Serendipity Concluded

After seeing The Petrified Forest on Broadway in 1935 and expecting the same success for the film version, Jack Warner excitedly purchased the film rights. It took six months of negotiation but the deal was finally closed and it was agreed that Leslie Howard and Humphrey Bogart would reprise their roles for the film, something on which Howard insisted. The only other actors invited to Hollywood were Slim Thompson and John Alexander, the two African American actors who appeared in the play. [Note: IBDB links to the wrong actor.]

Leslie Howard was tired at the play's close on June 29, 1935. He had performed the part of Alan Squier 197 times during its run and needed a

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.

Howard Meets Davis - Part Two

Upon arriving in Hollywood in the fall of 1933 to begin filming Of Human Bondage (1934) Leslie Howard found that nothing was ready. Even though RKO had urged him to hurry up and return from England, Howard found himself sitting around waiting, as usual. The cast had not been selected and it appeared the studio was in no hurry. Howard sat through Christmas in California without his children who were old enough to decide where they wanted to be and they had opted to stay at home in Stowe Maries. He fumed. And bought horses.

The director of the film, John Cromwell, had noticed Bette Davis in The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) and thought she would be perfect for the role of Mildred Rogers. Pandro S. Berman, who was producing the film, agreed. Meantime, after Bette Davis was shown the screenplay by Wilson Mizner and Davis learned that RKO owned the rights to the film she petitioned Jack Warner to let her try for the part of Mildred Rogers. Other actresses had turned down the part, unwilling to be shown in such an unflattering light. But Davis was not afraid. After much back and forth and trade agreements Davis got the part.

Howard was shocked and dismayed.

To be continued...

[Leslie Howard and Bette Davis
in Of Human Bondage, 1934]

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