Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday,. November 3, 1954 Pft&IEtY LEGITIMATE 57 Chicago, Nov. 2;. 4 Loop biz sagged last week for both .current shows. Pre-election and the absence of any major con- ventions was figured a factor in the dip. “Mrs. Patterson,” tryout starring Eartha Kitt, went off The- atre Guild-American Theatre So- ciety subscription this week. Upcoming bookings include next Monday (8), “Saint Joan,” Great Northern, four weeks, subscrip- tion; NoV. 15, “Fifth Season,” Er- 1 anger, for run; Nov, 23, “King and 1,” Shubert, subscription, run; Nov. 29, “Pa.fama Top,” Blackstone, run; twofers; Dec. 6, “Oh Men, Oh Women,” Harris, subscription, run; “King of Hearts,” Selwyri, run. Estimates for Last Week Mrs, Patterson, Harris (3d wk) ($5; 1,000) (Eartha Kitt). Nearly $21,900 (previous week, $24,500). Wonderful Town; Shubert (17th wk) ($4,60; 2,100) (Carol Chari- nirig). Almost $26,700 (previous week, $31,600); exits town Nov. 20, Boston, Nov, 2. Final week of “Quadrille” at the Colonial, duplicated its first, with the house going clean at all per- formances. “Getting Gertie’s Gar* ter” wound a six-week stand at the Majestic to only fair biz. “Living Room,” starring Barbara Bel Geddes, opened at the Plym- outh last night (Mon.) for a two- week stand: N. Y. City ; Opera bows at the Opera House tonight (Tues.) for seven performances. Quickie booking of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” follows at the Opera House next Monday (8/ for a single week at lowered scale. Tryout of “Flowering Peach” is due Dec. 6 at the Colonial, replac- ing Eddie Bracken in “Seven Year Itch,” which will be rescheduled in January. Estimates for Last Week Getting Gertie’s Garter, Majes- tic (6th wk) ($330; 1,500). Wound sixth week with near $5,500 on twofers; house is dark. Quadrille. Colonial (2d wk): ($4.95; 1,570) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Best, Brian Aherne). Final week equalled first with record-breaking $36,600, house is dark. Haves $27,000, Frisco; San Francisco; Nov. 2. Frisco’s fall legit season got off With a bang last week with' a. sell- out opening for Helen Hayes in “What Every Woman Knows.” Critical, reaction was middling. “Midsummer Night’s Dream” opened last Wednesday (27) to good reviews at the Opera House and drew over $55,000 for its first five performances. It continues through next Sunday (7). Future bookiirgs include “That's Life,” Alcazar; Nov. 9, indefinite run; Dublin Players. Geary, Nov. 22, two, weeks; “Time Out for Ginger,” Curran, Dec. 6, four eeks,. subscription; “Saint Joan.” Curran, Jan. 10, four weeks, sub- scription. Estimate for Last Week What Every Woman Knows, Curran (1st . Vyk) ($3.85: 1,758) (Helen Hayes).- Fair $27,000; tiriues. ‘Moon’ $15*000 First Joe E. 20G, St.’ Loo Stock St. Louis, Nov.2, After a nice first session Joe. E. Brown in "Show-Off” drew fine $20,000 for its concluding stanza ending Sunday night (31) at the Empress. Marie Wilson and Mel* vi lie Cooper have lead roles in “Little Hut,” opening a two-week stock stand at the house tonight (Tues.) at the usual $2.50 top. “Moon Is Blue” wound up the first of a two-week engagement at the American theatre with a fair $15,000 gross. Jerome Cowan, Martha Randall and Wayne Carson play the top roles. Eddie Bracked in “Seven Year Itch” follows, opening next Monday (8) for two weeks. ( Future bookings include Dec. 8, 'Smnt Joan,” American, one week, and “Teahouse of the August Moon,” American, Dec. 20, two weeks. ‘Breakfast* Mild $8,000, 4-Show Bow, Wilmington Wilmington, Nov. 2. “Wedding Breakfast,” new Ker- mit Bloomgarten production/ drew over $8,00Q gross a four-perform- ance breakin last Thursday-Satuf- day (28-30) at the 1,223-seat Play- house here, Reviews were luke- warm for the play, the third offer- ing of subscription series. Future bookings include “Flow- ering Peach,” Nov. 11-13; “Caine Mutiny Court Martial,” Dec. 27-29, and “Seven. Year Itch,” Wonderful Town” and “Qh Men, Oh Women,” without final dates. JEAN ARTHUR $19,700 IN ‘SAINT JOAN,’ CINCY Cincinnati, Nov. 2. Jean Arthur in “Saint Joan” grossed a passable $19,700 last week in the 1,300-seat Cox at a $3196 top. Subscriptiori helped