biddle in the 2011 Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's original Broadway comedy 'The Happiest Millionaire'. Photo courtesy of Dash Porter.

Taking A Serious Turn Before Becoming The 'Happiest' Cast Member!: Seen here with talented young actress Camille Gibney as Miss Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch, Darryl Maximilian Robinson took on a much more serious role than that of The Butler John Lawless when he played the part of The Reverend Sykes in Director Diedra Celeste Miranda's 2011 critically-praised, award-winning Glendale Centre Theatre staging of playwright Christopher Sergel's adaptation of Harper Lee's 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. Photo by Rain Gibney.

Only A Ghost Of A Chance Of Being Cast!: In the fall of 2010, months prior to being selected by Director Mario Di Gregorio to play The Butler John Lawless in Glendale Centre Theatre's 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's 'The Happiest Millionaire', Darryl Maximilian Robinson had the joy and honor of playing The Ghost of Christmas Present opposite Mr. Di Gregorio's Ebenezer Scrooge in Glendale Centre Theatre's annual traditional musical production of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'. Photo by Meg.

2011 Show Card for The Glendale Centre Theatre 55th Anniversary Revival Production of Kyle Crichton's 'The Happiest Millionaire' courtesy of The GCT.

A veteran of professional summer stock theatre, long before appearing as The Butler John Lawless in Kyle Crichton's comedy 'The Happiest Millionaire', Darryl Maximilian Robinson won the 1981 Fort Wayne News-Sentinel Reviewer's Recognition Award as Outstanding Thespian of The Season for his performance as Fagin in the Enchanted Hills Playhouse of Syracuse, Indiana revival of Lionel Bart's 'Oliver!'. Photo courtesy of The EHP.

By the time Darryl Maximilian Robinson appeared as The Butler John Lawless in Kyle Crichton's comedy 'The Happiest Millionaire' he had played such leading roles as The King opposite the gifted actress and singer Elizabeth Lee Taylor as Mrs. Anna in the 1984 Enchanted Hills Playhouse of Syracuse, Indiana revival of Rodgers' and Hammerstein's classic musical 'The King and I' in professional summer stock. Photo courtesy of The EHP.

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