Variety (November 1963)

r 7 stead of 3 a name, and. Roy Shuman. ‘is -helpfully ‘talkative as an estate :} guard. The ‘summer houseset’ of: ‘Leo ‘Meyer is | Fomantically” enon The Strangers. “Westport, . Conn., .Nov. 6. Country Playhouse Arts Council resentation of Producing Managers. Guild’ proauction of drama in three acts by Andrew. Rosenthal. Staged ‘by Carmen Capalbo; setting, Leo Meyer; costumes; Ruth] Morley. ‘Stars ®. chalta Otis Skinner, Jane | Hort Gottlieb to Coast For Gab on 3. Projects | tt, Constance Cummin Conk-. Zz features -Laurence 2 Hugo: Margaret. ‘Hamilton. Opened .Nov. 5, 63, at: the. ‘Country. | Playhouse, Westport, -.Conn.; i] $0 f oP. ae . Margaret ‘Hamilton Bert Gurnee Willard Swire. (Emmie) mir a Con “or . (Catherine) ‘Gurnee. Constance, Cummings mn Bonnard ...0--.eeese> Miunie ‘Fallon. -...: Cornelia: Otis Skinner Hank Waldo:...........-% Laurence: Hugo. Angie Waldo ov ace eee e ees . Penn ¥ F ¥. Dr. Joe Barnes ..- An ‘impressive: cast: has. been. assembled for the two-week. tryout of. Andrew Rosenthal’ ‘s “The Strangers.”, It is an. interesting. play but appears. ‘to represent a ciiallenge in the formidable. revision: required. © | The titular characters are the women of a -flour-rich midwestern’ family’. dominated bya stroke-. crippled. . ‘matriarch. One of the. ‘three daughters is wed to the man-. ager of the mill, whose mistress’ is” supported by the mother-in-law. : ‘Another’s -husband: drives. her’ to | attempted suicide. It isthe return of the third daughter from expatri-. -ation inEurope that: looses the pent-up secrets and hatreds of. the |: women -and their: men.. Four-letter Hieb’s “The ‘White: House. Story,” the ten-. a Coot \ tative title of: the A. E. words are popping. like firecrackers ‘as the gals go. at each other in the second act. Cornelia Otis Skinner turns in |S a commanding performance. as the wheel-chair despot, although. ‘she . has understandable’ difficulty in ‘the. final confrontation with the . returned daughter. Jane. Wyatt: is first-rate in the.latter role, benefiting from the play’s surest. writing. Constance Cummings, .as the obscenity-tassing. alcoholic, and. -Peg gy Conklin as the. other unhappy | | wife reflects the uncertainty of ‘the writing. = Margaret Hamilton inaintains her perennial high average as the servant, -Laurence Hugo... and’ ‘Willard Swire. ‘portray ‘husbands: who ‘don’t-seem worth bothering. about,. and Penny Fuller is. shelp-. ful as the granddaughter.” . . Carmen Capalbo’s staging makes effective. use of the players. The budgetary restrictions are obvious in the scenery .and costumes, but:| the Westport. ‘craftspeople: ‘have done’ well under the oe Blen The Moments ‘of Leve Westport, Conn., Oct. 29. Producing ‘Managers Guild presentation of drama in three acts by David Rogers. Staged by. Herbert Machiz; setting, Leo B.. Meyer: costumes, Irish Ayres: incl-° _dental music, ae Ita. Stars Ann Harding. Opened QO ‘Playhouse, Westport,. Conn; “$4.40: top: Mrs. Devere | << c. eco es! Ann Harding Mrs. Vissert'hooft, wae Dorothy Sands Butler 22.0.0... 