As originally filmed, Carlotta's dog was named Mussolini. However, due to the changing world political climate of the 1930's, the dog's name was post-dubbed as "Tarzan", even though Marie Dressler's lips are clearly saying "Mussolini".The dowager character played by Marie Dressler is reportedly based on actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell, for whom George Bernard Shaw wrote the role of Eliza Doolittle in the play "Pygmalion", the basis for the musical My Fair Lady (1964). Mrs. Campbell was legendary for her inappropriate remarks, and she failed dismally in an attempt at a Hollywood film career.
The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 22 October 1932 and closed in May 1933 after 232 performances. The opening night cast included Constance Collier as Carlotta Vance, Paul Harvey as Dan Packard, Conway Tearle as Larry Renault and Cesar Romero as Ricci (character deleted from the movie). The play had 2 Broadway revivals, the last in 2003.
Herbert Bunston and May Beatty are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members, but they did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie.
Cast of Dinner At Eight
Marie Dressler as Carlotta Vance, an aging actress dealing with the loss of prestige
John Barrymore as Larry Renault, a washed-up, drunken actor
Wallace Beery as Dan Packard, a successful, crooked, bully of a businessman
Jean Harlow as Kitty Packard, a lonely, conceited woman
Lionel Barrymore as Oliver Jordan, a kind businessman whose business is failing
Lee Tracy as Max Kane, Larry Renault's desperate agent
Edmund Lowe as Dr. Wayne Talbot, an unfaithful husband, doctor to the rich
Billie Burke as Millicent Jordan, a shallow, wealthy socialite
Madge Evans as Paula Jordan, the Jordans' slightly rebellious daughter
Jean Hersholt as Jo Stengel, a theatrical agent
Karen Morley as Lucy Talbot, Wayne Talbot's longsuffering wife
Phillips Holmes as Ernest DeGraff, fiancé of Paula Jordan
Edwin Maxwell as Mr. Fitch, the hotel manager
Louise Closser Hale, as Hattie Loomis, a dinner guest
Grant Mitchell, as Ed Loomis, a dinner guest
i left this movie with a real inside as to what aging actors must face at the end of their career. i am sure that todays actors face the same outcome. i guess the bigger your ego or the love of the screen the harder
ReplyDeletethe fall.the once beautiful,now ashen and wrinkled,commit themselves to seclusion. the sadness when they overhear oh my god! she or he has gotten so old.