I Love the Illusion: The Life and Career of Agnes Moorehead (72 page)

101.
Operation Dawn
. May 22, 1949.
Himan Brown produced this program on behalf of United Jewish Appeal. Hosted by Al Jolson, with
Agnes making a guest appearance.

102.
Anacin Hollywood Star Theatre.
June 4, 1949
“Return from Nowhere.” Agnes introduces, but doesn’t act in, this play and later has a short interview
with Leo Penn, the young actor who was highlighted in the episode. Leo Penn is the father of actor
Sean Penn. In the conclusion, Leo impersonates Lionel Barrymore as the “Mayor” to Agnes’ “Marilly.”

103.
Armstrong Theatre of Today.
February 25, 1950. CBS.
“Doctor’s Wife.” Tells the story of Dr. Homer Williams, MD, who, 25 years earlier, hung out his
shingle in Gainesville, TX and, with the help of his devoted wife, Martha (Agnes), has taken care of
his neighbors ever since. As the town’s population doubles, Homer takes fewer and shorter vacations
and works harder than ever, finally another doctor arrives in town, but old Doc Williams continues to
be as busy as ever.

104.
Edgar Bergen with Charlie McCarthy
. November 26, 1950. CBS.
Hosts: Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy. Guest Star: Agnes Moorehead.
Agnes appears in a sketch featuring Charlie as Rip Van Winkle and Agnes as his wife.

107.
This is Your FBI
. February 15, 1952. ABC.
Cast: Stacy Harris, Michael Ann Barrett, William Conrad, Bea Benaderet, Georgia Ellis, J.C. Flippen.
Guest Star: Agnes Moorehead.

108.
Inner Sanctum
. June 29, 1952. CBS.
“Terror by Night.” Agnes stars in this suspense drama about a woman being pursued by a
killer. Produced and directed by Himan Brown. Cast: Agnes Moorehead, Karl Swenson, Everett
Sloane.

110.
Best Plays.
August 10, 1952. NBC.
“Uncle Harry.” This series adapted famous plays for the radio. Uncle Harry was one of Broadway’s
biggest hits in the early 40’s. Uncle Harry hates being called “uncle” and is far from jolly. Joseph

112.
Hallmark Hall of Fame.
November 21, 1954. NBC.
A tribute to the late Lionel Barrymore, who died on November 15, 1954. Agnes appears to pay tribute
to her longtime
Mayor of the Town
colleague.

115.
Special Delivery: Vietnam.
August 24, 1969. Syndicated.
A radio-thon with Agnes Moorehead, Ann-Margret, Cesar Romero, Cliff Arquette, Eva Gabor, George
Jessel, Jack Carter, Jack Webb, Lucille Ball, Raymond Burr, Nanette Fabray, Pat Boone, Phyllis Diller,
Shirley Jones, Sonny and Cher.

116.
The CBS Radio Mystery Theatre.
January 6, 1974. CBS.
“The Old Ones Are Hard to Kill.” Himan Brown produced and directed this anthology series of
mystery stories. Cast: Agnes Moorehead, Leon Janney, Roger DeKoven, E.G. Marshall (host).

The Last of Mrs. Cheney
.
A three-act play. Presented by the Academy of Dramatic Arts, NY. Agnes played Mrs. Wynton. This
play starred fellow student Rosalind Russell, with Jack Lee in a featured part.

Captain Applejack.
A three-act play. Presented by the Academy of Dramatic Arts, NY. Agnes had the leading female role of
Anna Veleska.

Courage
.
Opened October 8, 1928. Ritz Theatre. Agnes was an understudy and may have played a bit part in
this play about a widow who struggles to raise seven children. (283 performances)

Soldiers and Women.
Opened January 2, 1929. Ritz Theatre. Agnes was understudy to Sarat Lahiri and actually got to replace
her for a few performances in this play which takes place at a military outpost in India. (64 performances)

Scarlet Pages.
Opened September 9, 1929. Morosco Theatre. Agnes had a small part in this play about a woman
attorney defending another woman of a murder charge. Elsie Ferguson and Claire Luce starred.
(78 performances)

