Advise and Consent and Fletcher Knebel's Seven Days in May it has a readily comprehensible appeal. Adaptations In an interview printed in Royal Decree (1983), Rex Stout's authorized biographer John McAleer asked the author if there were any chance of Hollywood ever making a good Nero Wolfe movie. "I don't know," Stout replied. "I suppose so. They made a movie of another story I wrote — The President Vanishes. I hate like hell to admit it but it was better than the book, I think." Paramount Pictures commenced production on its film adaptation of The President Vanishes before the book was even published. In August 1934, journalist Herbert Bayard Swope, who bore a slight resemblance to Franklin D. Roosevelt, tested for the lead role at Eastern Service Studios in Astoria, Queens. Although Swope confided to The New York Times that the results of the screen test were "not bad," he decided against playing the role. Produced by Walter Wanger and directed by William Wellman, The President Vanishes began filming in Hollywood September 10, 1934. The film is described in John Douglas Eames' The Paramount Story: Andre Sennwald reviewed the film for The New York Times: The President Vanishes was adapted for the screen by Lynn Starling, Carey Wilson and Cedric Worth, with uncredited contributions by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. "Forty-two years later, paired in a revival with Robert Penn Warren's All the King's Men, it could still stir audiences," wrote John McAleer. "For the initiated the film supplied a hint of the tale's authorship. Placing a glass of dark liquid before President Stanley, Mrs. Stanley said, 'Here's a new stout for you to try.'" Publication history 1934, New York: Farrar & Rinehart, September 17, 1934, hardcover, published anonymously 1934, New York: Grosset and Dunlap, hardcover, published anonymously 1967, New York: Pyramid #X-1698, September 1967; second printing November 1967; third printing November 1968; fourth printing #N3173 (new cover) October 1973; fifth printing January 1974, paperback 1977, New York: Jove #V-4390, September 1977, paperback 1982, New York: Bantam Nov, 1982 2011, New York: Bantam July 20, 2011, e-book References 1934 American novels Novels by Rex Stout Works published anonymously Farrar & Rinehart books American political novels American novels adapted into films Novels about coups d'état Novels set in Washington, D.C. Novels set in the 1930s Books about presidents of the United States Novels about missing people