Variety (Dec 1937)

%eJiies<iaf^ Deccnibcir 52,; 1937 VARIETY 49 ; liank and'file mem^ Eqiliity ar^ ejcpected /to seek - the ihcliisioh in the standard cqntriact Qf a, claCisc coyerihg the matter :disrriissals. ; it is tejt .that- after , a player: goes through reheai'sals , in town and out; and jthe- show ppi^hs . biivBrbadwayv i^tdut}^ should be only for (iaiise; not 'liierely dependent on the inariagei's ^yhini / 'Mother;: cx;; ^,Urider the pTesent . rules , playiprs jnay be dismissed nptice;-unless .there JiM" of the pli^y. I^actk > Player may withdraw upon .giving similar notice,, but in some instances whei replacemehts ate made by the; W ihe, Brpad^vviay; prerriiiere, when / the caist is: apparently set, it is ciiirried the actor is atLi ^isadvjinta'ge. . Case in ppiht. is tha Marcel Rousseau who was. iei out of 'Hooray, iV)r; What?^ -N. Y., iaind replaced by Gharigs L,e Torre, Latter .was -in: 'BctWeen' but. his :.part was elirnihatCK} - wheii the script was rieyised. Though hiis : contract calls 'for a ni.odest salaryi iorre Vwas engag the play.; Because of that he was placed in 'kboray' and [-RoUssieau let out.. C was'not-for ■.iause/ llaiJIaliN^ •/ V;::.' Ghicago, Dec. 2X.^ \ ;. I»ossible. that: xiil^x : Halperin - will take .over iocai re of the: .Theiatre /iAut Reliictance .' of ^ranfc Dare, Ipea; Equity Official . t^ involve himself; in . poiriical tpnrtplir caitions Vnd middle, man ?jp6t in TA'$ campaign to contrpl benefit perform- .iance^ is belieyed :.to be the :reasoh..' .• .tioiii last" week: when fie,' had to call biit Equity .perfprme from Mayor ■Kelly^s :*enefit; . vWhH of-' ficially sanctioned the wa> only, 'obeiyjng prderSj iit is uhder- stbod the actual persprial irivokemeni ;^-is diistasiteful.-;-. ' ■ • ■. t'^-..-^ ■. Tj?L. now has its Lbs. Angeles pflice functiohing under .the' .gu.dance of i; B; : KprnblODm^ : local Equity, at- torney. Situation there lacks coiii- plicatiohs bif Chica:gb, \yhere the mu- .sicians. locil, Jand daily. papers made ;«n i ssue of the even t.. ' ■ ■ ' / Understood tjt^t; TA: has ilres^dy cleared.twp,L.A. benefiits frbin' which it ,wilV shar^ 15%\pf the .grpss. . Sah Erancisco. ofTiiee is alsb' ■iDcing sef via '^bc^i^^^ :,As soon as. time' w ill' permit . TA will establish , corinectiphs' iii' ., oth'?r keys for benefit clippirig. When hol T days have passed and the Chicago jnatter has been, settled, the grpup Will imb.ye out across the coiintry.'us- ing various Equity offices arid those of other talent unioris, wheri latier come" into the picture pfficiany,- as ; bases.: S6 far there has been .no of- ficial confirmation by ithe American Fedieration of Actors, American Guild pf ;MusicalArtists. or the American Eederatibri of Radio':Ai:tists. *' ':■ . Los Angeles. Dec. .21. .; Legit .undergoes, a - rebirth loc.nlly thiis. weekv-with. two houses rerighting after ' being . ds^rk . ifbi* 'matiy : \veeks. ?ivst in will be the Merle Armi- tkge's .(Coast . protiUGtioti of ' 'Lady ■ Precious iStream,' debuting 'at. the Phflharmonic ;' AuditoriCJrTi':Thursday /(23),with. Morris Gcst having .' a finger in the production. . Ehg^ge- TP^iift is' for 12 pevfprrnanceR. with heavy advahce. indicating a take Of close tc 40G;si . ■ v---"-^'''' V ■ Biltrnore" reopens. .Christma.s Day , v/ith ;Yes. ■ ;My Darling ■ ■ Daughter.' • starring'Florence Reed.. / . . . Federal ^Theatr^ Project opens Androcle.s and the, Lion''at the HPl- Jywood Playhouse ; (23)i'•\\^ith; ah all nejjro: cast plus; a' cPnceiit prelude . Of 50 ... ;^ >Ready! Aim! Fire,' ,^'"er ; weeks 'at the Playhouse Koes into .'ihe Mayan: <22) for con Vnuc'd'run,. .. ' ■^ '-'^ BREAKINFOR 'S' ■■' '^ Hollywobd, Dec; 21. ' . William K^ighley and Homer