Selwyn, Arch(ibald)

Selwyn, Arch[ibald] (1877?–1959), producer. He appears to have been the son of a Polish‐Jewish immigrant whose surname was actually Simon, and he was probably born in Toronto. He came to New York after his older brother Edgar Selwyn gained success as an actor, then held a series of odd jobs before working in the box office of the Herald Square Theatre. Later he formed a play brokerage business with Edgar, and then the brothers merged with Elisabeth Marbury and John Ramsay to form the larger American Play Company. The brothers' other firm, Selwyn and Company, was a major producer whose hits included Within the Law (1912), Under Cover (1914), Fair and Warmer (1915), Why Marry? (1917), Tea for Three (1918), Wedding Bells (1919), Smilin' Through (1919), The Circle (1921), Jane Cowl's Romeo and Juliet (1923), Charlot's Revue (1924), and Dancing Mothers (1924). After splitting with his brother he continued to produce alone, although whatever success he had was with importations such as This Year of Grace (1928) and, with Florenz Ziegfeld, Bitter Sweet (1929). The Selwyns also built three New York theatres (the Apollo, the Selwyn, and the Times Square) as well as two bandbox playhouses in Chicago.