| I Ought to Be in Pictures | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Poster for Broadway production | |
| Written by | Neil Simon |
| Date premiered | 1979 |
| Place premiered | Mark Taper Forum,Los Angeles |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | A struggling writer is forced to come to terms with his daughter, who he has not seen for many years |
| Genre | Comedy drama |
I Ought to Be in Pictures is a comedy drama play written byNeil Simon, his 18th. The play opened onBroadway in 1980. It was subsequently made into a film, released in 1982. The play involves a film screenwriter who has abandoned his family, and his daughter who arrives at his home, seeking his help in becoming an actress.
Produced byEmanuel Azenberg, the play had its premiere at theAhmanson Theatre inLos Angeles in 1979, withTony Curtis as Herb. After 17 previews, the Broadway production, directed byHerbert Ross, opened on April 3, 1980, at theEugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 324 performances.Ron Leibman (replacingTony Curtis) as Herb,Dinah Manoff as Libby andJoyce Van Patten as Steffy comprised the cast.Bill Macy andDick Latessa subsequently portrayed Herb.
Dinah Manoff won the 1980Tony Award, Best Featured Actress in a Play.
The three-charactercomedy-drama involves Herbert Tucker, a strugglingscreenwriter withwriter's block who abandoned his New York family 16 years earlier. His daughter Libby arrives at theWest Hollywood home of her father, who she barely remembers. She is convinced that he can give her the Hollywood acting career she desires.
Filled with guilt and demanding love, Libby not only forces Herb to deal with the responsibilities of parenthood, but to come to terms with hison-again/off-again relationship with girlfriend Steffy.
Simon adapted his play for a 1982feature film directed by Herbert Ross. Manoff reprised her role of Libby, withWalter Matthau as Herb andAnn-Margret as Steffy. Additional characters portrayed byLance Guest andDavid Faustino, among others, were added to the plot.[1]