Cur- ah will produce The Funnies," comedy by Joh n Held, Jr., and Marie Baumer, pn the Coast next spring, planning later to take it to Brpad- w^y,. -'•.;>.;.:. :'■.;-;/ Opening here skeded for the BiItm;ore theatre, a Gui-ran house. Fines of $50 to $200 .were irhposed Monday (20) by .Federal Judge Henry Gbddard on 13/,of 19' theatre ticket agents and employees fpr . vio- lating the fedieral law on the proper stampiiijg of theatre tickets. .; In the; cases of the ■ employees, Assistant; United. States /Attorn Jesse . Moss recommended that the fines be re- riiitted.. The, sentences of the other six ^ were: "pbstponed. Thpse fiaed were: . ',■.;'; •' •- ;'■ ://;. ' Sussman "Theatre Ticket / 6ffice, Inc.,':'$200; Harry W man, $100; Robert Jj Miiler and John Wachter,' trading under the name of the Gi*aiid_ dentral . Theatre Service,. $200 ciach; Harry Rpsehblum, $200; Original Tyspn & .Go., $10<); Edward Lysons, salesrn^n, $56; Arrow (Ticket Service, Inc., $100; Willard Henry, salesmanv $50; Arthur A. Rjadler, $100; James Jbhiisohj trading !under the haihe di'^the Manhattan Theatre Ticket Co.,; $100, and T. : Everett NaughtOii, of the Naughton Theatre Ticket Office, $100. ; ' Sentenced 'were deferred; until Dec;.' 27 ■ on David and Barney. Warfield, Oscar Alexander , and Jesse Berily and the Arthur Hitchman's Theatre Ticket Offiipe," Inc., to Jan. 10. , s on Icif by M : In uphblding the dicisipn of ;the; N. Y. Supreme Court, the Appelate Division last Friday (17) refused Ghesteir L. O'Brien, husband of the late Marilyn .Miller,. any interest or :;hare in the trust fund established for her mother by Miss Miller, be- fore h^r deaith. Decislbri^ stated that the plaintiff haid ;ciaijn on the gen^ eral estate but not on the fundi. Originally the fund totalled $78,r- (500,--but—borrowing—rediiced -it -to $63,000 at the time of Miss Miller's death April 8, 1936. Mother was to be paid $150 monthly for life. Will was iexecuti^d on. April 31, .1937. and it provided $25,000 for. her father, Edvirin D. Reynolds; $15,000 for her forrheV mother-ih-law and the residue to be set in trust for her mother. '■ ■ / Star married • 6'Brieri, a. chorus boy, in October, 1934. ' Her Svill had been made before ..the marriage Since .he :d,id not share iin .the^^^e he sought a husband'sT right w^^ the cbUrt: granted, but ■ which meant 'fibthin^rsini^ a7$3 atie up the general bstate 'pf $31,000. :Gburt rendered latter : 'ph^sc . while ruliVig. out.the:. share in the f,i^nd. S. W. iTannenbaum, Pf Tanncnbauiri and. Appel, held that 'the fund, was rne.aht excUislvely for the' iriother; opinion.which CGU Testimony cbiVrt brought; b\it that during the yedr-aiid-oiie-half; that 'the pair w.ere' marrife^ earned only $25. During that; same period it wa§ testified Miss Miller gave. $65,000 to O'Bricri fpf personaI use.andspe,ht .$144,00.0.f maihtbhance.. . Part ,of the rnpoey went' into O'Blrien's . production / :pf 'Ang,eis Fear to Trdcd.'/ \Vhen Riiss Miller's wiil; was. :di"a\yn' ^shev hjad. a persbnal fortune of ' over.. $500,000; half pf which; was jii cash, .it. \Vas stated. O'Brieri. has remaioed .since the death of. Miss'Millcry' ' . 'Simoon Over A'lclers;* -ploy deal- ing AVith thb. red 1 itjht distVict' ili- that city and; first PrPduced' in . Paris; un- der; the lille 'Prosper,' .ffo;es iiifb ^ rcr hdarsal rrext mohth.: sponsored .by Frehch-Amcrit'ari.Prpduction.s. Kurt Rpbitschek w'ill direct. . v ' week of Dec 20 V;. -IBabes:.' lini ■' Arms,* Forrest,' ' Philadelphia : (opens 24). ' /: •Brother Bat,'. Locust, Phila- \ dblphia. (ppens .25). ;; ^Brother Rat,' Anierican, St, .Louis (bpiens 25). ,. . ..'Leaning:. btt'-.LeUy^^ Greenwood),' 'Wilbur,;. Boston • (opens 24). ''•.. ,. ', ''.'