Garson Kanin wrote Born Yesterday in 1946 after he served in the US Air Force in Europe. The play debuted on Broadway on February 4th, 1946 at the Lyceum Theatre and ran for four years (1,642 performances), holding the record for the longest running play in that theatre to this day. Judy Holliday stared as Billie Dawn, and featured Paul Douglas as Harry Brock and Gary Merrill as Paul Verrall. Paul Douglas was awarded the Clarence Derwent Award for most promising male performer in 1946. The New York Times wrote, “Its casually cynical take on American politics probably gave off the aroma of warm newsprint,” when reflecting on the original production.

 

The show was so successful it was adapted into a movie in 1950; also starring Judy Holliday stared as Billie Dawn, with Broderick Crawford as Harry Brock and William Holden as Paul Verrall. Holliday won the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress in a musical or comedy. The film was also nominated for four other Academy Awards, and two other Golden globes. Kanin styled the character of Harry after Harry Cohn, the Columbia Pictures film producer and production director. Harry Cohn paid a record breaking million dollars for the rights of the script after hearing that Kanin said he, “Wouldn't sell the rights to Harry Cohn for any amount - not even a million dollars.”

 

The play returned as a Broadway revival in 1989, and featured Madeline Kahn as Billie Dawn and Edward Asner as Harry Brock. Kahn was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

 

A remake film was produced in 1993, but received negative reviews due to the adaption of the script and updated plot. Melanie Griffith stared as Billie Dawn, who was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for the Worst Actress.

 

The show returned to Broadway in 2011 at the Cort Theatre, with Nina Arianda as Billie Dawn and Jim Belushi as Harry Brock. Arianda was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play and Catherine Zuber was nominated for Best Costume Design of a Play.