Editing The Sunshine Boys

{{Short description|Play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972}}
{{For|the film adaptations|The Sunshine Boys (1975 film)|The Sunshine Boys (1996 film)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox play
| name =The Sunshine Boys
| image =The Sunshine Boys film poster.jpeg
| caption = Window card poster, original Broadway production The Sunshine Boys starring [[Jack Albertson]] and [[Sam Levene]]
| writer = [[Neil Simon]]
| original stars =[[Jack Albertson]] [[Sam Levene]]
| chorus =
| characters =
| mute =
| setting =
| date of premiere =December 20, 1972
| place =USA
| original language =English
| series =
| subject =
| genre =Comedy
| web =
}}

'''''The Sunshine Boys''''' is an original two-act play written by [[Neil Simon]] that premiered December 20, 1972, on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] starring [[Jack Albertson]] as Willie Clark and [[Sam Levene]] as Al Lewis and later adapted for film and television.

==Plot==
The play's protagonists are Al Lewis and Willie Clark.  Lewis and Clark were once a successful [[vaudevillian]] comedy duo known as the Sunshine Boys.  During the later years of their 43-year run, animosity between the partners grew to the point where they ceased to speak with each other. Eleven years prior to the events of the play, Al retired from show business, leaving Willie struggling to keep his career afloat.

Willie, now an old man struggling with memory loss, reluctantly accepts an offer from his nephew Ben, a talent agent, to reunite with Al for a [[CBS]] special on the history of comedy.  Willie and Al meet in Willie's apartment to rehearse their classic doctor and tax collector [[comedy sketch|sketch]].  The reunion gets off to a bad start, with the two getting into heated arguments over various aspects of the performance.  However, thanks to the urging of Al's daughter, the two decide to go through with the performance.

Willie and Al's dress rehearsal at CBS' studio is derailed by Al's aggressive habit of poking Willie's chest with his index finger and spitting at him every time he says a word that has a "T" in it. One of the running gags<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/07/archives/jack-spreads-a-little-sunshine-jack-spreads-sunshine.html|title=Jack Spreads A Little Sunshine|last=Berkvist|first=Robert|date=1973-01-07|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-12|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> in "The Sunshine Boys" involves Willie's resentment over having been constantly poked in the chest by his partner's all‐too‐emphatic forefinger in the course of their countless routines on stage. Willie cries, "I had a black and blue hole in my chest. He gave me the finger for 43 years!"  As Al walks off the stage in regret, Willie has a [[heart attack]] as a result of his agitated state.

Two weeks later, Willie is recovering under the care of a nurse.  Upon Ben's recommendation, he decides to move into an actors' retirement home in New Jersey.  Al, concerned about Willie's well-being, makes a visit. When the two talk, it is revealed that Al will be moving into the same home as Willie.

Neil Simon was inspired by two venerable vaudeville teams. The longevity of "Lewis and Clark" was inspired by [[Smith and Dale]] who, unlike their theatrical counterparts, were inseparable lifelong friends. The undercurrent of backstage hostility between "Lewis and Clark" was inspired by the team of [[Gallagher and Shean]], who were successful professionally but argumentative personally.<ref>{{cite book |title=No Applause – Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous |last=Stewart |first=Donald Travis |author-link=Trav S.D. |date=November 16, 2005 |publisher=Faber & Faber |isbn=978-0-86547-958-6 |page=235}}</ref> Other sources say this is based on [[Weber and Fields]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Lorenz Hart: A Poet on Broadway |last=Nolan |first=Frederick |author-link=Frederick Nolan (writer) |date=October 27, 1994 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-506837-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/lorenzhartpoeton00nola_0/page/26 26] |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/lorenzhartpoeton00nola_0/page/26 }}</ref>

==Theatre productions==
[[File:The Sunshine Boys at The Doon School.jpg|thumb|An international production at [[The Doon School]], India.]]
Produced by [[Emanuel Azenberg]] and directed by [[Alan Arkin]], the original 1972 Broadway cast starred [[Sam Levene]] as Al Lewis and [[Jack Albertson]] as Willie Clark, the [[vaudevillian]] comedy duo known as the Sunshine Boys; the play co-starred [[Lewis J. Stadlen]] as Ben, Willie Clark's nephew.<ref name="IBDB">{{cite web| url= http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=4765| title= The Sunshine Boys| publisher= Internet Broadway Database| website= IBDB.com| access-date= April 11, 2012}}</ref>

