The Skin of Our Teeth

Theater: Plymouth
Opening Date: Nov. 18, 1942
Performances: 359

Playwright: Thornton Wilder
Director: Elia Kazan
Producer: Michael Myerberg


Partial Cast: Frederic March, Florence Eldridge, Ralph Kellard, Viola Dean, E.G. Marshall, Montgomery Clift

Tallulah's Role: Sabina

Tallulah's second great New York success was this play, which won her much praise and earned her another Variety Award for Best Actress and the New York Drama Critics Award. The play itself, an allegory covering 5,000 years, confounded critics and audiences alike. However, Tallulah's portrayal of four different women, ranging from an Ice Age maid to an Atlantic City Bingo hostess, kept the doors open. Most critics agreed that the play suffered when Tallulah was not on stage. Turmoil raged behind the scenes as Tallulah had problems getting along with almost everyone, especially the show's producer and director, as well as actors Fredric March and his wife, Florence Eldridge (see Biography for more details). Tallulah performed 229 times before her contract expired and Miriam Hopkins took over the role.

Tallulah's Comments: "For all the comedy's spectacular success, for all the hubbub it raised, there were people who found it as baffling as the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta stone. Typical was the reaction of a Park Avenue debutante reported to me by a friend who overheard the conversation in the lobby. During the intermission, the Park Avenue birdbrain said to her escort, 'I don't understand a word of the play. I haven't any notion of what it's about. Have you?'. Her companion stammered slightly, then said, 'Yes, I think so...in general terms it's about the human race.' 'Oh', jeered the belle, 'is that all?'"


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