Sunrise at Campobello (play)

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This article is about the 1958 play. For the 1960 film, see Sunrise at Campobello.
Sunrise at Campobello
Written by
New York City, United States
Original languageEnglish
SubjectFDR's battle with polio
GenreDrama
SettingCampobello Island,
New Brunswick, Canada

Sunrise at Campobello is a 1958 play by

Franklin Delano Roosevelt's struggle with polio. The film version
was released in 1960.

Background

The Roosevelt family at Campobello (1920)

Schary obtained the rights to the life of

Cort Theatre by The Theatre Guild and Dore Schary and directed by Vincent J. Donehue. It opened on January 30, 1958, and closed on May 30, 1959, running for 556 performances.[2]

Production

The Scenic and Lighting Design were by Ralph Alswang; the costumes by Virginia Volland.[2]

The play starred

Sara Delano Roosevelt and, in his Broadway debut, James Earl Jones. Bellamy repeated his role in the film version of the play.[2]

FDR nominating Al Smith at the 1924 Democratic National Convention (June 26, 1924)

Campobello Island was Roosevelt's summer home in New Brunswick, Canada. Early scenes in the play's actions take place there, where we see Roosevelt afflicted with paralysis of his legs, before the play's story shifts to Roosevelt's home in New York City, where he struggles to overcome the paralysis. The play ends with the 1924 Democratic National Convention speech, which catapulted him back into politics after an absence of several years.

Reception

Alan Clymer, writing for The Harvard Crimson, noted strong performances by the cast: "Ralph Bellamy portrays Roosevelt with exceptional skill ... Moreover, he not only resembles F.D.R. physically, he has also caught the essence of the Roosevelt voice that excited the country."[3]

The production won several Tonys, including

Outer Critics Circle Award for Performance in a Drama. Mary Fickett was nominated for Best Supporting or Featured Actress in a Play.[4]

Adaptations

Main article: Sunrise at Campobello

Ralph Bellamy stars in the 1960 film adaptation of Sunrise at Campobello, released by Warner Bros. Dore Schary, who began his career in Hollywood, wrote and produced the film, which, like the stage version, was directed by Vincent J. Donehue. Greer Garson co-stars as Eleanor, with Hume Cronyn as Louis Howe. The role of Sara Delano Roosevelt, FDR's mother, is played by Ann Shoemaker, who succeeded Anne Seymour in the role in the original Broadway production.

See also

  • Franklin D. Roosevelt's paralytic illness

Awards and nominations

Awards
  • 1958
    Tony Award
    for Best Play
  • 1958 Tony Award for Best Actor in Play - Ralph Bellamy
  • 1958 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play - Henry Jones
  • 1958 Tony Award for Best Director - Vincent J. Donehue
Nominations
  • 1958 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play - Mary Fickett

References

  1. ProQuest 148918843
    .
  2. ^ a b c "Sunrise at Campobello – Broadway Play – Original –". IBDB.
  3. ^ Clymer, Alan. Sunrise at Campobello, The Harvard Crimson, January 8, 1958
  4. ^ "Sunrise at Campobello", Playbill

External links

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