When [[Sam Levene]] and [[Jack Albertson]] departed the Broadway production to star in the first U.S. National company, they were replaced by [[Lou Jacobi]] as Al Lewis on February 12, 1974, and [[Jack Gilford]] as Willie Clark on October 30, 1973. Jacobi performed the role of Al Lewis for 72 performances. Sam Levene, the original star, is credited with performing the role of Al Lewis 466 times in the original Broadway production before headlining the first U.S. national tour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-sunshine-boys-3160|title=The Sunshine Boys|website=IDBD}}</ref>

[[Tony Award]] nominations went to Simon (Best Play), Albertson (Best Actor in a Play) and Arkin (Best Direction of a Play),<ref>{{cite news| last= Calta| first= Lewis| title= British and 2 American Plays Will Vie for Tonys| work= [[The New York Times]] | date= March 13, 1973| page= 30}}</ref> and Albertson won the [[Drama Desk Award]] for Outstanding Performance (and was nominated for a Tony as well).<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.playbill.com/person/jack-albertson-vault-0000059541| title= Jack Albertson| work= Playbill.com| access-date= January 3, 2018}}</ref> [[Al Hirschfeld]] memorialized<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alhirschfeldfoundation.org/piece/sunshine-boys#result_info_413|title=SUNSHINE BOYS {{!}} www.alhirschfeldfoundation.org|website=www.alhirschfeldfoundation.org|access-date=2020-01-12}}</ref> the legendary starring performances of [[Jack Albertson]] as Willie Clark and [[Sam Levene]] as Al Lewis, the original Broadway stars of ''The Sunshine Boys'', by creating an iconic caricature for ''[[The New York Times]]'' on December 13, 1972. Titled "Don't Poke With The Finger"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/59391288821902880/|title=#AlHirschfeld caricature of #SamLevene & #JackAlbertson titled "Don't Poke With The Finger" from #NeilSimon original Broadway… {{!}} Caricature, Jack albertson, Dramatic arts|website=Pinterest|language=en|access-date=2020-01-12}}</ref> the caricature references the finger poke running gag and Willie Clark's resentment over having been constantly and aggressively poked during the show and for 43 years by Al Lewis played by Sam Levene.

The 1972 production of ''The Sunshine Boys'' marked the beginning of Neil Simon's long association with producer Emanuel Azenberg,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/08/neil-simon-dies-popular-playwright-of-numerous-broadway-hits-was-91-1202452384/|title=Neil Simon Dies: Popular Playwright Of Numerous Broadway Hits Was 91|last1=Haring|first1=Bruce|date=August 26, 2018|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=September 28, 2019}}</ref> who produced all of Simon's original Broadway plays and musicals that followed.

[[Clive Barnes]], ''[[The New York Times]]'' chief theatre critic, reviewed the original Broadway production on December 21, 1972, stating: "''The Sunshine Boys'' is probably Mr. Simon's best play yet. It deals with a subject very dear to the playwright's heart—vaudeville. Willie Clark is an almost retired vaudeville comedian. His heart is willing, but his lines are failing. His agent is his nephew—long‐suffering and much‐loving. But even a potato‐chip commercial has not gone well, and any actor who cannot crunch potato chips has got to be on his way out."

