Weathervane Playhouse

This suspenseful thriller unravels an elegant mystery about an ex-tennis star who plots to kill his wealthy wife. Tony Wendice, who married his wife Margot for her money, now plans to murder her for the same reason. When his nefarious plan goes south, how will Tony prevent his wife from learning the truth?

In 1948, Frederick Knott began writing Dial M for Murder in a small cottage on his parents’ property in Sussex, England. The writing process was a struggle for Knott, and he worked on the play for a year and a half before completing it. After receiving rejections from half a dozen theatrical producers, the British Broadcasting Corporation bought his script for a television play. The 1952 broadcast was a hit – and a London stage production quickly followed that same year.

The Broadway production of Dial M for Murder opened October 29, 1952, at the Plymouth Theatre. After its triumph in London, the play was also a smash success in New York, running for 552 performances before closing on February 27, 1954.

Success on stage was followed by success on the silver screen. Director Alfred Hitchcock assembled Ray Milland and Grace Kelly to head up the cast for his 1954 film, and playwright Knott came on board as the screenwriter. Although Dial M for Murder was intended to be shown in theaters in a 3-D format, most theaters presented the film in a standard “flat” format as 3-D began to fade in popularity. Describing the 3-D fad, Hitchcock was later quoted by one media outlet: "It's a nine-day wonder, and I came in on the ninth day."

Weathervane Playhouse first produced Dial M for Murder in 1975. Directed by Bob Belfance, the production starred Dave Spice as Tony and Susan Freeman as Margot.

About the Playwright

Frederick Knott is perhaps best known for writing two popular stage plays that were both made into successful films. In addition to writing Dial M for Murder, Knott was the playwright of Wait Until Dark.

Born in China in 1916, Knott’s British parents were both Quaker missionaries. Knott’s interest in theater was sparked by an early introduction to Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. His family’s wealth was derived through the ownership of manufacturing mills in Lancashire in the northern part of England. As a child, Knott attended private school before entering the University of Cambridge to study law. At Cambridge, he also excelled in tennis – a sport he would later use as the avocation for one of the main characters in his first play, Dial M for Murder).

He graduated with his law degree in 1938. In 1939, England declared war on Germany, and Knott began his service in the British Army Artillery as a signals instructor. He served in the British services until 1946, rising to the rank of major.

By the time Dial M for Murder opened on Broadway in 1952, Knott had moved to the United States. The play’s director, Reginald Denham, and his wife, Mary Orr, introduced Knott to a young actress named Ann Hillary. The pair were wed in 1953. After settling first in Princeton, New Jersey, where they raised a son, they eventually moved to New York City.

In 1961, Knott’s second play, Write Me a Murder, premiered on Broadway and was considered a moderate success. Knott’s third play was another thriller, Wait Until Dark, which premiered on Broadway in 1966. Lee Remick portrayed a blind woman who is terrorized by a group of murderous criminals in her Greenwich Village basement apartment. The 1967 film adaptation starred Audrey Hepburn as the blind heroine (and earned her an Oscar nomination).

In his later years, Knott continued to sketch out ideas for new plays but never completed any new works. Income from the royalties from his three plays allowed Knott and his wife to live comfortably. "I don't think the drive was there anymore,” Knott’s wife, Ann, told the British newspaper The Independent in 2002. “He was perfectly happy the way things were."

Frederick Knott died on December 17, 2002, in New York City at the age of 86.

Crew Listings

Set Construction Crew
James Boyd, Jr.
Elijah Chase
Dale Gilbert
Kathy Kohl
Dave Moledor
Richard Morris, Jr.

Electrics Crew
Master Electrician: Jack-Anthony Ina
Electricians:
James Boyd, Jr.
Jack-Anthony Ina
Richard Morris, Jr.
Annabelle Otto
Wittman Sullivan

Sound Operators
Toussaint English
Alyssa Miller
Isabelle Mastromatteo
Robin Ungerleider

Costume Construction Crew
Beth Desberg
Wynne Gavin
Millie Keyser
Lindy Lincicolm
Wynne Gavin
Jasen Smith

Wardrobe Crew
Ozwald Casiño
Jasen Smith

Costume Inventory
Jenny Banker

Front of House
Jenny Banker
Steve Brown
Scott K. Davis
Douglas Fidler
Patti Gabb
Tonya Gulley
Kenneth Hardman
Noah Knapp
Kyle Means
Alyssa Miller
Marci Paolucci
Brad Rito
Katie Rito
Nancy Shorts
Eric Steckel
Sara Vollman
Sean Vollman

Backstage
Patti Alderson

Archival Project Information

WEATHERVANE ARCHIVAL PROJECT

Preserving memories for future generations is the focus of Weathervane Theatre’s Archival Project. Our collection of memories is extensive with more than 800 productions during our 90-year history. Creating a digital archive of this memorabilia ensures its availability for future generations.

We need your help to bring the digitization to fruition. Your donation ensures Weathervane’s theatrical legacy and helps us complete this important endeavor.

Support the Weathervane Archival Project.