biz. Cox relights Nov. 15 for two weeks of “Pajama Tops” on two- fers. Subsequent bookings are “Oh Men, Oh. Women,” Cox, Nov. .29; “Moon Is Blue," Cox, Dec. 12, two weeks; “The Dark Is Light Enough,*’ Taft, Dec. 27. For New Haven Tryout New Haven, Nov. 2. American premiere of “Living Room” at the Shubert last Thurs- day-Saturday (28*30) did practical- ly capacity oh its four perform- ances. With a top of $4, that, rneant a standout gross of $16,700. “On with the Show” is trying out this Thursday-Saturday (4-6), with “Lunatics and Lovers” due Nov. 17-20 and “Witness for the Prosecution” set for Nov. 25-27. Continental in ‘Cuckoo’ Poor $2,200, Balto Stock Baltimore, Nov. 2. Expectations of better grosses at Don Swann’s winter stock opera* tion at the Hilltop-Parkway here did not materialize for his third bill of a projected 27-week season. Renzo Cesana (the Continental) pulled, a meagre $2,200 in “Time Of The Cuckoo,” continuing the slow pace set previously. Bethel Leslie is current in “Sab- rina Fair” for ‘ two weeks, with Reginald Owen in “Open House” set to follow. ‘Itch’ 15|G in Split Milwaukee, Nov. 2. “Seven Year Itch” grossed around $15,500 last week in seven performances- split between the Auditorium, St. Paul; Iowa, Cedar Rapids and the Pabst; here. Com- edy completed a four-performance engagement in St. Paul with an approximate $2,100 take Sunday night (24). A one-nighter Tuesday (26) at the Iowa pulled in about $4,400, and five performances, Wednesday-Saturday (27-30), at the Pabst added around $9,000. Eddie Bracken starrer ' in a three-stand split: again this . week. t ‘Ginger’ $12,300 in Split Biliings, Mont, Nov. 2.. “Time Out for Ginger” took a slugging in the Montana territory last week. Comedy grossed.around $12,300 in a four-way . split; with three Of the dates in Montana. . Series began with an approxi- mate $5,600 take for a three per- formances, Monday-Tuesday (25* 26) at the Capitol, Salt Lake City. Show got about $1,600 for a one- nighter Thursday (28), at the Mar- low, Helena; around $2,000 for two showings, Friday (29), at the Bow, Butte, and approximately $3,100 for two performances Sat- urday (30), at the Fox here. CURRENT STOCK BILLS (Nov, 1-13/ Happy Birthday (Joan Blondell) Majestic, Ft. Worth (1*6). Milliceht’s Castle, by Frederic Morton (tryout, stars Julie Wilson) —Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, N.Y. (8-13). My 3 Angels (Victor Jory)—Pa- per Mill Playhouse, Millburn, N. J. ‘Caine’ $32,500, Detroit; Greco Not-So-Hot 12G Detroit, Nov, 2. . “Caine Mutiny. Court Martial” grossed a big $32,500 last week at the 1,482-seat Cass at $4.40 top. Theatre now goes dark until Nov. 15, when relights with “Oh Men, Oh Women” for a fortnight. “Jose Greco” and his Spanish troupe did a lanquid $12,000 at the 2,050*seat Shubert in the first week of a two week booking. Top is $3.30. Philadelphia, Nov. 2. The town’s two musical shows, “South Pacific” and “Fanny,” con- tinued Big last week. Hedgerow Theatre returned. Saturday (30) to the Foyer of the Academy of Music for its winter midtown season and will offer the first Philly showing of “The Crucible,” starting tomor- row iiight (Wed.). Other arrivals last night, neither in the tryout category, were “Fifth Season,” one week, Shubert, and “Getting Gertie’s Garter,” three weeks, LocUst. “World of Sholom Aleichem” opens a three-week stand at the; Walnut, tonight (Tues.). Future bookings indude Nov. 22, “Silk Stockings,” tiryout, Shu- bert, four weeks; Mask & Wig Club’s “Tempest in a Teapot,” Lo- cust, one week; “Lunatics and Lovers,” tryout. Walnut, two weeks; Nov. 24, “House of Flow- ers,” tryout, Erlanger, four weeks; Nov. 29, “Black-Eyed Susan,” try- out, Locust, one week; Dec. 6, “Anastasia;” tryout, Walnut, two weeks; Dec. 25, “Grand Prize,” tryout, Locust, twd weeks. Estimates for Last Week South Pacific/Forrest (MD) (5th wk) ($4.80; 1,760) (Iva Withers, Webb Tilton). Holding steady pace; nearly $43,000, Fanny, Shubert (MD) (3d wk) ($6; 1,870) (Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak). Final week of the tryout played without, subscription and edged up for another new local record, $53,872. ‘King’ Clicko $59,600, In Memphis, Nov. 