Variety (Aug 1938)

50 VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wcdnesdayi August 21, 1939 Brooks Atkinson's pan in the New York Times last week of the tryout Of George Bernard Shaw's 'The Millionairess''at Westport, Conn., had ah immediately , adverse, effect oh business, in several cases patrons frankly giving the notice as. the reason for cancelling their tickets, However, the week's gross for. 'Millionairess' wa^ profitable, Atkinson indicated he hact read the play before attending the preem. Whether or not the panning was responsible, the Theatre Guild does not figure on bringing 'Millionairess' to Broadway. Stated that the Guild never held an option on the play and does not contemplate buying it. Generally agreed, however, that a favorable reception at lyestport might have led th? G*ild to do the piece tor its regular Broadway subscription season. Guild has given a number of Sh^w plays their world or U.^ S ■preems.' ■ ' In regard to Atkiason's review of the Westport tryout, it was the second strawhat he has covered this summer. The other was Sinclair Le\yis' sUge debut in the latter's 'It Can't Happen Here,' at Cphasset, Mass, ITsually, however, the Times does not formally review strawhat theatres. It frequently covers them with the wired news story th* morning after tbc preem. Such pieces, are ^generally, filed by the p.a, for the show, . Paul N. Turner will remain v/ith Equity as its chief counsel, it was indicated last week in New York, when he was presented a desk set by the assn. upon his 25th year in the post Last season when there was Internal dissension, Turner was Under fire, with his annual fee said to have beien $12,500, held to have been excessive.. Attorney thereupion offered to withdraw as he was then busy with the affairs of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America. No request for his resignation was made, however, and . Turner voluntarily established a new basis of. remuneration, putting it at $7,500, which includes salary to Rebeccd Browhstein, an associate, who's active in Equity's legal depart-; ment, along with Mildred Both, recently admitted to the bar. Turner is also counsel for the Four As., Salary is not specified for that post . At the recent annual meeting past president. Frank Gillmore was given a watch by the union. He's executive head of the Four A's. Anna Jill Johnstone, assistant to David Ffolkes, v/Yio's designing the sets and costumes'for the MaiirlCe Evans revival of 'Hainlet,' helped: design two other i>roductions of the: same play.. First was at Columbia University seasons ago and the second was when she was assistant to Stewart Chaney, who did the production for Leslie Howard two seasons ago. Miss John- stone's cOstumes for the ColiinibiiEt 'Hamlet' were based on ones used by Ffolkes for ahr Evans'revivail . of 'Richard JI' in Londoa some years ago. However, she did not know Ffolkes at that time. . . Raymond Johnson, who understudied Evans in England, played Hamlet In the Columbia production^ He will be in Helen Hayes' revival of 'Mer- chant of Venice,' diie'on Broadway in the late fall. George Kuehn, who will play in Evians' forthcoming 'Hamlet,' was the king i^ the Columbia production. PUncan Draper, iinknown to show business, attempted suicide, in New York recently, slashing his wrist after telephoning his wife in Rockville Center, Li I, and a brother in-California.. Both responded ;with calls to Manhattan police and a'radio car crieW: found Diraper bleeding in a bathtub. He had left-a note to. Alfred de Liagre, Jr., which read: 'Do you mind if I die?'and signed It "The Irish Thrush.' ^ That led to a report that Draper had back<ed 'Yes My Darling Daughter,' which de Liagre produced. Stated, however, that Draper had; no connec- tion with the show; Only known participant In ,the backing is Mrtf. Vivian Spencer, said also to have netted a neat profit with an investment In •Dead-End.' Dissolution of lielos Chappell, Inc., last week, in Albany, New York, is without significance in the producing status of the Broadway manager. Explained that