Editing Auntie Mame

{{short description|Book by Patrick Dennis}}
{{about|the novel by Patrick Dennis|the 1958 film|Auntie Mame (film)|the musical|Mame (musical)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{infobox book 
| name          = Auntie Mame
| title_orig    =
| translator    =
| image         = Auntie Mame Book First Edition.jpg
| caption       = First edition cover
| author        = [[Patrick Dennis]]
| illustrator   =
| cover_artist  =
| country       = United States
| language      = English
| series        =
| genre         = 
| publisher     = [[Vanguard Press]]
| release_date  = January 21, 1955<ref>{{cite journal |date=January 21, 1955 |title=List of the Books Coming Out Today |journal=[[The New York Times]] |page=21 }}</ref>
| english_release_date =
| media_type    = Print (hardback and paperback)
| pages         = 280 
| preceded_by   =
| followed_by   = [[Around the World with Auntie Mame]]
}}
'''''Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade''''' is a 1955 novel by American author [[Patrick Dennis]] chronicling the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up as the [[Ward (law)|ward]] of his Aunt Mame Dennis, the sister of his dead father.

The book is often described as having been inspired by Dennis' real-life eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner,<ref>{{cite web |title=MARION TANNER, KNOWN AS MODEL FOR 'MAME' (Published 1985) |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=31 October 1985 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410214335/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/31/nyregion/marion-tanner-known-as-model-for-mame.html |archive-date=2023-04-10 |url-status=live |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/31/nyregion/marion-tanner-known-as-model-for-mame.html |last1=Krebs |first1=Albin }}</ref> whose life and outlook mirrored those of Mame, but Dennis denied the connection. The novel was a runaway bestseller, setting records on the [[New York Times bestseller list|''New York Times'' bestseller list]], with more than 2 million copies in print during its initial publication. It became the basis of a [[Auntie Mame (play)|stage play]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Crowther|first=Bosley|date=1958-12-05|title=Screen: 'Auntie Mame'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1958/12/05/archives/screen-auntie-mame.html|access-date=2020-09-17|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> a [[Auntie Mame (film)|film]],<ref name=":0" /> a [[Mame (musical)|stage musical]], and a [[Mame (film)|film musical]].

In 1958, Dennis wrote a sequel titled ''[[Around the World with Auntie Mame]].''

==Stage adaptations==
{{Main|Auntie Mame (play)}}
The novel was adapted for the stage by [[Jerome Lawrence]] and [[Robert E. Lee (playwright)|Robert E. Lee]]. Running from October 31, 1956, to June 28, 1958, at the [[Broadhurst Theatre]], the original Broadway production starred [[Rosalind Russell]] in the title role.<ref>Beatrice Lillie was the replacement for Greer Garson (Broadway and London)<br>[https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/beatrice-lillie-49790 Beatrice Lillie – Broadway Cast & Staff - IBDB]<br>[https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/greer-garson-22101 Greer Garson – Broadway Cast & Staff - IBDB]</ref> The original Broadway cast also included [[Robert (Tex) Allen|Robert Allen]] as Mr. Babcock, [[Yuki Shimoda]] as Ito, [[Robert Cecil Smith|Robert Smith]] as Beau, [[Polly Rowles]] as Vera Charles, Jan Handzlik as young Patrick and [[Peggy Cass]] as Agnes Gooch.<ref>[http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=2577 ''Auntie Mame''] at the [[Internet Broadway Database]]. Retrieved 2014-03-15.</ref> In 1957, both Russell and Cass were nominated for [[Tony Awards]], and Cass won the award. A West Coast touring production, starring [[Eve Arden]] in the title role and [[Benay Venuta]] as Vera Charles, ran from August 4 to December 13, 1958, with stops at San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ibdb.com/tour-production/auntie-mame-531056 | title=Auntie Mame – Broadway Play – 1958-1958 Tour &#124; IBDB }}</ref>

In 1966, a musical version of the story, titled ''[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]'', starring [[Angela Lansbury]] and [[Beatrice Arthur|Bea Arthur]], opened on Broadway.

==Film adaptations==
{{Main|Auntie Mame (film)}}
In December 1958, a [[Auntie Mame (film)|film of the same title]] based on the play was released by [[Warner Brothers]] with Russell, Shimoda, Handzlik and Cass reprising their roles.<ref name=":0" /> Russell and Cass were both nominated for an [[Academy Award]], and Russell won a [[Golden Globe]] for her portrayal.

In 1974, the musical version was made into a [[Mame (film)|film of the same title]] starring [[Lucille Ball]], Bea Arthur (reprising her stage role), and [[Robert Preston (actor)|Robert Preston]]. This film was a failure at the box office—despite breaking attendance records during its [[Radio City Music Hall]] run—and critics generally panned it for Ball's singing ability and thought she was not up to the part (she was 62 years old).

==Re-issues==
In September 2001, the book was re-released in paperback by Broadway Books, an imprint of Random House.

In 2009, the Italian publisher [[Adelphi Edizioni|Adelphi]] re-released the book, which had been out of print for many years in its Italian translation, under the title ''Zia Mame''; the book reached the top spot on Italian bestseller lists and stayed there for many weeks, an unusual performance for a re-release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ibuk.it/irj/portal/anonymous?NavigationTarget=navurl://662235c094ab0555c8b501fc3add5ce5 |title=SAP NetWeaver Portal |publisher=Ibuk.it |access-date=2012-06-11}}</ref>{{clear left}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IBDB show|1747}} (1956 non-musical play starring Rosalind Russell) 
*{{IBDB show|5770|Mame}} (1966 musical play starring Angela Lansbury)
*[http://www.walkingoffthebigapple.com/2008/04/classic-new-york-of-mame-dennis.html The Classic New York of Mame Dennis] 
*[http://www.walkingoffthebigapple.com/ Walking Off the Big Apple: A Strolling Guide to New York City]

{{Lawrence and Lee|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:1955 American novels]]
[[Category:1956 plays]]
[[Category:Mame]]
[[Category:American novels adapted into films]]
[[Category:Broadway plays]]
[[Category:American novels adapted into plays]]
[[Category:American plays adapted into films]]
[[Category:Plays based on novels]]
[[Category:Plays by Robert E. Lee (playwright)]]
[[Category:Plays set in New York City]]
[[Category:Vanguard Press books]]
[[Category:Works published under a pseudonym]]