The Cort Theatre opened on December 20, 1912 with Laurette Taylor starring in the play "Peg o' My Heart", which ran for 603 performances, an auspicious start for the new venue. Numerous famous British actors have appeared at the Cort: Basil Rathbone played Dr. Nicholas Agi in "The Swan" in October 1923, and in April 1927 appeared as Vladimir Dubriski in "Love is Like That". In October 1924, Henry Daniell appeared as Aubrey Tanqueray in "The Second Mrs Tanqueray", was there again in August 1943 in "Murder Without Crime", and in January 1946 appeared as Leontes in "The Winter's Tale". This was also the theatre where the aspiring actor James Dean made his broadway debut in 1952 with the play "See The Jaguar".