Regarding the original Broadway stars, Barnes stated: "Jack Albertson as the heart stricken comic never puts a line wrong. He is always pathetic but never enough to make you cry. Lovely. His acerbic partner, Sam Levene, is as tough as vintage chewing gum, and yet with a sort of credible lovability."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/21/archives/theater-neil-simons-sunshine-boys-levene-and-albertson-play.html|title=Theater: Neil Simon's'Sunshine Boys'|last=Barnes|first=Clive|date=December 21, 1972|work=The New York Times|access-date=September 28, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Albertson and Levene won unanimous rave notices for their starring performances in the original Broadway production of ''The Sunshine Boys''. Until the play went into rehearsal, Albertson and Levene had never met. Director Alan Arkin recalled<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/12/28/archives/stars-share-esprit-of-sunshine-boys.html|title=Stars Share Esprit of 'Sunshine Boys'|last=Gussow|first=Mel|date=1972-12-28|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-01-12|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> in an interview with ''[[The New York Times]]'', "Now they work as collaboratively as did Smith and Dale, the legendary team on which "The Sunshine Boys" is partly based." Arkin said "Jack (Albertson) and Sam (Levene) would have these terrific yelling matches". "It used to scare hell out of everybody until we realized that it meant nothing. They were mock battles, completely without anger. They're consummate professionals." Albertson interjected: "There is a 'chemical' between the two". "He knows what I think; and I know what he thinks," Albertson told ''The New York Times''. "Sam and I have the same thing in the play. If one of us blows a line, the other covers. Frankly, I blow more lines than Sam does." The two pros were able to cover lines as they each knew the play, not just their roles. New York Post Theatre Critic [[Richard Watts Jr.]] observed<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Watts|first=Richard|date=December 26, 1972|title=Random Notes|url=https://nypost.com|journal=New York Post|volume=175|issue=4017|pages=60–1|doi=10.1126/science.175.4017.60|pmid=5008579|s2cid=38504357}}</ref> "Jack Albertson and Sam Levene offer the best team acting since [[John Gielgud|Gielgud]] and [[Ralph Richardson|Richardson]] in ''[[Home (Storey play)|Home]]" ''.

The play was revived on Broadway at the [[Lyceum Theatre (Broadway)|Lyceum Theatre]], opening on December 8, 1997, and closing on June 28, 1998, after 230 performances.  Directed by [[John Tillinger]], the cast starred [[Jack Klugman]] as Willie Clark and [[Tony Randall]] as Al Lewis.<ref name="IBDB" /><ref>{{cite web| last1= Viagas| first1= Robert| last2= Lefkowitz| first2= David| url= http://www.playbill.com/news/article/38699-Bway-Sunshine-Boys-To-Shine-On-Through-June-28| title= B'way Sunshine Boys To Shine On Through June 28| website= Playbill.com| date= May 5, 1998}}</ref>

A [[West End theatre|West End]] production of the play, starring  [[Danny DeVito]] (in his West End debut)<ref>{{cite news| url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/danny-devito-richard-griffiths-london-west-end-286052| work= [[The Hollywood Reporter]]| title= Danny DeVito to Make West End Debut in 'The Sunshine Boys'| date= January 31, 2012 |first= Stuart| last= Kemp| access-date= January 3, 2018}}</ref>) and [[Richard Griffiths]], opened on May 17, 2012, and played a limited 12-week season until July 28.<ref>{{cite web | last= Girvan | first= Andrew | url= http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831327931244/Danny+DeVito+makes+West+End+debut+alongside+Richard+Griffiths+in+The+Sunshine+Boys.html | title= Danny DeVito makes West End debut with Richard Griffiths in 'Sunshine Boys' | website= whatsonstage.com | date= January 30, 2012 | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120724004657/http://www.whatsonstage.com/news/theatre/london/E8831327931244/Danny+DeVito+makes+West+End+debut+alongside+Richard+Griffiths+in+The+Sunshine+Boys.html | archive-date= July 24, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web| last= Shenton| first= Mark| url= http://www.playbill.com/article/west-end-the-sunshine-boys-starring-danny-devito-and-richard-griffiths-sets-dates-and-theatre-com-186935 |title= West End The Sunshine Boys, Starring Danny DeVito and Richard Griffiths, Sets Dates and Theatre| website= Playbill.com| date= January 30, 2012| access-date= January 3, 2018}}</ref>

Griffiths was later replaced by DeVito's "Taxi" co-star, [[Judd Hirsch]]. In a 2013 review of the Hirsch/Devito cast at the Ahmanson Theatre, Myron Meisel observed: "It's been more than 40 years since ''The Sunshine Boys'' first graced Broadway (with the still unimprovable Jack Albertson and Sam Levene), nearly as long in the tooth as the "Smith and Dale" sketch "Dr. Kronkheit and His Only Living Patient" was when this show was new. Simon fashioned a new, improved update on the routine for his fictional team of Lewis & Clark (Hirsch & DeVito), and his knowledgeable ear for what was then vintage and is now antique humor allows him to bring these anachronistic stylings into a then-contemporary comic setting without compromising the integrity of their original zingy ballsiness".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Meisel |first1=Myron |title=The Sunshine Boys: Theater Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sunshine-boys-theater-review-642663 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=September 29, 2019 |language=en |date=October 3, 2013}}</ref>