■ ; 'Right This Way,' ShUbert,: Boston (opens i25);; ^ '.'■.. •/ ~ ' *.Room ..Service,' Cox; Cihcin- i natl (operis 25). :. '-■ : "Tobacco Road/; Aiide, ■ Abi- lene, Tex. (25:). . ., . '■■ ; 'tonight at 8:30,' Anierican, St; libuis (19-22); .Davidson, • Milwaukee (opens; 25)',- 'Tovarich' (Eugenie Lconto- .■ vich), Selwyn, Chicago. •Victoria Re^inaV (Helen .Hayes), Paramount, TbledP, 6. / •Wine of ;Choice' (Miriam." ■■ Hopkins), Erlanger, Chicago. \ / 'Women,' yic:tory, Dayton,: O.y (20); • Memorial Audci Louis- .viiie (25). • U\ : v; ^ . 'Viesi My Darling: Daughter,' Chief; Colorado Springs (20); Biltnipre, Lps . Angeles (opens 25). 'Yoii Can't Take it With Tbu, :, Haiina, Cleveland (opens 25). 'You Can't Take It With You,' Harris, Chicago. . 'You Can't Take It With Yiu,' Ryman Aude, -Nfashviiler 'Tenn., «21); High School Aude, Little. .Rock, Ark., (23); - .■■'♦Yr.; Obedient Hiasband' (Fred- ric; March )^ Cass, Detroit. V ; ./Half a dozen Broadway boxoffice men who were employed in the WPA /.Theatre ; Project, .were surn- moried to the Federal court, Nj Y., Monday- (20) on the charge of fraud; They had been indicted. bh the grounds of having acbeptbd pay from the f WpA; .^Vhiie they^^^ e on the outside... Cas^s are part pif a genefrai.' investigation' of;-WPA.:' With. s()me' question as to. the. governmerit's claiim, the/men were put over until next Monday (27); Bpxbffice people worked ! oh. a broken /tinie skrrairigem.e.ht. ph'; WPA, checking in each hiorhi.ng: and Often free in the afternoon," then; reporting back for evening duty in the thea- tres. Men involved took tempo.rat'y jobs selling . tickets. at the.;-baseball parks,, explaining they wished to make the connectfon there .in cr.s?' they; were; dropped from' thie. relief project, which, occurr^^^ . -' jWhen guened^ the' ball park Jobs which pay very littlei the meri previpusly - admitted such activity. Investigaitors, however, claimed they were not/within/.their rights. Men then offering to repay .the wages paid them . by ,-. WPA. . At least: Phe is known tp ^ have refunded two.wesks' pay, which amounted to $72 at the tirhe, but. that appariently did hot mitigate the charges. .Time slips kept on the; ticket sell- ers are . said to. have aroused the curios'ty. of the check--up men. So-Tie were; iricpVr«c:tiy "signbd in -at five In ■the aftprnoon, whereas the men ex^ :p:lained/-tbTeyTi^^ seyen plclock^ AlPrvg;'Brpadw^^ ichar^es arb regarded ;ai a'bad; bi'eri^ for the; b.o. men .who; had. little em- ; ploy mbht other : itha;n the'.relief ^ i'pr years; • ■ ;■.. '■ ■ ;■ • Cleveland, Dec. 21. ;■. Miilon W-. Krosny , .was/ .re-olcctcd president of ; Cleveland . nTu^ici,ans .Uniph Noi ,4 for' a SciboVid .tw.o-^year ;.tc rnr .af te r: oh e ■ of 'the;-b. i tti^^ batllcs '. .^Ihc; .lociil.-/; histpry.v' p^^ Kapl, head of the. .old -:. .'.»imc.. for ■ many yfe.ar.^ ■ iricd to.Turi ifor ofYicp ; oh : a : 'khocking piatfPrtn,; but wns .trbuntcd .by / "781 Krashy votes', to kapl's. 303.:- : V; ;; ■; . - . Il.e.nry Pfizrh'maycr -re-elcc(cd .vicef: president;, Elmer H. Wahl d.s secre- tary and treasurer for nihth. year., Willard Pott i.-ind Earl Chatham were two; new; men: appointed, tp ; board" pi" directors; -.: v;hich {; how ; ihcUidc's Horace .G. V.Pliun, Ed. ' Haug, Batto w. Gosteiio; • ■■: /■-:/. ..;,■••;;./;■■■■/■ Convicted on Charges By Waltzes' Showgirl / Philadelphia, Dec; 21. : . Ghaj-ged with attacking; -Leila Royce, 26, showgirl in Three Waltzbs,' two local nieo'; were. bPn^ yicted; by: a jury, in 40 minutes; last Saturday < 18) .afternoon. Trial' lasted four days'. Sentehce: was deferred pending defense, hibtibn for a new trial. :. / •• :,:;. ./^/ z-J ' : /•Waltzes'" closed at the Chestnut herb Saturday. ; B way Prospects Two shows' ;■ which; havb .been at-, tracting attehtipn phv. the 4'oad. and' are rega'rded ■ 1 jkcly ppssibilities for Broadway are ■ 'Yr,; • pbedient Husband*, and . 