00ese vs eves, Leo quucker : Guard: |... ..0%. Sacasccee: ‘Roy Shuman Young Man ...ccescvecae“INicbolas Pryor. j rere erneteneaee Ina_ ‘Niemela . “Althéugh, a program. note . by. David Rogers espouses the form of his “frankly romantic play,”. he fails to’ justify -his enthusiasm in “The Moments of Love.” The romance doesn’t. radiate, . An. attractive company Jheaded by Ann Harding, plus the direction of Herbert Machiz,..are not exploited, in an uncertain work that -is part fantasy. and part com| edy. When the latter is accented, ; comes. ‘to occasional. “Moments” life. The romance. concerns ‘the. effort of a-rich widow. to. bring back the love she lost -years:.ago,. actually. through the device of engaging. a young actor to play. the late hus} ally busy week. for legit’. in: Man-. ‘be cancelled within. a ‘year after band: in the moments she seeks to recapture. With the disruption :of the illusion, . her. dream world. is shattered. 7 number of: production “aieti-}'0 culties, including the loss. of two} principals because. of physical ‘casualties; clearly. complicated Machiz’ job, .and: he -has his work cut out if a. Broadway. presenta| tion. is. intended. The cool. stature. of Ann Harding suits the. charac: | terization. of the. ‘recluse with ‘the | big secret, but in romantic mo-|"Dorothy | Sands: is much. happier. as the ‘old. friend who realistically ‘adds ‘up: ments she is. wanting. | ‘the ' score. Coming. into ‘the. play overnight ‘when -the original: actress :took ‘ill, -Ina Niemela-’ scores: as ‘the .granddaughter “who. wins: -the’ actor_ Yover,.. , Nicholas “Pryor. properly stiff--as.a2 mute. butler who operates under a number in | tieb, currently. represented on the Main Stem. by “Enter: Laughing” }and t.. 23, “63, at the Country > -(Thurs:). “competently. ‘played by}. Leo Lucker: is} lem Broadway producer Morton Gott “Laughing” * tour Another. matter: involved. ‘talks jin .connection with ‘the possible. sale of the film. rights to “Chips. ”. Although | ‘J.. Lee ‘Thompson, : di-. ‘rector: of Bowhall Productions: Ltd., . claims ° his firm has. the picture rights ta “Chips,” this is:denied by Gottlieb. and :Arnold “Wesker, ' the | | play’ s author. tally, was coproduced : ‘by ‘Gottlieb \ for Broadway. in partnership. with. “Chips,” . inciden-. Helen Bonfils, . attention’ on ‘the Coast. was script, which is to be. coproduced. on Broadway. by Gottlieb; Gilbert |. ‘Miller and. Miss Bonfils, with Helen |. ‘Hayes starred. In connection with | this. venture, the. purpose. of Gott|lieb’s visit to L.A, was ‘to. ‘Beout | other . leads. for the Project. “Off Bway Prooms — Continued from page 61 — ; of: La. Scala ‘in “Milan..was per sonally conducted. ‘tothe. prompt. box: of the state opera by general emphasized, . “We cannot, of course; force:-any production. to. comply’ -with ‘the terms of this. service.’’. -His letter’ continued, nevertheless, aware that sucha service exists.| ; and : to ‘ask. your cooperation. in: helping us to. prevent conflicts |: which | are anannoyance to. everys. “We would, ‘like to make you ‘one concerned.’ 7. Anent the shuffling of ‘preem. dates, the three shows. which ‘make -up this. week’s list_of. off-Broadway -| openings all had been: scheduled: -f for ‘earlier unveilings. “Journey. to. | the” Day,” which: debuted. at -the.