Variety (December 1954)

Philly Eases Off; Anastasia’ 196, ‘Stockings’ 496, “Flowers’ $16,809 (7) Philadelphia, Dec. 21. With five shows still taxing thea- tre availabilities here last week, "Silk Stockings’’ remained the pacemaker, although seats were available for all performances. Future bookings include Dec. 27, "Grand Prize.” Locust, tryout^two veeks: Jan. 3, “Tea and S>ropa- thv ’ Forrest, subscription, three weeks: Plain and Fancy ” Shubert. ♦rvout. two weeks; Jan. 10, South- weM Corner.” Walnut, tryout, two veeks: Jan 11, “Desperate Hours 1 ocust. tryout, two weeks; Jan. 31, • Bus Stop.’’ tryout, two weeks. Estimates for Last Week House of Flowers. Erlanger (M> (4t.i wk> i$5.40. 1.880'. Illness of Pearl Bailey caused the cancella- tion of one performance, and wholesale book revisions and cast changes haven’t helped; costly Sltj.800 for seven performances; continues this week. South Pacific, Forrest (MD' (12th vk) <$4.80; 1.7601 <Iva Withers, Al- len Gerrard*. Taking a beating v hi le waiting for the holiday week .viot-in-the-arm; exits Jan. 1; sad $13,500 last week. Black-Eyed Susan, Locust <C) (3d vk» 'S4.20; 1.580) (Vincent Price). Tryout cancelled its skedded fourth week and headed for Broadway; under $11,000. . Silk Stockings, Shubert (MD) <41 h wk) <$6; 1.870) (Don Ameehe, Hildegarde Neff). Pre-Christmas, east changes and mixed word of mouth have taken some of the pres- sure off this one; eased off about $4,000 to over $49,000; continues two moi*e weeks. , Anastasia, Walnut (D) ($4.20; 1,- 340) (Viveca Lindfors. Eugenie Lcontovich). Tryout has found favor with the Theatre Guild sub- scribers; over $19,000. Deborah’s $31,100 Rekindles Pitt Pittsburgh, Dec. 21. It took the season’s top touring dramatic smash, Deborah Kerr in "Tea and Sympathy.” to lift Pitt out of its prolonged b.o. slump. The Robert Anderson drama grossed a bonanza $31,100 last week at a $4 top ($4.80 with Fed- eral and local taxes) at the Nixon. Hefty business, which reached sellout proportions for the final performances, was particularly notable in view of the traditional bo. blight for the pre-Christmas period, plus the generally disap- pointing legit attendance here for the last season or so. “Tea and Sympathy” is laying off this week and next, with Miss Kerr vacationing in Florida with her family. The Playwrights Co.-Mary K. Frank production opens Jan. 3 in Philadelphia for a three-week stand. Nixon is dark this week, but re- lights next Monday (27) with Ed- d’e Bracken in “Seven Year Itch,” two weeks, followed by a single week of Katherine Cornell and Tyrone Power in the tryout, “The Dark Is Light Enough.” PORTRAIT’ A SNAPSHOT; JENNIFER $5,500, BALTO Baltimore, Dec. 21. Second round of Jennifer Jones in “Portrait Of a Lady” got a ueak $5,500 here at- Ford’s last week. Opening stanza was under- quoted last week, the correct figure having been $9,000. The traditional pre-Christmas slowdown apparent- ly affected biz for the tryout. “South Pacific,” due in Jan. 3 for a fortnight, is likely to repeat a J. am Biar pattern here, since mail orders from two ads are already c.ose to capacity. Katharine Cor- nell in “Dark Is Light Enough” aVo 1 for a . single week on Guild- A is subscription, starting Jan. 17. Cornell-Power $25,000, ‘Light Enough,’ Detroit _ . Detroit, Dec. 21. Second and final stanza of the Katharine Cornell-Tyrone Power • out ' D ark Is Light Enough,” grossed a good $25,000 last week J £ at Cass - T °P scale .. 