Other works

(1928 - 1953) Active on Broadway in the following productions:

(1928) Stage Play: Brothers. Written by Herbert Ashton Jr. Directed by Arthur Hurley. 48th Street Theatre: 25 Dec 1928- Aug 1929 (closing date unknown/255 performances). Cast: Matt Briggs (as "Oily Joe") [Broadway debut], Gene Byram (as "Blutch"), Lloyd B. Carleton (as "Sponge"), Rita Carlyle (as "Marguerite"), Luke Conness (as "Officer Mike"), Ashley Cooper (as "Pete"), Alyce Dera (as "May"), William Ingersoll (as "Dr. Calvin Moore"), William J. Kelly (as "Dr. Leslie Stevens"), Rosemary King (as "Maude"), Bert Lytell (as "Robert Naughton/Eddie Connelly"), Benedict MacQuarrie (as "Dr. Gene Holden"), Grace Menken (as "Roma Moore"), Clara Palmer, Russell Rockwell, James Seeley, Irene Shirley, Eugene Williams. Produced by John Henry Mears.

(1931) Stage Play: Wonder Boy. Comedy. Written by Edward Chodorov and Arthur Barton. Directed by Jed Harris. Alvin Theatre: 22 Oct 1931- Nov 1931 (closing date unknown/44 performances). Cast: Constance Almy, Max Beck, Jacob Bleifer, Matt Briggs, Barbara Bulgakova, David Burns, Frank Carter, Maurice Cass (as "Montague Levy"), William Challee (as "Peter Hinkle"), Eddie Craven, Hazel Dawn, Thomas Fisher, Eva Franklin, Bernard Gorcey (as "Commodore Cohen"), Jeanne Greene, D.J. Hamilton, Ross Hertz (as "Tony"), Donald Heywood, Cecil Holm (as "Mac"), Allen Jenkins (as "Joe Glick"), James Kearney, Robert Leonard, Sam Levene (as "Schwartz"), Bruce MacFarlane, Hallie Manning, Horace McMahon (as "A Reporter"), Margaret Meyers, Arnold Moss, (as "Page Boy"), Henry O'Neill (as "George Kelly"), Joseph Ploski, Arnold Preston, Gregory Ratoff (as "Phil Mashkin"), Estelle Scheer, Herman Shapiro, James R. Waters, Vincent York (as "Another Reporter"). Produced by Jed Harris.

(1932) Stage Play: Twentieth Century. Comedy (original production). Written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Scenic Design by Cirker & Robbins. Directed by George Abbott. Broadhurst Theatre: 29 Dec 1932- 20 May 1933 (152 performances). Cast: Frank Badham (as "Porter"), Granville Bates (as "Conductor"), Matt Briggs (as "Oliver Webb"), Joseph Crehan (as "First Detective"), Florence Edney (as "Sadie"), William Frawley (as "Owen O'Malley"), Etienne Girardot (as "Matthew Clark") [final Broadway role], Hans Hamsa (as "First Beard/Cristus"), Ross Hertz (as "Train Secretary"), Ernest Hunter (as "Waiter"), Cliffman Jewel (as "Reporter"), Moffat Johnston (as "Oscar Jaffe"), Edward La Roche (as "Second Beard/Judas"), Eugenie Leontovich (as "Lily Garland"), Dennie Moore (as "Anita Highland"), Roy Roberts (as "George Smith"), Henry Sherwood (as "Max Jacobs"), Robert Sloane (as "Gateman"), J. Ascher Smith (as "Second Detective"), James Spottswood (as "Grover Lockwood"), Charles Wagenheim (as "Photographer"), Alfred Webster (as "Flannagan"), Clare Woodbury (as "Dr. Johnson"), William Worth (as "Pullman Conductor"). Replacement actor: Robert Brill (as "Gateman"). Produced by George Abbott and Philip Dunning. Note: Filmed as Twentieth Century (1934).

