Alfred Lunt

Alfred Lunt was a famous actor.

He loved to act on big stages. He met a young actress named Lynn. They fell in love and got married.

They became a great team. They almost always acted in plays together. They even toured to show plays to many people. They also had a big summer home.

This home is a special landmark now. The Lunts were very well known for their work.

Alfred Lunt was a famous American actor.

He loved the stage and loved to direct plays too. In 1917, he made his first big debut on Broadway. Later, he met a young English actress named Lynn Fontanne. They fell in love and married in 1922.

From then on, they almost always acted together. People called them "the Lunts." They were famous for playing in light comedies. They also acted in many classic plays.

The Lunts had a new way of acting. They spoke to each other in a very natural way. This made their scenes feel real and vivid. They often traveled to show plays to many people. They wanted people outside of big cities to see great art.

During the Second World War, the couple moved to England. They wanted to be with friends during the hard times. They even performed for troops in army camps. After the war, they returned to the United States. They lived at their large summer home called Ten Chimneys.

This home is now a National Historic Landmark. The Lunts retired in 1960 and lived in Wisconsin.

Alfred Lunt was a famous American actor and director.

He was best known for his long partnership with his wife, Lynn Fontanne. They were often called "the Lunts" by their many fans. The couple became a huge success on both sides of the Atlantic. They were celebrated for their stylish performances in many different plays. People loved seeing them together on the stage. Their work brought joy and excitement to theater audiences for decades.

The Lunts changed how people acted on stage. They used a natural way of speaking their lines. Before them, actors rarely spoke while another person was still talking. The Lunts changed this to make scenes feel more real and vivid. This new style helped their performances stand out from others. They also believed in touring their plays to many different places. They wanted people in small towns to see great Broadway shows. This helped many playwrights share their stories with more people.

Alfred was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 12, 1892.

He grew up in a family that lived in Waukesha. He first started acting in high school and at college. In 1912, he moved to Boston to work in a theater. He made his first professional appearance in a play called The Aviator. Later, he met Lynn Fontanne while working in Washington, D.C. They fell in love and married in May 1922. They began appearing in plays together in 1923.

The Lunts worked with many famous writers and groups. They were part of the Theatre Guild, which staged many innovative plays. One of their biggest hits was Design for Living by Noël Coward.

This play was so popular it broke box-office records. They also performed classics like The Taming of the Shrew and The Seagull. During the Second World War, they moved to England to be with friends. They even performed for troops in army camps in France and Germany. They returned to the United States after the war ended.

In their later years, the Lunts lived at their summer home.

This large house was called Ten Chimneys in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin. It was a place where they hosted many famous friends.

Today, Ten Chimneys is a National Historic Landmark. The couple retired from the stage in 1960. Alfred Lunt died in 1977, and Fontanne died in 1983. Their lives remain a big part of theater history.

Alfred Lunt was a prominent American actor and director.

He is most famous for his enduring stage partnership with his wife, Lynn Fontanne. Throughout the 1920s to the 1960s, they co-starred in major Broadway and West End productions. Known collectively as "the Lunts," they became celebrated icons on both sides of the Atlantic. Their work spanned a wide range of genres. They performed in classical works like *The Taming of the Shrew* and *The Seagull*. They were also highly regarded for their stylish roles in light comedies. Their partnership was so close that they nearly always appeared on stage together after their marriage.

Lunt’s professional approach changed the way actors delivered dialogue. He and Fontanne introduced a naturalistic technique to the stage. Before this, it was uncommon for actors to speak while another person was still talking. By overlapping their speech, the Lunts made their scenes feel more vivid and real. This method helped them stand out from other contemporary actors. They were also dedicated to the practice of touring. They took Broadway hits to remote locations and large American cities. This ensured that playwrights could reach wider audiences. It also allowed people outside of New York to experience high-quality theater.

Alfred David Lunt Jr. was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on August 12, 1892.

His father was a prosperous lumberman and land agent. After his father's death in 1894, the family moved to Waukesha. Lunt's interest in the theater began during his high school and college years. In 1912, he moved to Boston to work at the Castle Square Theatre. He made his first professional appearance there on October 7, 1912. He played the role of the Sheriff in a play called *The Aviator*. He spent two years as a member of that stock company.

Lunt's career progressed through various touring companies and Broadway debuts. In 1917, he made his Broadway debut with Laura Hope Crews's company. While working in a summer stock season in Washington, D.C., he met Lynn Fontanne. They fell in love and married in May 1922. In 1923, they made their first joint appearance in *Sweet Nell of Old Drury*. By 1924, they joined the Theatre Guild. This organization was known for staging serious and innovative plays. These plays often defied the standard conventions of commercial Broadway managements.

Their partnership reached a major milestone with the play *Caprice* in 1928. This production was the first time the couple, rather than the play itself, was the main attraction. It also marked the beginning of their inseparable theatrical partnership. They brought *Caprice* to London in 1930, where they gained immense admiration. Their success continued with several notable writers. They starred in plays by Noël Coward, S. N. Behrman, and Terence Rattigan. One of their most significant successes was Coward's *Design for Living* in 1932.

This play broke box-office records and earned the stars some of the highest salaries in Broadway history.

During the Second World War, the Lunts showed great devotion to their friends and community. At Fontanne's request, they moved to England from 1943 to 1945. They wanted to share the hardships faced by Fontanne's family and friends. During this time, they performed in the West End. They also performed for troops in army camps across France and Germany in 1945. After the war, they returned to the United States. They continued to work with the Theatre Guild and toured extensively. Lunt also expanded his career by directing, including a praised production of *Così fan Tutte* at the Metropolitan Opera.

In their later years, the Lunts spent time at their country estate.

This home was called Ten Chimneys and was located in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin. Lunt had purchased the site in 1913 using his inheritance. The estate served as a summer home where they hosted many theatrical colleagues. One famous performer, Carol Channing, once compared the importance of Genesee Depot to the Vatican.

Today, Ten Chimneys is recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The Lunts retired from the stage in 1960. Alfred Lunt passed away in 1977, followed by Fontanne in 1983.