Variety (October 1952)

66 KJBGI1BIATE Wednesday, Ociol>cr 22, 1952 Brit. Equity BA Reverses Ferrer Ban; Final Decision Now Up to Full Council London, Oct. 21. In an emergency session yester- day (Mon.), the British Actors equity executive reversed its previ- ous ban on Jose Ferrer playing at production himself,* Bloomgarden has participated more in the busi- ness end of his operations than the Old Vie, by seven votes to' fhe- been i n effect largely his own gen- eral manager anyway, but with- decided to ballot 1 L2J!,*’ out drawing a salary for it. cil membership before proceeding. « Spirits .> ls n0 w sec0 nd on Widespread protests stemming ]j]' 0 omgarden's production schedule from the original ban, imposed by j or season> probably due for nine votes to eight, led to the un- presentation in midwinter. It had CORNELL SETS BALTO OPENER MARK, $30,400 Baltimore, Oct. 21. Season of legit finally got under way here, with an all-time record opening week's business chalked Plays Abroad LcUer From Paris London, Oct. 11. Tennent Production*, Ltd., presenta- tion of drama In three acts l>y Dodie Smith; adopted from Henry James’ novel * i r 4-1 “The* I "The Reverberator." Directed by Peter up by Katharine Cornell in Tne Qj env m e4 settings and costume* by d~> e /lr>aiiTintf l Oliver Mess^l. At Aldwych Theatre, Lon- don, Oct. 10. '52; $2 top. , ^ Francle Dosson Brenda Bruce Mr. Dosson Eliot Malccham Delia Dosson Jessie Evans Suzanne (le Brecourt Maxine Audley Gaston Probert ...Peter Barkworth Mr. Probert Nicholas Hannen Constant Wife" at Ford's, drawing a smash total of $30,400 at a $4.22 top. In as the first of a stepped-up series of subscription of productions promised under Theatre Guild-American precedented action in quickly re- versing a major policy decision. Ferrer left Southampton on thje Queen Mary, Thursday (16), and is due in N. Y. today (Tues.). Opposition by British Equity towards the granting of a work per- mit to Jose Ferrer to appear at the Old Vic, because it's a repertory theatre working under certain labor concessions led to consider- been planned for early fall, but Miller recently withdrew the script for further revision and has not yet completed the new version. Meanwhile, Bloomgarden is going ahead with his revival of Lillian Heilman's “The Children's Hour," in which Patricia Neal, Kim Hun- ter and Iris Mann are set for the three leads. The authoress will stage the production, which is able ill feeling The Broadway JSSeedrt $ 5^00 incl^ng bond^ star, who recently finished filming w jthout provision for overcall, in a British pic, had agreed to work •Rionm£irripn'<i t for a nominal salary of around $100 a week, all of which would have been donated to the Actors Bene- valent Fund. Equity, Barn Continued from page 53 Bloomgarden's touring edition of Joseph Kramm’s “The Shrike," with Van Heflin in the ieading role played by Jose Ferrer in last sea- TT. T Ti.ji . r son's original, opened in New ^ in *^ 1 ^T 0 ^ Haven last week and is currently the Old Vic, applied to the Min- t Ule Co i onial Boston . istry of Labor for a permit to en- able Ferrer to star in a production of Chekhov’s “The Seagull." Fol- lowing the usual procedure, the Ministry referred the application to Equity, whose opposition was accompanied by an offer to name British artists who could adequate- ly fill the role. In view of this op- position, the Old Vic withdrew its request to the Ministry. An Old Vic official told Variety last week that after some difficulty, the theatre had' built up good working relations with Equity. In the interests of continued harmony they decided not to press the ap- plication. Powers (Spring Lake, N. J.), Wil- liam Miles (Stockbridge, Mass.) and Leslie Savage (Virginia Beach, Va.). Others invited but who did not attend or send reps included Jack Ragotzy (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Charles O. Carey (Bar Harbor, Me.), Paul Marlin (Chagrin Falls, O.), Paul Crabtree (Fayetteville and East Rochester, N. Y.), Guy Palmerton (Fitchburg and Worces- ter, Mass.), Jean Guild (Holyoke, U. S. Equity Affected Mass.), Clay Flagg (Irwin,’ Pa.), Attitude of Actors Equity mem- Harold E. Lawrence' (Lake Hopat- bership on the alien actor question, cong, N. J.), John Kenley (Barnes- which the uriiOn is currently polling by mail questionnaire, may be strongly influenced by the recent action of British Equity in origi nally barring Jose Ferrer’s pro- ville and Yark, Pa.) and Vincent Y. Bowditch (Nantucket, Mass.). John Huntington, operator of the Spa Theatre, Saratoga, and presi- dent of the SMA, said last week posed guest appearance in a revival that Kneeter’s accusations against of “The Sea Gull" at the Old Vic Equity did not represent