(1934) Stage Play: So Many Paths. Drama. Written by Irving Kaye Davis. Directed by Priestly Morrison. Ritz Theatre: 6 Dec 1934- Dec 1934 (closing date unknown/28 performances). Cast: Mary Barker (as "Beulah"), George Blackwood (as "Walter Henderson"), Matt Briggs (as "Howard Brown"), Blanche Fleming (as "Miss Pearson"), Hermann Lieb (as "Henry J. Stewart"), Lea Penman (as "Madame Fuselli"), Sara Perry (as "Mrs. Kenny"), Natalie Schafer (as "Margaret Kenny Brown"), Nancy Sheridan (as "Ruth Kenny"), Norma Terris. Produced by Cohn and Scanlon.

(1935) Stage Play: Nowhere Bound. Melodrama. Written by Leo Birinsky. Directed by A.H. Van Buren. Imperial Theatre: 22 Jan 1935- Feb 1935 (closing date unknown/15 performances). Cast: John Alexander (as "Dobbs"), Don Beddoe (as "Pat"), Nicholas Bela (as "Lajos"), Matt Briggs (as "Jack Thurson"), C.H. Croker-King (as "Basil Oxley"), Alexander Danaroff (as "Guzik"), Henry De Koven (as "A Young Turk"), Pierre De Ramey (as "Tomski"), Joseph Monneret De Villard (as "Grasso"), Patricia Deering (as "Maureen"), G. Frederick (as "A Dope Peddler"), Frederick Giermann (as "Von Prellwitz"), Miriam Goldina (as "Ipolita Romanescu"), G. Swayne Gordon (as "Police Sergeant"), Marshall Hale (as "Maxa"), Franklin Heller (as "Another Turk"), Fred Kaufman (as "Schwartz"), Allen Lee (as "McTavish"), Clara Mahr (as "Ilona"), Sherling Oliver (as "Chester"), Helene Rapport (as "Mrs. Blum"), Edward Raquello (as "Al Pomo"), W.W. Shuttleworth (as "Federal Official"), Herbert Treitel (as "Weber"), Robert Williams (as "A Policeman"), Oswald Yorke (as "State Senator Dalton"), Naum Zemach. Produced by Birinski, Inc.

(1936) Stage Play: Sweet River. Drama. Written by George Abbott. Adapted from "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Directed by George Abbott. Hollywood Theatre: 28 Oct 1936- Nov 1936 (closing date unknown/5 performances). Cast: Wylie Adams (as "Sheriff"), Birleanna Banks (as "Slave"), G.I. Harry Bolden (as "Slave"), Matt Briggs (as "Simon Legree"), John T.L. Bunn (as "General Jim Jones"), Earle Burke (as "Slave"), Vivian Collier (as "Charlotte"), Orange Cox (as "Slave"), William W. Crimans (as "Colonel Jenks"), John Diggs (as "Slave"), Charles Dingle (as "Phineas"), Herbert Duffy (as "Deputy Sheriff"), Darlean Duval (as "Slave"), Estelle Floyd (as "Slave"), Anna Franklin (as "Hedda"), George F. Hall (as "Slave"), Inge Hardison (as "Topsy"), Juan Hernandez (as "Gabe"), Clinton Holland (as "Slave"), Harriet Jackson (as "Queenie"), Paul Johnson (as "Jonah"), Roy Johnson (as "Waiter"), Lamar King (as "Assistant Auctioneer"), Mildred Lassiter (as "Slave"), Allen Lewis (as "Ben/Jasper"), J.E. Lightfoot (as "Mort"), Kathryn March (as "Marie St. Clare"), Dorothy Marks (as "Slave"), John Marriott (as "Sam"), Assotta Marshall (as "Hesper"), Gertrude McBrown (as "Hagar"), Richard McMyers (as "Slave"), Julian Miles (as "Luke"), Eulabelle Moore (as "Juba"), Tom Morgan (as "Major Putnam"), Margaret Mullen (as "Eliza"), May Peebles (as "Slave"), Betty Philson (as "Eva"), Leslie Phipps (as "Slave"), Walter Price (as "Uncle Tom"), Ethel Purnello (as "Tisha"), Iona Reynolds (as "Slave"), Bartlett Robinson (as "Edward St. Clare"), Lora Rogers (as "Aunt Ophelia"), James Sparks (as "Slave"), John Taylor (as "Dan"), Louise Twyman (as "Slave"), Charles Welch (as "Slave"), Foster Williams (as "Auctioneer"), Gerald Williams (as "Slave"), Irma Williams, Jean Williams, Musa Williams, Regina Williams, Marion Willis (as "Sheriff"), Philip Wood (as "Deputy Sheriff"), Haas Woodlin, Ray Yeates. Produced by George Abbott.

