by Noel Coward
Your extremely affectionate
SNOOPIE
At Lima they experienced a revolution and an earthquake and decided Peru was perhaps a mite too “restless,” and it was on to Panama, where their journey ended. Jeffrey had to return to London and Noël made plans to go to New York.
However far he traveled there was no escaping the obligations of being “Noël Coward.” A pile of mail had caught up with him in Santiago, and one cable in particular cast an exciting but ominous shadow. It was from the Lunts:
OUR CONTRACT WITH THEATRE GUILD UP IN JUNE STOP WE'RE FREE STOP WHAT ABOUT IT?
He knew what that meant. From Colon, Panama, he boarded a Norwegian freighter, the SS Toronto, for Los Angeles, where Jack would meet him.
CHAPTER 11
NOËL & ALFRED & LYNN … AND THEIR DESIGN FOR LIVING
(1921-1934)
GILDA: The human race is a let-down … It thinks it's progressed, but it hasn't; It thinks it's risen above the primeval slime, but it hasn't—it's still wallowing in it! … We've invented a few small things that make noises, but we haven't invented one big thing that creates quiet, endless peaceful quiet—something to pull over our heads like a gigantic eiderdown; something to deaden the sound of our emotional yellings and screechings.
DESIGN FOR LIVING (1955)
Lynn, Alfred, and Noël in the Lunts’ home, Ten Chimneys, Genesee Depot, Wisconsin.
THE “DESIGN” STARTED back in the humid, un-air-conditioned summer of 1921, on Noël's first impoverished visit to New York, where he was befriended by the couple who were to become “The Lunts.”
He'd met Lynn Fontanne (1887—1983) in London, where she'd grown accustomed to the fate of playing second leads to American star Laurette Taylor (1884—1946). In New York, where she had been taken to accompany Taylor, she was “walking out” with Alfred Lunt (1892—1977) and living in the same West Side boarding house. Evening after evening they would lay their plans for their stellar careers.
First, they would become stars in their own rights. Then Lynn and Alfred would act as a team, and when they had all achieved the heady pinnacle of fame and acclaim, they would act together in a play that Noël would write specially for them.
In the intervening decade, the first part of the plan had been triumphantly fulfilled. Lynn and Alfred had become the unquestioned stars of the Theatre Guild, latterly with the power to insist that they appeared only as a duo.
When Private Lives was such a hit in London, there was speculation in the New York press that the Lunts might star in it on Broadway, but anyone who knew anything about Noël knew that the play was reserved for Noël and Gertie—and so it proved. The Lunts, meanwhile, were being courted by Hollywood.
The Lunts at home—caught in a typically “imposed” moment.
In May of 1931 Lynn is writing to Noël:
The Wardell—Detroit … Of course, wouldn't we have Private Lives dangled in front of our noses and not get it, but I think it is the final amalgamation into the Chinese German with a touch of Indian blood and Christian Science by persuasion play.
We are going to do a play of Bob Sherwood's next season called, but only for the moment, Reunion in Vienna—horrid, isn't it? I have suggested Auf Wiedersehen and he seems to be delighted. It is a very funny comedy—Alfred is not as hot about it as I am but I hope he is wrong—it has a marvelous part for him in it. Anyway, we are both terribly pleased to be doing a play of Bob's. We are so fond of him and he wrote it for us—not that it would make any difference if we didn't like it, of course. Now, I know you are laughing!
But we live for the end of our contract [with the Theatre Guild] when we will be free to travel and have a marvelous time and then, if we didn't retire, do the great pot pourri goulash chop suey curry beaten up with a grain of salt and served in London one hot night to a slightly astonished and very damp audience—what a lark it ought to be! Don't write it yet—if you do, it will be too good to keep and someone else will do it—and then you will be tired of the idea.
Noël visited Hollywood several times in the early 1930s. Here he is seen with Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford {top) … with {center) Chico Marx, Maurice Chevalier, Herman Mankiewicz (writer of Citizen Kane), Groucho Marx {standing), and Harpo Marx {seated) … and {bottom) with Robert Montgomery (who had just played Elyot in the film of Private Lives).
