Three Men on a Horse

by John Cecil Holm And George Abbott, George Abbott, John Cecil Holm

Erwin Trowbridge sometimes chafes at suburban life, and at his rather uninspiring job of writing greeting card slogans for a boss who pays small wages. One day Erwin, fed up with his wife and brother-in-law, instead of going to the office, makes his way to a saloon, determined to declare his independence of home and business. There he falls in with two men and a girl whose "profession" is betting on the horses. Now Erwin's hobby is "doping" out the races and he becomes fabulously rich—on paper. He picks the right horses, but never once places a bet. He tells his new friends what horses to bet on, and to their astonishment, they win. Erwin will prove a gold mine if properly managed, and the three professionals decide to hold onto him for dear life. Though Erwin has misgivings, he is persuaded to remain with his new-found friends at a hotel and regularly dope out the races. But he becomes increasingly concerned about his job (which does really suit him) and his wife (who does really love him). Matters with Erwin and his companions come to a climax when one of them suspects him of double-crossing, and he insists on Erwin's betting on a horse to prove that he is straight. Erwin declares he will lose his power if he bets, and this is indeed what happens. Erwin's boss, wife and brother-in-law become worried, until they learn he is really interested in what he considers his life-work, the writing of verses. Erwin turns down an offer by an outside gambler who wants to buy a "slice" of him; he knows he will never again be able to pick winning horses; the poet in him predominates, and he is happy to return home to his loving wife.

Genres: Plays

72 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

Reviews

[Carolyn Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comedy from the 30s--mousy Ervin Trowbridge works hard, saves his money, and is misunderstood by his wife and openly detested by his pushy brother-in-law. Ervin has a special gift though--he likes to bet on the horses "on paper", never placing an actual bet; and he wins. A lot. When his gift is discovered by three local punters, his life gets kind of crazy over the next 24 hours! A great show for community or high school theaters.

[Lillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a quirky little play about a greeting card verse writer who stumbles upon a bunch of gamblers who play the horses, and how sometimes the person giving the advice should be listened to. Even though this play was written almost a hundred years ago, I still didn't like the stereotype that is the wife (subservient to men; turned on by power). Otherwise, a fun little story.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful play from Broadway's golden age. I saw a truly great production at the Shaw Festival several years ago that confirms that this is a dynamite play for anyone with a theatrical sweet tooth.