Variety (December 1954)

uvilnfday, Pwml^r 15, 1954 LEGITIMATE 63 Roger (12-Show) Stevens' Own Coin Only in Hard-to-Finance Plays Roger L. Stevens is practically a f ,-eit production factory. Probably not in modern theatrical history h,s a single individual been ac- vely involved in so many shows. Having been partnered in the nroduction of nine shows last sea- ),» ic involved in 12 thus far son he is involved ihis season and already has seven productions scheduled for the 1955-56 stanza. The figures for this seaS on and next are- by no means final, since Stevens is a man for ouick decisions and. since he has ready funds available, he can schedule a production on a couple of days’ notice. Unique angle of Stevens prolific production activity is that although he is frankly governed by potential boxoiftee considerations in the selection of shows, he appears to be not personally interested in making money in legit. Thus, if a script stacks up as a likely com- mercial hit, Stevens does not in- vest personally. But if there is difficulty raising the financing, he personally invests whatever is necessary (or raises the balance among h i s friends and business associates). Thus, he has ho personal stake In the new Playwrights Co. pro- duction of Maxwell Anderson’s ' Bad Seed,” which looked promis- ing and involved no bankrolling problem. But, to some extent be- cause he was too busy with his realty interests at that time (and as he expresses it, ‘‘too lazy”) to raise any capital himself, he per- sonally put up half of the $75,000 Investment for the Katharine Cor- nell production of Christopher Fry’s ‘‘The Dark Is Light Enough.” Stevens is the largest single in- vestor in the Phoenix Theatre, (Continued on page 67) Have Fun, Kids Managements of two thea- tres in a key road town an- nounced that they’d be dark this week and next to permit employees “to enjoy the holi- day season.” Legit attendance is traditionally lighter during the pre-Christmas period, in- cidentally. Presumably, the employees will have to do their enjoying without salary for the fort- night. Shuberts Show Odd Way of Backstage Reform With Ban on Eats n Drinks Open Year-Round Legit For Moppets & Adults A year-round children’s theatre will open Dec. 27 at the off-Broad- way Greenwich Mews Theatre, N. Y. Initial presentation will be a double bill, “A Christmas Carol,” performed by the Mews company, and a puppet version of “A Chanuka Story.” Offering will run for eight performances through Dec. 30 and will be fol- lowed by regular Saturday kiddie matinees. Eli Rill’s adaptation of Countee Cullen’s “Noah’s Ark” is skedded as the next production. As adult fare at the Mews, “In , . . , i . 11 . , Splendid Error,” which wound up 1 asslc ’ ,iad $79*459 still to be re- a seven-week run at the Green- c °nped on its $99,841 production wich Village theatre last Sunday 1 cost as of Nov. 27. Richard Halli- Tan Still Needs 79G to Recoup “Peter Pan,” the current musical version of the James M. Barrie Harry Feldman Heads New Haven Stagehands New Haven. Dec. 14. Harry Feldman, house carpenter at Shubert here, has been tffected president of Local 74, 1ATSE. Others on the new roster of the stagehands’ union are Charles Miller, vice-president; I. E. Web- ber. recording secretary; Guy Cap- ' piello, financial secretary; John 1 friendly, cooperative attitude. Miller, business agent, and Robert Watson, sergeant-at-arms. New slate will be installed next Sunday (19). <5), is scheduled to return Jan. 4 for at least four more weeks. Pressagent Denenholz A Vestpocket Backer; $54.16 Stake in ‘Seed’ Pressagent Reginald Denenholz probably has the distinction of hav- ing the smallest individual invest- ment in a current legit produc- tion. He has a $54.16 piece of “Bad Seed,” for which he’s asso- ciate to Playwrights Co. p.a. Wil- liam Fields. The Maxwell Ander- son dramatization of William March’s novel at the 46th Street Theatre, N. Y., is financed at $65,000. Other backers include William Adams, Russ Brown and Margaret Webb, all in care of Actors Fund president Walter Vincent, $650 apiece. Vincent, himself, has $6,500 in the show. Other inves- tors include Fields, $650; producer James Gardiner, $650; actor-au- thor-director Elliott Nugent, $650; his wife Norma, his daughter Bar- bara Nugent Glouchevitch, his son- in-law, legit director John Gerstad and his granddaughter Annabelle Gerstad, $650 each. Also, ABC Paramount Thea ties prez Leonard Goldenson $650; ticket broker Edward Hahn $650; theatre party agent Ivy Lar ric, $650; tv producer Max Lieb man, $650; Robert Weiner, assist ant to pressagent Arthur Cantor, $650; Norman S. Maibaum, auditor for the Playwrights and one of the operators of Theatre-Goers, Inc., $1,300; Morris