Variety (Feb 1937)

Wednesday, February 10,1937 L E G ■ LI M A T E VARIETY 55 Maurice Evans' ting Richard IF Ovation, Follows Gielgud Acclaim of longest of ovations of the seas° n greeted opening night per- formance of 'King Richard I!' at the St. James, Ni Y., last week (4). It was a surprise all around, including the management, Shake- speare play had in New York si 1878 and was gen- erally passed up as one of the least likely (commercially) of the Bard's opuses. Show hearty send-off from the critics and met . with/ immediate b.o. response, both Saturday shows having a number of standees. It was the performance of the- title role by Maurice Evans, English actor, which especially called forth enthusiasm, making, the second time this season for that type of demonstration. Ear- lier in the: season,' at. the same the-, atre, Jhori Gielgud, also English, ran up long-run and b.o. records in the title role of 'Hamlet.* .. Max Gordon brought.. oyer from England for 'St. Helena'earlier . the season. Actor ■ impressed in that, too, but the play couldn't, make the .b.o. grade. Gordon was about to sponsor 'Richard' but: ducked with Robinson Smith steppi in. Smith then arranged a tie-up. with Eddie Dowling, the duo being billed. as pre- senters, and the show, .going into Bowling's theatre, the St.. James, Credits Missing illing for the show at the, open- ing did not include credit for the de-.. signer of the sets, which steamed up = the Scenic Artists'' Union and nearly caused a; clash. Fred Marshall, sec- retary of the Union, made a demand on Smith that billing must be stuck ; oh pronto, else. It is still , being argued. .Understood that Smith engaged Da- id Ffoiks, an EngUshmah, for the job, ihce Ffolks does not belong to the ,,. he was credited in the pro- gram only as the - designer of the costumes. Union shop .(Alliance Stu- dio) built the sets and is credited, that way. Union' now; declares thai Robert Barnhart of the Alliance Stu io must be billed as the designer, as well and it is likely, that , the dispute .will be settled in that way. Last time 'Richard' was seen in New: York, was at the Fifth Avenue theatre (still up, but burley now) oh .Nov. 29, 1878, when Edwin Booth played it. Records available seem to .indicate that, before its present showing, it played only 10 perform- ances in all iii New York; having been introduced by James; W. Wal- lack at the Park theatre in 1819 for one performance ; In England it, is • seen more frequently- and it has ; been played on the road in the U. S. on more occasions than in N. ., al- though, again, not very, often. 'I/Aiglon* Suit Dropped Old suit involving Lee Shubert, Eva LeGallienneX Arch. Selwyn and Harold B. Franklin oyer the play, 'L'Aigkm' was dismissed: Monday (8) by N. Y. Federal Judge John C. Knox for lack of prosecution; Winifred Ash ton; agent, and Clemence Dane and Richard Addin- . sell filed the action i 1934 claiming the defendants appropriated the play which7 Dane and Addinsell wrote; Doubleday, Dbran, publishers, was also involved in the action as. de- fendant.-- Frankwyn Productions pre- sented Miss LeGallienne in the play. 'Diddle' Folding for Pre-Broadway Revise Notice: of closing of .'Heyi/Di j iddle* was posted ■Monday (8> in Washington. Show has ;been trying out for several weeks but its prer senter, Anne Nichols, decided: that cast and script revisions' were neces- sary before bringing it to Broadway. . Conway Tearle, who came on from the Coast 46 play the lead, will prob- ably leave the cast. Lynne Overman being, mentioned ..to succeed him. 'Cellini* in Hartford -.. Hartford, 'Celli . chronicle play in verse by Joseph Lee Walsh, opened a week's run Friday .