2. “King and I” racked a good $39,- 700 gross in seven performances at the South Hall Auditorium here last week at $4.40 top. Take for two performances at the state fair, Dallas; Oct. 24, was around $19,900. ‘Angels’ $4,400 for 16 In Rochester Stock Rochester, Nov. 2. “My 3 Angels,” curtain-raiser , of the local Arena Theatre’s fifth fall season, grossed a fair $4,400 for 16 performances at $2.20 top. Run ended last Saturday (30). Profit- sharing theatre parties with local clubs accounted for most of the midweek traffic. Local theatre-in-the-round un- veils “Hasty Heart” tonight (Tues.) for a three-week run. ‘Sholom’ $7,500, Hartford Hartford, Nov,. 2. On the first leg of a national tour, “World #of Sholom Aleichem” garnered a fair $7,500 at the Par- sons Theatre here in three days (four perfs.) last Thursday*Satur- day .(28-30). House is dark uhtil next Wed- nesday (10), when it relights with the. preem of “Black-Eyed Susan,” new A. B. Shiffrin comedy, it’s set for four days. B way Drops; lady Page $14,100 in 6, Martin Biz n Broadway dipped last week. Drops from the previous week ranged from $4,100 for a sti'aight play to $8,400 for a musi- cal. Trend was customary for the pre-election stanza, drily four shows went clean, with a sole straight play iri the quartet. Sellouts were “Boy Friend,” “Gan - Can,” “Pajama Game’.’ and “Teahouse of the Au- gust Moon.” Two entries, “King of Hearts” and “Oh Men, Oh Women” are due to close in the next few weeks. Preems last week were “Travel- ing Lady” arid “Rainmaker,” with “Quadrille’’ and “Fanny” .bowing today (Wed.) and tomorrow (Thurs.),respectively. Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Coinedy^Drama), R. (Revue)., MG (Musical-Comedy ), MD (Musi- cal-Drama), ;0 (Opera), OP (Op- eretta). Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to weeks played, number of performances through last Saturday,' top prices, number of seats, capacity gross and stars. Price includes 109?? Federal and 5% City tax, but grosses are net: i.e^, exclusive of tax. All Summer Long*; Booth . (D) (6th Wk;, 44; $5<75-$4;60; 766; $22,000). Over $17,000 (previ- ous week, $17,600); moved Monday (1) from the Coronet. ••• Anniversary Waltz, . Bfoadhurst (C) (30th wk; 235; $4.60; 998; $28,- 000) (Macdonald Carey } Kitty Car- lisle). Just under $20,700 (previous week, $23,600), Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (5th wk; 36; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). Capacity at $38,300 (previous week, $38,400). By the Beautiful Sea, Imperial (MC) (30th wk; 236; $6.90; 1.400; $50,000). (Shirley Booth): Over $24.70Q (previous week, $33,100). Gaine Mutiny Court Martial, Plymouth (D) (41st wk; 324; $5.75- $4.60; $33,331) Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak, Barry Sullivan). Almost $32,300 (previous week, $33,300). Can-Can, Shubert (MC) (78th wk; 620; $6.90; 1,361; $50,160), Sellout, just $50,400 (previous wfeek, $50,500). Dear Charles, Morosco (C) (7th wk; 53;. $6.90-$5.75-$4.60;. $29,850) (Tullulah Bankhead). Almost $28,- 700 (previous week, $29,909). S Fragile Fox, Belasco (D) (3d wk; 23; $5.75; $4.60; 1,077; $28,300) (Dane Clark, Don Taylor), Almost $11,500, with some theatre parties (previous week, $8,500). King of Hearts, National MC) (31st wk; 242; $5,75-$4.60; 1,172; $31,300) (Donald Cook, Jackie Cooper). Almost $14,500 on twofers (previous week, $15,700); closes Nov. 27 to tour. Kismet, Ziegfeld (OP) (48th wk; 380; $6.90; 1,528; $57,908) (Alfred Drake. Over $56,900 (previous week, $57,900). Oh Men, Oh Women, Miller (C) (46th wk; 374; $5.75-$4.60; 920; $23,248) (Lloyd Bridges). Almost $9,400/with some twofers (previ- ous week $11,500); closes Nov. 13 to tour with Ralph Bellamy replac- ing Bridges as star. On Your Toes, 46th St. (MC) (3d wk; 24; $8.05-$6.90; 1,319; $48,547); (Vera Zorina, Bobby Van). Almost $36,100 (previous week, $42,800). Pajama Game, S. James (MC) (25th wk; 196; $6.90; 1,571; 51,717) (John Raitt, Janice Paige, Eddie Foy Jr.). Capacity again, over $52,100. Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) (2d wk; 13; $6.90; 1,510; $57,500) (Mary Martin). Almost $52,400 (previous week, $36,500 for first five performances). Rainmaker, COrt (D) (1st wk; 4; Following are ..the comparative figures based on yArirETY's box- office reports for last week (the 22d week of the season* and the corresponding week of last season: BROADWAY Number of shows current .. ....... Total weeks played so far by all shows:. Total gross for all shows last week.... Season's total gross so far...,;, Number of new productions......... ROAD Excluding stock Number of current shows reported... , Total weeks played sO far by all shows. Total gross for all shows last week.... Season's total gross so far ........... $7,426,800 $6,372,600 $5.75-$4.60; 1,056; $29,000 (Geral- dine Page). Opened last Thursday (28) to six favorable reviews and one negative, notice (Watts, Post); grossed riearly $14,100 for first four performances and two greviews. Reclining Figure, Lyceum (C) (4th wk; 28; $5;75-$4.60; 995; $23,- 389),. Nearly $16,700 (previous week, $18,100). Seven Year Itch, Fulton (C) 102d wk; 813; $5.75-$4.60; 1,063; $24,000) (Elliott Nugent. Almost $21,200 (previous week, $23,000). Sold Gold Cadillac, Music Box (C) (52d wk; 413; $5.75-$4:60; 1,077; $27,811). Just under $21,300 (pre- vious week,. $25,200). Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore :.(D) (57th wk; 453; $5.75-$4.60; 1,- 214; $28,300) (Joan Fontaine) Nearly $21,400 (previous week, $24,900); Teahouse of the August Moon, Beck (C) (55th wk;. 444;: $6;22* $4.60; 1,214; $33,608) (Burgess Meredith, Scott McKay). Ariother sellout over $34,100. Tender Trap, Longacre (C) (3d wk; 21; $5.75; $4 60;; 1,848; $26,- 317) (Robert Preston, Kim Hunter, Ronny Graham). . Almost $22,300 (previous week, $22,300), Traveling Lady, Playhouse (D) ($5.75-$4.60; 999; $23,500) (Kim Stanley). Opened last Wednesday (27.) to one favorable review (At- kinson, Times) and six negative notices; grossed nearly $8,800 for first six performances. Miscellaneous Sing Me No Lullaby, Phoeni (D) (3d wk; 22; $3,45; 1,150; $20,- 000); Over $7,600 (previous week, $11,000). OPENING THIS WEEK Quadrille, Coronet (C) ($6.90- $5.75-$4:60; 1,027; $30,000) (Altted Lurit,*Lynn Fontanne, Edna Best, Brian Aherrie). Play by Noel Coward, presented by John C. Wil- son & H. M. Tennent, Ltd,; .pro- duction financed at $75,000, cost about $40,000 to bring in, includ- ing approximately $6,000 tryout : profit but excluding boners, and can break even at around $20,000 gross; opens tonight (Wed). Fanny, Majestic (MD) ($7.50; 1.- 510; $63,000) (Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak). Musical with book by S. N. Behrman &. Joshua Logan based on Marcel Pagnol’s trilogy, with music and lyrics by Harold Rome, presented by David Mer- rick & Logan; production financed at $275,000, cost about $290,000 to bring, in including approximately $30,000 tryout profit but excluding bonds, and can break even at around $39,000 gross; opens tomor- row night (Thurs.). OFF-BROADWAY SHOWS (Figures denote opening dates) Clandestine Marriage, Province* ton (9-29-54). Dybbuk, 4th St, (10-26*54): I Feel Wonderful, de Lys (10- 18-54). In Splendid Error, Greenwich Mews (10-26-54). Sands of the Negev, President (10-25-54). * Slight Delinquent, Blackfriars (10-25-54). Stone For Danny Fisher, Down- town Natiorial (10-21-54). Way of the World, Cherry Lane (10-2-54). ‘SEASON’ SO-SO $16,900, Washington, Nov. 2. “Fifth Season,” the season’s first •entry at the Shubert Theatre, drew a comfortable $16,900 for its single stanza D. C. stand last week, with indications that it might have gone even better in a second week.. Play drew “yes and no” reviews from the critics j but the public liked it. “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” is currently at the Shubert, second time it has been in Washington. The National Theatre, dark last week, reopened last night (Mon:) with a pre-Broadway fortnight pf “Wedding Breakfast.” j LA. Los Angeles, Nov. 2. Town is. without a legit Offering this week, and nothing due for an* other fortnight. Then “Time 0ut for Ginger” rekindles the Biltmore Theatre with “Sailor's Delight” going into the Huntingtori Hart- ford Theatre, Nov 15. Hartford last week had a smash- eroo $17,600 with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in “Face to Face,” a bill of; readings;