the policy in London. It's figured the inci- or views of the SfylA. “He did not dent, particularly come at this an d does not represent the SMA," time, will cause widespread resent- Huntington explained, “and he was ment among U. S. players. not authorized to issue any state- Results of the poll will be seri- uient in the name or behalf of the ously considered by the Equity organization. He speaks only for ’council in working out a basis himself." policy on the alien actor situation. The union’s stringent restrictions on alien employment, adopted last August; are in abeyance until Jan. 1. Meanwhile, the council hopes to decide on a general policy, which will be the basis of negotiations with British Equity. Therefore, family of unmarried women, who those favoring a mutual-liberaliz- doesn’t realize at first he’s fallen Ing of alien rules in both countries in love with 16-year-old Gigi. Doris fear that the Ferrer incident may Patson. is vastly amusing as the complicate the situation. third-rate opera singer; Josephine Until the results of the member- Brown gets everything there is Legit Follow-Ups Continued from page 58 Glgi Theatre Society auspices, opener indicates George Flack ....Scott McKay healthy activity for attractions ■ciT«h«\\\\L;w?Ii 0 ce Df'idson ahead, practically guaranteed by Charles w&teriow Nicholas piupps increased list Of subscribers, whose a. de Brecourt......Michael Nightingale coins are already in the till. “Jane" is current, with “The Shrike" set for Nov. 10. Gross was a new record for Miss Cornell here, her former high marking of $28,900 having been set in “Antony and Cleopatra" in 1948. Current Road Shows (Oct. 20 -Nov. 1) It is 14 years since Dodie Smith’s last London production, “Dear Oc-! topus," kept unbroken her con- tinuance of successful plays. It seems that the gap has been too long and not too happily bridged with this adaptation of a Henry James novel. Both writers lack something, and the homely family touch which proved so consistent a winner has been lost in the au- thor’s collaboration with an alien mind. In addition, there .are no top-ranking stars for the marquee “Bell, Book and Candle" (Joan so that the venture likely will hang Bennett, Zachary Scott) — Capitol, pi*ecariously on the authors’ fame Salt Lake City (20-21); Chief, Col- This is the kind of plot that the orado Springs (23); Aud., Denver early Cochran could have embel (24-25)' Forum, Wichita, (27); Mu- lished and glamorized with lilting nicipal’ Aud., Oklahoma City (28); music and lavish period settings. Majestic Fort Worth (29-30); It circles about American residents Melba, Dallas (31-D. “Call Me Madam"American, St. Louis (20-25); Hartman, Co- lumbus (27-1*. “Climate of Eden” — National, Wash. (20-25); Forrest, Phila. (27-1 >. “Constant Wife" (Katherine Cor- nell, Robert Flemyng, John Emery) — Nixon, Pitt. (20-25); Hanna, Cleve. (27-1). “Country Girl” (Robert Young, Dane Clark, Nancy Kelly)—Com- munity, Berkeley, Cal. (20); Al- hambra, Sacramento (21); Mayfair, Portland (23-25>; Temple, Tacoma (27); Metropolitan, Seattle (28-2). in Paris, one of whom has been in France for 40 years and is now more French than the French. His daughters have acquired marital titles. His only son is an art loving, correctly behaved scion of the house, but choked by family affec- tion and influence. He falls in love with an American girl whose por- trait is being painted by his friend. But he is conscious of her brash father and elder sister, and fears his family’s snobbish aversion to a match. They are officially be- trothed but the boy is tactfully shunted off on a business trip to America, “Deep Blue Sea” (Margaret Sul- lavan, Alan Webb) — Plymouth, ' vlU occur Boston (20-25); National, Wash. t0 O n Ms return tKSfte appalled at a “Letter from Paris” column in an American newspaper print- ing plenty of dirt involving his household. His fiancee had artless- ly divulged some home truths to a journalist, and the skeltons fairly little merit, the three acts develop- ing a minimum of incident. The familiar red herrings are liberally strewn across the stage but there is little surprise in the final de! nouement. The male roles are completely overshadowed by Miss Desmond’s multiple performances but An- thony Ireland as the police inspec- tor and Geoffrey Kerr as the med- ico at the mental home fill the two principal masculine roles adequate- ly. Richard Pearson as a comic dull witted policeman is too much of the familiar stock character Richard Bird’s direction and decor bv George Ramon are quite ade- quate. Myro. (27-D. “Dial *M’ for Murder” (Maurice Evans) — Shubert-Gayety, Wash. (20-25). “Don Juan in Hell” (Charles Boyer, Cedric Hardwicke, Agnes Moorehead, Vincent