London
It makes a change to have a picture of a spanking in a musical that isn’t Kiss Me Kate and this one comes from Peggy-Ann, a Rogers and Hart production which enjoyed a London run of 130 performances at Daly’s Theatre from July 27 – November 19, 1927. That’s a lot of spankings for this unknown actress.
The plot is based loosely on Cinderella. Peggy Ann is the niece of the owner of a boarding house in New York. After quarrelling with her fiancee, she escapes from a hum-drum life through dreams of herself as a wealthy adventuress with a yacht, an airplane and a millionaire husband. Then she wakes up and philosophically goes back to being a drudge in her drab boarding-house and marries her boyfriend, an uninspiring A&P clerk.
I’m not sure if the spankee is Peggy herself (she has a cousin called Alice who would seem another possible candidate), but it looks as if the spanker is the geeky fiancee, who seems to be relishing this opportunity to get away from his desk and his clerical work!
New York
The musical had already had a run in New York a year earlier at the Vanderbilt Theatre – for a bottom-blistering 333 performances! The female lead was played by Helen Ford, a famous Broadway star of the time (and cousin Alice was played by an actress called Betty Starbuck).
Was there a spanking in the New York production of Peggy Ann too?
Helen Ford made her name in Rogers and Hart’s first Broadway musical Dearest Enemy (1925).
Helen Ford demonstrates her patented anti-spanking device
She played yet another naughty niece, and I found a quote in which she describes her unusual entrance:
I knew this would make a star of me. You know what sold it to me? I made the entrance in a barrel. At the time, this was shocking, you know? It was a wonderful entrance, and it was cute and it was funny, with the English redcoat soldier chasing me with one of my slippers in his hand, and obviously I had no clothes.
She entered being chased by an English soldier who was trying to spank her bare bottom with a slipper!
No wonder it made her famous!
The Spank Statement 
Very cute pic. And I love her outfit!
When I was in drama in high school I often fantasized being in a play where I was spanked on stage. Never happened but still think it would be cool.
Excelent Pic. I like it.
Awesome find there my friend!! Not only a fantastic pic, but also another one for me to search like a maniac trying to find other copies, lol.
Richard Windsor.
Thanks Spank-otk, Natty and Richard for letting me know you liked this picture. It does have real charm and character about it doesn’t it?
I agree with Natty’s point about the cute outfit of the girl, and the guy shows you don’t have to be a macho John Wayne type to make an effective spanker.
Good luck Richard with your further researches. Let me know if you find any more pics.
There’s always the possibility that this is a publicity still I suppose, but I prefer to think that there was an actual spanking in the play. 🙂
Valdor
wow what a perfect pic. everytime i think i already have my favorite cinema-related foto in my head, I stumble across s true vintage gem like this.
Bravo!