(6) at the Palace theatre here' as a Federal Theatre Play had . its premiere port about a month ago.; ing the performance*- here;- ,a mi ight. reception' for the author was held at the Hotel ond. Few attended the opening, due to no advance sale and poor weather conditions.. FTP's Flood Relief For the. past two weeks col- lections for the flood sufferers, have been taken up in all ther- atres with WPA shows. Iii some instances the donations have, exceeded the gross of the show, especially in spot book-- ings.... Over $2,300 was so col- lected in the first-two weeks. Donations are In sealed; con-. tainers,'treasurers, of the. hiouses turning them over to Lyle D. ■ Andrews, ageht-cashier of the Federal Theatre Proj ect in New. ..York, who. delivers the coi boxes to: the Red Cross . morni STILL IN WIND American: National Theatre, and Academy, which secured a charter from. Congress overv a ."year , ago and nothing happened, has -been reor- ganized,, original aims of the project having been revised.. Those presently interested say it will not attempt production of\ plays, ..nor compete with the commercial theatre.: Gen- eral idea is to form a string of com- munity theatres throughout the country, ,with jamateur arid -college groups involved. ." A. Conger Goodyear, now head of this group, proposes a .repertory the-> atre. for * the New York World's Fair, but the expo execs have not passed on the matter as yet. Also mentioned is a repertory, company for Broadway. ;•/ When the National Theatre Was chartered, a flock of socialites, were mentioned,, who, were to raise $1,- .000,000. No money is known to have been actually subscribed. (WEEK OF FEB. 8) . Ballet Russe, Temple, Tacoma, -9; Capitol, Yakima, Wash., ,10; Fox, Spokane, 11; Pihriey, Boise, 12; . Kingsbury, S.alt Lake, 13i 'Boy Meets, Girl,' Orpheum, Phoeni , 8; Rialto, Tucson; ; Plaza,' 1 - Paso, travel, ; Paramount, A'usti 12; Tekas, Sari Antonio,. 13, 'Brother Rat,' New Haven. 'Dead End/ Nixon, ittsburgh. D'Oyly Carte Repertory, Err langer, Chicago. 'Enemy of the People,' (Wal- ter Hampden), Shubert, Newark,. 11- 12-13. • irst Lady,' (Jane Cowl) Ar- cadia, Wichita, 8; travel, ,9; Au- ditorium, Colorado Springs, 10; Auditorium, Denver, llrl3. •Follies,' , Chicago. 'Glory Erlanger, iladelphi . . reat Waltz;' Auditorium,. St. Paul. .'Hantlet,': (Gielgud) . Shubert, oston. 'Hamlet/ (Lesli Howard) iltmore, Los Angeles.' 'Hey, Diddle, Diddle/ Washington. 'Idiot's Delight/ Fontanne) Forrest, • 'In' a Nutshell/, more. ;•/- 'Jane Eyre/ Hepburn) American, St. 'Leaning (Post Rbad), Selwyn, 'Mulatto/ phia: Nazimova Repertory,. Cleveland. •On Your Toes/ Cass, Detroit. * and Prejudice,' Chest- nut, "iladelphi 'Reflected '.' lory/ (Tallulah Bankhead) National, Washi ton. •Return San Francisco^'. : . . ' Ruth Draper, Parkway, Madi- son,' 11; < Davi, Milwaukee, 12- 13. 1 'Tobacco Rbad.' Lynchburg, W. Va., 10; Roanoke, 11-13. . 'You Can't Take It With You/ Harris, Chicago. Shows in Rehearsal •Storm Over Baikle' ('Storm i a Teacup')—Theatre Guild. •Excursion'—John C. Wilson. •Driftwood'—Eugene Kerry. •Sun Kissed'—Bonfils arid S.omnes. •The Amazing:. Dr. Clitterhouse'— Gilbert Miller,; 'Now You've bone lit' .— Brock Pemberton. 'The Meal. Ticket'-^-Aldrich arid Myers. •Having Wonderful Time',—Marc Connelly. . In a Nutshell'—Lawrence Rivers. 'London Assurance' (revival)-»- Barbara Robbins....':. •Marching Song'—Theatre. Union. Film Companies Contend That 'Has at With the i it, picture and radio press agents into a new organization with union plans, a meeting Was - held' .Tuesday evening (9) at American. Advertising- Guild in N. Y. It was- proposed to -either jbi ' with the Newspaper Guild or secure a charter, from the American Federation of Labor. It was known, however, that the leading show publicists, are opposed to any labor affiliations. Group of the better known agents got. together last week with plans: calling for an independent organization designed to handle the pass situation and other matters pertaining to the p. a. fields Announcement .'riming the Guild officers included the names of speak- ers, who later declared themselves out arid stated they would not. attend Guild consists of those employed in space buying, department store ad vertising and commercial and indus- trial publicity. Guild's plan to' unionize may be blocked if aniuseriient p.a.'s .are i eluded, because