(1939) Stage Play: Off to Buffalo. Comedy. Written by Max Liebman and Allen Boretz. Scenic Design by Donald Oenslager. Directed by Melville Burke. Ethel Barrymore Theatre: 21 Feb 1939- Feb 1939 (closing date unknown/7 performances). Cast: Matt Briggs, Frank Camp, Nat Cantor, Peggy Chamberlain, Dudley Clements, Joe Cook (as "Gus Delaney"), Fay Courtney, Hume Cronyn (as "Harry Quill"), George Dewey, William Dewey, Edmund Dorsay, Joan Engel, Otto Hulett (as "Gabby O'Keefe"), James Kelso, Burton Lewis, Fred Lightner, Elizabeth Love, Martell Brothers, G. Albert Smith (as "McChesney"), Richard Taber, Henry H. Tobias, Luba Wesoly, Albert West, Harold Whalen. Produced by Albert Lewis.

(1939) Stage Play: Day in the Sun. Comedy. Written by Edward Sammis and Ernest V. Heyn. Directed by Arthur Sircom. Biltmore Theatre: 16 May 1939- May 1939 (closing date unknown/6 performances). Cast: St. Clair Bayfield (as "Judge Livingstone"), Matt Briggs (as "Ed Hubbell"), Edward Butler (as "J.D. Crabshaw"), Royal Cutter (as "Postman"), Jacqueline DeWit (as "Miss McLean"), Franklyn Fox (as "Martin Mallon"), Jack Hasler (as "Radio Commentator"), Ralph Holmes (as "Charlie Sumner"), Taylor Holmes (as "Dick Blanchard"), Frank McCormack (as "Horace Grogan"), Maida Reade (as "Gert Hubbell"), Elizabeth Reller (as "Ann Sumner"), Sorele Sayer (as "Photographer"), James Todd (as "Frank Burroughs"), James Truex (as "Brickie Hubbell"). Produced by Forbes Dawson.

(1939) Stage Play: Margin for Error. Melodrama. Written by Clare Boothe Luce. Scenic Design by Donald Oenslager. Assistant to Mr. Oenslager: Isaac Benesch. Directed by Otto Preminger. Plymouth Theatre: 3 Nov 1939- 1 Jun 1940 (closing date unknown/264 performances). Cast: Sam Levene (as "Officer Finkelstein"), Otto Preminger (as "Karl Baumer"), Matt Briggs (as "Otto B. Horst"), Elspeth Eric (as "Sophie Baumer"), Leif Erickson (as "Thomas S. Denny"), Bramwell Fletcher (as "Baron Max von Alvenstor"), Bert Lytell (as "Dr. Jennings"), Edward McNamara (as "Capt. Mulrooney"), Evelyn Wahl. Replacement cast: Philip Coolidge (as "Otto B. Horst"), Hugh Marlowe (as "Thomas S. Denny"), William Mendrek (as "Captain Mulrooney"). Produced by Richard Aldrich and Richard Myers. Note: Filmed as Margin for Error (1943).

(1940) Stage Play: The Male Animal. Comedy.

(1941) Stage Play: Village Green.

(1941) Stage Play: Junior Miss. Comedy. Written by Jerome Chodorov and Joseph Fields. Based on the stories by Sally Benson. Stage Manager: Henry Ephron. Directed by Moss Hart. Lyceum Theatre (moved to The 46th Street Theatre from 26 Dec 1941- 28 Mar 1943, then moved to The Majestic Theatre from 28 Mar 1943 to close): 18 Nov 1941- 24 Jul 1943 (unknown performances). Cast: Matt Briggs, Francesca Bruning, Walter Collins, John Cushman, James Elliot, Kenneth Forbes, Jack Geer, John Hudson, Alexander Kirkland, Paula Laurence, Lenore Lonergan, Jack Manning, Joan Newton, Philip Ober (as "Harry Graves"), Patricia Peardon, William Redfield (as "Haskell Cummings") [credited as Billy Redfield], Barbara Robbins, Peter Scott, Robert Willey. Produced by Max Gordon.