'The Hpusemaster.' Both have. drawn . excellerit /grosses. Without the- benefit of si iievf; York rep. Reviews; accorded in the/vari-. bus stands: have been fayprai^le, in line with the business gaii'her.bd, '. Draw/ of 'Husband' has been the best,^witH the appeiiran iviarch as star and/witli. Flpr^ ridge;, accPuhted resportsible/ fpf draw;- .Show is repbrted getting as high £is $20,000 on some weeks:;*Hus- bahdV is by Horace Jackson, a Coast -writer, play Was first' called , '.The Christiah.Herb.' It lured;John Well frbm the Coast to:stage.it. He is co-producing; with' Marbh, who;/is on. an indefinite leave .from, the stu- dios. liue into-the .Blrpadhur^ nbxt week. ' .' ';: 'Hbvisemaster* is a Sh vibert produc- tion with Ruth Selwyn co-presenter. Play • was ^originally , produced in London last wihtbr» hut: appears not to hav:e been, considered having a chance ovei: here' by other managers. Show's;busihess in the keys has.beten aided by subscriptions .of the Ameri- can Theatre Society (Guild and.Shu- berts)./ Due on iBrPad.Way eirly in' January.' '. '/./. ■ / Critks WOl Be Boys, OrVi N. Y. Critics Circle dinner wa.s not a' long, quiet and just conversa- tional affair. John Andprspn walked oiit. after: disagreeniienl :with; George; Jean / Nathan,: curreht i-priBsideht .of the critics - group. Indicated there are factipns among the boys, some of: whom had the sarrie ideals as ex- pressed by Anderson. / Some of the member.*! couldn't un- derstand wliy formal dress was re- quired; since the affair was held in private quarters.: Anderson opined that Nathan's idea of talent was of qitestiPnable taste,' the prcz having invited Butterfly McQueen, young• Ne^ro actress,: who had a small part in" 'Brown SugarV '(bid Un.dbrr. •stobd ;that Miss McQiiebn'. failed" to- ;sh7i\\^rTHeT assignmeh.t^.W ushered ■ ..the >ifierhbers.;v-^^ is, now in 'Brother Rat.' - Anderson said he had not'.drawn: the color line, but iust'didn't- like the .idea, :. Anderson .; iis/" also 'said to have • t alien ..ex.cepl ion ..; to •Nathan's so lec- tion of :Gbrdbn's Dogs,-'ii -t-iirri: that ;<; Used \rj, 'Hooray for;What!.'-at. the/ Winter. Garden'.. N. .Y. :. Circle's' last dinner: wa.s held in a hotel dining, roprh, :A.; hiysteripus box,..w"S sent to lhe table and when dpched ■: live snalite wiggled but.!- CHANGEABLE HELEN JEROME / . iHcleh Jerome takes, the • cake for .play, aeent swi.tchihi? an.d the- hurn-: her of her. works Girculalihg ;aniong the' prpducersi -.-.-..; '/, ■ ;"-^ In three yea'Ksv Miss-.'. Je'rprhe /ha.s. been.; fepped ' by Grace Mbpre, A1-. Tied . Authors; :;Pin'l^cf .^;&' 'Morrison. Richard; . Maddeh,, Sarah : Roll i ts and i,s ;ctfrrbntjy Brandt ife Brandt; Only two-: of. 11 circulating scripts have; seen,' .commercial production in t'he U; -iS.,':'*P.ride ''ahd';;i?rejudice.' 0 n Broad way: a nd, 'Jahc Ey re''. on :thb rbad. ■':• ■ ' ■ ■ .. No certainty .-.that-thev:-WPA The- - . atrb Project will be in ex'stsnce by ..; April, 1939, is: seen by' Mrs. Halli Flanagan, national ;director..: She sb .. bxpressed hersel f at' ii,. lunbhepn of . the ■ theatrical.. cPminittee fbii:, ;the.'