}-Theatre-de Lys last Monday’ night’ /(11),. ‘was: originally . slated: to: bow | last. Wednesday (6), while. ‘Monday. (11): previously designated as the debut date for the double-bill of ‘The Maids” and “Bedlam,” whieh pushed’ back its: opening. atthe ‘Theatre de: Lys. to. tomorrow night. scheduled «-.debut. ‘next. Friday ‘night (15) of : “Tele= ‘The ‘machus Clay” at. the. Writers Stage’ datechange for that offering: ‘The .opening date’ switch for. “Journey” put.it into conflict with the Broadway preem: of “Arturo: | Ui,’ which had’ advanced. its open-. ‘ing. from’ toniorrow. night (Fhurs.).. ‘Besides. the. two Monday” night preems on. Broadway and. off-‘scheduled: Broadway. ‘and the . Thursday and Friday openings: offBroadway. ‘at the de Lys. and the Writers: Stage, Broadway debuts _ this . week of | “Man and Boy”: last night Tues) at |. és ne. : ‘Flew Over. the Cuckoo's: Nest” to-: night (Wed.) at. the Cort. Theatre. the:: Atkinson. Theatre’ and This is therefore. an. exception-. hattan, with six openings .covering five consecutive nights, besides the | ; performance. next Friday. night (15) of “AD Evening. with Jake: La Mot at the. Barbizon . the ex-prizefighter described: ‘as a™ cert,”: playing. nine roles ‘with an Equity supporting company company. Tom Hughes i m Hughes in NY. and producer. of: Dallas “Summer. Musicals, is in New. York for three weeks to line up shows: and’ leading: talent for -his -12-week, six-. show season. He’s already.-set ‘the; touring. “Camelot’’ fora fortnight |” next. August, as the season’s. closer. president: | “Site & Bacon (OC) ‘} ‘American Book (AS) “Chips: * With . . Everything,” . uller | made. the N.Y. to L.A. trek’ last. week .for . -discussions _ regarding: those two entries and-ah upcoming presentation. ‘Hisagenda igcluded. the Jroning’ out. of certain details ‘concerning a ‘scheduled to start next May 18 at the :Geary: Theatre; San Francisco. i" OC—Over ‘the Counter... ~. -The third ‘project to: get Gott| Hotchner : there’s also ‘the: ing. .-Last' “May. was called off. when there was no | ‘Plaza. Theatre. The latter show will offer in’ © what's: “dramatic | con~ “Tom Hughes, managing. director : ‘Hughes will: host a cocktail party. today (Wed.). at: Sardi’s réstaurant,. N. Y., for Charles S. Sharp,’ DSM. ‘Theatre, N.Y., starting. next, Satur-. . Hay (16). Publishing Stocks “(As of Nov, 12 closing) a Amer. Book. ‘Strat. (AS)... American Heritage (00). Book of Month. (N.Y.):..... 20" | Conde: ‘Nast . (N.Y.). re be ceve 1316 €owles (OC). 2. ise. ee 627 | Crowell. Collier w. ¥) 497% ‘| €urtis . Pub. (N.Y) | se eece oe, 67% | ‘Esquire Inc. (AS). 2. 35...... 85 | Ginn -&--Co. N.Y) penis iiss 2814 "| Grolier..(OC).. . aoe 54 Grosset. & Dunlap (OC) °. . “TR Harcourt. Brace (N ¥,). Lhe 06 34. “Hayden Pub. (OC) © mete se MA | Hearst (OC). . Wentce sta sain! 25 Holt: R &-W (N.Y,) BBR La Times-Mirror.(OC). 0 83. . ‘Macfadden Bartel (AS). 63% ‘McCall (N.Y) .. 2... ve eat se McGraw-Hill N, Y. we wee 2954 Meredith Pub. Co. (00). ee oc 2634. -Nat’l Per,: Pub. (OP). wa coes 1038 ‘New Yorker (OC): vee . we _ 111 Pocket Books (OC) .... rae 354. Popular. Library . (OC) | seveee 258 Prentice. Hall (AS)... a ees 3534: ‘Random ‘House (N:Y:).© .9% Scott Foresman (oe), aon ee "2636 H.W: Sams (OC):. aearite $214 ‘Time Inc..(O€) .. Le” 38384. Universal Puob.. Go. (oo): 434. ‘Western. Pub. : Co.: (OC). cave 20°. World : Pub. er ah Seeees, 16%. NY—N-Y. Stock Exchange. “ AS—~American | Stock Exchange. | {Supplied by Bache &. Co.) talian an Promptor Creates Walkout vel Vienna | By EMIL MAASS. _: Vienna, Nov. 5.. Maestro. Suggeritore M. ‘Romano: manager Egon: ‘Hilbert, but.. the > curtain did not rise. The technical “staff went on.strike against: bring‘ing an Italian. into’ Vienna’ 'Sopera house. “Egon Hilbert (and Herbert van | Karajan): appeared before the cur-. ‘tain: at’7:07 :p.m.: The audience had. scented : crisis; “because. the..cur tain -rises on: “the. second ‘at the: opera. Hilbert read a communique, | -amidst hisses. It said: “Phe public. read in. the news-: papers, that: the .union protested . against the presence of ‘a prompter. from. Italy. ‘The: labor department is at. present. considering. the appli-. cation: for .a working. ‘permit. -How| -ever;.actually it is'a Maestro. Sug geritore;. who the: state opera hired. ‘This is a matter -of art ‘and not. technical staff; This man. is a-necessity for the singers, he ‘is. used. always in Italy.’ an Theatre. marks the. third ‘preem’ a its’ ‘own. com-. that there is granted... Indeed, Karajan -claims, that this is no. competent matter, .for: the Union. Thus, “Boheme, * in entirely . new. settings by" Franco. Zeffirelli, ‘was called: off. This: wasSecond performance: to | the. audience. was: seated: and wait-: ““Meistersinger” tenor : because, “as ‘it turned out, ‘none had: been. contracted, -anem-. barrassing discovery. which: ‘could. not be corrected but which left to” | appointment. of Hilbert to: assume. ~ | the. responsibilities the artistic, | | but detail-ignoring, Karajan ‘was , not” taking care of. =. Both incidents, each with ‘a a -dif-. Tterent emphasis, ‘make clear: that: |a struggle for: power is: going on backstage. at the opera house: ‘Lat-. Lest .as* previous incident ‘was front page big. . headline news in thef local: papers. . Equity. Library Theatre will pre-. sent “Kismet,” with Lonnie Sattin | in -the lead. role; at the Master -| New York;: ‘Guide to New York”, ‘is ‘The Workers Union sent” out al. ‘+ few . hours : later muniqué, : saying, ‘among: ‘others a: pronipter, ‘who. did. his ‘work: ‘satisfactorily .in.. Italian’ operas in his 28. years here: Imme-. ‘diately after it/ became. known; that -Karajan -had hired. an Italian ($1,000 for’ one “month. plus all: ex| “penses),. .the union protested, only | to.receive ‘the. reply, that he (Kara| “jan)..would resign if no permit is making. religion news. . Curtis Refinancing” Bankof ‘Boston | whieh heads. the ‘group. a “ Semenenkosays. ‘Six, “commercial : banks in: «different ‘parts of the | country. have agreed. to. ‘underwrite '| the. funds. Group includes, besides |. the Boston bank, the: First. Penn‘| sylvania Banking ‘& Trust ‘and Philfadelphia National. Bank, both of} : Philadelphia; Franklin National. of . Bank of the Southwest +. ‘N.A.,,. Houston; and” UnionBank | in ‘Los Angeles. Plans calls for: sufficient | funds: to -|retire all existing short term debts. of Curtis -and .all the debt of. New | York _& -Pennsylvania. Co. Ince., a} 4 whilly-owned. subsidiary, while leav-|: ing. funds availablé. for’ additional: working: capital, Financing for Cur-. tis‘ will be on-a five-year. basis with |. ‘seven years for the. N. Y. -Penn Sub-| ‘gidiary.. ‘Dissident. stockholder group. af. Curtis Publishing Co. has hit upon Jan ‘appeasement note with Mat-} _ {thew “J. Culligan, chairman-presi.-.| dent of Curtis. William: Rossmore, ‘Newark attorney, who had. ‘headed: {the dissidents, now says: his group | .|.is in. complete: agreement. with the | publishing company’ s new finaric|. | ing. program. * “A row had. centered on. the matBe | ter: of dividends and: capitalization. | | There hasn’t yet been a complete | j solution, . said Rossmore, but he] Jadds that: mahagement is making a “substantial step’” in the: direc . |tion. of ‘making. payments . on prior, : preferred .dividend arrears. “Clay Blair Jr., editor of the Sat-| ‘| evepost, signed another set of quin. | tuplets—the Prietos of Venezuela |: ‘| to all literary and. photographic Tights. Previously * “the Fischer’ -quints | (four: girls ‘anda boy) were signed ‘in Aberdeen: South Dakota, and} the Nov. 16 issue of the SEP ‘and |" the December Ladies’: Home. Journal. (both.