the aictioii was merely a routine businesis detail ahd. that Chappell's pltins remain as before; that is, he'll piroduce a play as soon as he finds a suitable script' . The corp.. dates back about three years. However,' it never actually represented any productions. Chappell's last Broadway effort jivais,'Father Malachy's Miracle,' which was well received last season, bUt failed to get out of the red. Chappell is currently on the Coast, having gone there this week from his home in Denver. He is expected back in New York after Labor Day. ■The. Theatre Guild stiU hopes to present Katharine HepbUm in a play on Broadway. It has nothing definite in mind for her at present, how- ever. Actress toured in 'Jane Eyre' for the Guild two seasons ago and \yas slated to do the Helen Jerome adaptation in New York later, but ducked out There was sOme talk of her several weeks ago in connection with a Broadway .production, but if remained merely talk. 'Miss Hepburn has been summering at Saybrook, Conn., and attending neighboring straw- hats. She's skedded to do the lead in the Howard Hughes film about Amelia Earhart Mercury Theatre group, headed by Orson Welles and John Housman, will present'Too. Much Johnson" with a dash of novelty at the Mercury theatre, N. Y., next month, . A goodly part of the first act will be shown In film form,' 'While that Is not hew in .stage presentations, it will be the first time for a revival. 'Johnson' is now appearing in rural summer stock but another cast will, be used for the Gotham presentation^ The film will be made during rehearsals, players participating getting one-eighth of a week's salary extra for each day of camera work, in a&ditiOn to rehearsal pay. There is a change in the operating control of the Lyceum theatre, N. Y., with fresh interests taking Over the lease, formerly held by the Lyco Realty Co. Interested were the late Spencer Bettleheim and Otto biehl. EsUte of the former sought to shed^the lease and the latter withdrew, not wlshing.a new partner. Personnel is expected to remain the same, with Allen Schnebbe, house manager, being appointed executive manager. Name of new . corporation is the Lyco Theatre Corp. Chi Concert flairtd Get Air-Conditiohing System Chicago, Aug. 23. Orchestra Hall, 2,600rseat home of the Chicago Symphony; will be air- conditioned at the opening of the orchestra's 48th season Oct. 13. Two machines with a combined Capacity of a 180 tons of I'efrigcration per hour are being installed. For physi- cal reasons the aud will each re- ceive independent treatment About 70,000 cubic feet of freshly condi- tioned air will be circulated through- out the hall per mihutie. Actcordlng to Henry E. Yoegeli, manager. Orchestra liall first experi- Current Road Shows (Week of Aug. 22) 'I Am Different' (Tallulah Bank- head ),'Biltmore, Los Angeles. 'Mnlatto,' Garden Pier, Atlantic City. •Pins and Needles,' Geary, San Francisco. •Susan and God' (Gertrude Law- rence), Curran; San Francisco. 'Yes, My Darling Daughter/ Brighton, Brighton Beach, N. Y. 'You Can't Take It With You,' Alden, Jamaica, N. Y. mented with air conditioning, almost 30 years ago. Tried out a blower system, but it proved impractical. N, Y. Managers (Continued from, page 47) edition was sent out lale last week, with the expectal'on that no further hitch to adoptica will eventuate. Committee which had charge of mod- ifying the revisions was composed of Marcus Heiman, Lawrence Langher, Brock Pomberton, Herman Shumlin, Frank Merlin and Harry Somers. ■ At a special meeting held by the League last Thursday (18), the com ing convention of the Theatre was considered. .,A program committee will announce the. opics to be dis- cussed ait the sessions to be held Sept. 13 and 14. It's stated, that ways and means will b- studied to strengthen thei American • Theatre Council, technical sponsor of, the meet, which f unctions throughout the year. Since the stage unions are represented in the ^TC, along with managers; the ATC could represent show business as a whole; instead of each organization, or' union, acting on its ow-i.: . Legislative matters would be watched and the ATC ccUld be made a general clearing house for the thieatre and its prob- lems. Outline of the plan -to be presented > during the convention is being Worked on by Paul Turner, V'arreii Munsell, Pemberton- and L«ngner. Income Problem Main problem facing the ATC is a regular income. Question of.financ- ing the organization has been raised several times in the past, but never solved. Flan Js to consider the mat: ter at the coming conyehtion. : Besides, the necessary administra' tive expenses, a permanent office and staff would, probably haye tO be maintained. ' Also thought likely that the present system of depending oh voluntary work would not pan out in the long run. . First convention of the organiza- tion, held in the spring of 1937, was financed by contributions, but. in-, come from the parley ultimately paid its' .way. Proposals/have been made from time to time that the va rious theatrical gro.ups participating in the Council might share its ex' pense, but so far no, practical plan has been; advanced; Some ;questlori remains whether the Dramatists GUild or the musi- cians union will be represented at the coming. convention. Matter'will be submitted to~ the Dramatists Guild board of directors. Guild last year attended the convention On the understanding that speakers would not refer to the 'decline'of the The- atre.' Nearly all Who addressed the convention subsequently based their speeches on that very topic; Guild later declined to have anything to do with the Council activities. Dra- matists' idea was. that it was 'bad advertising psychology' to call at- tention to the Theatre as a dying institution. In the case of the musicians union, it has been stated that the oirganiza- tion would send delegates to the con- vention only if a copy of the agenda is sent to the group by the Council and. approved by the union board. So far, the TMAT has not been form- ally invited to participate in the con- vention. It's/expected to receive a bid, however, ahd will undoubtedly aiccept Press agent members of TMAT have been asked to serve gratis'as publicists for thi? affair. Strawhat Reviews Come Blow Your Horn (Continued from page 49) 'touting Revivals (Continued from page 47) expected to sign for subscription seasons. The Guild is reported to have offered to extend its subscription list to coroperating managers in cities where such audiences. are already organized. Figured that newspapers and a few interested influential per- sons in. the other towns would or- ganize similar audiences. Brady li.sts such road stars as Jane Cowl, Ina Claire, Walter Hampden. Helen Hayes, etc., as necessary for the success of the scheme. . He claims the theatre has the best chance in 25 years to build new audiences, fhe main requirement for carrying out the proposal is initia- tive, he says; He, points to the example jet by the film businiess, Which, when grosses tumble, co- operates in a $1,000,000 'Motion Pic- tures Are Your Best Entertainment' drive. He explains that legit doesn't need any such amount of coin and that in the case of the theatre, it can get unlimited, publicity because its activities are always news. ingenuity employed to eventually land the account is subject-matter for balance of script ■ Authors have created some highly amusing lines, and devised well- spaced and ingenuous situations. Jack Meyer, though suffering from severe laryngitis, delivered good pOr-. trayal of a oludgering agency exec at preem. Grayson and Carl Cass, are best bets for stage and screen. Frances Kennedy, old-time, vaude villian, is convincing as spendthrift Wife, and her daughter, Key Kenne- dy,.; evidences an inheritance for trouping. ; Additional training should develop Jane Bradley, a looker. Rest of cast adequate. J. Richard Lane, head Of Univ,..of Wisconsin drama'-depbrtment, direct- ed capably.; Loop. SIXTH AVENUE Litchfield, Conn., Aug: 20. Comedy-drhmn In three nctfl (Ave ncefiefl) by Ifaurle C. Brynn, Presented by Chnrlea O. Cnrey'e LltchHeM Theatre. Staged by Randolph Carter.. Settlni^. Johi; Mylrae. At the Playhouse, LItchneld; Cohh., Aug. 17-21. -38 .lohnnyWhlte...,. Petey.... ....... Pau. WIlllamB Nick............... Tough Quy..... ... Ruth .Marsh ;. nilly White..... G<Qori;e..Douf[herty. Jeanne Mason. Jjizzle. i'. nakcr. Itair.