{{short description|1965 play by Robert Fisher and Arthur Marx}} {{italic title}} [[File:Sam Levene in The Impossible Years Playbill.jpg|thumb|[[Sam Levene]] in The Impossible Years, 1966 Playbill cover, [[Playhouse Theatre (New York City)|Playhouse Theatre]], original [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] production]] '''''The Impossible Years''''' is a 1965 comedy play written by [[Robert Fisher (playwright)|Robert Fisher]] and [[Arthur Marx]], son of comedian [[Groucho Marx]]. After two previews, the Broadway production, directed by [[Arthur Storch]], opened on October 13, 1965, at the [[Playhouse Theatre (New York City)|Playhouse Theatre]], where it ran for 670 performances.<ref>[https://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/backstage.php?showid=323138 "'The Impossible Years' Production History. ''Broadway World.'' Retrieved from https://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/backstage.php?showid=323138]</ref> The original cast included [[Alan King (comedian)|Alan King]], [[Sudie Bond]], [[Bert Convy]], [[Neva Small]], and [[Scott Glenn]]. [[Ed McMahon]] temporarily assumed the role of Dr. Jack Kingsley for eight performances from January 17, 1966, to January 22, 1966, so Alan King could honor a previously scheduled Miami night club engagement.<ref>[https://www.playbill.com/person/ed-mcmahon-vault-0000077532 "Ed McMahon: Performer." ''Playbill''. Retrieved from https://www.playbill.com/person/ed-mcmahon-vault-0000077532]</ref>
On August 22, 1966, [[Sam Levene]] replaced Alan King in the starring role of Dr. Jack Kingsley, a psychiatrist, in the Broadway production of ''The Impossible Years'', performing the role for 322 performances until the show closed May 27, 1967 at the Playhouse Theatre.<ref>[https://www.playbill.com/person/sam-levene-vault-0000019807 "Sam Levene: Performer, Director." ''Playbill''. Retrieved from https://www.playbill.com/person/sam-levene-vault-0000019807]</ref>
After the Broadway production closed, Sam Levene starred in the first U.S. national company production of ''The Impossible Years'' and performed the hit comedy for the duration of 1967 until March 10, 1968, when the production closed at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore, Maryland. National tour stops included performances at the Mineola Theatre on Long Island; the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, New Jersey; The Playhouse Theater in Wilmington, Delaware; the Royal Alexandria Theatre in Toronto, Canada; Detroit, Michigan; the Shubert Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio; and The National Theatre in Washington, D.C.
==Plot== The comedy revolves around Jonathan Kingsley, a teaching psychiatrist at the local university, his wife, and their two teenage daughters. Complications arise when the older one develops an active interest in the opposite sex, and her younger, impressionable sister begins to emulate her .
==Adaptations== '''Film'''<br> {{Main|The Impossible Years (film)}}
The play was adapted into a [[The Impossible Years (film)|1968 film of the same name]] starring [[David Niven]], [[Lola Albright]], [[Chad Everett]], and [[Cristina Ferrare]]. Directed by [[Michael Gordon (film director)|Michael Gordon]], the screenplay was written by [[George Wells (screenwriter)|George Wells]]
'''TV movie'''<br> In 1970, it was reported [[Jackie Cooper]] and [[Bob Finkel]] had written a pilot script for a TV adaptation of the play for NBC.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hairdresser Just for Julie, Warren|author=Haber, Joyce|date=October 19, 1970|work=Los Angeles Times|page=c18}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|The Impossible Years}} * {{IBDB show|4662}} * {{IMDb title|0063128}} * {{TCMDb title|79056}} * [https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9806E7DB173AE134BC4E53DFB4678383679EDE Review of film] at ''[[The New York Times]]''
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Impossible Years}} [[Category:1965 plays]] [[Category:American plays adapted into films]] [[Category:Broadway plays]]