Produced by Herman Gantvoort,[4] it starred Tom H. Walsh and Eddie Garvie, with Olive May, Humphrey Bogart, and Shirley Booth in support.

Leads Supporting Featured Walk-on Off stage The setting is the living room of Tanglewood Lodge, a country hotel, in the fictional New Dauville, Connecticut, over the course of two days.

After visiting Tanglewood to meet Jap, Abigail and Mrs. Todhunter solicit their attorney Hoarce Pitkens to draw up involuntary commitment papers for him, so they can gain control of his supposed wealth.

[4] Conners' play, originally titled Fool's Gold,[fn 3] was renamed to The Hide Behinds and then Hell's Bells just a few days before its Broadway premiere.

[14] The local reviewer reported due to Christmas week the theatre wasn't full enough for the audience to generate infectious laughter, and so seemed only "mildly amused".

[5] Burns Mantle of the New York Daily News commented on the relentless pace of the humor and how the audience eventually grew physically wearied with laughter.

"[15] The critic for the Brooklyn Times Union was more positive, being especially appreciative of the comic rapport between Tom H. Walsh and Eddie Garvie, and the acting support of Shirley Booth and Olive May.

[5] During the evening performance at Wallack's Theatre on February 11, 1925, actor Eddie Garvie couldn't find the stage revolver that was always left for him on a specific table by the property master.

[17] This gun was waved about at the end of the second act, as Garvie's character tries to prevent asylum orderlies and cops from taking Jap Stillson (Tom H. Walsh) away.

The bullet struck actor Clifton Self a glancing blow in the left arm and whizzed past actress Shirley Booth, who was waiting in the wings.

[8] Summoned by phone from the theater, detectives from a nearby police station placed Eddie Garvie under arrest for a violation of the Sullivan Act, but allowed him to finish the play.

[6] A newspaper account reported producer Ganvoort had leased Daly's Theatre for the entire summer,[20] but Hell's Bells stayed only three weeks.