Captain Blood (1935 film) was $1,242,000. The lead role was originally offered to Robert Donat, who had starred in the successful 1934 film "The Count of Monte Cristo". The asthmatic Donat turned down the role, concerned that the action sequences would be too strenuous for him. A series of screen tests with various actors led to an unknown Australian actor named Errol Flynn. In January 1935, Warner Bros. signed the young actor and brought him to Hollywood after seeing him in a British B picture "Murder at Monte Carlo". For the female lead role, Jean Muir was originally picked to play opposite Donat, but
Captain Starlight, or Gentleman of the Road as well as the themes of the novel "Les Misérables". It is considered likely Garnet Walch's main contribution to the play was providing a comic subplot. The play was highly successful and was much revived during the 1890s and 1900s, including performances in London in 1894. Dampier played the role of Captain Starlight on stage many times to great acclaim, and it was the role he was most identified with during his career. Alfred Rolfe, who later directed the movie, was well versed with the play, having played Sir Ferdinand Morringer in its first production, George Storefield in a revival,