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PRINCE OF PLAYERS – Bernard Herrmann
GREATEST SCORES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
Original Review by Craig Lysy
In February of 1953, 20th Century Fox studio executive Daryl F. Zanuck came upon the novel “Prince of Players” by Eleanor Ruggles. He decided that a film adaptation of the biographical story of thespians Edwin “Ned” Booth and his notorious brother John Wilkes Booth would be an excellent vehicle for their rising star Richard Burton, who had just signed a seven film contract. Philip Dunne was placed in charge of production and provided a budget of $1.57 million, Moss Hart was hired to write the screenplay, and Dunne would also direct. The cast included; Richard Burton as Edwin “Ned” Booth, Maggie McNamara as Mary Devlin, John Derek as John Wilkes Booth, and Raymond Massey as Julius Brutus Booth. Read more…