54 4 0- Cass now goes dark, future 0 b 00 * 1 * 088 in the immediate 2,050-seat Shubert, dark ! “Oklahoma” current eopv *? p j, The musical then; folds l ° Indiana P°iis, where it • Eva Gabor $3,700, LA. Los Angeles, Dec. 21. Only the intime musical origi- nally called the “11:45 Revue,” is in town this week following the departure of “Sailor’s Delight.” j Revue started as an 11:45 p.m., en- | try, but switches tonight (Tues.) to j the conventional 8:45 curtain. For the first three performances at the 400-seat Ivar last week it grossed around $600. “Delight” sank to $3,700 last week, its fourth, at the 1,032-seat Huntington-Hartford. ROAD TEAHOUSE’ 17G, 4, IN COLUMBUS BREAKIN Columbus, Dec. 21. Touring company of “Teahouse of the August Moon” did a stun- ning $17,000 in four breakin per- formances at the Hartman here j last week. The Burgess Mere- ‘ dith-Scott McKay starrer went 1 clean at a $4.60 top. House is dark until Katharine Cornell and Tyrone Power in "Dark Is Light Enough” play a tryout Jan. 6-8, followed by Eddie Bracken in "Seven Year Itch” the week of Jan. 10. Teach’ Ripe at $21,300 On 2d Week in Boston Boston, Dec. 21. As the only legit item on the local boards last w eek, "Flowering j Peach” was aided by favorable word-of-mouth in its final week : at the Colonial, and picked up ! over the initial stanza. ! “Plain and Fancy” bowed into; , the Shubert last night (Mon.) for a 1 two-week stand. “Festival" re- i lights the Colonial Christmas j night, with sturdy advance sales ! reported for the fortnight engage- i ment, and “Models in Season” J moves into the Majestic for a I three-week stanza the same night. | I Future bookings include Dec. 27 j “Southwest Corner.” Wilbur, two weeks; Jan. 3. “Put Them All To- gether,” Plymouth, two weeks; j Jan. 4 “Silk Stockings,” Shubert, I two w eeks. Estimate For Last Week Flowering Peach, Colonial (2d wk> <$3.85; 1.590) (Menasha Skul- j { nick). Pulled ahead of first weeks, nabbing $21,300. ‘Plain’ Not Fancy, 32G, 9-Show New Haven Test New Haven, Dec. 21. Full-w eek stand, plus one pre- j view, of “Plain and Fancy” at the Shubert topped $32,000, just fair, 1 ! for nine performances at $5.00 top. \ Opposish of "Ice Follies” was an 1 attendance factor for the run end -1 i ing last Saturday <18*. Musical tryout drew excellent word-of- mouth. A breakin of “Southwest Cor- ner” plays this Thursday-Saturday i (23-25). Other bookings are pre~ I micros of "Put Them All To- gether,” Dec. 29-Jan. 1, and “Des- | perate Hours.” Jan. 6-8. “South Pacific’’ is due for a week’s stop- i over Jan. 17-22 and the national • company of “Pajama Game” opens i here with a preview Jan. 29 and a full week through Feb. 5. Itch’ 14G in SpUt Rochester, Dec. 21. “Sevpn Year Itch” grossed nearly $14,000 in an eight-per-1 formance. three-way split last week. Eddie Bracken starrer gave two performances Monday-Tues- day (13-14) at the Colonial. Akron; three performances Wednesday- Thursday (15-16) at Shea’s. Erie, and three performances Friday- Saturday <17-18) at the Auditorium here. Comedy is laying off this week and resumes next Monday (27) at the Nixon, Pittsburgh. Current Stock Bills (Dec. 20-Jan. 1) Fourposter —Playhouse, Houston (20-26). % w Hemlock Cup (tryout), by Ed- ward Hunt—Theatre ’54, Dallas ( 20 - 1 ). Time Out For Ginger — Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, N. J. ' (27-1). Town’ Perky at $33,900 For Opening Week, Wash. Washington, Dec. 21. Christmas apparently had little effect on the drawing power of “Wonderful Town,” with Carol Channing, which brought In a healthy $33,900 at the National last week to atari a three-week engagement. Manager Scott Kirkpatrick re- ports advance sales already equal to the first week’s receipts, indi- cating the play may maintain its present pace. Musical drew stand- ees Saturday night (18). Pre-Xmas Clips B’way; ‘Seed’ 2!