Berkeley Square

Berkeley Square* by John L. Balderston and J. C. Squire
Lyric Theatre†, London
Suggested by the story "A Sense of the Past" by Henry James
Co-Presenter • Producer
Rôle: Peter Standish with Jean Forbes-Robertson and Valerie Taylor
Total Performances: 64
3/6/1929 - 4/27/1929

"There never was such a kiss as that in all the history of the world." Peter Standish (the modern) played by Leslie Howard, Berkeley Square by John L. Balderston

Leslie Howard's sister, Irene Howard, appeared as Miss Sinclair.

To read my post about how Leslie Howard came to be involved with Berkeley Square, click here.

*Nicoll, p. 490
*OCLC WorldCat Entry Berkeley Square
ref: Berkeley Square Wikipedia
ref: Eforgan, pp. xiv, 74-5, 76 and Theatre and Film Work Index
ref: Howard, L. R., pp. 146, 153-5, 156, 157-9
ref: Howard, R., Plays Index
ref: Inafferrabile Leslie Howard, Theatre - Berkeley Square • Includes company and cast information, reviews and photos
ref: LeslieHoward.net - Theatre
ref: Miscellaneous Notices Pre-New York
ref: New York Times Commentary and Review C. Morgan • "Not Exactly a Revival" 03/24/1929
ref: Program in PDF
ref: Theatricalia - Leslie Howard Page

ref: University of Bristol: Theatre Collection - Existence of an article about the play published in Vogue • HF/DC/000049/80
ref: Wearing, p. 655
†The Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1

[Program]

[Leslie Howard and Jean Forbes-Robertson in
Berkeley Square at the Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard and Jean Forbes-Robertson on the set of
Berkeley Square at the Lyric Theatre, London] 

[Leslie Howard and Jean Forbes-Robertson in
Berkeley Square at the Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in Berkeley Square, Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in Berkeley Square, Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in Berkeley Square, Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in Berkeley Square, Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard and Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyric Theatre, London]

[Leslie Howard and Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyric Theatre, London]

Berkeley Square* by John L. Balderston
Lyceum Theatre†, New York
Suggested by the story "A Sense of the Past" by Henry James
Co-Producer • Co-Director
Rôle: Peter Standish with Margalo Gillmore and Valerie Taylor
Total Performances: 229
11/4/1929 - 5/17/1930

Leslie Howard was sick in the days leading up to the out-of-town opening in Chicago and requested that the première be delayed. He was convinced to open based on the time-honored tradition of "the show must go on." Click here to read his thoughts.

"Berkeley Square is easily the finest play now to be seen in New York...and, among other things, the play contains the finest acting performance of the season, which is given by Leslie Howard. If you plan to see only one play this year, go to Berkeley Square. If your budget provides two evenings in the theatre, see it twice." Heywood Broun, Pittsburgh Press, 11 November 1929

Leslie Howard's sister, Irene Howard, appeared as Maid.

*OCLC WorldCat Entry Berkeley Square
ref: Berkeley Square Wikipedia
ref: Eforgan, pp. 76, 79-81, 83, 87 and Theatre and Film Work Index
ref: Howard, L. R., pp. 165-8, 169-73 passim, 184, 185, 201, 217
ref: Howard, R., Plays Index
ref: IBDb.com Leslie Howard Page
ref: IBDb.com Berkeley Square
ref: Inafferrabile Leslie Howard, Theatre - Berkeley Square • Includes company and cast information, reviews, photos and souvenir program
ref: LeslieHoward.net - Theatre
ref: Museum of the City of New York Berkeley Square Photo Collection
ref: Newspaper art in PDF
ref: Program in PDF
ref: Souvenir Program in PDF
†Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St., New York, NY

ref: Miscellaneous Notices
ref: Post-New York Closing, On-Tour Notices

Articles • 1928:

ref: New York Times Interview with Gilbert Miller • "Miller to Produce Only in London" 12/06/1928

Articles • 1929:

ref: Brooklyn Daily Eagle About Leslie Howard G. Halasz • "Master of Polite Sophistication" 11/03/29
ref: Brooklyn Daily Eagle Review A. Pollock • "The Theatre" 11/05/1929
ref: Brooklyn Daily Eagle A. Pollock • "Plays and Things" 11/10/1929
ref: Cincinnati Enquirer full-page excerpt of John L. Balderston's Berkeley Square 12/15/1929
ref: Detroit Free Press Review B. Mantle 11/17/1929
ref: Indianapolis Sunday Star • "A Congress of Ghosts" 12/08/1929
ref: Kokomo Tribune Review D. P. Sentner 11/14/1929
ref: Nashville Tennessean Review of the written play W. R Breyer • "A Play of Two Centuries" 12/15/1929
ref: New York Times Review J. B. Atkinson • "The Play" 11/05/1929
ref: New York Times • "Regarding Berkeley Square" 11/10/1929
ref: New York Times About Valerie Taylor 11/24/1929
ref: New York Times Commentary J. B. Atkinson • "Devil's Work" 12/01/1929
ref: Philadelphia Inquirer Review R. Littell • "Ravings of a Critic" 11/10/1929
ref: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Review D. Mulhern 11/06/1929
ref: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Review D. Mulhern • "The New York Stage" 11/09/1929
ref: Pittsburgh Press Review H. Broun • "It Seems To Me" 11/11/1929
ref: Pittsburgh Press Review P. Hammond • "The Theater" 11/17/1929
ref: Pittsburgh Press Review G. Swan 12/01/1929
ref: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle Review G. L. David 03/14/1930

Articles • 1930:

ref: Brooklyn Daily Eagle About Tarver Penna 01/12/1930
ref: Brooklyn Daily Eagle • "Mr. Howard Gives Audiences Credit" 02/23/1930
ref: Brooklyn Daily Eagle About Margalo Gillmore 03/16/1930
ref: Miami Daily News-Record H. Broun • "The Best of 1929" 01/02/1930
ref: New York Times About Tarver Penna 01/05/1930
ref: New York Times Fritz Williams Death and Funeral 04/02/1930
ref: New York Times Fritz Williams Death and Funeral 04/05/1930
ref: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Review H. Gaul 12/09/1930
ref: Pittsburgh Press Review Karl Krug • "The Show Shops" 12/09/1930
ref: Pittsburgh Press • "Play Openings Draw Society" 12/09/1930

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in Berkeley Square]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
The Literary Digest, November 30, 1929

[Leslie Howard and Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

[Leslie Howard and Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

[Leslie Howard and Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

[Leslie Howard and Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew and Brian Gilmour

as Tom Pettigrew in Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

[The Set of Berkeley Square]

[Leslie Howard as Peter Standish in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Leslie Howard and Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Leslie Howard and Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Leslie Howard and Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew and Brian Gilmour
as Tom Pettigrew in Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in

Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

Museum of the City of New York

[Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew, Brian Gilmour as Tom Pettigrew

and Alice John as The Lady Anne Pettigrew in

Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

Museum of the City of New York

[Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in

Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

Museum of the City of New York

[Valerie Taylor as Kate Pettigrew in

Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]

Museum of the City of New York

[Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew and Valerie Taylor
as Kate Pettigrew in Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[The Set of Berkeley Square]

[Margalo Gillmore as Helen Pettigrew in
Berkeley Square, Lyceum Theatre, New York]
Museum of the City of New York

[The Set]

[Leslie Howard by J. Goulo, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 3 November 1929]

[Leslie Howard by Marcy, The New York Times, 27 October 1929]

[Leslie Howard by Hoffman, Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 3 November 1929]

[Berkeley Square Cast by Bert Linke,
Pittsburgh Press, 9 December 1930]

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