What a Life (play)

What a Life
Written byClifford Goldsmith
Date premieredApril 13, 1938 (1938-04-13)
Place premieredBiltmore Theatre
New York City, New York
Original languageEnglish
GenreComedy
SettingCentral High School

What a Life is a 1938 Broadway play by Clifford Goldsmith.[1]

What a Life is set in Central High School, with action primarily occurring in the principal's office. The main character, Henry Aldrich, "thinks he is dumb because his father won a Phi Beta Kappa key at college."[2] During the play, Aldrich faces charges that he caused a disturbance in class and that he stole brass instruments from the band. He also has to deal with a student who bullies him.[2]

The play was copyrighted on July 7, 1936, under the title Enter to Learn. After some revisions, "without, however, materially changing the plot or principal characters", the title was changed to What a Life.[3] It languished for more than one year, but things changed when producer George Abbott took charge.[4]

  1. ^ Nachman, Gerald (2000). Raised on Radio. University of California Press. p. 213. ISBN 9780520223035. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b Pollock, Arthur (April 14, 1938). "George Abbott Presents a New Comedy Called "What a Life," His best Entertainment This Season". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. p. 21.
  3. ^ Chase, Circuit Judge. "Goldsmith v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue". casetext. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Today's Citizen: Brain Child Is A Radio Favorite". Tucson Daily Citizen. Arizona, Tucson. November 22, 1952. p. 20.