We are terribly excited over Cavallcade (are there two “Ls”?) What a perfectly marvelous title, it covers the whole thing.
We go to the coast in four weeks—I think they [MGM] have decided on The Guardsman—we are getting quite excited about it.
Love Lynn
One / or two, the Lunts were not destined to see Cavalcade, Their Reunion lasted too long for their own comfort.
163 E. 36th St. NEW YORK
June 11,1932
Baby:
We are heartsick to learn (at least The Times says so) that Cavalcade is closing. I can't believe that we're not to see it. Two seats not sold and Cochran got panicky or what? Never mind about answering if you can keep it going until we get there.
We prayed that we'd close by next week but no, the weather has cooled itself off and we're about selling out—so now we'll surely go on until July 2. The heat has been unbearable and it's so awfully disconcerting to kiss Lynn all over when she's so wet. I don't know what we shall do if our revue runs all summer …
Charlie Brackett [the producer] saw Ethel Barrymore in Providence [Rhode Island, a popular summer resort] a week or so ago and was bemoaning the fact that Alec [Woollcott] was not to be one of the caste [sic]. Ethel thought it rather a shame too—“ Four amateurs together”—says she, etc., etc., etc., You know what she exclaimed when she heard that Helen Hayes had made a great triumph in Coquette, don't you?—“ What, that monster!”
We (hope) to sail on the Aquitania August 10th.
ALFRED
By the time he reached San Francisco, where an anxious Jack was waiting for him, Design for Living had been written and a great weight was off Noël's mind.
He felt able to make a brief stopover in Hollywood, where he was shown the film version of Private Lives, Noël found it “passable.” On the strength of its commercial success, Paramount bought the rights to The Queen Was in the Parlour (which became Tonight Is Ours, with Claudette Colbert and Fredric March). While he was in town Noël was able to attend one of the first production meetings at Fox for Cavalcade. This insider look at the studio system in action appalled him so much that he cut the visit short, although he would admit later that it was the only one of his plays up to that time that “had been filmed with taste and integrity.”
Erik Coward just before his death in 1933.
Hollywood reinforced his preference for “a nice cup of cocoa.” “There's America … and then there's Hollywood.”
•
THE LUNTS DECLARED themselves delighted with Design for Living, and Noël sailed for home to prepare his new revue for Cochran {Words and Music]. He was to return at the end of the year to begin their design for rehearsing.
His summer was not to be cloudless, however. There was a cable from Erik in Colombo:
SAILING JULY THIRTEENTH ORIENT LINE OTRANTO GRANTED THREE MONTHS SICK LEAVE STOMACH ALL OUT OF ORDER DOCTORS RECOMMEND COMPLETE CHANGE NOTHING SERIOUS SO DON'T WORRY MASSES OF LOVE VERY EXCITED ERIK
When Erik arrived back in England, it was obvious that there was a great deal to worry about. Doctors confirmed that he had incurable cancer of the stomach—a fact that Violet and Noël kept from him. He joined the group at Goldenhurst until his death the following January.
•
WORDS AND MUSIC was successfully launched at London's Adelphi Theatre that September. In the cast, playing the juvenile, was the boy soprano Master Graham Payn. When, at his mother's instigation, Graham auditioned by singing “Nearer My God to Thee” while performing a tap dance, Noël felt he had no alternative: “We've got to have the kid in the show.” During the war Noël would meet Graham again, when the
young man was appearing in a series of West End revues. Their reunion would lead to a lifelong relationship.
•
BUT FOR NOW domestic matters had to take precedence over professional. Disturbed by Violet's state of mind as she nursed his brother, Noël wrote to her from Lady Mendl's house:
La Villa Trianon
Blvd. Saint Antoine
Versailles
Seine-et-Oise
September 1932
Wednesday
Darlingest,
I'm trying to take your advice about not thinking of you but it's very difficult as I find I think about you all the time.