-Curtis Pub. Co.). give’ it the masculine and feminine {| versions of Mr.. and Mrs,: Andrew | ‘Fischer. "The Efren. “‘Prietos of Maracaibo, Venezuela, ‘are parents of five poys, ‘and. their story will appear in: both: -SEP. and. LHS. | . Hy ‘Gardner’s Quiz 7 LN. Y:. Herald . Tribune. syndica-. ted columnist. Hy Gardner, readyas for his upcomingt: “Off-Beat is. quizzing ‘VIPs on three broad categories. “when friends tell: you: they'll visit. New York for the first time, what ‘points. of interest do you: suggest | as “‘musts’?”;“what do, you enjoy doing: most in‘ New York, and. where?”; and“what are your: fa-| vorite: N.Y. ‘restaurants and: dishes’’. ‘Book will be published byGros| set. & Dunlap, keyed to. the. N.Y. World’s Fair influx. -Columnists -Earl.Wilson and Frank Farrell, coincidentally, are: likewise. readying markets.: ditto. guides,. for she. same potential Ar, ATV's Book te In the current vogue of publish‘ing: books. about. their -prized and. ‘prestige-laden programs, the tv in dustry *has ‘produced several inter esting publications stretching from | educative. followup material to background . stories -of. getting a | weekly’. series. on the air. Latest comes from Associated ‘TeleVision -on “About. Religion.” ” (Macdonald -&: Co, $3. 50), ATV’s six year | old Sunday program which aims at Edited. by . ‘Michael .. Redington, -award-winning | producer. of the tv series, book presents 17 of:the most. interesting programs in ‘the’ skein, [each. amply. illustrated... : Esquire’s Peak Earnings-. ‘Esquire -Ine. reported record earnings for the’ six months. ended. ‘Sept: 30, 1963. Net income advanced. 36% to $260,094 from $191,122 for: the preceding. year’s first. half.. This was equal to 44c. a. share ‘compared : ‘With 326, based ‘on 587,246 shares: outstanding: -at -the. end of the curent year’s. period. Operating revenues increased. 2%. to $10,115,540 ‘from. $9,922,645. Earnings additionally benefited. from.a capital gain of $304,178: (net. of Federal’ taxes),. equal -to Q Sze" a share, ‘This resulted: from. _Weisenlay, Rorenbe aber_13,_1963 Plans. are. set for .a: $35,000,000 ‘refinancing | of. Curtis Publishing | Co., according to. Serge Semenenko,. ‘vicechairman of. the First National | back special: : t Memorable Christmas,” edited by ). will’ ‘| Mind (monthly), _Literati_ ) ‘the ‘gale ‘of a 50%. ‘interest in the: company’ s Data Processing divi sion to A.. C.-. Nielsen’ .Co.,with. which : ‘Esquire -has. formed: a “new firm, Neodata. Services Inc.,: to establish an. expanded : data : Proc: * essing business, months — was: $9642 272. or . ‘96c a share... Meredith ‘Earnings Up: Better. Homes & Gardens and: Successful Farming. magazines, in. the ‘quarter ending September 30.” Z Revenue. of $19,273,174 for: the quarter just ‘ended. produced net earnings ‘per share. of 91¢, com —~. pared. to. 64c." for. the. correspond-..-* -; ing quarter: in. "62. Xmas’ ‘Anthology ($1) © is: Gerald ‘Walker, ‘and in pithy man<. ner, usually in. a -page.or. less, a-° galaxy ‘of show “biz. names (domi--.