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Cover of Personal Appearance

Personal Appearance

by Lawrence Rileyliterary work

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Personal Appearance (1934) is a stage comedy by the American playwright and screenwriter Lawrence Riley (1896–1974), which was a Broadway smash and the basis for the classic Mae West film Go West, Young Man (1936). Personal Appearance was produced by the legendary Brock Pemberton (founder of the Tony Awards) and staged by Antoinette Perry (in whose memory Pemberton named the Tonys). It opened in 1934 at New York's Henry Miller Theatre starring the famed stage and screen actress Gladys George (now remembered especially for her role as Miles Archer's spouse in the film The Maltese Falcon). Her comic performance contributed to making Personal Appearance a Broadway hit that lasted for 501 performances. It launched Riley's career as a playwright and remains his most famous play.

Adaptations (1)

Personal Appearance was adapted into a 1936 film.

  • Poster for Go West, Young Man
    Go West, Young Man
    1936 · film · 80 min · dir. Henry Hathaway · IMDb ↗
    IMDb6.260%

    Sensational movie star Mavis Arden's following spans the world and her personal appearance tours prove her popularity. On her way home from one such appearance, Mavis' car breaks down. She orders her publicity agent to find her a place to stay, suspicious that he planned the breakdown to keep her away from a man. However, she soon finds herself mooning over an attractive local repairman and listening to his ideas about inventing equipment for film.

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