Though the success of "Laura" had increased her salary fivefold, Caspary was unhappy in Hollywood without Igee. Her work on a new novel was interrupted by preproduction on the doomed stage version of "Laura". Unfortunately the play was dreadfully miscast, Miriam Hopkins was too old for the part (yet had much influence), the producer was inexperienced and intimidated letting Hopkins run "rough shod" over the production, the lighting designer was replaced as was the stage manager and finally the director himself. Caspary and her co-writer Sklar saw the work of a year destroyed day by day. The play ran for 44 performances.