-" nantly), along with columnists: and’ ‘other personalities, : have done’ a™ capital. job: in putting ‘down their. top recollection.. It’s. a :good. assortment because virtually: every. one has an authori-. tative. ring and tells. an intimate ‘personal anecdote’ unique « “unto, ‘themselves. ee Abel. ot “CHATTER : “Actress Corinne -Griffith’s. Canada. and ‘Mexico.’ ‘Bennett Cerf : interlarding tis. lecture ‘touring ‘with... two. CBS . shows. in .Montreal;“Front ‘ ‘Page ‘Challenge’ and an interview. © Christina ‘Kirk (News). and Piera | Watkins’ (L.L Star-Journal) -han‘dling: details of the annual. “Front: * ; Page” dinner-dance: by the N.Y.” _Newspaper: Women’s Club ‘Nov.::22 | at the’ Hotel’ Astor; N.Y. .Miss Kirk. ..‘| is prez of. the:club... Vincent Lopez’s . |: dansapation performs ‘for the fifth: annum. ‘Claudette _ Colbert,” Barbara Cook’ et al: to. perform. ae ing a :series-for his outlets as well |. .By one* of those gremlins, Mrs; ‘Aileen. Mehle, doing the ‘new “Suzy. | Knickerbocker”. column. | (displace. ing Igor Casini’ Ss ; “*ChollyKnicker boeker”) was snafued. .in“spelling. of her: name ‘in last week’s. literati. “Suzy”. is one. of. -the: ‘top nine: ‘columnists ‘which the N.. ¥. Journal-American acquired from its-~ companion (Hearst) -“N-Y. Daily Mirror,: when.-the latter folded. Billion -Dollar ‘Newspaper Marme kets: Inc., a Delaware company,. has* filed an ‘application to conduct. the ‘business of soliciting of: advertising and advertisements in.New York State. .Mid American Newspaper: |-Markets: Inc., ‘Delaware: concern, -| has recorded. ‘a similar application, | to carry: on. an advertising. and advertisements” business. -Cabell,. Medinger, Forsyth & Decker -were. .the attorneys, . filing both. applica-. tions: at ‘Albany. © _° The nine-story | Hotel ‘Montelair : jon West -56th ‘St., formerly ‘the Phi Gamma Delta. fraternity. home, has. been: bought. at the mid-Man-:-.-. hattan hq of.. America, national ~~ ‘Catholic ‘weekly, and ‘will also house the “Ameérica.Press “which publishes. America, Sell,” ‘ piiblished by McClelland & Stewart, ‘Toronto, exposes: methods. ‘of . door-to-door salesmen | and: ad vises how to beat them.:. Bollinger Foundation’s final . of ; of” *Selected Plays. and Libretti” of-‘Hugo: von Hofmannsthal will in-. the .thrée-volume anthology clude three of. each. plus. three. seri= ous works.and three comic. Mich=-. 4 ael Hamburger ‘edited and :did the _ long .introduction.. He also transla° ted, along. with Christopher Holme, Christopher Middleton, Willa Muir, Alfred” Schwarz,: Vernon. Watkins. and. Nora: ‘Wydenbruck. ooh yte SO Bes . . . . s ae ot. ‘ at en ee a a NE aN i aa ending be Total net ‘jncomefor” the. six’ Earnings rose .. substantially.: for oe Meredith Publishing;’ ‘publisher. of” A. breezy Pocket’: Book . paper-.-'. My . Mos ¢ “i. _Can’t~ Boil Water’: is -an: offbeat. . ‘MeSsher cookbook listing recipes. of: famed gourmet :fillingstations. °° After ‘Kenneth T..Hurst’s pioneering ‘work; Prentice-Hall of In-dia Ltd.. has’ ‘been. formally. estab-:: lished, with hq in New Delhi, to’: issue “Eastern: Economy “Editions”. ‘to’ students: at about 25-33% off. “the American. editions’ ‘costs.. Leo ‘Albert is prez of-P-H. International. Inc. which already has branches in. | Japan, -Australia, ‘Britain, France, : ‘the Catholic’ along with the Catholic: Book Club and America _ Record Society. | . ne ‘Screen Gems of Canada’s tv” per-.: . sonality. Pierre Berton, author of "| “Klondike Fever"’-(on' which the Ziv “Klondike — ‘series-.was based), . +has a new book. out. “The Big