One of the earliest of over 700 Paramount productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by MCA ever since.
Booth Tarkington's play "Magnolia" was originally produced at the Liberty Theatre (New York) by Alfred A. Aarons Inc. It opened on 27th August 1923 and there were 40 performances.
(1923). Stage Play: Magnolia. Comedy. Written by Booth Tarkington. Directed by Ira Hards. Liberty Theatre: 27 Aug 1923- Oct 1923 (closing date unknown/40 performances). Cast: James Bradbury (as "Joe Patterson"), Martha Bryan-Allen (as "Lucy"), Leo Carrillo (as "Tom"), Barrington Carter (as "Rumbo"), John Harrington (as "Blackie"), J.K. Hutchinson (as "General Rumford"), Elizabeth Patterson (as "Madame Rumford"), Jack Rutherford [credited as John Rutherford] (as "Major Patterson"), Phyllis Schuyler (as "Elvira"), Malcolm Williams (as "General Orlando Jackson"), Ethel Wilson (as "Mexico"). Produced by Alfred E. Aarons. Note: Filmed by Paramount Pictures as The River of Romance (1929).
The 1924 version of this Booth Tarkington story, called The Fighting Coward, co-starred Noah Berry, the brother of Wallace Berry , in the part of Captain Blackie.