Charley's Aunt

Charley's Aunt is a farce written by Brandon Thomas. It was first performed at the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds on 29 February 1892, produced by D'Oyly Carte actor, W. S. Penley, who appeared in the principal role of Lord Fancourt Babberly . It was first performed in London at the Royalty Theatre on 21 December 1892, and opened in Broadway on 2 October 1893, where it ran for 4 years.

Related Topics:
Farce - Brandon Thomas - Theatre Royal - Bury St Edmunds - 29 February - 1892 - D'Oyly Carte - W. S. Penley - London - Royalty Theatre - 21 December - Broadway - 2 October - 1893

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Silent film versions of the play were released in 1915 and 1925, the second featuring Sydney Chaplin (brother of Charlie Chaplin). A "talkie" film version starring Charles Ruggles was released in 1930, and is one of the earliest "talkie" comedies. Arthur Askey took the leading role a British spoof in 1940, Charley's Big Hearted Aunt. Perhaps the best known film version was released in 1941, directed by Archie Mayo and starring Jack Benny in the principal role.

Related Topics:
Silent film - Sydney Chaplin - Charlie Chaplin - Talkie - Charles Ruggles - 1930 - Comedies - Arthur Askey - Spoof - Charley's Big Hearted Aunt - 1941 - Archie Mayo - Jack Benny

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A Broadway musical version, Where's Charley? written by Frank Loesser, ran between 1948 and 1950 at the St. James Theatre, was recorded as a 1952 film, and began a successful run in London in 1958.

Related Topics:
Broadway - Musical - Where's Charley? - Frank Loesser - St. James Theatre

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A Soviet version was made for television in 1975, entitled Hello, I'm Your Auntie!. The title phrase is a Russian byword, exclaimed when somebody receives some shocking news that he or she can hardly credit (akin to the English phrase, "Well I'll be a monkey's uncle!"). The film was an immense hit; many lines of dialogue subsequently became catchphrases themselves.

Related Topics:
Soviet - Television - Russia - Byword - English - Catchphrase

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The Danish version was a 1959 theatrical movie release starring notable comedy actor Dirch Passer in the principal role. Other notable Danish actors in the production were Ove Sprogøe, Ghita Nørby and Susse Wold. In the film, Passer sings the song "Det er svært at være en kvinde nu til dags" (English: "It is hard to be a women nowadays"). Passer premiered his role in Charley's Tante in 1958 at the ABC Teatre where it was a gigantic hit, and played for 1½ years.

Related Topics:
Danish - Dirch Passer - Ove Sprogøe - Ghita Nørby - Susse Wold - Charley's Tante

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The plot also proved to be popular in Germany, with at least 4 different version being released in 1934, 1956 (starring the immensely popular Heinz Ruehmann), 1963 (this one from Austria and starring Peter Alexander) and a television version in 1976.

Related Topics:
Germany - Heinz Ruehmann - Austria

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Charley Wyckham and Jack Chesney are undergraduates at Oxford University. They need a chaperone so they can entertain Amy Spettigue and Kitty Verdun, respectively the niece and ward of Stephen Spettigue, an Oxford solicitor. Fortunately, Donna Lucia d?Alvadorez, Charley's rich and widowed aunt from Brazil ("where the nuts come from"), is visiting soon. Charley and Jack arrange luncheon with their lady friends, assuming that Charley's aunt will act as chaperone; Charley and Jack intend to declare their love to their sweethearts at some convenient point during the lunch appointment. Unfortunately, Charley's aunt sends a telegram saying she is delayed and will not be in Oxford until some days later. So they don't have to cancel the appointment, Charley and Jack persuade their friend, Lord Fancourt Babberly ("Babbs"), to masquerade as Charley's aunt. Stephen Spettigue and Jack's father, Colonel Sir Francis Chesney, join the party, and they compete for the affections of Charley's aunt (Babberly in drag). And then Charley's real aunt arrives sooner than expected …

Related Topics:
Oxford University - Chaperon - Niece - Ward - Oxford - Solicitor - Aunt - Brazil - Nuts - Luncheon - Telegram - Drag

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