Dear Octopus is a comedy by the playwright and novelist Dodie Smith. It opened at the Queen's Theatre, London on 14 September 1938. On the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, the run was halted after 373 performances;[1] after a spell in the provinces in early 1940, the play was brought back to London, and played two further runs there until 31 August 1940.[2]
The play depicts the relationships between three generations of a large family. The "dear octopus" of the title refers to the family itself, whose tentacles its members can never escape.[3]
^Gaye, p. 1530
^"Bournemouth", The Times, 5 January 1940 p. 2; "The Theatres", The Times 6 May 1940, p. 4; and "The Theatres", The Times 31 August 1940, p. 6
^Cite error: The named reference ivor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
DearOctopus is a comedy by the playwright and novelist Dodie Smith. It opened at the Queen's Theatre, London on 14 September 1938. On the outbreak of...
(2019). She most recently starred in the 2024 National Theatre revival of DearOctopus. Carter was born in Westminster to actors Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter...
children's novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956). Other works include DearOctopus (1938) and The Starlight Barking (1967). The Hundred and One Dalmatians...
2024). "DearOctopus: Lindsay Duncan is a catty delight in this forgotten West End hit". telegraph. Wyver, Kate (15 February 2024). "DearOctopus review...
Gibraltar with John Gielgud. Wilding finally became a film name with DearOctopus (1943). He followed it with English Without Tears (1944). What really...
Journey Into Night (2016) Europe (2018) Hamlet, Bristol Old Vic (2022) DearOctopus, Lyttelton Theatre (2024) Conner, Megan (20 May 2018). "Billy Howle:...
gladly to direction. Gielgud engaged Byam Shaw to direct Dodie Smith's DearOctopus in 1938 with a cast including Gielgud, Marie Tempest, Kate Cutler and...
British star at the box office. She appeared in two comedies for Black: DearOctopus (1943) with Michael Wilding from a play by Dodie Smith, which Lockwood...
(2023) Dear England by James Graham directed by Rupert Gould (2023) The Witches (2023–2024) The House of Bernarda Alba (2023–2024) DearOctopus (2024)...
1939). "DearOctopus – Broadway Play – Original". IBDB. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022. "DearOctopus (Broadway...
which the Hulberts appeared together was a well-reviewed revival of DearOctopus at the Haymarket Theatre in 1967 with Richard Todd, Joyce Carey and Ursula...
Difference of Opinion, The Killing of Sister George (also on Broadway), DearOctopus and The Beastly Beatitudes of Balthazar B. She appeared in the sitcoms...
Tomlin Back-Room Boy (1942) - Albert The True Story of King Alfred (1943) DearOctopus (1943) - Fred the Chauffeur Time Flies (1944) - His Nephew A Canterbury...
Walk Beside You (1943) as Ma Perkins The Flemish Farm (1943) as Frau DearOctopus (1943) as Flora Millions Like Us (1943) as Landlady (uncredited) Rhythm...
Uncredited In Which We Serve Mrs. Blake Much Too Shy Amelia Peabody 1943 DearOctopus Mrs. Glossop The New Lot Keith's Mother Short – Uncredited 1944 It Happened...
Mother Short Documentary 1942 In Which We Serve Mrs. Alix Kinross 1943 DearOctopus Cynthia aka The Randolph Family 1944 This Happy Breed Ethel Gibbons National...
by Robert Gore Brown (1938), Traitors Gate by Norma Stuart (1938) and DearOctopus by Dodie Smith (1938–39). Having attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit...
Flemish Farm Two Cities Jeffrey Dell Sydney Box Clive Brook Sep 1943 DearOctopus Gainsborough Harold French Edward Black Margaret Lockwood, Michael Wilding...
Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray and Roger Livesey – also toured South Africa DearOctopus by Dodie Smith (1967) – Haymarket Theatre, London "The Winslow Boy" (1971)...
repertory company of John Gielgud. Among the plays he appeared in was DearOctopus. In 1938, he auditioned for and was cast the role for which he is perhaps...
Episode: "The Spirit of Freedom" ITV Playhouse Nicolas Randolph Episode: "DearOctopus" BBC Play of the Month Julius Sagamore Episode: "The Millionairess" 1973...
of the same year Gielgud appeared in Dodie Smith's sentimental comedy DearOctopus. The following year he directed and appeared in The Importance of Being...
Wedding (1941) - Aunt Florence The Young Mr. Pitt (1942) - Mrs. Sparry DearOctopus (1943) - Vicar's Wife Two Girls and a Sailor (1944) - Mrs. Church I Know...
living. This was followed by a role as a young girl in Dodie Smith's DearOctopus (1938), with John Gielgud and Marie Tempest at the Queen's theatre, London...
Unpublished Story (1942) as Lamb London Scrapbook (1942) as Himself DearOctopus (1943) as Kenneth Millions Like Us (1943) as Charters Twilight Hour (1945)...
1936 Hail and Farewell Uncredited 1937 The Reverse Be My Lot Helen 1943 DearOctopus Uncredited 1944 Fanny by Gaslight Polly Uncredited 1945 A Place of One's...
(1934), Point Valaine (1935), Tonight at 8.30 (1936), Excursion (1937), DearOctopus (1939) and Set to Music (1939). In 1929, Calthrop had an affair with...
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