Liz Smith:
On March 30, the Actors’ Fund of America is bringing “All
About Eve” to the stage of the Ahmanson Theater in L.A. 20th Century
Fox, which owns the rights to the film, is allowing the screenplay to be
adapted for this one-night-only event. Playwright David Rambo has taken
on the task of transferring from screen to stage Mank’s immortal tale of
ego, insecurity and ambition (based on Mary Orr’s short story, “The
Wisdom of Eve.”)
Oh, you’re just dying to know who’s in it, right? Here goes, so far,
Angela Lansbury as Birdie (the Thelma Ritter role) . . . Blythe Danner and Victor Garber as Karen and Lloyd Richards (Celeste Holm and Hugh Marlowe) . . . Carl Reiner as libidinous producer Max Fabian (Gregory Ratoff) . . . Melissa Manchester as the pianist at “Bill’s” birthday party (the scene where, among other things, Margo Channing rasps, “Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night!”) And Tim Curry will play Addison (George Sanders) the wonderfully vile theater critic who has the goods on everybody. Kirk Douglas, the legend himself, will appear briefly as the man who hands Eve Harrington her ill-got Sarah Siddons Award. The Gary Merrill and Marilyn Monroe parts have yet to be cast. But wait, there’s more . . . if only we could tell you.
The pivotal roles of Margo and Eve, have been set. But the actresses haven’t
signed on the dotted line, so organizers and publicists for this event have put a gag order on those names.
What we do know is both actresses are Oscar-nominated. One in this
year’s race, one from sometime in the past.
We understand the actress who’ll do Margo did waver, momentarily, “I
don’t know if I’m worthy of playing this part!” she yelped. Oh, I’m sure
