Death of a Salesman (Columbia Pictures) (1951)

I NEON “Death of Salesman’”’ Mat 2-B; Still No. 111 WHILE HIS SON WATCHES, Fredric March tries to elude amorous Claire Carleton in Columbia’s ‘‘Death of a Salesman,”’ at the . . . . Theatre. Kevin McCarthy is the son in the Stanley Kramer production based on the Pulitzer Prize play. Wife of ‘Salesman’ ‘Wed’ Six of Them! Mildred Dunnock is the loyal “wife” personified, bestowing intense love and loyalty on “husband” Fredric March as Willy Loman, the salesman, in Stanley Kramer’s new screen production, Columbia Pictures’ “Death of a Salesman,” at the .... Theatre. Miss Dunnock’s affections have never cooled although she has played opposite six Willy Lomans in her time. Her first “Willy” was Lee J. Cobb in the Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play. When Cobb relinquished the arduous role, Gene Lockhart stepped into the character, with Miss Dunnock continuing as his loyal spouse. Willy was later taken over by Albert Dekker, who gave way to Robert Simonds. When a Decca record album of “Death of a Salesman” was made with Thomas Mitchell in the role. Miss Dunnock played the wife. So, when Kramer turned to filming the most honored play of our time, Miss Dunnock was logically cast to play the wife in support of Fredric March, the sixth actor to star in the role of Willy Loman. Needed Make-Up To Weary March Fredric March, the handsome star who probably needs a makeup man less than anyone, got one of the best in the business on “Death of a Salesman,” Stanley Kramer’s first production for Columbia Pictures, now Av the eiceneatre: Assigned to etch the weariness of salesman Willy Loman on the famous March profile was Bob Schiffer, who ordinarily adds emphasis to the beauty of Rita Hayworth. For Schiffer, this was a much tougher assignment than he’s used to. Making the glamorous Rita look beautiful is no chore at all, because she’s that beautiful to begin with. Making the energetic March look haggard was something else again. Featured in March’s support in “Death of a Salesman,” reported to be the most extraordinary motion picture of the year, are Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, Cameron Mitchell and Howard Smith. Stanley Roberts’ screen play is based on Arthur Miller’s stage play as produced by Kermit Bloomgarden and Walter Fried. THE MOST HONORED DRAMA OF OUR TIME, “Death of a Salesman”’ stars Fredric March in its Columbia Pictures’ film version at the Page 10 .... Theatre. Stanley Kramer produced the ‘Death of Salesman’ Star Spurned Role In Stage Version By one of those ironic twists of fate that occur with such frequency in the never-never worlds of the stage and screen, the principal role in the stage production of “Death of a Salesman,” the most honored drama of our time, was turned down by Fredric March when it first was offered to him. March. stars, however, in Stanley Kramer’s motion picture version of “Death of a Salesman,” the Columbia picture at the... . Theatre. How could March reject a role any other actor would have given his eye-teeth to play? “I was in London at the time,” explains March, “making ‘Christopher Columbus.’ Pd drag myself back to the hotel from the studio each night, dog-tired. I kept mumbling to myself that when this picture was over, my _ wife, Florence Eldredge, and I would rest. “The ‘Salesman’ script arrived from playwright Arthur Miller and also a note from my wife asking me to read it. From what she said, it had parts for both of us, but between the lines, I seemed to read that she actually felt it was a great part for me and that she would do it only to make me happy. I didn’t realize that she not only wanted to do it, but wanted to play the salesman’s wife, as the stage producers, Kermit Bloomgarden and Walter Fried, actually wanted both of us. “So I felt, why make her sacrifice herself because there was a good part only for me? Then, when I got a rush cable from stage director Elia Kazan asking for immediate reaction, I said no.” And that’s how Fredric March, twice winner of the Academy Award, turned down the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Death of a Salesman” for the stage. And that’s how Lee J. Cobb, Gene Lockhart, Thomas Mitchell, Albert Dekker and Robert Simonds got turns at playing Willy Loman, the salesman. It also explains why March currently is playing the starring role in the picture. Featured are Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, Cameron Mitchell and Howard Smith. { _———— \ “Death of Salesman” Mat 4-A; Still No. Art 5 picture, based on the Pulitzer Prize play. Shown above is an artist’s impression of the film, which features Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, Cameron Mitchell and Howard Smith. ‘Death of a Salesman’ Fredric March’s Best “Death of Salesman’”’ Mat 2-C; Still No. 60 IN HIS GREATEST ROLE, Fredric March stars in Columbia’s ‘‘Death of a Salesman,” at the .... Theatre. Mildred Dunnock is the wife in the Stanley Kramer production based on the Pulitzer Prize play. If there is such a thing as “‘an actor’s actor,” then Fredric March fills the bill. Through the years, March has enthralled fellow-professionals by his vast resources as an actor and by his truly amazing versatility. Seemingly, the role has not been written that can faze the distinguished American actor. But March has not remained merely an actor’s actor, with a narrow coterie of fervent admirers; he has won and maintained the wider, and more important, admiration of the public. Now Fredric March, who twice won the Motion Picture Academy Award for his performances in “The Best Years of Our Lives” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde,” has a role which offers him even greater opportunity than either of these. March stars at the . . Theatre in Stanley Kramer’s new screen production, Columbia Pictures’ “Death of a Salesman.” As_ the salesman, March is reported to give a performance that transforms the most honored play of our time into the most extraordinary motion picture of the year. March, the actor, has ranged the whole gamut of histrionic emotion from bravura in “The Royal Family,” to the nimble farce of “Nothing Sacred.” His double-barrelled characterization in “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” won him his first Academy Award for the best acting. “Design for Living,” “Death Takes a Holiday,” “The Firebrand,” “Les Miserables,” “The Barretts of Wimpole Street” and “Anthony Adverse” established March as one of the screen’s foremost romantic actors. “Susan and God,” “One Foot in Heaven,” “The Adventures of Mark Twain,” “Tomorrow the World” followed with typical March performances of a high order. Then came another March landmark, “The Best Years of Our Lives,’ in which March brought to the screen the cynicism of a returned veteran of World War II, and the problems of veteran readjustment. This won for the actor his second “Oscar.” Featured in support are Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, Cameron Mitchell and Howard Smith. The screen play was penned by Stanley Roberts and was based on the play by Arthur Miller as produced on the stage by Kermit Bloomgarden and Walter Fried. Laslo Benedek directed “Death of a Salesman.” Perfect in Role When a_ Hollywood producer makes a movie of a Broadway hit, he rarely uses members of the original cast, preferring what, in his opinion, are better-known names. But Mildred Dunnock was so “right” in Columbia Pictures’ Pulitzer Prizewinning play, “Death of a Salesman,” she almost “had” to be used in the Stanley Kramer screen production at the . ... Theatre. Fredric March stars in the film, reputed to be the most extraordinary motion picture of the year.