%G, ‘Lunatics’ $28,800, ‘Witness’ 13^G (5) ‘Can-Can’ $36,100, ‘Breakfast’ $9,00 to the firs? *JK? SSSSL Thi Broadway went into the expected eating ^ tails P in week. Most Vhows Drescnt ru»r»!» VfnTi^ai dropped $3,000 or more from the ees Satiir^av niahf SUnd ’ previous downbeat stanza. Musicals ees Sat uiday night (18). Registered the biggest dips. $9,400 for one tuner. Only the solid n 11 ffM n « aa smashes held even. Annual slump KaIIoimit CIV Iflyl is expected to continue this week. Deuamy m,m w ~ kcnd -« There are three openings this \aaaam Cl k ClUl week. “Portrait of a Lady” bowed ijCdSOn ilj.JUU last night ( Tues.), “What Every wvwuwu Woman Knows” gets the City Cen- . , _ ter drama festival underway to- JHl / f* night (Wed.) and “Black-Eyed IVlIlD (4f 1 /*)ll I ill Susan” debuts tomorrow night VIII (Thurs.). Preems last week were ^ " "Lunatics and Lovers” and “Wit- Chicago, Dec. 21. ness for the Prosecution.” There Biz at the four Loop legiters were no closings last week, held up fairly well last week, with Estimates for Last Week one show even registering a gain Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), despite the anticipated pre-Holi- CD (Comedy Drama), R (Revue), day lull. “Pajama Tops” is ex- MC (Musical-Comedy), MD <Musi- tending its twofer run beyond the cal Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op- originally scheduled four weeks, eretta). Only future entry definitely Other parenthetic designations booked in is “Tea And Sympathy,” refer, respectively, to weeks played, due March 7 at the Blackstone number of performances through under Theatre Guild subscription, last Saturday, top prices, number Estimates for Last Week of seats, rapacity gross and stars. Fifth Season, Erlanger <5th wk) Price includes 10 r c Federal and <$4; 1,300< (Chester Morris. Joseph 5% City tax, but grosses are net: BuloflD. Over $15,500 (previous i.e., exclusive of tax. week), $17,900). Anniversary Waltz, Booth (C) ■ nd *’, S ‘ lUbert <4 i h } vk) (37th wk; 291; $4.60; 766; $20,000) <$5; 2.100) (Yul Banner. Patncia .Macdonald Carey. Kitty Carlisle). Morison'. Nearly $47,500 on first Almost $12,700 (previous week, week off Guild subscription <pre- $17 600) vious week, $49,700>. ' J. .... wlr . Oh Men. Oh Women. Harris (2d S i i q- *37 000) wk• ($5; 1.000) (Ralph Bellamy). Jv’ Rose to $18,100 (previous week, J trionnHer $16 900' vious week, S23.900 for five per- Pajama Tops, Blackstone «3d wk) an <* on « Preview). <$4.40; 1.385» (Diana Barrvmore). Boy Friend, Rovale (MC) (12th Almost $12,100 on twofers'(previ- wk: 92; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). Over ous week. $15,800'. capacity again, topped $38,400. Caine Mutiny Court Martial, HAAmAiMi, . Plymouth <D) (48th wk; 380; $5.75- HORTON’S ‘SPRINGTIME’ OPENS DENVER STOCK ™ * 23 200,: clM - Denver Dec 21 Can-Can, Shubert <MC) <85th Actors Lab. a year round stock wit- 676; $6.90; 1.361; $50,160). company, has been organized by Nearly $36,100 (previous week, Paul Willett Associates to present $45,500). ..... a season of guest-star revivals at Dear Charlt*, Morosco JC) (14th the Coronet, 526-seat former film *2?