Playwright Huntington Hartford | ||
The Master of Thornfieldis a 1954 play by Huntington Hartford, which is an adaptation of Jane Eyre. It was later rewritten by John F. Matthews.
US Production
In 1957 it was announced Errol Flynn would star in a production in the US opposite Jan Brooks directed by Peter Ashmore. The play opened in Detroit with a view of bringing it to New York. Flynn struggled with the show, often forgetting lines. He quit the play in Cincinnati claiming that the play was "no more fit for Broadway than Jack and the Beanstalk... I can't do much with the way its written." Hartford responded that, "In my defence, I'd like to say that I have as yet to hear my play, from Mr Flynn, as it was written." Flynn was replaced by John Emery and Demetrios Vilain replaced Ashmore as director.
Hedda Hopper later wrote that she heard Flynn "just wouldn't study" only rehearsing nine hours in four weeks, and thinking Flynn instead simply wanted to accept a role in The Roots of Heaven.
Eric Portman took over the role of Rochester and the production was renamed Jane Eyre. The production debut in New York on 1 May 1958 and ran for 52 performances.