Serendipity

After filming had finished in Hollywood for British Agent (1934), Howard, who hated to travel alone, convinced his friend and co-star, William Gargan, to accompany him on the train to the east coast where he was to meet his wife, Ruth. Ruth had already made the trip east with Gargan's wife, Mary, and was waiting for Howard to arrive so the two could board the Majestic bound for England where Howard was to begin filming The Scarlet Pimpernel (released in the United States in 1935). Apparently, Howard and Gargan had such a good time on the train that Howard convinced the Gargans to continue the journey to England, even though the Gargans had no cash. Of course, Howard paid their way. He wanted to make sure he had good company on the crossing.

Also on board the liner was Robert E. Sherwood who was working on the dialog for Pimpernel. During the voyage, Sherwood showed Howard a play he had just written, The Petrified Forest, and it was then that the two decided to produce the play for the Broadway stage once their work on Pimpernel had finished.

Meanwhile, Arthur Hopkins, a Broadway producer and friend of Robert Sherwood, had noticed Humphrey Bogart in one of the many forgettable plays in which he had appeared in 1934. At the time production began for The Petrified Forest, Bogart appeared to his friends to be depressed, drinking too much, and to some, suicidal. Sherwood wanted to help his friend so he suggested Bogart for the part of Boze Hertzlinger to Hopkins, who was now co-producer of The Petrified Forest, along with Howard and Gilbert Miller. However, Hopkins, remembering Bogart from Invitation to a Murder, thought he was perfect for the part of Duke Mantee. Sherwood had his doubts that Bogart could carry the role, but Hopkins was convinced and Bogart got the part.

Howard's and Bogart's chemistry was obvious from the start and helped to make the play a huge success. Howard even brought Bogart forward out of the cast standing behind him to share in the final applause. One of the first to see the play was Jack Warner, who made up his mind that night to purchase the film rights, which were controlled by Hopkins, Sherwood, Gilbert Miller and Howard. Howard had always insisted that Bogart be cast as Mantee. Jack Warner had no problem with this, until...

To be continued...

[Outside the Broadhurst, NYC, 1935]

[Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart in The Petrified Forest, 1935]

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