The Greyhound (play) | |
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Written by | Paul Armstrong and Wilson Mizner |
Directed by | Collin Kemper |
Date premiered | February 29, 1912 |
Place premiered | Astor Theatre |
Original language | English |
Subject | Blackmail and confidence tricks on an ocean liner |
Genre | Melodrama |
Setting | San Francisco rooming house and the Mauretania |
The Greyhound is a 1911 play written by Paul Armstrong and Wilson Mizner. It is a melodrama with four acts, six settings, a large cast and fast pacing. The story is episodic, following four criminals working likely victims on an ocean liner, and showing how they are thwarted. Although containing elements of a thriller, comedy dominates, as a glance at names of featured characters suggests. The title comes from the contemporary description of fast transatlantic passenger ships as "ocean greyhounds".
The play was first produced by the Wagenhals & Kemper Company, and staged by Collin Kemper. There was a tryout in Indianapolis during January 1912, followed by an open run in Chicago. The Broadway premiere came during late February 1912. The production ran on Broadway up to June 1912, for over 100 performances.
The play was later adapted for a silent film of the same title in 1914.