Didn't expect such a quick answer. Thanks much.
I'd still like to know why Convy didn't even attempt an accent.
Film/Theatre History Query
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Mister Tee
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The Original BJ
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Re: Film/Theatre History Query
I did a research project on An Affair to Remember some months ago, which included some research on Cary Grant. Looking through my books, I found this...
From Cary Grant: A Class Apart, by Graham McCann: "The playwright Moss Hart remembers him [Archie Leach] back in his New York days, mixing with a group of 'have nots' at Rudley's Restaurant on 41st Street and Broadway. According to Hart, Archie Leach had appeared to be 'a disconsolate young actor' whose 'gloom was forever dissipated when he changed his name to Cary Grant.'"
Richard Schickel's book Cary Grant: A Celebration mentions that Cary Grant used to socialize with Moss Hart and Preston Sturges at Rudley's cafeteria on 41st and Broadway. They were "bright young men...full of enthusiasm for a new theater."
From Cary Grant: A Class Apart, by Graham McCann: "The playwright Moss Hart remembers him [Archie Leach] back in his New York days, mixing with a group of 'have nots' at Rudley's Restaurant on 41st Street and Broadway. According to Hart, Archie Leach had appeared to be 'a disconsolate young actor' whose 'gloom was forever dissipated when he changed his name to Cary Grant.'"
Richard Schickel's book Cary Grant: A Celebration mentions that Cary Grant used to socialize with Moss Hart and Preston Sturges at Rudley's cafeteria on 41st and Broadway. They were "bright young men...full of enthusiasm for a new theater."
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Mister Tee
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Film/Theatre History Query
Here's something I'm hoping one of you students of theatre and film history can answer for me.
I was watching Act One -- from Moss Hart's autobiography -- on TCM. Bert Convy (in a rare film appearance) plays a character named Archie Leach, the guy in Hart's struggling actor crowd who effortlessly gets all the girls. Obviously you'd think he's meant to be the near-future Cary Grant (the film is set in the late 20s) -- especially when at one point he tosses off a line about never changing his name. But Convy plays him with a strictly American accent; you'd think they'd go for some semblance of cockney if they meant to underline the reference. There's also no follow-up in the film, so I'm left a little uncertain.
Leading me to ask: does anyone know if Leach/Grant was a member of Moss Hart's pre-fame social circle? The late 20s was a period when Grant was still mostly based in NY -- though this film has the Leach character mostly performing in venues in NJ, where I believe Grant was doing Broadway. I've done a little Internet searching and can't find anything to connect Grant and Hart, so I wondered if someone here could help.
I was watching Act One -- from Moss Hart's autobiography -- on TCM. Bert Convy (in a rare film appearance) plays a character named Archie Leach, the guy in Hart's struggling actor crowd who effortlessly gets all the girls. Obviously you'd think he's meant to be the near-future Cary Grant (the film is set in the late 20s) -- especially when at one point he tosses off a line about never changing his name. But Convy plays him with a strictly American accent; you'd think they'd go for some semblance of cockney if they meant to underline the reference. There's also no follow-up in the film, so I'm left a little uncertain.
Leading me to ask: does anyone know if Leach/Grant was a member of Moss Hart's pre-fame social circle? The late 20s was a period when Grant was still mostly based in NY -- though this film has the Leach character mostly performing in venues in NJ, where I believe Grant was doing Broadway. I've done a little Internet searching and can't find anything to connect Grant and Hart, so I wondered if someone here could help.