-in..-.,.i....... Dumtnr-Man Waitress. , Janitor...;-., .. . Herbert Newcomb ..William Kennenlly Patrick Fox i...Neal Jenney .:..;. .Julius Qulnchl .. .Charlotte Acheson ..P. d. Furculowe. .. .'.Maurlo, C. Dryan ; .I.>ucy DurKin Mary Fischer H. B. Currier . wight H. Mnrfleld .Robert Miner ..... .'Jeanne Mnlnne' ........John Malcolm 'Sixth Avenue,' in its tryout form, demonstrates that it's too anemic to- stand a commercial test, although it is purportedly slated for Broadway this fall. Story concerns: hard-boiled. Wom- an-hating Billy White, operator of an employment agency on Sixth avenue, who. resists all attempts to modernize his old-fashioned money-making agency with women employees and a switchboard because a woman Would have to run it When a gal, repre- senting the telephone company, tries to <n.terest him in; some new. equip- ment and. faints from malnutrition, his brother, employed there, walks out because of Riley's belief that the faint is all part of a scheme. Then, follows a series of episodes In; which the office gets its switch- board. With the gal as its operator, and the two brotheris are reunited. Not too convincing, however, is the conversion of Billy from his anti- woman attitude. Continual attempts of Paul Williams, a wanted sex kill- er, employed in the office, to make love to the gal provide several dra- matic episodes. It all ends happily. With the brother landing a big ac- count and marryinR the daughter of the client, while Billy and the gal profess love for each other after he has rescued her. from the sex maniac. Providing many humorous inci- dents is the kaleidoscopic study of the various types who seek employ- ment along this backdoor to Broad- ^yay, Outstanding performance is given by Patrick Fox, as the sex fiend, and F. C. Furculowe, Others whose performances are commend- able are Herbert Newcomb, Char- lotte Acheson; Robert Miner and Mary Fischer. Eck. All Through the Ni^ht Marbledale, Conn., Aug. 20. Comedy In three nets by Conway WasA- bumc. Presented by Cledge Roberts. Stacert by author and Roberts. .Settings, Juan noot. At Theatre-ln-the-Dale, Aug. IT-m; J*""^* Clert«re Roberts ».J V V Conwny Washburne easier Johnson..... .Stanley Gnrhnm Col. Biirnsldc .Malcolm McCullnugh Mlwlsslppl .Deino VIckei-y E'"'"'"-;' .-..Juan Root },f?""^''»>' Karl nichnrcis • ....Charles Alden Uljllll Theo<lora Morgan J\ alter................ ,Judson Holmes Legionnaires and CIrls— Mary Kahn, Gareth Kalm. Orlaii Street, Bob Carter „ Out in the Connecticut backwoods they re putting on a. four-day tryout Jf"?' belies iU strawhat surroundings. Night is a snappy comedy with plenty of action and some clever dia- log; In prooer. hands it might get by commercially. " ' With plenty on the ball at present, play s mam deficiency is in not Itnowing just where it's going. Vari- ous _ tangents planted in audience minds fail to straighten out and final curtain drops on a situation that hurt.'! rather than boosts play's value Virr '5^'^^''8e Roberts) and Mary (?Iisa Wilber) register as man and wife at a New York hotel for What is intended to be.Mary's introduction to the primrose path. Constant in- terruptions by Legionnaires In con- vention at the hotel nullify George's romantic approach to the occasion, and eventually a fleeing burglar, Ed- die (Juan Root), enters, their room to e.'scape pursuing dicks. Eddie goes for Mary, who, by now, is not so sure she wants to go throupi, . George's idea, • '"'^''"Sh Willi Eddie convinces Mary h'o'<: b.>i a bad guy at heart, p^omi e" '''^ turn ;the money he has switirt' wins'the girl after George ha^i'"'' put via the liquor Toute.^e^ S ing Eddie escapes in George's clothi' Mary follows, him, and ih. j''^ break In in time to pinch Geor.l'S^ the theft he never committed ?