*,, h ouse 850) (Tallulah Bankhead). Over First legit offering will be *13.000 (previousweek^l^O 0 ) “Springtime for Henry,” with Ed- M Fa “ y ^ Maj « s 1 t i? SEPiJP.Jfti ward Everett Horton, opening Dec. £zl ° 25 for a seven-night stand. Lillian Pin “> "alter Slezak). Over ca- Bond, who appeared in the play P a £ y agaI ": with Horton in a strawhat tour. 4 o£ 1S JJJ C (!n. Z i le £>ft d *v?onfl^^A 1 frid will come from New York for* the 1 - 528 i,? 5 o 7 A n° 8 ! date, and the other players will be Dra £ e $44,300 (previous cast locally week. $52^00). Horton will return later to star , ^uniUcsand Lovers. Broadhurst in “Nina” and “White Sheep of the Ini "oVer smroo’ 6 ?™- 1 firSt Family,” and Illona Massey is be- $29>5°® • $28,800 for first ing sought to try out a new play. eig Mi e P p^ # ° t 'l? a, l ce 1 fT‘/ 7r j “The Journey.” Actors Lab has 1 172^ OAO) also booked William L. Shirer for * 5, a March 27 lecture appearance, and ,£artha ^Itt). Over $30,200 (previ- will produce another play, yet to 0U ^ e £ a ’ Gam?, St. James (MC) be selected, in April. (32nd wk 2 52; $6 90; 1,571; $51.- Other plans call for bringing m 717) (John Raitt Janis Paiget Eddie Charles Laughton next fall for a , p 0 y j r ) Capacity as always, over series of readings. 1*52 100. ‘Moon’ Fades to $4,600 In 3d Visit to Cincy Cincinnati. Dec. 21. “Moon Is Blue” eclipsed to a sorry $4,600 last week in the 1.300- seat Cox, for the start of a fort- night stay, at $1.98 top as a two- for. It’s the third time here in two years for the comedy and pre- Christmas was an added woe. Katharine Cornell and Tyrone Power in “Dark Is Night Enough” will tenant the 2.500-seat Taft next week at $3.96 top. • Eartha Kitt). Over $30,200 (previ- ous week, $32,200). Pajama Game, St. James (MC) (32nd wk; 252; $690; 1.571; $51.- 717) (John Raitt. Janis Paige. Eddie Foy, Jr.). Capacity as always, over $52,100. Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) (9th wk; 69; $6.90; 1.510; $57,500) (Mary Martin). Almost $42,000 (previous week. $49,200). Quadrille, Coronet <C) (7th wk; 54; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; 1,027; $30,- 000) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne. Edna Best, Brian Aherne). Over , capacity again, $30,300 (previous ; week. $30,700). Rainmaker, Cort (C) <8th wk; 60; $5.75-$4.60; 1,056; $29,000) (Geral- dine Page). Almost $15,700 (pre- vious week, $17,800). Reclining Figure, Lyceum (C) (11th wk; 84; $5.75-$4.60; 995; $23,- 389). Over $10,500 (previous week, 1 $14,500);* moves Dec. 27 to the Total Legit Grosses Following are the comparative figures based on Variety’s box- office reports for last week (the 29th week of the season) and the corresponding week of last season: BROADWAY This Season Number of show's current 23 Total weeks played so far by all shows 545 Total gross for all shows last week ... $591,500 Season’s total gross so far $14,987,700 Number of new productions 26 ROAD Excluding stock Number of current show s reported.... 20 Total weeks played so far by all shows. 453 Total gross for all shows last week.... $407,100 Season’s total gross so far $10,972,700 1953-54 Season 24 517 $589,100 $14,426,600 31 16 1Q3 $381,600 $8 989.000 Holiday, with “Anastasia” opening here temporarily Jan. 3, to be followed by “Grand Prize” Jan. 26 Seven Year Itch, Fulton (C> (109th wk; 869; $5.75-$4 60; 1.063; $24,000'. Over $12,300 (previous week, $17,100); George Keane is currently subbing for Tom Ewell who returns as star Dec. 27. Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box <C) (59th wk; 469; $5.75-$4 60; 1.077; $27,811). Almost $12 600 (previous week, $17,700). Tea and Sympathy, Barrvmore (D) <64th wk; 509; $5.75-54 60; 1.214; $28,300) (Joan Fontaine). Nearly $12,000 (previous week. $15,400); must vacate the theatre Feb. 5. Teahouse of the August Moon, Beck (C) <62d wk; 500; $6.22-54.60; 1-214; $33,608) (David Wayne. John Forsythe). Cher capacity as always, topped $34,000. Tender Trap. Longacre <C> (10th wk; 77; $5.75-54.60; 1.048; $26,317) (Robert Preston, Kim Hunter, Ronny Graham), Nearly $18,000. with some theatre parties (previous week. $21,400). Wedding Breakfast. 48th St. (C) <5th wk; 33; $5.75-54.60; 925; $23,- 720). Almost $9,000 (previous week, $13,200). Witness for the Prosecution, Miller <D) (1st wk; 4; $5.75-54.60; 920; $23,248). Opened last Thurs- day (16) to unanimously favorable reviews; grossed over $13,500 for first four performances and one preview. Miscellaneous Sandhog, Phoenix (M) (4th wk; 32; $4.60-53.45; 1,150; $24,067). Nearly $13,500 (previous week, $15,000). OPENING THIS WEEK Portrait of a Lady, ANTA (C) <$5.75-$4.60; 1,347, $34,000), Jen- nifer Jones). Play by William Archibald, based on a novel by Henry James, presented by Lyn Austin & Thomas Noyes and Pro- ducers Theatre; production fi- nanced at $80,000, cost about $70,- 000, including tryout loss, but ex- cluding bonds, and can break even at around $17,500 gross; opened last night (Tues.). What Every Woman Knows, City Center (MC) ($3; 3.090; $50,160) (Helen Hayes). Play by J. M. Barrie, presented by the N. Y. City Center Theatre Co. as th^ initial offering of a four-play, eight-week winter drama festival on a total budget of approximately $200,000, including operation but excluding bonds; scries has an ad- vance sale of over $100,000; opens tortight (Wed). Black-Eyed Susan. Playhouse (C) ($5.75-54.60,• 990; $23,500) (Vincent Price). Play by A. B. Shiffrin, presented by Gordon W. Pollock (in association with James Goodman and Everett llartt); pro- duction financed at $60,000. cost about $43,000 to bring in, including approximately $7,000 tryout loss, but excluding bonds, and can break even at around $13,000 gross; opens tomorrow nite (Thurs.). OFF BROADWAY SHOWS (Figures denote opening dates) Dybbuk, 4th St. (10-26-54); closes Jan. 3. Importance Being Earnest, Prov- incetown (11-9). Stone For Danny Fisher. Down- town National <10-21-54f. Twelfth Night. Jan Hus d 1-9-54). Way of the World, Cherry Lane (9-29-54). Old Vic ‘Dream’ $1,225,000 For 95-Show U.S. Tour Montreal, Dec. 21. The Old Vic production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” grossed around $1,225,000 for its 95-performance 17. S. run, which wound up Saturday (18) at the Forum here. Starring Moira Shearer, Robert Helpmann and Stanley Hollow'ay, the S. Hurok import played to approximately 385,000 patrons in 12 cities. ‘Ginger’ $16,500, S.F. San Francisco. Dec. 21. Despite the pre-Christmas in- fluence, Melvyn Douglas in "Time Out for Ginger," at the 1,758-seat Curran, took a spurt for its second week and pulled a good $16,500. at $3.85 top. Only definite legit booking is “Teahouse of the August Moon.” Curran, indefinite run starting Feb. 1.