Price)—Civic rattle in the. cupboard. The en- Opera, Chi (29-30). gagement is broken following a “Fig: Leaf” (Ernest Truex, Sylvia stormy scene with the outraged Field)—Selwyn, Chi (20-1). family and the girl packs up to “Fourposter” (Jessica Tandy, leave, but a reconciliation is effect- Hume Cronyn) — Blackstone, Chi ed when her sweetheart finds her ( 20 - 1 ). “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” — Shubert, New Haven (20-25); Shubert, Phila. (27-D “Gigi” (Audrey Hepburn)—Cox, Cincinnati (20-25); Cass, (27-1). “Good Night Ladies”—Majestic, Boston (20-1). “Guys and Dolls”—Shubert, Chi ( 20 - 1 ). “I Am A Camera” (Julie Harris) —Harris, Chi (20-1). “Jane” (Edna Best, John Loder, Howard St. John)—Ford's Balti more (20-25); Community. Hersliey, in the studio where they first met. Brenda Bruce is all charm. and naive sincerity in the leading'role while Peter Barkworth is excellent as her convention-bound lover. Detroit | Nicholas Hannen gives a sound per- formance as the “French" papa, with Eliot Makeham less happily cast as his American counterpart. Maxine Audley makes a human, gracious figure of the boy’s sym- pathetic sister. Jessie Evans turns in a lively contrast as the older American girl, with minor roles in graduating levels of quality The settings are in the good Pa. (27-28); Clark Inst., Worcester, period taste and design associated ' mi « , «« >rv • 1 1 _ /M ♦ _ . 1 w _ I m 1 ship poll are tabulated and the Equity council has worked out a policy, no moves toward negotia tion can be taken. After that, a representative will presumably be selected to go to London to try to reach an agreement with British Equity^ Unorthodox Continued from page 55 stantial sums to authors, director and actors, besides. returning al- most the entire investment to the backers. In Bloomgarden’s case, the gen out of the role of the old harridan of a grandmother, and Bertha Bel- more, who doesn’t come on until the second act, bangs out a 10- strike as the nosey, independent servant woman. But it’s . Miss Hepburn who stacks the cards in favor of “Gigi". '■.[as she ‘develops a full-length por- ' trait from' adolescent gaucheries to poignant,' mature womanhood. She has, in her very first visit to this country, already taken per- manent possession of the welcome mat. Cohen. ‘Honorary Critic’ Kaye San Francisco, Oct. 21. San Francisco’s Drama Critics I 22 s* SoJSSSS Srin. (17) > Presented Danny Kaye with a «g"rdL as Le o£ the “ost com- lifetirae honorary membership petent men in the field, working for such established managements as Herman Shumlin and the Group Theatre before becoming a pro-] ducer on his own. Since going into ran. card, making him an “Honorary Critic” of the organization. Recognition came partly as result of a testimonial benefit during Kaye's first engagementat the Cur- CAB CALLOWAY Sportin' Lift "PORGY AND BESS" Now—STOLL THEATRE, LONDON "Smash hit in London"—Variety (Oct. I5) f Mgt.: BILL MITTLER. Hit Broadway, Now York Mass. (29>; Shubert, New Haven (30-1). “Maid In the Ozarks” (Bert Wheeler)—Army Camp theatre, Indiantown Gap, Pa. (27); Ameri- can. Pittston, Pa. (28); Capitol, Pottsville, Pa. (29); Penn .Senior H. S„ York, Pa. (30); Forum, Harrisburg (31-D. “Mister Roberts” (Tod Andrews) — Shea’s, Jamestown, N. Y. (20); Shea’s, Ashtabula, O. (21); Colonial, Akron” (22-23); Palace, Youngstown (24-25); Cox, Cincinnati (27-D. “Oklahoma”—Davidson, Milwau- kee (20-25); Lyceum, Minneapolis (27-D “Paint Your Wagon” (Burl Ives) —Erlanger, Buffalo (20-23); Aud., Rochester (24-25); Royal Alexandra, Toronto (27-D “Paris ’90” (Cornelia Otis Skin- ner)—Court Sq., Springfield, Mass. (20-22); McCarter, Princeton (23); WRVA Theatre, Richmond (24-25); with Oliver Messel. Peter Glen- ville directs the story with unerr- ing simplicity. Clem. in TIm> Apples ol Kve London, Oct. 15 Jack Hylton production of drama three acts by Allen Berthal. Stars Flor- ence Desmond. Directed by Richard Bird. Setting by George Ramon. At Comedy Theatre, London, Oct. 14, '52; $2 lop. P. C. Brown John Walters P. C. Potter Richard Pearson Dr. John Kingsley Geoffrey Kerr Insp. William Burnett.. .Anthony Ireland A Man Bruce Beeby Tommie. Melvyn Hayes Ann Saunders Jean Ilealy Sylvia Loralne Mrs. Adams Florence Desmond Louise Lanscr Lady Helen Dunsborough Betty Brooks The casting of Florence Desmond in all seven femme roles of this play is an exploitable gimmick which may well determine its suc- Marshall College, Huntington, W. cess in London. In other respects, Va. (27); Weller, Zanesville, O. (28); “Eve" is a pedestrian whodunit Ohio, Newark, O. (29); Indiana U„ with little action, conventional dia Bloomington, Ind. (30); Murat, log, and lacking in inspiration. Indianapolis (31-D. Action of the play takes place in “Seven Year Itch” — Parsons, the office of the superintendent of Hartford (30-D. a mental home who has been mur- “Slirlke” (Van Heflin)—Colonial, Boston (20-D. “South Pacific” (Martha Wright, Webb Tilton) ■— Aud., Seattle (20- 25); Fox, Spokane, Wash. (27-2). “Stalar 17” — Erlanger, Chi (20-D. “Suspects” — Locust, Phila. (20- 25); Plymouth. Boston (27-1). “Top Banana" (Phil Silvers) — dered just before the story opens. Miss Desmond plays the five in- mates as well as the dead woman's mother and the daily help. Her performance, involving rapid cos- tume changes, is reminiscent of her cabaret and vaudeville appear- ances. Her solid sense of character- ization is given every scope. Without this novelty angle, the Hanna, Cleve (20-25); Nixon, Pitt, play would have little or no chance (27-D. “Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (Joan Blondell, Robert Shackleton) — Opera House, Boston (20-25); Gaye- ty-Shubert, Wash. (27-1). “Two Is Company" (Bette Davis) —Shubert, Detroit (20-D, of survival. Thence, any success it may aOliieve will result from her personal effort..With equal facility she plays a dipso, an American playwrite, a grandmother and . a maid, and each of the roles is care- fully etched. The plot itself is of Early Curtain Continued from page 1 touring shows in the last couple of seasons have noted that audi- ences now tend to arrive at the theatre early and that there are relatively fewer late-comers than formerly. It’s not uncommon now- adays for a sizable group, some- times up to 100 or so, to be in the theatre lobby by 8 o’clock, waiting for the performance to start at the scheduled 8:30 or 8:40. Similarly, in the road cities and towns even more than in New York and Chicago, many people invari- ably have to leave before the show is over, and it’s a regular thing to see commuters hurrying up the aisles before the curtain so as not to miss the last train or bus home to the suburbs. This is regarded as* proof that the established late- performance schedule is no longer practical. Numerous studies have demon- strated that the prevalent trend is for people to live in the suburbs and in some cases in the semi- country, even though they may continue to work in the city. There is even a growing tendency of in- ‘ dustrial concerns to move factories and offices outside the city. Since much of the consequent commuter traffic is now by private auto, rail and bus transportation is no longer available at late hours, so the old performance time tends to be less and less convenient. It’s argued that the 8:30 curtain dates from the time when theatregoing was more of an event and people expected and had more time to make the effort involved. The virtual disappearance of formal evening wear, at the theatre, even at New York openings, is a symp- tom of altered conditions. Nowadays, most white-collar em- ployees are through work at 5 o’clock and have ample time for dinner before a 7 o’clock or 7:30 curtain. The old tradition of dress- ing to eat out and then go to the theatre is a thing of the past. It’s expected tha most potential thea- tregoers would welcome the earl- ier curtain, with its chance of get- ting home via regular transporta- tion and getting to bed at a reason- able hour. In New York and to a lesser de- gree in Chicago it’s figured that the old setup may still be practi- cal, although even there conditions may be changing and continued study may ultimately reveal the n6ed to extend the Monday early curtain to other nights of the week. But in these two cities a substan- tial portion of the theatregoing public' consists of transients, many of whom are in town primarily for recreation purposes and others are on business trips in which attend- ing shows is a regular part. The proposal to move up the performance time every night of the week on the road was recently made to the Early Curtain Com- mittee of the League of N. Y. Theatres. It was generally ap- proved, with Lee Shubert express- ing immediate agreement, and” plans were undertaken to poll theatre managers, critics and news- paper ediitors in the principal legit towns on the desired time for the curtain. The early'Curtain Monday nights in New York is now regarded as an established success, with all but “New Faces" conforming to the policy. Receipts for the earlier showing have been up from the start, and now’ that the setup has been widely publicized and is gen- erally known, it is expected that it will operate smoothly. It's as- sumed that an intensive educa- tional campaign will be necessary before the idea is extended to the road, although the fact that it will apply every night of the week should make it less confusing to the public.