^'?.' curtain, and. it's up the wrong^f'^ in view. of what has gone befire" ^' Production is commendable sldermg poor facilities; acting oy Roberts, in the lead, is exSeC and ably ;supportiE:d by comoeteS cast with better-than-adequate b!? formances by Miss Wilber, Conmi Washburne, Stanley Gorham colm McCUllough and Root, ' ^ Mai. DOUBLE FEATURE Provlh'cetown, Mass., Aue la Comedy by Joseph Julian and Maiw! Weinberg. Directed by E. Stanley ftlj? Setting*, Ray Tallman.'^ At WhaTtlS: Proylncetown, Moss., Aug. i.l. 'SJ). Rvelyn Dora........,'., Mamie Miss McBl-lde. T.ucllle... Onldetelti.,..,., TIeup >,,,. Grant. Bert Siiltkln......... Slesslnger.'..... namarti......., Office Boy Rergel. Harvey Bird..; .Pete. Larry,. Messenger Boy Mitch.......... Operator....... Film Critics.,. .Vlrelnla D„„ Helen Plckii, ..Mary Hovn ... .Madeline Mitcw ,....M.irjorle DmIki .......Robert FInktl ...Howard I.ederbm ....... .LoRol Optnl .NeirSIcFee Sklnnt; ....Kenneth Dartleu .Ralph Mortbonn Lionel Ina Dill IlowiR ......Charles ColllM .Milton Parton .....William ChillN^ ^Valler Rkutr Donald F. RotJt , .Thomas Leonard' ....Wallace Uwdtr .f Errol Pierce ■ I Morgnret Stoddirt . { Jedn Taylor I Bruce Cook (.S'orvcll Mullaly . Apparently a couple of guys got fed up on the picture business from the exhibition angle and decided to unload their beef through''Double Feature,' preemed here tonight (Mon); Result is a lot of shopfalk, way over the heads of the laymaii, and suitable fodder only for a thea- tre manager's outing. Practically devoid of plot 'Feature' revolves ai:6und a foreign film cutter. Who saves the day by malclog a smash hit out of the sweepings on the cutting room floor, NeU McFee -Skinner clicks as a hkh pressure salesman,', and Charia Collins has, good grasp of Sergei, the Russian cutter. . Mary Ho wies, as .an ambitious switchboard gal, is a staiidv out and Helen Pickens is okay as the exchange manager's troubled wife. Lionel Ince registers as the salesman for .British Lamont, with monodt and accent Fox. Pocahontas Prefenried Carmel, N. Y., Aug. 17, Comedy In throe acta (4 scenes) by HanT N. Blair and Brewster Morse. PresnlM by Kendor Pro'ductlohs. Inc. Staged br W. Ray Cozlne arid Robert Cliamplaln. At Rockridge theatre, Carmel, N: V., Au|. 19, Clark Cbisner ..Elaine Ellis .James Tni« .. .Jacqueline Gieem Sterling Mace Qerl KlajM ...........Burl tfiiiiii x\vno.,,^ .Sara F1oi4 Nowatchl Tom CarlyH THelma Carl.. ..Virginia Belllr Rolph Hawkon Robert Champlala.' Chauffeur..■. ..Deane RalM .Marlon Scott., Morlo Kenner Hafanl.. .Wllllonii Baltoor Zane Mentzcr Eric Fr»n»« ' Soaring ISagle.,.. White Fawn Jose Imperlo..... Myrha Allison.... Russ Leads nabs Leads. Bart Crawford..'. MIml Rons.. As 'Pocahontas Preferred' was pre- sented at its premiere its possibilities are vague. There's a chance, how- ever, that with adept refurbishing and with an excellent cast it roignt gain some commercial success. The theme is fair, but at present It's practically a one-character snow, the balance of the cast merely stoog' ing for Marie Kenney,. ■who recites most of the script The piece, be- comes, at times, a monotonous mono- ^erei's some humor in the plete. Miss Kenney, plays a wealthy widow, who traces her ance.stry back to Jonn Smith ahd Pocahontas, The. In(''*° blood makes her a rover, and sue flits to Santa Fe, N.^ M., near the pet- rified forest News of .heir coming causes her potential hosts to bedew and conduct themselves as Indians in order to cater to her known weaK- ness—her pride in her Injun blooo. This forms the basis for the fun. , Miss Kenney, who. Incidentally, u president of Kendor Productions Inc., which produced the P«t if competent. Virginia Reilly) Twn, Carlyle and Burl Ives are good, lo"; in bits. Action all takes place on one interior set. ■ . Graui/oro,, 'Sticks' Repeats in L i Hollywood, Aug. 23. 'Sticks and. Stones,' political revW of blackouts and. sketches, will w repeated, at the Music Box Aug. i'- If attendance warrants, show mw move to another house for a run. 'Sticks' drew an overflow crowd ai its first staging. Coin.^oes to lU"" for purchase of hospital suppli*' *" Spanish LoyalUt';. '