- character ▁mar ital ▁comedy ▁written ▁by ▁Jean ▁K err ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Joseph ▁Anthony ▁opened ▁at ▁the ▁Helen ▁Hay es ▁Theatre ▁on ▁ 8 ▁March ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁It ▁ran ▁for ▁a ▁very ▁successful ▁ 1 , 5 7 2 ▁performances , ▁closing ▁at ▁the ▁Mor os co ▁Theatre ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁December ▁ 1 9 6 4 . ▁R enn ie ▁stayed ▁with ▁the ▁production ▁less ▁than ▁five ▁months , ▁to ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁Michael ▁Wild ing ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁ ▁When ▁Warner ▁B ros . ▁cast ▁the ▁film ▁version ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 6 3 , ▁R enn ie , ▁along ▁with ▁leading ▁man ▁Barry ▁Nelson ▁and ▁supporting ▁actor ▁Hir am ▁Sh erman ▁( who ▁joined ▁the ▁play ▁two ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁opening ▁in ▁the ▁part ▁first ▁played ▁by ▁John ▁C rom well ) ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁Broadway ▁cast ▁members ▁to ▁carry ▁over . ▁Deb bie ▁Reyn olds ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁title ▁role ▁created ▁by ▁Barbara ▁Bel ▁Ged des , ▁and ▁Warner ' s ▁contract ▁player ▁D iane ▁Mc B ain , ▁whom ▁the ▁studio ▁saw ▁as ▁a ▁potential ▁star ▁of ▁the ▁future , ▁took ▁over ▁" the ▁social ite ▁part " ▁ess ay ed ▁by ▁B ets y ▁von ▁Fur sten berg . ▁Mer v yn ▁Le Ro y ▁produced ▁and ▁directed ▁the ▁film , ▁which ▁opened ▁at ▁Radio ▁City ▁Music ▁Hall ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁October ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 9