Guest - Ethel Barrymore, Richard Manney

In this May 24, 1943, episode of Information Please, Clifton Fadiman welcomes the distinguished Ethel Barrymore, star of The Corn Is Green, and theatrical publicist Richard Maney to join regulars John Kieran and Franklin P. Adams. The panel serves up literary wit, historical savvy, and theatrical charm in a lively session filled with poems, plays, and playful banter. Barrymore and Maney shine as they field questions on literary quotes, baseball trivia, and poetic riddles. From “Time, you old gypsy man” to “Out, out, brief candle,” the conversation spans Shakespeare, Longfellow, and even Rudy Vallée. The group dissects limericks, tracks famous elopers in fiction, and solves detective story mysteries with flair. Theatrical questions suit Barrymore perfectly, including one about her own performances, while Maney impresses with quick recall on baseball managers and stage families. Cultural connections abound—from Cicero to Yamanoto, and from The Hound of the Baskervilles to The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. This episode brims with classic charm, deep literary references, and Barrymore’s commanding elegance. Tune in for an enriching and spirited hour on Information Please!