Still Life (play) "The Times" called it "a serious and sympathetic study of humdrum people suddenly trapped by love" and strongly praised Coward both for the play and his performance. After the successful production of the play, Coward expanded and adapted it into a full-length film script, "Brief Encounter" (1945), which was filmed by David Lean, with Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard in the roles originally played by Lawrence and Coward. A radio adaptation of the film was broadcast in 1955, and the following year Coward made a version for two voices which he recorded with Margaret Leighton. A French translation was given
Noel Gay as that in musical comedy grew. He began writing popular songs, using the stage name Noel Gay. According to Morley the name was derived "from a sign he read on a London bus in 1924: 'NOEL Coward and Maisie GAY in a new revue'." His pseudonym of Stanley Hill was used from time to time for his more sentimental work. After contributing to revues such as "Stop Press" he was commissioned to write the entire score and lyrics for André Charlot's 1926 revue. His next show was "Clowns in Clover", which starred Cicely Courtneidge and Jack Hulbert, a husband-and-wife team