. Ne.w .York Wprld's. Fair, held, .iast . Week at the fair gfrourids. Mrs. . Flanagan . did not refer , to' recent: suggestions that the Federal Theatrb project niight . become' ' natiohal : theatre movement. ; : she reminded. ■ thbatiie-.; .mahagers. that the FTP ;is ready to dP' ■expe'rj-.i': mental prpductioris foV: commercial producers, To date showmen have v not taken advantage of that possi- . bi.lity, but sPme' • present at the luncheon indicated they were fa- vorably irripressed with the idbiiw^ Director for. the first. time frankly stated that It.is hot the; purpose of. the WPA to oppose, established t)ie,-: atre enterprises - and" su ggested that if the FTO;js still irt existchce When; the fair* opens a 'Living Newspaper', production be presented lo show the progress pf. ; entertainment ■'. and dramai; ■ / .-. ■.:.;:...' . .While. lilrs. Flanagan failed to mention the subject of"; a niatibnai . theatre such , hope: ia • distinctly alive in another direction. / Actors; . ; Equity Assn. cornmittee is zealously- working for that.realization. Move- : nieht is based Pn the Coffey Bill, , measure to be introduced into Con- eress to lift FTP.out of WPA and establish it on a permanent /basis. Bill is hPt limited to the: theatre, - but takes: in all the cultural arts,; / While. the object of ; the Coffoy Bill favored, by. thei .actor side of shpty : business, other observeris fig- ure it has little, chance of adop- tion by Cpngrcsis in the -near future in view pif the current .';diiveJ.to re- duce ■ gpvernnient budgets,: Coffey measure would take the FTP setup and increase the perspnrtel not.leiss . thain 20%y With; r^iohal board? ih , charge throughout the ' country.: There, Wbuld be ho relief angle. For : that reason Equity is hot for' the idea ?ind is backing it tb; the limit / ■ Joint meeting of mPre than 20 . union, representatives: ih„ N; ;Y, who are backing, the Federal Ai-fe^ fey) bill, agreed on Monday (20) to urge several changes in. the present text. . Tliese include iraisingrthe; pro-'- / jipsed salary .of . the commissioner of - finb arts from $5,000 to $12,500, and extending* the tenure of members.of ; the. regional committee from one to^ tyvp years. .An office will be iset up , ■to. handlc 'the bill's prontiotionl Bur- eess Meredith presided as 'chairman' • of the committee.. At the meeting, It was alsa ar- ranged for. a committee of six iiriem-. ; hers from theatrical unions and project, workers' organizations to call on Paul Edwards, admihistratoi- for the five: arts.prbjects in ,N. Y;, ^sking-for;a -10% .-increase in per* spnnel. Also -will ' ask President . Roosevelt for $225^000,000 . for three months' appropriation, to carry the projects tb March, 1938.;, .' IbWft. FTP-'Foldup. .: Dcs Moines, Deo. 21. low..; Federal Theatre Project ;)9 washed-, up after Jan. 1, according to word just received by George Kel- •; ler. Ipwa works progress adniinistra- tpr, who said an effort : v/ould be made, to place on pther 'prpjecls the 24 office workers and actbrs now acr ; tive in the theati-e pi-bgrdm. \'] \ ^. ■ :. Tptal pf $121 has been spent dur- ing each mpnth of the lest year to ■ .rnairttaJh each person in the" pi-pjcct.. • Manrmpnth cost on other 'pVoject.s in . the: state has averaged $59. An- nouncement followed recasting of ■ the. last federal theatre play, 'Arms .. and the' Man'; after* J. Hov/ard-Mil- ler, act in g national federal th e atre director, Zand Herbert/Ashtohv' Jr; ; regional dlrectorj saw it;pr6duced in Davenport about ten days /ago. Offi- •' cinls . said r Millbri and ■ Asbtbh . h^^^ 'criticiizcd.' ■the, - production.. Mil)e v was recently quoted by the;N,.'.Y' ' Times i being: di'ssat ifjfied' wi.lh 'f'e- ' sidts- of;:the hatibhal'vfcderel .tiacati;e ■ program, :;' /;.-'"^/ ■"■•'''■■;.:/; ' ■yy '-:'^-': AWPA Penthouse .: 'Philtidelnhia, -Dec. 21. , ; Federal Theatre :Proj'ect:;:.'here/;is^'' i.tiepking;' s.tiita.ble .spot for peri tii,o use thojitre,. ./with stage in: center and nud on. four.;sid€s/arPiind;;it^. •: ' Have i jn mind :doing 'Twelfth Night'-and O'Neill's .'Sea Saga.' '