Sweet Bird of Youth is a 1959 play by Tennessee Williams which tells the story of a drifter, Chance Wayne, who returns to his home town with a faded movie star, Princess Kosmonopolis, hoping she can help him to break into the movies. Back in his home town, he runs into the girl whose father, the sheriff, had run him out of town years before. See also: 1958 in literature, other events of 1959, 1960 in literature, list of years in literature. ... Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), better known by the pseudonym Tennessee Williams, was a major American playwright and one of the prominent playwrights of the twentieth century. ...

Plot

The play begins with the protagonist, Chance Wayne, drinking coffee in a hotel room in St. Cloud, Florida, while Princess Kosmonopolis, alias of aging actress Alexandra del Lago, sleeps in the bed in the room. Princess agrees to help Chance start a career in acting. Later, we discover that Chance has come back to reconcile with Heavenly Finley, a girlfriend to whom Chance caused to have a venereal disease, much to the chagrin of Boss Finley, her father and a powerful figure in the town. In the end, Chance fails to reconcile with Heavenly and it is implied that he is castrated at the hands of Boss Finley's henchmen in retribution for corrupting his daughter. A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami metropolitan area Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs), also known as sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), are diseases that are commonly transmitted between partners through some form of sexual activity, most commonly vaginal intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex. ... Castration (also referred as: gelding, neutering, orchiectomy, orchidectomy, and oophorectomy) is any action, surgical, chemical, or otherwise, by which a male loses the functions of the testes or a female loses the functions of the ovaries. ...

Production history

Sweet Bird of Youth (film)
original movie poster
Directed by	Richard Brooks
Produced by	Pandro S. Berman
Written by	Richard Brooks
Starring	Paul Newman Geraldine Page Ed Begley Rip Torn
Music by	Bronislau Kaper
Cinematography	Milton R. Krasner
Distributed by	MGM
Release date(s)	1962
Running time	120 min
IMDb profile

Image File history File links Sweet_bird_moviep. ... Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was a Hollywood film writer, director, and (occasionally) producer. ... Pandro Samuel Berman (28 March 1905 – 13 July 1996), known as Pandro S. Berman, was an American film producer. ... This article is about the American actor and race team owner. ... Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924 - June 13, 1987) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated American actress. ... Edward James Begley (March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970) was an American film actor. ... Rip Torn (born February 6, 1931) is an American Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning television and film actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Artie on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show. ... The title given to this article is incorrect due to technical limitations. ... Milton R. Krasner was a film cinematographer. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... // Events Dr. No launches the James Bond film series, the longest-running motion picture franchise of all time, running more than 40 years. ...

Broadway

The original production was produced on March 10, 1959 by Cheryl Crawford at the Martin Beck Theatre in New York City. Directed by Elia Kazan, it starred Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Sidney Blackmer, Madeleine Sherwood, Diana Hyland, Logan Ramsey, John Napier, and Rip Torn. Bruce Dern also played a small role. The production was nominated for 4 Tony Awards, including Best Actress for Geraldine Page. The play ran for 375 performances. March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... The Martin Beck Theatre is a notable Broadway theatre in New York. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Elia Kazan, (Greek: Ηλίας Καζάν, IPA: ), (September 7, 1909 – September 28, 2003) was a Greek-American film and theatre director, film and theatrical producer, screenwriter, novelist and cofounder of the influential Actors Studio in New York in 1947. ... This article is about the American actor and race team owner. ... Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924 - June 13, 1987) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated American actress. ... Sidney Blackmer (July 13, 1895–October 6, 1973) was an American actor. ... Madeleine Sherwood (born Madeleine Louise Hélène Thornton on November 13, 1922 in Outremont, Quebec) is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as the Reverend Mother Superior on the sitcom The Flying Nun. ... Diana Hyland (January 25, 1936 – March 27, 1977) was an American actress. ... Logan C. Ramsey Jr. ... For other people with the same name, see John Napier (disambiguation). ... Rip Torn (born February 6, 1931) is an American Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning television and film actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Artie on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show. ... ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... What is popularly called the Tony Award® but is formally the Antoinette Perry Award is an annual American award celebrating achievements in theater, including musical theater. ...

