The Man Who Came to Dinner

The Man Who Came to Dinner

Authors: George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart

Based on the real person on Alexx Woollcott, famous drama critic and radio show personality

Place: Mesalia, Ohio Home of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley

Time: early 1940’s December 10 through Christmas Day

Characters:

Sheridan Whiteside

Maggie Cutler, secretary to Whiteside

Mr. Stanley

Mrs. Stanley

Richard Stanley, wants to be a photographer, tries to run away to fulfill his dreams

June Stanley, wants to marry Sandy, tries to run away to marry him

Miss Harriet Stanley, sister to Mr. Stanley

John, the butler

Sarah, the cook

Miss Preen, the nurse

Doctor Bradley, has written a book and wants Whiteside to read it with hopes of getting

published

Burt Jefferson, newspaper man, falls in love with Maggie

Lorraine Sheldon, famous actress, friend of Whiteside, based on real actress of Gertrude

Stein

Beverly Carlton, friend of Whiteside and Maggie, author of plays, based character on the

real person of Noel Coward

Banjo, friend of Whiteside, Hollywood actor, based character on real person of Harpo

Marxx

Metz, friend of Whiteside, professor of bugs, based on Dr.Gustav Eckstein

Scenery-realistic, box set

Plot

Sheridan Whiteside has fallen on the steps of the Stanley home and injured his hip. Has to remain in Mesalia, OH until he heals.

Maggie and Burt fall in love

Whiteside is told he is well.

Lorraine brought in to “Smash up” romance of Maggie

Burt has written a good play script

Maggie gets Beverly Carlton to pull joke on Lorraine to get her out of town

Richard wants to be photographer, told by Whiteside to live out his dream

June wants to marry Sandy, who is NOT liked by her parents, told by Whiteside to marry her man

Banjo arrives and helps Whiteside get Lorraine away, which frees up Burt so Maggie can marry him.

Miss Stanley, very strange, floats through house, giving pictures to Whiteside, eventually revealed to have murdered her parents