Schrier, attorney pepping Music Corp. of America, $1,300; Irwin D. Wolf, president of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, $1,300; theatrical attorney Joseph R. Margulies, $2,600, and A. R. Glancy Jr., a realty associate ot producer-realtor Roger L. Stev- ens. $7,800. Limited partnership agreement Provides for 20% overcall. ‘FACES’ EARNED $33,038 ON 134G INVESTMENT Leslie Stevens, Script Machine See Legit Boom In Home-Toll TV Another obstacle to the presen- tation of Broadway legit shows via theatre tv has been surmounted, according to Box Office Television. The closed-circuit outfit says it has completed working arrangements Leslie Stevens is apparently the I Edwin Lester produced the show. I with “all 26 unions” involved in day presentation, starring Mary Martin (Mrs. Halliday) earned op- erating profits of $3,446 and $3,- 109, respectively, on grosses of ap- proximately $53,300 and $51,100 for the two weeks ended Nov. 27. The statement lists $119,841 to- tal production cost, less $20,000 al- lowance from the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Assn., for which busiest author in sho'w business, i Included in the production outlay Having bowed professionally only i $11,396 tor scenery, $7,905 for a year ago with the off-Broadwav I cos tumes, $25,000 option on the ,, a. M ...... J 1 _ 1 Ain P . . Bullfight.” the playwright now has four scripts scheduled for pro- duction. In addition, a filmization of “Bullfight” is slated by an inde- pendent company. Also, a touring. including $14 925 trans- edition of the play is understood 1 n e ’ intluam 8 $14,925 tians original Barrie play, $2,010 for mu- sic and incidental music, $24,265 j rehearsal expense, including $2,464 ; to the principals and $1,517 to the chorus. Also $12,059 for publicity and advertising, and $37,206 other | to be a possibility under the spon sorship of Jay Lurye, midwest the atre operator. Of the quartet of plays on Stev- ens’ completed list, two are set for Broadway, while the other two are due for strawhat next summer. Pair set for Main Stem production are “Champagne Complex” and “Marlowe.” Former was tried out last sum- mer at the Bucks County Play- house, New Hope, Pa. It has been substantially revised and is sched- uled for Broadway presentation, probably in February, with Gayle Stine as producer and Donald Cook as star. “Marlowe,” under option to the Playwrights Co., is slated for production next fall. Plays to get summer stock show- ings are “Between Us Folks” and “Good Florantine.” Although no contracts have been signed, the former script is slated for Bucks County, while latter is skedded for portation, $4,116 transfer and ex- pressage, $11,271 per diem allow- ance and $4,149 music arrange- ments and copying. For the show’s first six weeks on Broadway the operating profit putting on a Broadway presenta- tion. The finalizing of these deals, ac- cording to BOTV’s Edgar Rosen- berg. paves the w r ay for negoti- ations with Broadway producers. “Now r we know what it’s going to cost.” he said. The BOTV staffer said his company is eyeing all shows to which the film rights have not been sold. Picture companies which have acquired rights to plays have nixed theatre telecast- ing of the properties. Rosenberg said BOTV would seek to make deals for the closed-circuiting of totalled $16,382, including $1,378 ' show s before their Broadway open- loss for the four-performance first week. There was $4,000 additional revenue from the advance on sou- venir program royalties. On the basis of the operating profit for the final weeks covered by the statement the production will need to run through next May 14 to get into the black. It was (Continued on page 67) ‘Fortuna’ to Stevens “Fortuna,” by Lucille S. Pruinbs. has been acquired by Roger L. Stevens for Broadway produc- tion, probably this season. There has been no decision wheth- er the script will be assigned to .. _ T ,,, , . the Playwrights Co. or Producers the Hilltop Theatre, Lutherville, Theatre, in both of which Stevens Md. Besides those four plays, Stevens also has another finished script. "Hilda,” a new adaptation of Ib- sen’s “The Master Builder.” is a member. Miss Prumbs’ previous Broad- way efforts were “Five Alarm Waltz” (1940-41) and “I’ll Take the High Road” (1943-44). ings because “if they become smash hits, the price becomes pro- hibitive.” In another sought-after link be- tween legit and toll-tv. Zenith Ra- dio Corp. called Broadway’s lead- ing producers to a symposium on home subscription tv at Sardi’s N. Y., last week. Herman Levin, prexy of the League of N. Y. The- atres, felt that pay-as-you-see tv could be a tremendous stimulant to the theatre. He outlined the potential return to