A revival opened on December 29, 1975 at the Harkness Theatre, in a production directed by Edwin Sherin, starring Christopher Walken as Chance Wayne and Irene Worth as Princess Kosmonopolis. Irene Worth won the 1976 Tony Award for Best Actress. is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Christopher Walken (born March 31, 1943) is an Academy Award-winning American film and theatre actor. ... Irene Worth, Honorary CBE, (b. ... The Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play is awarded to the actress who was voted as the best actress in a play, whether a new production or a revival. ...

London

It took 26 years for Sweet Bird of Youth to reach London's West End. It opened on July 8, 1985 at the Haymarket Theatre in a production directed by Harold Pinter and starring Lauren Bacall and Michael Beck with James Grout. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, England, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of Londons Theatreland. Along with New Yorks Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Haymarket Theatre, ca. ... Harold Pinter, CH, CBE (born 10 October 1930) is an English playwright, screenwriter, poet, actor, director, author, and political activist. ... Betty Joan Perske (born on September 16, 1924), better known as Lauren Bacall, is a Golden Globe– and Tony Award–winning, as well as Academy Award–nominated, American film and stage actress. ... Michael Beck (born John Michael Beck Taylor on February 4, 1949) is an American actor. ... James Grout (born 22 October 1927 in London) is an English television and radio actor. ...

Film and television adaptions

In 1962, the play was made into a film starring Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Shirley Knight, Madeleine Sherwood, Ed Begley, Rip Torn and Mildred Dunnock. The movie was adapted and directed by Richard Brooks. Year 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the American actor and race team owner. ... Geraldine Sue Page (November 22, 1924 - June 13, 1987) was an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated American actress. ... Shirley Enola Knight, also known by her married name of Shirley Knight Hopkins, was born on July 5, 1936, to a wealthy family in Goessel, Kansas. ... Madeleine Sherwood (born Madeleine Louise Hélène Thornton on November 13, 1922 in Outremont, Quebec) is a Canadian actress, best known for her role as the Reverend Mother Superior on the sitcom The Flying Nun. ... Edward James Begley (March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970) was an American film actor. ... Rip Torn (born February 6, 1931) is an American Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning television and film actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Artie on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show. ... Mildred Dunnock (born January 25, 1901; died July 5, 1991) was an American theater, film and television actress. ... Richard Brooks (May 18, 1912 – March 11, 1992) was a Hollywood film writer, director, and (occasionally) producer. ...

It won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ed Begley), and was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Geraldine Page) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Shirley Knight). Academy Award The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are the most prominent and most watched film awards ceremony in the world. ... The Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor is one of the awards given to male actors working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ... The Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role is one of the awards given to actresses working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; nominations are made by Academy members who are actors and actresses. ...

Sweet Bird of Youth was made for television in 1989, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Mark Harmon, Valerie Perrine, Ronnie Claire Edwards and Rip Torn. It was adapted by Gavin Lambert and directed by Nicolas Roeg. Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... For other persons named Elizabeth Taylor, see Elizabeth Taylor (disambiguation). ... For the musician of the same name, see Mark Harmon (musician). ... On the cover of Playboy, August 1981 Valerie Ritchie Perrine (born September 3, 1943) is an American actress and model. ... Ronnie Claire Edwards is an American actress (born February 9, 1933, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma). ... Rip Torn (born February 6, 1931) is an American Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning television and film actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Artie on the HBO comedy series The Larry Sanders Show. ... Gavin Lambert Gavin Lambert (born July 23, 1924 - died July 17, 2005) was a British-born screenwriter, novelist and biographer who lived for part of his life in Hollywood. ... Nicolas Jack Roeg, born on August 15, 1928 in London, is an internationally-known cinematographer and film director. ...

In an early scene of the film Death Becomes Her, Meryl Streep performs in a song-and-dance number from Songbird!, a parody musical adaptation of Sweet Bird of Youth. Death Becomes Her is a 1992 black comedy fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis. ...

Cultural references

'Sweet Bird of Youth' is a track by the band The The on the album Infected and the title of an album by The Rock*A*Teens. 'Youth of a Thousand Summers' by Van Morrison is based on this play. The The is an English musical and multimedia group that has been around since 1979 in various forms, with Matt Johnson being the only constant band member. ... Infected was The Thes 1986 second album. ... George Ivan Morrison OBE (generally known as Van Morrison) (born August 31, 1945) is a singer-songwriter from Belfast, Northern Ireland. ...