On This Day
·

Kaufman and Hart's comedy "Once in a Lifetime" premieres in New York

Once in a Lifetime is a 1930 play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, the first of eight on which they collaborated in the 1930s. Hart wrote the original three-act play in 1929.

Once in a Lifetime is a 1930 play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, the first of eight on which they collaborated in the 1930s.

Hart wrote the original three-act play in 1929. When he shopped it around, producer Sam Harris arranged for Kaufman to work with Hart on several revisions and rewrites.

Hart was a 25-year-old unknown at the time. Kaufman was quite renowned, and it was his name on the marquee which drew in the audiences. At the end of the Broadway opening night, a resounding success which received numerous curtain calls, Kaufman stepped forward and gave a one-line curtain speech, "I would like this audience to know that eighty percent of this play is Moss Hart."

Historical Significance

Once in a Lifetime is a 1930 play by Moss Hart and George S.

Events Before

  1. Australian cricket icon Don Bradman follows up a first-innings 79 by scoring 112 in the third Test against England in Me

    Australian cricket icon Don Bradman follows up a first-innings 79 by scoring 112 in the third Test against England in Melbourne; his first of 29 Test centuries

  2. Mitford sister Diana Mitford (18) marries Irish peer Bryan Walter Guinness (23) in the British society wedding of the ye

    Mitford sister Diana Mitford (18) marries Irish peer Bryan Walter Guinness (23) in the British society wedding of the year

  3. Vatican City, the world's smallest country, becomes an enclave of Rome

    Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State (Italian: Stato della Città del Vaticano; Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanae), often shortened as the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state.

  4. Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, seven gangsters are killed, allegedly on Al Capone's orders

    Saint Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, seven gangsters are killed, allegedly on Al Capone's orders

  5. Cleveland Indians become the first MLB team to permanently feature numbers on the backs of uniforms; numbers correspond

    Cleveland Indians become the first MLB team to permanently feature numbers on the backs of uniforms; numbers correspond to the position in the batting order

Events After

  1. "City Lights", American silent romantic comedy film directed by Charlie Chaplin, starring himself and Virginia Cherrill,

    "City Lights", American silent romantic comedy film directed by Charlie Chaplin, starring himself and Virginia Cherrill, premieres at Los Angeles Theater

  2. New Zealand's worst natural disaster, the Hawke's Bay earthquake, kills 256 and injures thousands, devastating Napier an

    New Zealand's worst natural disaster, the Hawke's Bay earthquake, kills 256 and injures thousands, devastating Napier and the Hawke's Bay region

  3. The original "Dracula" film starring Bela Lugosi as the titular vampire is released

    Renfield is a 2023 American action comedy horror film inspired by characters from Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula and its 1931 feature film adaptation.

  4. Chicago White Sox and NY Giants play the first exhibition night game

    The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division.

  5. "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes the US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scot

    "The Star-Spangled Banner" officially becomes the US national anthem by congressional resolution; lyrics by Francis Scott Key in 1814 are set to John Stafford Smith's 18th-century tune "The Anacreontic Song"

More from the 1930s

birth

David McKee is born

David McKee, British writer and illustrator, known for british writer and illustrator, was born on 1935-01-02.

birth

Jim Bakker is born

Jim Bakker televangelist, known for american televangelist, was born on 1939-01-02. James Orsen Bakker is an American televangelist and convicted felon.

birth

Roger Miller is born

Roger Miller, American musician, known for american country musician, was born on 1936-01-02. Roger Dean Miller Sr.

Claus von Stauffenberg is promoted to Second Lieutenant

Claus Philipp Maria Justinian Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg was a German army officer who is best known for his failed attempt on 20 July 1944 to assassinate Adolf Hitler at the Wolf's Lair, part of...

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 24, 1930?
Once in a Lifetime is a 1930 play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, the first of eight on which they collaborated in the 1930s. Hart wrote the original three-act play in 1929.
Why is Kaufman and Hart's comedy "Once in a Lifetime" premieres in New York significant?
Once in a Lifetime is a 1930 play by Moss Hart and George S.

Explore More

September 24 in HistoryYear 1930