# How two “titans of the American theatre” almost ruined William Shatner’s career

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/how-two-titans-of-the-american-theatre-almost-ruined-william-shatners-career/
- Published: 2026-10-23T20:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-23T21:23:42+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/how-two-titans-of-the-american-theatre-almost-ruined-william-shatners-career/
- Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment

## Key points

- Shatner said cuts left his role in *The World of Suzie Wong* almost negligible.
- He felt the production cost him two years of his career.
- Later stage and television roles helped him regain momentum.

## Summary

William Shatner said his role in the Broadway production of *The World of Suzie Wong* was cut so heavily that it left him feeling he had lost two years of his career. The experience disappointed him at a crucial point, when he hoped theatre would provide a major breakthrough.

The production was led by producer David Merrick and director Josh Logan, whom Shatner called “titans of the American theatre”. He later found success in *A Shot in the Dark* alongside Walter Matthau, then landed a leading film role and television work, including two celebrated *Twilight Zone* episodes. The play and its source novel also drew criticism for their portrayal of Hong Kong and Asian women involved in prostitution; a 1960 film adaptation starring William Holden was a flop.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.