1965

1965 was the first season with Walter Perner as producer. He succeeded Mike Ellis and held the position for three seasons. During Wally Perner's tenure, it was said that there was no need to go to Broadway because everything that New York had to offer could be found at the Bucks County Playhouse.
Julie Harris
Julie Harris with Wally Perner
Opening the season was Julie Harris starring in The Hostage. It was Ms. Harris' first summer stock appearance. The production was such a smash that it broke the house record for highest gross. The record was previously held by Our Town starring Arthur Godfrey in 1964.
The second show of the season was Mary, Mary starring Shari Lewis. It was Ms. Lewis' first appearance at the Playhouse. Young audiences knew her from her children's show and puppets Lamb Chop and Charlie Horse. She also made guest appearances on many of the most popular television shows of the day including Ed Sullivan, Bob Hope-Chrysler, United States Steel Hour and Car 54.
Shari Lewis
The third attraction of the 1965 season was Edward Albee's Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? A hit on Broadway in 1962, the Playhouse production starred Colleen Dewhurst and James Daly. Ms. Dewhurst had last appeared at the Playhouse in 1957 in productions of Witness For The Prosecution and A View From The Bridge.
Colleen Dewhurst
Next up was Noel Coward's Hay Fever described as Coward's favorite comedy. In the cast was Margaret Phillips, John McMartin, Burt Brinckerhoff, Jane Elliot and Margaret Hamilton. Hamilton is best known for her portrayal of The Wicked Witch of the West in the M.G.M. classic, The Wizard of Oz. McMartin was a regular on many of television's most popular shows. Elliot has since been seen on many daytime dramas and is best known as Tracy Quartermaine on ABC-TV's General Hospital and The City.
Margaret Phillips
Dody Goodman and Eddie Bracken starred in A Thurber Carnival by James Thurber.
Dody Goodman
The Typists and The Tiger were two plays presented together July of 1965. The cast was made up of actor, Dick Shawn and actress, Lois Nettleton.
Lois Nettleton
Warren Berlinger
The Cast of Tom Jones treated to a luncheon at the old Eagle Fire House in New Hope. From left to right - Chris Gampel, Annette Hunt, director Mesrop Kesdekian, Margaret Hamilton, an unidentified actress and Warren Berlinger. Penny Larsen, then the Playhouse press representative and later Playhouse actress, is sitting with her back to the camera.
Tom Jones was the seventh show of the season and was one of the most complicated shows that the Playhouse had ever done. The show took place in castles, courtyards, stables and inns and featured a huge cast. Tom Jones starred Warren Berlinger. The cast also featured the return of Margaret Hamilton who had appeared in Hay Fever earlier in the season.

The Solid Gold Cadillac was next at the Playhouse and was set to star Pearl Bailey in her first non-musical role. The story centered on a former actress who owns ten shares of General Products stock and makes the pompous board of directors live to regret it. Ms. Bailey suffered a heart seisure prior to the opening and was ordered to rest immediately. She was replaced with Imogene Coca. It was Ms. Coca's first appearance of many at the Playhouse.
Pearl Bailey
Quality Street was the next production at The Bucks County Playhouse. Heading the cast was actress, Nancy Dussault. The cast included comedienne Anna Russell and actress,Frances Sternhagen. The cast also included Jimmy Rado who went on to write the lyrics for the musical, Hair.
Nancy Dussault
The final show of the 1965 season was So Much of Earth, So Much of Heaven. It got a great deal of publicity for the Playhouse because actor Claude Raines came out of retirement to star. Raines performed the opening show but soon became ill and was taken to the hospital where he died.
Claude Raines