===West End cast===
*[[Danny DeVito]] – Willie Clark
*[[Richard Griffiths]] – Al Lewis
*[[Adam Levy (actor)|Adam Levy]] – Ben Silverman
*[[William Maxwell (actor)|William Maxwell]] – Patient & [[Understudy]] Willie
*[[Peter Cadden]] – Voice of TV Director & Understudy Al and Patient
*[[Nick Blakeley]] – Eddie & Understudy Ben
*[[Rebecca Blackstone]] – Miss MacKintosh
*[[Johnnie Fiori]] – Registered Nurse
*[[Oliver Stoney]] – Understudy Eddie & TV Director
*[[Clementine Marlowe-Hunt]] – Miss MacKintosh & Registered Nurse<ref name="run1">{{cite journal |journal=Savoy Theatre Program |title=The Sunshine Boys |date=April 2012 }}</ref><ref name="run2">{{cite web |title=The Sunshine Boys |url=http://www.soniafriedman.com/whats_on/the_sunshine_boys/cast |work=Sonia Friedman Productions website}}</ref>

==Adaptations==

===American versions===
;[[The Sunshine Boys (1975 film)|The 1975 feature film]] : Stars [[George Burns]] as Lewis and [[Walter Matthau]] as Clark. ''The Sunshine Boys'' was Burns' first film appearance in 36 years and he won the [[Best Supporting Actor Oscar]] for his performance.

;1977 TV pilot : Stars [[Lionel Stander]] as Lewis and [[Red Buttons]] as Clark. The [[television pilot|pilot]] was not picked up for a series, but was broadcast by [[NBC]] on June 9, 1977.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tonight's Previews |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PMFaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6687%2C1956616 |access-date=June 13, 2018 |work=[[Evening Independent]] |date=June 9, 1977 |location=St. Petersburg, Fla. |page=12-B}}</ref>

;[[The Sunshine Boys (1996 film)|The 1996 TV movie]] : Stars [[Woody Allen]] as Lewis and [[Peter Falk]] as Clark. Neil Simon adapted his play for [[RHI Entertainment|Hallmark Entertainment]]. Directed by [[John Erman]], it was not broadcast until December 28, 1997. Other performers include [[Michael McKean]], [[Liev Schreiber]], [[Edie Falco]], [[Sarah Jessica Parker]], and [[Whoopi Goldberg]] in supporting roles.<ref name=bhop>{{cite news| last= Stewart| first= Bhob| url= https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/160112/THE-SUNSHINE-BOYS/overview | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080325125844/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/160112/The-Sunshine-Boys/overview | url-status= dead | archive-date= March 25, 2008 | department= Movies & TV Dept.| work= [[The New York Times]]|title='The Sunshine Boys' (1997)| author-link= Bhob Stewart| date= 2008| access-date= April 11, 2012}}</ref> Simon's teleplay updated the setting and made the two comedians the product of the early days of television, the medium in which the playwright got his start.<ref name=bhop/> Unlike the film adaptation, although they are portrayed as cantankerous, their animosity was not as severe as Matthau's and Burns' characters' bad relationship.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IBDB show|8428}}
* {{IMDb title|0114580|The Sunshine Boys|(TV, 1995)}}
* {{IMDb title|0316646|Sonny Boys|(TV, 1982)}}
* {{IMDb title|0458954|Sonny Boys|(TV, 1995)}}
* {{IMDb title|0290077|Sonny Boys|(TV, 2001)}}

{{Neil Simon}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sunshine Boys, The}}
[[Category:1972 plays]]
[[Category:Broadway plays]]
[[Category:American plays adapted into films]]
[[Category:Plays by Neil Simon]]
[[Category:Plays set in New York City]]
[[Category:Works about old age]]
[[Category:American television films]]
[[Category:Television shows based on plays]]