Three Live Ghosts; a comedy in three acts

New York: Samuel French. Good. (c.1922). French's Standard Library Edition. Softcover. [moderate wear to extremities, one-inch tear at top of spine resulting in separation of spine covering from text block in that area]. (B&W halftone photographs) A screwball comedy (before the term was coined) set in London, about three men who've been declared legally dead, but who had actually been prisoners of war and are in fact alive and well -- but are prevented from coming "back to life" due to various compromising circumstances. (One, because his mother has already claimed the insurance related to his death in service; another because he's on the run from the police, specifically an American detective who's on his trail.) Originally based on a novel of the same name, the play had a respectable run in New York (250 performances) during the 1920/21 season, and was subsequently filmed thrice: as a silent feature in 1922, an early talkie in 1929, and yet another version (by M-G-M) in 1936. The leading role of the mother, "Mrs. Gibbins," was played in both the talkie versions by Beryl Mercer -- best remembered (at least by me) as Jimmy Cagney's simpering mother in THE PUBLIC ENEMY -- who had also played the part in the original New York production! [This printing dates from circa 1940, as one of the other plays advertised in the back of the book is "Our Town."] .