there is such a union, formed several years ago. by Theo dpre Mitchell and others. :Unioh also takes in .company . managers. and treasurers, but has: not been active. Theatrical Press '" Represetnatiyes' Association li ise. has; not. beeri a,c five recently, but may be revived by those ; p,a.'s opposed , to the union idea. Laughing Gas Hollywood, Feb. 9. William .Perlman, out of Fed- eral Theatre Project in L. testifying before Federal ye^ti gators on ouster proceed- , ings against F. D. Howard Mil- ler, declared sirice proceedi began he's, getting threatening phone, calls daily. Threats took form of belly laugh every tirrie. he picked up receiver and said, 'hello.' ' * Bellylaugher '■ hijng on him, and, says Perlman, ird degree.;'''' getting him 'Tobacco Road,' Iri its . third season on tour, will: invade the South for the. first time. Drama, now in the 166th week at the Forrest, N. Y., was tested last week Norfolk and Richmond by a road company arid drew excellent support. Show grossed approximately $13,- 000-.on the week. Colonial, Norfolk, demanded a rental of $900 .for three days, but the. .show was quoted get- ting $6,812 ' and the " managemerit sought a return, date oh sharing terms. Last half at Richmond was played on the usual percentage ar- ragenement. Reporter, assigned, to ,coyer the show ' Norfolk wrote that it-was 'the worst thing done. to Georgia since Sherman marched through.' . 'Road' is currently playing a split week, going to Pittsburgh, next week arid then returning to the South. Detroit Starts Again Detroit, Feb. . 'Around the Corner'. reopens the local "WPA theatre protect Wednes- day (17), after more than three months' idleness. Pop prices will pre- vail at the Peoples Theatre, new WPA home. Local project, which has been Undergoing reorganization, is now under the supervision l of Fred. E. Morrow, former head of the Texas WPA projects. Cast, under direction of -Herschell Mayal,. includes Douglas Wright, Helen Budd, Halbert Brown, J. Richard N Gamble, Henry Craig Neslo, Peggy Ferin, Edward Masson, Alma Brock, Chester Adams, David Carnes and :John Matthew. 20% 'Waltz' Cut Chicago, Feb. 9. ; Cast of 'Great Waltz/ at the Au- ditorium here last week, has taken a salary slice of approximately 20%. Cut is in effect for an indef period. While, business was fine on its rec- tum trip here, b.o; results have been spotty .elsewhere, with, plenty of overhead on the large cast and, big juriips. Future fhys irl froni Hohokus/ musical com- edy by Arthur Swanstrom, taken by' Jack. Curtis for production next fall. •Susan and God/ by Rachel Crothers, being readied by John. Golden. 'Periphery' by Fraritifek Langner bought by Libby. Holman and Leon- ard Sillman for fall production. Coast FTP Probe Is Finished; *.■'.■ Lbs Angeles, Fe.b\ Widely. advertised investigation into, the administrative' angles of the Los Angeles Federal Theatre Project, announced as scheduled for; the. mid- dle of last week j Mrs; Mary $. Ishani, charge p£ women's and professipnal divisions for the Works Progress .Adrniriistratipn, to be pretty much cf an undercover probe. While execs arid project workers anxiously . awaited the arr rival here of Mrs. Tsham, dispatched by Mrs. rElien S. Woodward, as- sistant administrator the..WPA, following a derhand upph Admi - trator Harry L. Popkins by Con- gressman Thornas F. .Ford, it de-. veioped last Thursday (4) that Mr'. Isham had beeri here,, concluded her probe, and departed. " . 