Everything is so tragic and cruel for you and my heart aches dreadfully for you but that's no good either except that it proves even to me (who didn't need much proof) how very very much I love you.
The next letter I write to you won't be like this at all, it will be crammed with gay description. This sort of letter only makes us both cry and that's sillier than anything.
I'm saying several acid prayers to a fat contented God the Father in a dirty night gown who hates you and me and every living creature in the world.
Good night my dearest dearest darling
SNOOPIE
He had taken off for a European holiday that would end with him joining the Mediterranean fleet for a cruise on the Queen Elizabeth, current command of his friend Louis Mountbatten. He'd met Mountbatten and his wife, Edwina, a few years earlier, but this time together would cement their friendship and prove particularly valuable in the war that no one could envisage but that was only a few short years away.
September 1932
Orient Express Saturday
Darlingest,
Here I am joggling along through Serbia, it's very hot and dusty but I don't mind that much and I've slept and slept standing for two nights and days. I arrive in Salonica tonight where I am to be met by several angry Greeks and tomorrow I hop onto a strange boat and go out to Lemnos where the Queen Elizabeth is anxiously waiting for me. I didn't realise how very much I needed to get away, apart from everything else I was physically quite exhausted.
Paris was quite peaceful, because I was staying out at Versailles and didn't see many people except the Lloyds who were staying in the house. He has given me some nice introductions for Egypt and sent off wires everywhere so I shall be made a grand fuss of!
I'll write again when I reach the ship.
Your deeply loving
SNOOPIE
He was a little more frank in the letter he sent to Gladys Calthrop the same day. Instead of “joggling,” he was “arsing through Serbia” and, as for Paris, it had been: “quite idiotic and so was everyone in it. When we do finally retire to our mountain of contemptuous contemplation it must be a very very high one.”
H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth
Wednesday October 5th 1932
Darlingest,
I've finally arrived after many very strange adventures.
The weather is absolutely lovely and I'm already very sun burnt and rested. Life on a Flagship is the acme of grandeur and very enjoyable, particularly for me as a visitor, because I sit about and watch everybody else working. All I do to contribute is to arrange the evening musical programmes with the Bandmaster and try to prevent him from playing exclusively my music, which he is very anxious to do! I travelled all through the earthquake zone and saw a lot of horrors, but we're well away from it here. Everyone in the ship is charming to me and I'm made a great fuss of. I have the Admiral's spare cabin and a nice servant to wait on me. There's certainly nothing to touch the Navy for charm and courtesy. At four o'clock every afternoon everybody bathes—Dickie Mountbatten has a motor boat, so I go out in that and we aquaplane round and round the Fleet. I'm going to Port Said on the 13th then we go to Cairo for a few days and back home by easy stages.
I told you my letters would be gay, didn't I?
All my dear love.
SNOOP
Noël's time with the Mountbattens cemented what would be an enduring friendship. They established a camaraderie that allowed mutual teasing—something Noël found essential to any close relationship.
Casa Medina
Pieta
Malta
25th October 1932
Dear Noël,
I'm so glad you enjoyed your time with the Fleet. I need hardly tell you how much I enjoyed having you, or how good it was for me to be taken away from work for a bit …
You will be amused to hear that Mr. Keen [the ship's bandmaster] has now copied your style of conducting as far as it is possible for so stolid a member of the British Musical profession to and that he plays all selections at high speed. Both he and the band have been absolutely transformed by you and are 200% better than before you came.
I have never known any visitor go down with such a rush on board, particularly as our mess is rather “sticky” but your ears would have tingled to hear all the charming remarks made about you after you had gone.
Yours,
DICKIE
After a subsequent visit Noël would reply:
Remind me to write a very strong play about the Navy dedicated, in Russian, to the C-in-C.
Please be careful with your zippers, Dickie dear, and don't let me hear of any ugly happenings at Flotilla dances.
Love and kisses
Signal Bosun Coward
(I know Bosun ought to be spelt “Boatswain” but / don't care!)
