The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1939-12-12
Especial to The Democracy

New York--The state OF Con-
necticut has given her share Of not
abes TO the world, In literature,
science, sports and the theater, the
Nutmeg State has consistently had
an excellent representation.
or the ten leading players APP
pearng in 1.-THE Philadelphia Story"
which has been playing to capacity
business ut the Shubert theater since
last March, four are natives Of Con-
necticut
Then, too, Lawrence Langner and
Theresa Helburn, who are members
of the guilds administrative board
and under whose supervision 1.-THE
Philadelphia Story" was produced,
are well known IN Connecticut. IT
was under Mr.. Langners direction
that the Westport Playhouse be-
came one of the most important
summer theaters In the country,
while Miss Hepburn has lived In
Westport for several years and two
summers ago made her debut as an
actress on the Playhouse Stage-an
event that drew national attention.
Connecticut Quartet
AS for the actors In 1.-THE Phila-
delphia Story who claim the Nut
meg stage as their very own, they
are:
Katharine Hepburn, who essays
the role OF "Tracy Lord" In the
Philip Barry comedy; Shirley Booth,
who plays elizabeth Imbrie,"
newspaper photographer; Vera AL
len, who is the mater OF the Phila-
delphia Lords, and Frank Fenton,
who appears as the self-sa tistied and
snobblsh George Kittredge".
Three OF this group claim Hart.
ford the capital city Of the state as
their home, while the fourth Is from
Westport. Miss Hepburn, Miss
Booth and Mr.. Fenton are native
born HartfordinnS, while Miss Allen
Is the lone Westport resident In the
cast.
Katharine Hepburn
Miss Hepburn, though born In
Hartford made her stage debut with
Edwin Knipfs Stock Company In
Baltimore, Md, II has not been
easy shedding for any member OF
the Connecticut contingent appear
Ing In 1.-THE Philadelphia Story"
However, the Yankee stick-to-it-
tivereSs, that seems to be q nat
ural acquisition OF the New England
makeup, has served the players In
this Broadway hit in good stead.
Miss Hepburn followed her Balti-
more engagement with one per-
Torrance In "The Big Pond at
Great Neck, l., l., after which she
was given the so-called gate. But
that one performance was enough
to make her click with Arthur Hop
kinS, who happened TO see II and he
engaged her for q small part In the
New York presentation OF "These
Days. The play, however, was n
flop, Mr., Hopkins thought we'll
enough OF her performance In this
play TO engage her 10 understudy
the Hope Williams role In Philip
Barrys Holiday" She next APP
peared In the leading role OF Death
Takes Holiday" opposite Philip
MtAA NuAts GyAAC WAC ASlVu0Gd Al
Philadelphia and was then signed
by the Theatre Guild for the first
time to appear In Turgenev'S "A
Month In the Country" Then fol-
lowed one Of her most pleasing roles
as the ingenue with Jane Cowl, art
and Mrs. Bottle. In 1892 she gave
another excellent performance as
"Antiope' In 1.-THE Warriors Hus-
band" Then came Hollywood and
her click and the attendant raves
for her playing OF John Barrymore's
daughter In "A Bill OF Divorcement'
which made cinema history. Numer-
Gus screen successes followed with
q return to the Broadway stage In
'"The Lake" an ill-fated offering,
However, this reverse did not deter
the star from her desire 10 make
the Broadway critics eat their words
and after two more years In Aims
she returned to Broadway In "The
Philadelphia Story" TO provide
diet of superlatives for dramatic
critics.
Shirley Booth
shirley Bcoth Is the only one OF
the Connecticut quartet In THE
Philadelphia Story" to have made
Hartford, her native city, the
stamping ground for the advance
ment OF her talents. Mss Booth
at @ very youthful age appeared In
stock In Hartford and used the
weekly change bill department to
bring her to her present prominent
spot in the Broadway limelight. For
many years she trouped through
out the country In stockholm the
Far West 10 the Far North-play-
ing inpeniiAs and leads and charac.