'interested parties .threw up their hands iri..cespair' at this annourice- morit, which Was made by Clayton S. Triggs, WPA field worker from Salt Lake, who. lent more mystery to the: situation by announcing that on Tuesday (9) he would ihake a full report of the findings 1 brought put by. Mrs. Isham's quiz and the in-, vestigation concluded last week by W. Hi Kinler, Jr; rf the San Fran- cisco. WPA staff.,..: This' announcement drew from Kinler; -statement that Triggs was in no position to divulge the outcome of. the. Kinler probe, as he had not had; any opportunity to see the tes- timony. ' . ' Will-b'- -Whi^P , probe by Mrs. Isham has brought a storiri of fresh protests, with opponents of the J.: Howard Miller Western irrie how clamoring for: a congressiorial.? ves-' tigation; Meanwhile. Miller, due home f rom Washington this week, is reported to have advised local execs of the project that he is not. worried as lo the outcome of- any probes. Picture companies have; decided, to stick by the Bureau of New 'Plays, despite bitter critieism of it in legit arid academic circles last. week. Bu-? reau was, started by film companies last. summer .develop riew play- Wnting talent,. with' a .number of schclarships and fellowships set up. for riovitiate scribes who submit to the bureau . what '' . considered Worthwhile, play, scri , :, irst .year's. contest ended Feb. 1, with six young- sters, getting the awards. Trouble started pronto. .. . :: ; Film compariiesy;chipped-: -, equal airiourits for the prize moriey, total- ing $8,750.. Immediately after the awards were made last week, and papers sent put to : the various ners, • complications .arose. Robert. Wetzel, a graduate of the University of Michi ; Who had Won,$2,500. re-- turned the ' check, pointing but that he had 'been misinfprriied" on terms involved;. Janet Marshall of the De- partment of Drama, Yaie, also lurried her $500 in for the' same reasons. To top it all, Walter rich- ard Eaton,, head of Yale's Drama De* partirient, publicly withdrew his name as one of the sponsors: of the annual contest, claiming, he" had; been induced to be there • ' 'commercial • chicanery.' '' Dr. Diatribe In a lengthy statehient, Dr. Eaton pointed out that the winners of the contest could not hope to see their, plays produced, sirice the terms * vdlved were opposite to those of Dramatists' Guild, He felt, he sai that motion picture interests thus had tricked young people into aspir- ing hopelessly and signing oyer bp-, tions at 'unreasonable and unrepre- sehtative terms.' , Film company stbry ; .. New York got-together matter. Monday night and deci carry on, nevertheless, insisting' that their proposals. ..and terms Were ^above- board, even though opposed to Dram- atists' Guild .terms. Film companies are not friendly With the Guild at present. They also point out that over 200 plays were submitted and that the least they had accomplished was to smoke out'some new: writing talent,, whether they or othef theatre channels profit thereby. ; " ' Meantime roadway legit man* agers continue to. agree with Dr. Eaton that there is nothing of com- mercial, valine or theatrical value, (from a legit standpoint), whole business. Clerics to Review 'MM After PWlly Mayor Bans the Play iladelphia, Feb. 9. Skedded for the Locust Monday (8), Langston Hughes' play, 'Mulatto/ Was banned by Mayor S. Davis Wil- son after he had been told hi secretary, Louis Wilgarde, member of the Boatd of Censors ap- pointed by the Mayor last season to judge the morals of legit plays, that 'Mulatto' was 'indecent/ Mayor said the play, advertised as a 'daring drama of sex life in the South,' is an 'outrageous affront to decency and particularly oiitrageoys i is period of Lent/,' .. ' ;' ,' Stories that the show wouldn't go on appeared n late editions of Mon- day papers, but.irrore than 600 per- sons turned up anyhow. Today; Mayor Davis arranged for a special showirig of the play tomor- row mornijig (Wednesday) for a jury consisting of a ..rabbi, a Catholic, priest and a Protestant minister. If they okay it, show- can open pronto and will play-an immediate special matinee performarice. Mpls. Gets 1st Show MiririeapoiiSi Mirineapblis gets, its first legit road- show dfarria of the: current season' Feb, 18,.. When. Katharine Hepburn i 'Jane Eyre' comes into the Met- ropolitan for three performances, v Except . for : re-routi necessi- tated by flood conditipris . iri the South,. the town' probably wouldn't even have; landed this attraction. However, Ziogfield. Tollies' and 'First Lady' are late winter or early j spring possi il>tiA>».