Barefoot in the Park Barefoot in the Park Barefoot in the Park is a romantic comedy by Neil Simon. The play premiered on Broadway in 1963, and starred Robert Redford and Elizabeth Ashley. The play was made into a film in 1967, also starring Redford (and Jane Fonda). The play opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre on October 23, 1963 and closed on June 25, 1967 after 1,530 performances. This was Neil Simon's longest-running hit, and the tenth longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history. Directed by Mike Nichols, the cast starred Elizabeth Ashley (Corie), Robert Redford (Paul), Mildred Natwick (Mrs. Banks), and Kurt
Sunday in New York a lot of feeling and very funny. Peter Graves and Jane Fonda were discussed as leads in the play. Then in May 1961 Carroll Baker was mooted as star. Baker ended up going into "Come on Strong" a play written by Kanin. The lead roles ended up going to Pat Stanley, Robert Redford and Conrad Janis. Rehearsals took place in October 1961. The "New York Times" called it "inventive and chic. Only the substance is familiar and thin." Walter Kerr called it a "sentimentalised farce... precisely the kind of echo chamber exercise that drives intelligent young theatregoers to complete despair."