the theatre, both in financial terms and terms of increased interest, which might result from, allowing the televising of first nights of certain N. Y productions on a fee-tv basis. - ♦ Whether the Shuberts intend to cooperate in efforts to improve backstage conditions in Broadway theatres remains to be seen. In the meantime, however. J. J. Shu- bert has taken what is viewed as an indirect slap at actor agitation for the reforms. A Shubert representative made the rounds of Broadway houses last week with members of an Ac- tors Equity-League of N. Y. Thea- committee and showed a But the day following the second tour of inspection, a notice was posted backstage at all Shubert theatres in New York, forbidding anyone from bringing food, coffee or other refreshments into the premises. Shubert’s name was appended to the order. There was considerable confu- sion and speculation about the no- tice. Inquiries at the Shubert of- fice reportedly drew non-committal replies, and there was no indica- tion whether the incident was re- lated to the Equity-League commit- tee activity. At most theatres the signs soon disappeared. Degree of compliance with the order varied at different houses, but it was noted that no attempt was made to halt the sale of soft drinks to the public in the front of the theatres. Latter op- eration is on concession from the theatre owner, which receives a share of the proceeds. It’s expected that the order will be ignored within a week or so and forgotten within a matter of months. Coffee during rehearsals is a tradition of legit. As for the age-old custom of stars having their dinners served in their dress- ing rooms on matinee days, there’s (Continued on page 66) Betsy Sees Reporters As Beans, Sez J. Dalrymple, Explaining Bad Press Betsy von Furstenburg is “a glamorous actress of the old school who has been plagued by a bad press because she insists on treat- ing reporters as prospective beaus and refuses to talk to them if they fail to measure up to her personal qualifications," according to Jean Dalrymple. The producer-pressagent made the statement during a recent lec- ture appearance before the wo- men’s club of Ridgewood, N.J. Among her various activities. Miss Dalrymple is director of the drama v Ralph Bellamy, prexy of Actors’ \ department of the N. Y. City Cen Equity, is another andent sup- porter of toll-tv for the legit the- atre. Although unable to attend the Sardi session, Bellamy has been pitching the medium in inter- views and magazine articles. New Faces of 1952,” the re- cent edition of the Leonard Sill- nian revue series, earned $33,038 Profit on its $134,000 investment. J nat includes revenue to date from the fi] m version of the show. With the recent payment of a $4,020 dividend, the total distrib- nted profit on the venture is $30,- wo . thus far, with $2,218 balance Available for future distribution. L)e show played 10 months on Hr oadway and about a season on tour. OUT SOON . The 49th Anniversary Number Of Forms closing shortly Usual Advertising rates prevail Special exploitation advantages Copy and space reservations may be sent to any Variety office NEW YORK 34 154 W. 44th St. HOLLYWOOD 21 4311 Yucca St. CHICAGO 11 412 N. Michigan Av*. LONDON. W. C. 2 I St. Martia't Place Trafalgar Square ter, in whose coming play series Miss von -Furstenburg is slated to appear in support of Helen Hayes in “What Every Woman Knows." Among other things, Miss Dal- rymple told the clubwomen that Miss Hayes had refused to do “Vic- toria Regina” at the Center be- cause “she feels she’s too old to play the early scenes,” that Bar- bara Bel Geddes’ “well-scrubbed look” was responsible for the re- cent failure of “The Living Room” and that Tallulah Bankhead “must have had her face lifted to make her look so young” in “Dear Charles.” She concluded with the state- ment that Saroyan’s “The Time of Your Life” and Wilder’s “Our Town” are the finest American plays ever written, and read the latter drama’s final scene aloud to explain how it had changed her at- titude toward life. Talk was re- ported in the Bergen (N.J.) Evening Record. ‘11:45 REVUE’ ON COAST; TO PLAY GUESS WHEN Hollywood, Dec. 14. A new intimate show, “11:45 Re- vue,” opens Friday night (17) at the Ivas Theatre, at the pre-mid- night hour indicated by the title. Show will play a similar schedule nightly, with a “matinee” at 8:45 p.m. Saturdays. Ray Bourbon, local cafe satirist, will headline a cast that includes Barbara Syaples and Dick Mere- dith. James Barnhardt and Peter Saporito will produce with material by Biff Jones and Chuck Stevens, and special material for Bourbon by Steve Goodman. Producers plan a San Francisco run after the local stand, and a possible Broadway j trek.