Franklyn Lenthall Biography (1919-)
Addresses: Office: c/o Boothbay Theatre Museum, Corey Lane, Boothbay,ME, 04537.
"The preservation of American Theatre memorabilia, in comparison with other countries, is a new venture. It should be on our list of priorities!"
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- actor, director, producer, curator
- Birth Details
- July 14, 1919
- Nanticoke, Pennsylvania
Famous Works
- Debut
- Vane, Easy Virtue, Harvey's Lake Theatre, Alderson, PA, 1937.
- Principal Stage Appearances
- Owen Turner, Light up the Sky, Weston Playhouse, VT, 1950; Dr. Paul Stronberg, Flow to the Meadow, and Sheriff Weeks, Sun-Up, Gateway Summer Theatre, Gatlinburg, TN, 1951; Elyot Chase, Private Lives,Boothbay Playhouse, ME, 1970.
- Principal Film Appearances
- Carnegie Hall, 1947; Kiss of Death, 1947; Portrait of Jenny, 1948; Naked City, 1948; The West Point Story, 1950; The Marrying Kind, 1952.
- Principal Stage Work
- Producer/Director--(three one-acts) Finders Keepers, The Happy Journey, A Pair of Lunatics, Pilgrim, NY, 1951; Personal Appearance, GrayGables, Kitchman, NY, 1953; founded and produced for Lenthall Players in NY;Trespass, Daphen Laureola, The Mousetrap, The Holly and the Ivy, Castle in the Air, Down Came a Blackbird, Papa Is All, Don't Listen Ladies, HighGround, Black Chiffon, The Sign of Jonah, Hay Fever, Sun-Up, Monique, St.Paul and St. Andrew Methodist Church, NY, 1956-58; in 1957, he purchased theBoothbay Playhouse in Boothbay, ME and produced and directed plays, 1957-74,including: The Reluctant Debutante, 1957; Holiday for Lovers,1958; Dear Delinquent, 1959; Fashion, 1960; Sound of Murder, 1961; The Man in the Dog Suit, 1962; Come Blow Your Horn,1963; Under the Yum Yum Tree, 1964; Light up the Sky, 1965; Ready When You Are C.B., 1966; Barefoot in the Park, 1967; Black Comedy, 1968; Blithe Spirit, 1969; Another Language, 1970; Plaza Suite, 1971; The Royal Family, 1972; Norman Is ThatYou?, 1973; End of Summer, 1974. Maine State Touring Theatre, withHedda Gabler and Don't Listen Ladies, toured 7,000 miles through state of Maine.
- Writings
- Contributor to book Autographs and Manuscripts; Collector's Manual, section on American Theatre, 1978; contributor to Maine: A Guide Downeast, 1970.
- Articles In
- The Boothbay Theatre Museum, Down East Magazine, Hobbies Magazine, Spinning Wheel Magazine, The Maine Teacher Magazine, Playbill Magazine.
- Theatre-Related Career
- Teacher/faculty member, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, five years; teacher/faculty member, American Theatre Wing, two years; faculty member, Katherine Long School at the Metropolitan Opera, NY; theatre consultant to Governor of Maine, six months; founder, Boothbay Theatre Museum.