The Theatre: Revamp Till Ready

In November 1937 Ernest Hemingway finished a play about the Spanish Civil War. At that time the Spanish war was big news, and Hemingway was in Madrid covering it. Most obvious question about Hemingway's The Fifth Column was: Who would be the lucky Broadway producer?

Soon it looked as if Producer Jed Harris had won. Then things began to happen. Harris and Hemingway couldn't agree on revisions, and Harris checked out. Austin Parker (a former husband of Miriam Hopkins) took a $1,000 option on the play, died a few days later. From then on The...

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