Butterflies Are Free
Directed by	Milton Katselas
Produced by	M.J. Frankovich
Written by	Leonard Gershe
Starring	Goldie Hawn, Edward Albert, Eileen Heckart, Paul Michael Glaser, Michael Warren
Music by	Bob Alcivar
Cinematography	Charles B. Lang
Editing by	David Blewitt
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	6 July 1972, 22 September 1972, 2 November 1972
Running time	109mins
Country	United States
Language	English

Butterflies Are Free is a play by Leonard Gershe.

Loosely based on the life of attorney Harold Krents, the plot revolves around a Manhattan blind man whose controlling mother disapproves of his relationship with a free-spirited hippie. The title was inspired by a passage in Charles Dickens' Bleak House: "I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies."

After twelve previews, the Broadway production, directed by Milton Katselas, opened on October 21, 1969 at the Booth Theatre, where it ran for 1128 performances. The cast included Keir Dullea, Blythe Danner, and Eileen Heckart, who later in the run was replaced by Gloria Swanson. Stephen Schwartz composed the title song.

Gershe, Katselas, and Heckart reunited for the 1972 screen adaptation (set in San Francisco) with Edward Albert and Goldie Hawn. Heckart won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and Albert received a Golden Globe as Most Promising Male Newcomer.

[edit] Cast

• Goldie Hawn as Jill Tanner
• Edward Albert as Don Baker
• Eileen Heckart as Mrs. Baker
• Paul Michael Glaser as Ralph Austin
• Michael Warren as Roy

[edit] Broadway awards and nominations

• Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play (Danner, winner; Heckart, nominee)
• Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play (nominee)
• Theatre World Award (Dullea's replacement Kipp Osborne, winner)

[edit] External links

• Butterflies Are Free at the Internet Broadway Database
• Butterflies Are Free at the Internet Movie Database