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Archie, the musical of the early life of Cary Grant
Below is a synopsis of the musical, "Archie" which follows the early
life of Archie Leach from his humble Bristol beginnings to the heights of fame and
fortune in Hollywood.
After a bright, glamorous award ceremony (Kings of Hollywood) the birth of a baby
in Bristol in 1899 begins this musical about the early life of a Hollywood legend.
Elsie and Elias Leach have a son, John. The hardworking parents are delighted and
devoted to their new arrival. Tragedy strikes, however, as John, a sickly baby,
dies eleven months later (What Did I Do?). Suddenly life is not quite so rosy
(I Will Be Right Here for You).
Five years on, they have another child, Archibald Alexander Leach, born January 1904
(Second Chance). Elsie wants the best for her son, enrolling him in school early and
saving hard for piano lessons. She invests all her time and energy in Archie, if at
the expense of her marriage. She never forgets John and still blames herself for his
untimely death. Money is tight, so Elias takes a job in Southampton in an effort to
bring in more money. The strain of being away from home proves too much for him so
he returns to Bristol.
Archie's early childhood continues with visits to the cinema - smart Clare Street
with his mother and the not so smart Metropole with his father. He also enjoys magic
lantern shows with his friends. One day he comes home to find his mother gone, with
no explanation. She was never to return and her disappearance remained a mystery.
The neighbourhood children tease Archie because he has no mother. As a result he
becomes a loner and spends much of his time at the docks, watching the boats and
sailors. All the while withdrawing more and more into himself (Sail Away).
School is not Archie's favourite place. He dislikes all the lessons save chemistry
and has a good relationship with his chemistry teacher. It is this teacher who introduces
Archie to the Bristol Hippodrome and once there, he never looks back (Hippodrome Song).
He becomes a regular face in both the Hippodrome and the Empire, where he runs errands
for the stage crew. Before long, he is call boy at the Hippodrome and school takes
second place. No one at home is worried - his mother gone, his father working hard
and his grandmother not bothered about him. Left to his own devices, he spends more
and more time at the theatre.
The Pendertons - a group of young men, working as acrobats and knock-about comedians
arrive at the Hippodrome. Archie overhears a conversation where Robert Pender tells
how his troupe is depleted because of the war raging in Europe. Archie sees his
opportunity and writes to Mr Pender asking to join the group. He is accepted and
so begins his journey in show business. However, in order to join the group, he
lies about his age, pretending to be 16 although he is only 13. He also wrote to
Pender in his father's name, forging his signature. Elias, of course, soon finds
out and brings his son back to Bristol, back to the school he now hates. Within
months Archie is expelled and back with the Pendertons, eagerly learning his new
trade and performing on the stage he has come to love. With their success in England
growing, Robert Pender decides to take a small troupe of eight boys to America
(Olympic). Archie is amongst those chosen (Should We Ever Meet Again?).
The Pendertons' tour of America is a huge success. Audiences up and down the country
love the act. Much to the surprise of the troupe, Robert Pender announces that they
are to return to England, deciding to quit while he his ahead. Archie is bitterly
disappointed and resolves to stay. Pender talks to him and realises that he can't
persuade him otherwise. Knowing that he can't keep Archie with him, Pender releases
the young man from his contract and returns home. Archie is now alone in America
(Chasing Fame).
Work is hard and varied in New York in the 1920s. Archie sells ties, works as a
sandwich board man and entertains visitors to Colney Island as stilt-walker before
joining the vaudeville circuit. He tries his hand at everything - acrobatics,
juggling, even mind reading! As time goes by, he realises that vaudeville has had
its day. It is the dawn of the "talkies".
Archie tries to get in on the movie scene, auditioning in New York, but fails to
get anywhere as people think his neck is too big and don't like the fact that he
walks bow-legged. As a result, he stays with theatre, but that too is suffering
from the depression that is sweeping across America. In one of the few plays to
actually make it to the stage, Archie meets Fay Wray, a young actress on the brink
of her big break into Hollywood (How Was I to Know That?). She sees potential in
Archie and tells him to go to California - the place to be if you really want to get
into movies.
After three years working on Broadway, Archie decides to take a break and heads to
California. During the long drive there is plenty of time to think. Archie reflects
on his mother again, as he has done day in, day out, over the years. It is a mystery
that constantly haunts him. He wonders what happened to her and if it was something
he did that caused her to disappear.
Once in Hollywood, Archie follows-up some contacts he's been given and is rewarded
by an opportunity to audition. Unlike his previous experience, he is signed on the
spot and contracted for several movies. He is inundated with offers, frequently
working on more than one film at a time. People have difficulty with his name and
before long he is asked to change it. He responds to their request, adopting the
short, catchy name by which we know him today. What would be a long and successful
career takes off.
During this time he is introduced to Virginia Cheryl (All To Me). Romance blossoms
(Is It?) and his first big love affair ends in a proposal of marriage. (No One Else).
Just before the wedding, Archie decides to return home to visit his father. Although
they had not seen one another in many years, Archie had kept in contact, writing
regularly and sending snippets on his work. He has mixed feelings, wanting to see
his father, but returning to so many difficult memories. Thinking that his father
would be proud of his hard work and achievements, Archie is surprised to discover
that Elias is not too pleased to see him and appears to resent his success.
During this time with his father, Archie is totally shocked when it emerges that
his mother is alive. After all this time, he learns that she has been living in
Fishponds, a home only a few miles away, since that fateful day he came home to
find her gone. Archie is devastated (Forgotten Son). Instead of returning to
America as planned, he remains in England, confused and bewildered. With help and
support from Virginia, Archie eventually goes back to fulfil his work commitments
in America.
Some time later, he receives a letter informing him that his father has died.
Having just lost one parent, he re-gains the other, as he also becomes his mother's
guardian. He decides to return to Bristol to visit Elsie. Tormented with the
circumstances of John's death, she has been institutionalised and has no contact
with the outside world. She has not seen her youngest son in nearly 20 years and
is unaware of who he is and what he has become. He, in turn, has been haunted by
his mother's disappearance and knows nothing of her soul-searching and self-recrimination
at John's death. Not surprisingly, the first meeting of mother and son is awkward,
as they are, in effect, strangers to one another. Both are nervous and unsure.
The story finishes as both mother and son try to come to terms with the effects of
the death of John William Leach so many years before. (What's the Gain?).
About Cary Grant
To learn more about Cary Grant and also to read a review of "Archie" go to:
www.carygrant.org
www.carygrant.net
"Archie" photos by Simon Russell. Robert Barham photo by Chris Hare.
Odd Sock Productions
"Archie" was produced for the stage by Odd Sock Productions, of which Robert is
the chairman. Odd Sock Productions was formed to not only help develop new projects
and bring them to an audience, but also to encourage people of all abilities to participate
in the process. You can contact them at OddSock.Productions@tesco.net.
"Archie" by Robert Barham
A musical based on the early life of one of Hollywood's greatest legends.
Act 1
Kings of Hollywood
What Did I Do?
I Will Be Right Here For You
Second Chance
Sail Away
Hippodrome Song
Sail Away Reprise
Olympic
Should We Ever Meet Again?
Act 2
Chasing Fame
How Was I To Know That?
Chasing Fame Reprise
All To Me
Is It?
For Gracie
No One Else
Forgotten Son
What's The Gain?
Archie, the Musical of the early life of Cary Grant
The Journey, the story of the research into Archie, the musical
Why, a musical based on the biblical story of Job
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