(1944) Stage Play: That Old Devil. Written by J.C. Nugent. Directed by J.C. Nugent. Playhouse Theatre: 5 Jun 1944- 17 Jun 1944 (16 performances). Cast: Michael Ames (as "Jerry Swift"), Matt Briggs (as "John Woodruff"), Mary Dickson (as "Mrs. Robinson"), Agnes Doyle (as "Lila Merrill"), J. Colville Dunn (as "Wilbur Blime"), Ruth Gates (as "Mrs. Woodruff"), Luella Gear (as "Martha Blair"), Ruth Gilbert (as "Hester"), David Jordan (as "Officer Williamson"), Warren Lyons (as "Harry Robinson"), Lou McGuire (as "Mrs. Blime"), J.C. Nugent (as "Jim Blair"), Matthew Smith. Produced by Lodewick Vroom.

(1944) Stage Play: Bloomer Girl. Musical comedy.

(1947) Stage Play: Bloomer Girl. Musical comedy (revival).

(1948) Stage Play: The Hallams.

(1952) Stage Play: The Male Animal. Comedy (revival). Written by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent. Artistic Supervisor: George Schaefer. Scenic Design by Melvin Bourne. Costume Design by Noel Taylor. Directed by Michael Gordon. City Center: 30 Apr 1952- unknown (unknown performances). Cast: Elliott Nugent (as "Tommy Turner"), Robert Preston (as "Joe Ferguson"), Martha Scott (as "Ellen Turner"), Dorothy Blackburn (as "Myrtle Keller"), Charles Boaz (as "Wally Myers"), Matt Briggs (as "Ed Keller"), John Gerstad (as "Michael Barnes"), Peter Harris (as "Newspaper Reporter"), Halliwell Hobbes (as "Dean Frederick Damon"), Billy James (as "Nutsy Miller"), Eulabelle Moore (as "Cleota"), Nancy Nugent (as "Patricia Stanley"), Leora Thatcher (as "Mrs. Blanche Damon"). Produced by New York City Theatre Company.

(1952) Stage Play: The Male Animal. Comedy (revival). Written by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent. Artistic Supervisor: George Schaefer. Scenic Design by Melvin Bourne. Costume Design by Noel Taylor. Directed by Michael Gordon. Music Box Theatre: 15 May 1952- 31 Jan 1953 (317 performances). Cast: Elliott Nugent (as "Tommy Turner"), Robert Preston (as "Joe Ferguson"), Martha Scott (as "Ellen Turner"), Dorothy Blackburn (as "Myrtle Keller"), Charles Boaz (as "Wally Myers"), Matt Briggs (as "Ed Keller") [final Broadway role], John Gerstad (as "Michael Barnes"), Peter Harris (as "Newspaper Reporter"), Halliwell Hobbes (as "Dean Frederick Damon"), Billy James (as "Nutsy Miller"), Eulabelle Moore (as "Cleota"), Nancy Nugent (as "Patricia Stanley"), Leora Thatcher (as "Mrs. Blanche Damon"). Produced by John Golden. Note: Previously produced on film as The Male Animal (1942). Theatre owned and operated by Irving Berlin and Lee Shubert.

(March 31, 1947) He acted in the musical, "Bloomer Girl," at the Hanna Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio with Pat McClarney, Arthur Maxwell, Peggy Campbell, Hubert Dilworth, Olive Reeves-Smith, Mabel Taliaferro, John Call, Lily Paget, and Joe E. Marks in the cast. Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy wrote the book. Harold Arlen was composer. E.Y. "Yip" Harburg was lyricist and director. Lemuel Ayers was set designer. MIles White was costume designer. Agnes DeMille was choreographer. John C. Wilson and Nat Goldstone were producers.