Candle Light.
Opened September 30, 1929. Empire Theatre. Agnes had a small part in this comedy starring Leslie
Howard and Gertrude Lawrence about a maid and valet who pretend to be royalty. (129 performances)

All the King's Horses.
Opened January 30, 1934. Shubert Theatre. Agnes has a small part in this story of a king and film
actor who look alike and decide to switch places. (120 performances)

Don Juan in Hell.
Opened January 27, 1951, Stockton, California. This is the show that really launched Agnes's theatre
career. Starring with Charles Boyer, Charles Laughton and Sir Cedric Hardwicke, the four actors
became known as “The First Drama Quartette.” Agnes plays Dona Ana, a 77-year-old woman who
dies and, to her disbelief, winds up in Hell along with her ex-suitor Don Juan (Boyer), her father, the
Statue (Hardwicke) who Juan killed in a duel over her honor, and, of course, Satan (Laughton). In the
course of the play, the 77-year-old Donna Ana suddenly changes into the 27-year-old girl she was
when she first met and fell in love with Don Juan. The four actors conduct a philosophical discourse
on the meaning of life, death, chivalry and honor. The “First Drama Quartette” conducted six major
tours of the United States, Canada and Britain between 1951–1954, with major Broadway appearances:

An Evening with Agnes Moorehead.
Opened March 13, 1954, Academy of Music, Brooklyn, New York. This was the New York debut of
Agnes’ acclaimed one-woman show, better known as “The Fabulous Redhead.” A two-hour collection
of dramatic and comic readings, it was a Moorehead perennial for the next twenty years with hundreds
of engagements across the country and around the world. In the mid-sixties it became known as
Come
Closer, I’ll Give You an Earful.

The Rivalry.
Agnes, Raymond Massey and Martin Gabel toured
cross-country and in Canada, with this Norman
Corwin-written play on the Lincoln-Douglas debates,
between September 1957–January 1958. Agnes and
Massey dropped out of the play before its New York
opening, which closed after only eight performances.
Agnes played Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas, with Gabel
as her husband and Massey as Lincoln.

The Pink Jungle.
Opened October 14, 1959 in San Francisco and
closed December 12, 1959 in Boston. Troubleplagued production, with Agnes cast as the deceased
head of a cosmetic company whose spirit returns to
watch over her company and her sons. Ginger Rogers
co-starred in the musical-comedy and felt overshadowed by Agnes’ performance. Ginger’s mother suggested to producer Paul Gregory that Ginger would
improve if he would cut Agnes’ performance. The
play closed before its scheduled Broadway opening.

Prescription Murder.
Opened: January 15, 1962 (San Francisco), closed: May 26, 1962 (Boston). Mystery about a doctor
(Joseph Cotten) who murders his wife (Agnes) so he can marry his mistress (Patricia Medina). The
doctor believes he has committed the perfect murder only to have it unravel when a dogged police
detective named Columbo (Thomas Mitchell) is assigned to the case. Agnes has the distinction of
playing the first murder victim Lt. Columbo investigates.

Lord Pengo.
Opened November 19, 1962, Royale Theatre, New York City. Agnes is reunited with Charles Boyer
in this story of an art dealer who tries to get his son to follow in his footsteps. Agnes plays his loyal
secretary, Miss Swanson. The cast made a cross-country tour before beginning a five-month run on
Broadway.

High Spirits.
Opened June 7, 1965, Dallas, Texas. Agnes played medium Madame Arcanti in this summer stock
musical which played two weeks at the state fair grounds in Dallas, Texas as part of the Dallas Summer
Musical Theatre.

Don Juan in Hell.
Opened January 15, 1973, Palace Theatre, NYC. Agnes, Ricardo Montalban (Don Juan), Edward
Mulhare (The Devil) and Paul Henreid (Commander) star in this revival of Agnes’ most famous stage

Gigi.
Opened November 13, 1973, Uris Theatre, NYC. Agnes played Aunt Alicia in this stage production of
the famous movie musical. Agnes was in poor health when she began the cross-country tour and ended
up leaving the play in early January 1974, after its opening on Broadway, due to her poor health.
Arlene Francis replaced her and the play closed a month later.