I'd Like to Do It Again

In Short

Owen Davis’s I'd Like to Do It Again is a candid theatrical memoir chronicling his journey from a struggling twelve-dollar-a-week actor to a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright with over three hundred plays to his name. Davis details the wild era of 10-20-30 cent melodramas, the mechanics of commercial playwriting, the evolution of American stage craft, and his frustrating stint in early Hollywood. Part history and part craft guide, the book endures as a warm, funny, and deeply honest record of American entertainment in transition.

The Story

The narrative follows Owen Davis through four decades of the American theater, tracing a career that spans from late nineteenth-century touring companies to the birth of modern Broadway and the golden age of cinema. Beginning as a young actor playing five minor roles a night and counting gallery tickets for a mere twelve dollars a week, Davis immerses himself in every facet of the stage. He watches legendary actors like Janauschek and studies the mechanics of production from the ground up, learning through relentless trial and error.

Recognizing his true calling lies in writing, Davis begins churning out sensational melodramas for popular-priced circuits like the Stair and Havlin Circuit. Alongside colorful managers like Al Woods and Gus Hill, he masterminds formulaic hits that feature strict character tropes: the noble hero, the silk-hatted villain, the heavy blonde, and the trusted comedian. Shows like Nellie, the Beautiful Cloak Model bring immense financial profit, but as popular taste shifts and the old melodrama circuit dies out, Davis undergoes a personal and professional transformation. Encouraged by his wife, Elizabeth, and sobered by the events of World War I, he turns toward serious, realistic drama, eventually achieving critical acclaim and proving that a craftsman can evolve alongside his audience.

As the theatrical landscape modernizes, Davis witnesses the rise of new directors, modern critics like William Winter, and new producing bodies like the Theatre Guild. He offers a detailed peek into his creative method, outlining how to construct farces, handle collaborative failures, and defend an author's manuscript against meddling managers and actors. His path eventually leads him to Hollywood, where he encounters the chaotic studio system of the early sound era. Dismayed by the assembly-line writing methods, absurd casting choices, and corporate interference, he realizes that the screen cannot match his passion for the stage. Returning to New York to join his wife and two sons—who have both entered the family business as actor and playwright—Davis reflects on a chaotic, joyful life in the theater, eagerly picking up his pen for the next season.

How It Unfolds

The voyage begins Starting out as a low-paid stock actor and gallery doorkeeper, Davis learns the fundamentals of the stage by performing multiple small parts in touring companies. He observes the immense discipline and grand style of traditional theatrical icons, noting how grueling life on the road truly is.

Up from melodrama Transitioning to playwriting, Davis churns out dozens of cheap, sensational melodramas designed to yield reliable weekly profits on popular theater circuits. He eventually abandons these rigid formulas to write serious modern dramas, elevated by his wife’s persistent encouragement and his own maturing sensibilities.

The dramatist's profession Reflecting on the mechanics of his craft, Davis shares practical advice on writing farce, maintaining creative control, and braving the conflicts inherent in theater production. He insists that a playwright must possess relentless courage to defend their vision against directors, managers, and actors.

Hollywood chaos Invited to write for talking pictures, Davis spends a winter in California observing the baffling disorganization of studio story conferences and group writing. Frustrated by the corporate squandering of top literary talent, he leaves the film industry behind to return to his true home on Broadway.

The People

• Owen Davis wants to earn a living in the theater, master the craft of playwriting, and maintain his artistic independence across changing eras. Faced with shifting public tastes, commercial pressures, and the baffling studio mechanics of Hollywood, he evolves from a writer of cheap, mechanical melodramas into an adaptable, respected Broadway dramatist who fiercely loves his trade.
• Elizabeth Breyer Davis wants her husband to honor his true artistic potential rather than relying on easy commercial formulas. Standing as his steady moral and creative anchor, her ten years of gentle persuasion push Davis to abandon cheap thrills in favor of writing higher-quality, serious plays.
• A. L. Woods wants to pack theaters with high-energy, sensational entertainment and maximize profits across popular show circuits. Despite facing death threats and shifting audience demands, his bold managerial instincts make him a long-time companion and collaborator in Davis's early commercial ventures.
• Eugene O'Neill stands in Davis's estimation as an unmatched, singular force who possesses genuine genius. Unbothered by standard technical conventions, his raw, deeply sensitive emotional depth sets the high benchmark toward which modern American drama strives.

In Its Own Voice

"When I knew her she was short and dumpy and old but in her presence one had the feeling of the latent power and fire of this remarkable woman and a sense of the pity and irony of her slow decay."

Davis remembers the great European actress Janauschek during his early days as a twelve-dollar-a-week stock actor.

"Dream out a story about the sort of persons you know the most about, and tell it as simply as you can."

Summoning decades of experience, Davis distills the entire essence of playwriting into one straightforward instruction for beginners.

"I have served the theater joyfully for a long time and if a good fairy appeared before me to-day and offered me the famous 'one wish' I am sure that I should say, 'Please, good fairy, I’d like to do it again.'"

Looking back across a forty-year career filled with triumphs and trials, Davis affirms his enduring love for his life's work.

What It's Really About

Beneath the theatrical anecdotes and behind-the-scenes trade secrets, I'd Like to Do It Again explores the evolution of artistic taste and the work ethic required to sustain a lifelong creative career. Davis argues that true craftsmanship requires conviction; a writer cannot successfully "write down" to an audience without believing in the emotional truth of the story. The book examines the struggle between raw commercialism and artistic integrity, demonstrating how shifting cultural norms naturally dismantle rigid censorship and outdated formulas. Ultimately, it is a testament to resilience, highlighting the courage required to stand alone, adapt to changing times, and maintain one's creative identity against corporate and commercial interference.

Why Read It Today

I'd Like to Do It Again offers a delightfully warm, unpretentious journey into the forgotten world of early twentieth-century American entertainment. Modern readers, theatre enthusiasts, and aspiring writers will find immense value in Davis’s self-deprecating humor, sharp observation, and practical insights on creative stamina. His vivid descriptions of the old melodrama circuits provide a rare, eye-opening glimpse into how popular culture functioned before television and film took over.

While readers should expect period-specific references to long-forgotten theatrical figures and dated vernacular, Davis’s prose moves with a crisp, conversational speed that feels remarkably fresh. His critiques of Hollywood's assembly-line story departments sound surprisingly modern, echoing contemporary debates about creative control in screenwriting. What stays with you after reading is Davis's profound joy and lack of cynicism. Rather than romanticizing the past or bitterly decrying change, he celebrates the evolution of his art form with generous enthusiasm. It is an inspiring read for anyone interested in the realities of making a living through creative writing.