photographer unknown
Today, June 20, is the birthday of actor Michael Lewis who was born in 1930, in New York City, NY. He was the son of novelist Sinclair Lewis and American journalist and radio broadcaster, Dorothy Thompson.
Michael Lewis is known for his reading of the 1935 semi-satirical political novel by his father, Sinclair, It Can't Happen Here, which was issued on vinyl LP by Caedmon Records in 1973. (link below).
Michael made his Broadway debut at the age of 23 in the 1954 production of the Noël Coward comedy Quadrille, starring the Lunts (Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne) and in 1965 appeared with them again in the musical, On a Clear Day.
On October 22, 1957, he acted in the George Bernard Shaw play, The Doctor's Dilemma, at the Arena Stage Theatre in Washington, D.C. with Louis Edmonds, Astrid Wilsrud, William Ball, Nick Coster, Lois Alexander, Allen Joseph, Tom Bosley, Peter Breck, Ed Preble, Clarissa Verissimo, Michael Foley, Clayton Corzatte and Warner Schreiner in the cast. Dick Nelson was set designer, Marianna Elliott was costume designer and John O'Shaughnessy directed.
In 1958, The Doctor's Dilemma was made into a film which starred Dirk Bogarde and Leslie Caron with Alastair Sim and Robert Morley.
I formed a great affection for Leslie Caron when I saw her in the 1953 film, Lili; she was adorable. Dirk Bogarde has been in some great films; the first one of his I saw was The Servant, a REALLY weird film! There's an excellent synopsis/review of it on YouTube (link below). My favorite Bogarde film was Death in Venice, which was directed by Luchino Visconti in 1971. Oh, my goodness! Need I say more?
Back to Michael Lewis: on October 5, 1959, he appeared in the play, The Visit, by Friedrich Durrenmatt, in a Producers Theatre production at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, with Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Thomas Gomez, Glenn Anders, John Wyse, William Hansen of The Member of the Wedding (link below), Myles Eason, David Clarke and William Callan in the cast. Maurice Valency adapted the script, Ted Otto was set designer, Castillo designed the costumes and Peter Brook directed.
On television: in 1952 he appeared on the Cavalcade of America, an anthology drama series whose Musical Director was Donald Voorhees; in 1965, the The Holy Terror which starred Julie Harris; and in 1967 as La Teremouille in Saint Joan, a television adaptation for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, of the George Bernard Shaw play about the life and trial of Joan of Arc, which was based on the kept records from her trial in 1430. It was directed by George Schaefer and Geneviève Bujold played the role of Joan with a cast that included Raymond Massey, Roddy McDowall, Theodore Bikel, James Daly, Maurice Evans, Leo Genn and many others (audio link below).
Prior to the 1967 production, Saint Joan had been made into an almost surreal, romanticized and beautiful film in 1957; it starred Jean Seberg in the role of Joan, Richard Widmark who was brilliant in a role unlike any he made, with Richard Todd and John Gielgud (video link below).
The last appearance of Michael Lewis on the stage was in 1974 as the knight in the Alan Jay Lerner musical, Camelot, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, with Michael Allinson, Leigh Beery, Don Stewart and Noel Craig in the cast. Stone Widney was the director.
Sinclair Lewis & Dorothy Thompson - 1938
Michael Lewis is known for his reading of the 1935 semi-satirical political novel by his father, Sinclair, It Can't Happen Here, which was issued on vinyl LP by Caedmon Records in 1973. (link below).
Michael made his Broadway debut at the age of 23 in the 1954 production of the Noël Coward comedy Quadrille, starring the Lunts (Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne) and in 1965 appeared with them again in the musical, On a Clear Day.
the Lunts (Alfred Lunt & Lynn Fontanne)
date & photographer unknown
On October 22, 1957, he acted in the George Bernard Shaw play, The Doctor's Dilemma, at the Arena Stage Theatre in Washington, D.C. with Louis Edmonds, Astrid Wilsrud, William Ball, Nick Coster, Lois Alexander, Allen Joseph, Tom Bosley, Peter Breck, Ed Preble, Clarissa Verissimo, Michael Foley, Clayton Corzatte and Warner Schreiner in the cast. Dick Nelson was set designer, Marianna Elliott was costume designer and John O'Shaughnessy directed.
The Doctor's Dilemma playbill cover
In 1958, The Doctor's Dilemma was made into a film which starred Dirk Bogarde and Leslie Caron with Alastair Sim and Robert Morley.
Death in Venice poster
Back to Michael Lewis: on October 5, 1959, he appeared in the play, The Visit, by Friedrich Durrenmatt, in a Producers Theatre production at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, with Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Thomas Gomez, Glenn Anders, John Wyse, William Hansen of The Member of the Wedding (link below), Myles Eason, David Clarke and William Callan in the cast. Maurice Valency adapted the script, Ted Otto was set designer, Castillo designed the costumes and Peter Brook directed.
On television: in 1952 he appeared on the Cavalcade of America, an anthology drama series whose Musical Director was Donald Voorhees; in 1965, the The Holy Terror which starred Julie Harris; and in 1967 as La Teremouille in Saint Joan, a television adaptation for the Hallmark Hall of Fame, of the George Bernard Shaw play about the life and trial of Joan of Arc, which was based on the kept records from her trial in 1430. It was directed by George Schaefer and Geneviève Bujold played the role of Joan with a cast that included Raymond Massey, Roddy McDowall, Theodore Bikel, James Daly, Maurice Evans, Leo Genn and many others (audio link below).
Prior to the 1967 production, Saint Joan had been made into an almost surreal, romanticized and beautiful film in 1957; it starred Jean Seberg in the role of Joan, Richard Widmark who was brilliant in a role unlike any he made, with Richard Todd and John Gielgud (video link below).
The last appearance of Michael Lewis on the stage was in 1974 as the knight in the Alan Jay Lerner musical, Camelot, at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, with Michael Allinson, Leigh Beery, Don Stewart and Noel Craig in the cast. Stone Widney was the director.
Michael Lewis died on March 6, 1975, in Summit, New Jersey, just two years after he did the reading of his father's work; he was 44 years old. He was suvived by his widow, Valerie; a daughter, Lesley, and two sons by a previous marriage.
Viewfinder links:
Dirk Bogarde
Noël Coward
Leo Genn
John Gielgud
Julie Harris
Michael Lewis
Sinclair Lewis
Sinclair Lewis ~ It Can't Happen Here
Raymond Massey
Net links:
YouTube links:
Dirk Bogarde Special: The Servant (21 mins.)
Sinclair Lewis ~ It Can't Happen Here (pt. 1) (reading) (4 hrs, 50 mins.)
Sinclair Lewis ~ It Can't Happen Here (pt. 2) (reading) (6 hrs, 25 mins.)
Saint Joan (Jean Seberg & Richard Widmark (1957) (1 hr., 50 min.)