In late November he sailed back to New York on the SS Empress of Britain, It was time to rehearse Design, Violet was constantly on his mind.
2 Beekman Place
New York City
Saturday 10th December 1932
Darlingest,
I loved your letter—it cheered me up a lot which I know it was meant to do, but I can't bear to think of everything being so awful for you and me not there to comfort you a little bit. However, I don't intend to go on in this strain because we shall all cry and that's no good anyhow.
Noël, Lynn, and Alfred. A triptych each kept on their dressing room table for good luck.
Rehearsals are going marvellously. Lynn and Alfred are simply superb and I think we're going to give the best acting in the world to the great American Public. It is bliss working with them, they're so utterly sure and concentrated on what they're doing there's no work for me at all except to try to be good in my own part!
I'm writing this in my bedroom looking right over the river, it's bitterly cold and snowing but I must say it looks very beautiful.
I've had a lot of parties given for me, there's no doubt about me being popular here—The Press fall over themselves to say nice things about me and I'm altogether New York's white headed boy. Lots of people ask after you, Judith Anderson and Pauline Lord and Mabelle Webb! I've given Philip Tonge a small part in the play and he's very good in it and I've had heartfelt letters of thanks from poor old [Mrs.] Tonge, so that's a good deed done! He has just one scene with me in the Second Act as the newspaper reporter. It does seem funny when I look back and remember how much in awe of him I was. Life certainly plays very strange tricks on people. Give my love to everybody and such a tremendous lot to yourself, my old darling. SNOOP
DECEMBER 23RD.
all rehearsing terribly hard but enjoying it very much stop cavalcade film opening here january fifteenth they are showing it to me in advance in cleveland hear it is very good but feel rather apprehensive all love to all stop snoop
Gilda (Lynn), Leo (Noël), and Otto (Alfred)—a trio for life.
He needn't have worried. The next year Cavalcade won three Oscars— Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Art Direction—and took $3.5 million at the box office. It won rave reviews but perhaps none more heartfelt than the verdict of its apprehensive author: “It was superior in every way than if I personally had been connected with the actual production.”
Christmas Day 1932
Darlingest,
It was lovely to hear your voice this morning, it's sometimes a great comfort to
live in such a very civilised age. I think it's a grand idea for Erik to be at Goldenhurst, I should so much rather he was there than anywhere else. It's all very fine to tell me not to think about you—as if I could help myself! But as a matter of fact I'm working so hard that I literally haven't time to be morose or unhappy, in any case it doesn't do anybody any good.
The Play is coming along wonderfully and taken all round it is really the best acting in the world I must say. I've just come back from Christmas dinner with the Lunts and Constance [Collier] and the two Gladys's, Henson and Calthrop. Now I'm going to dine at Nesa [Neysa] McMein's house with Jack and a large Party. We leave for Cleveland on Friday and the whole week there is completely sold out!
All my love to all and Oh Dear, I do wish they would invent something to make Transatlantic Hugs possible?
SNOOPIE
As well as trying to cheer his mother up as best he could from so far away, he had to write to Erik as though nothing were amiss:
Wade Park Manor
Cleveland
January [?] 1933
Friday
Well Master Erik,
I haven't written as much and as often as I should have but that's me all over—careless! The Play was a wow here and we have to have extra chairs in the aisles at every performance. We're all very good, I think, I do wish you could see it. The Cavalcade Picture opened in New York on Thursday night and was apparently a super riot! The notices are quite incredible, I've never read so many superlatives. They've kept it completely English and just like the play and Jack who was there said it was the most moving thing he had ever seen, when the enormous Broadway First Night Audience rose to its feet and cheered at God Save the King! They're sending me a special print of it to Pittsburgh, where I shall have a private showing on Tuesday night after the performance. I am so glad you're at Golden-hurst and away from that gloomy and depressing old B.B.C. Don't forget to play the “Chants d'Auvergne” on the gramophone, if you haven't already done so.