Variety (Apr 1939)

S3 VARIETY LEGITIMATE-UTERATI Wednesday, April 12, I939 Inskle Stuff-Legit One-Nighters Report that Eddie Cowling might replace Hallie Flanagan at the head of the WPA Theatre Project, which was promptly denied, recalls the fact that he was supposed to figure prominently in the federal theatre, but ap- parently devoted little time to it. After Mrs. Flanagan was appointed national director, it was generally believed that Dowling differed TVith her because of reputed radical views, and the same went for Elmer Rice when be headed the project in New York. Dowling proposed touring musical comedies and vaudeville units with relief players, but too many barriers caused him to withdraw. Dowling is slated to open next week In a rotary stock presentation of •Our Town,' due to debut in Hartford, Conn., April 19. Q. E. Wee and Frank Coy will present the attraction at pop prices. Actor-manager pro- duced and appeared in 'Here Come the Clowns' earlier this season, also presenting the current The White Steed,' Golden, N. Y . James Le Penna, who is a co-defendant in the John Torrio tax evasion trial (both pleaded guilty) in New Yorlc, was one of the alleged bootleggers who backed shows on Broadway during the prohibition period. He was fa- miliarly known as Jimmy and was reputed to have financed 'Sweetheart Time,' which drew a good press but did not fare well at the box office. Rufus LeMaire presented the musical, which opened at the Imperial, in January, 1926. Show Was long on comics, having Eddie Buzzell, George LeMaire and Harry Kelly, both the latter now dead; Joe Flynn, who is agenting the Chicago company of lUss the Boys Good- bye,' is reported to have been on the short end of an argument with the ticket sellers at the Harris there recenUy. It appears that the p.a. inserted an ad in the Loop dailies to the effect that there were plenty of low- priced tickets, then discovered all had been sold and blamed the b.o. for not advising him to that effect Flytin is now ahead of the show which has started touring. 'Kiss* was supposed to play Holy Week in Chicago, but suddenly cancelled. Harold J. Rome received a prize of $1,250 from ASCAP for his 'F. D. R. Jones,' rated the outstanding song of the first quarter which ended March 31. It was the second time for the composer to cop the award, first being for 'Sunday in the Park,' one of his numbers in 'Pins and Needles,' Labor Stage, N.Y. .. 'Jones' was the standout number in 'Sing Out the News,' which played the Music Box, N. Y., during the fall It was handled by a colored en- semble, which subsequently played Billy Rose's Casa Manana on Broadway. The Importance of Being Earnest,' brought in after a short tour, was about the lowest grosser on the road this season, but there was a reason applicable to at least two stands. Prior to playing Montreal local amateurs had appeared in the Wilde comedy, while a stock bunch put on 'Earnest' at Maiden, Mass., which affected ttie Boston date of the pro show. Montreal has been giving stage shows weak support this season. 'Earnest' opened to $198 there and got about $2,900 on the week. There are frequent additions or Interpolations to 'Hellazapoppin' at the Winter Garden, Olsen and Johnson explaining that, regardless of the show's capacity gait, they need changes to maintain the interest of themselves and the other players. Latest stunt is a snowstorm, cued in by a comic in Eskimo garb, at the finale. A wave of cool air is wafted through the theatre and a heavy fall of 'snow* descends upon the audience. The effect is accomplished by five blowers, plus confetti and plenty of it The Mother,' In which Nazimova opens a tryout this week In Rich- mond, is the first production designed by Lester Polakov on his own. How- ever, he has previously assisted other scene designers. Including Harry Homer and Mordecai Gorelik. Three years ago he did the settings for the Barter' theatre, Abingdon, Va., and he has been an instructor at Columbia ' University, N. Y, He is currently working on murals and dioramas at the New York World's Fair and is also a portrait painter. Elmer Rice fooled his associates of the Plairwrights by; not attending the' opening of 'No Time for Comedy' in Indianapolis. He sailed for Europe Instead, with the intention of writing a play for presentation next seasoa Author is expected to retreat to a friend's home on the Dalmation coast spot being turned over to him for several months. Script may be ready for an August tryout James F. Re illy, executive secretary of the League of New York The- atres, has been given a .material salary boost by the board, Understood he had beeni getting $6,000 per year, raise upping his pay to $7,800. Reilly was formerly general manager of the Charles Frohman office. Equity—TMAT (Continued from page 49) It appeared to Irk the stagehands when Equity decided to hedge on Sundays by stipulating that the other unions must agree not to tilt wages. As the sttjiatlon. is at present, N. Y, Local 1 (stagehands) is expect- ed to put Sundays to a vote April 23, but the attitude is that if Mon- days are dropped in favor of Sun- day, shows will hardly benefit. Ques- tioned, too, is whether the class of people who visit Nf' York over the weekends would be theatre-minded at the present admission scale. If the feeling between the unions Is smoothed'Aver, It is hardly likely that Sundays will start until some time in June, unless Equity speeds It: referendum procedure. ■ Spokesman for the stagehands went over the ground in regards to Sundays. 'When the present law was enacted, the crew union came out. strongly in fuvor, though the one day's rest stipulation was not then detected as a joker. Indications are that Local 1 has been peeved ever since Equity adopted the double- pay gag. Among the angles discussed is the },ositlon of the newer TMAT union. If it be decided to give Sundays a trial with the one-day rest pro- vision retained, the boxoffices would necessarily be open on that- day anyhow, and TMAT ticket sellers would therefore be on a seven-day basis. Flgurei that some:adjustment would have to be made, that point not being considered when Equity's resolution was made to the effect that ho extra pay be exacted by the other' unions. . Some «f the managers do not ap- pear to be in accord, with others about bushiess possibilities. One ventured that a number of leading players would not assent to such performances, half a dozen name players in current hits being men- tioned. Union people then wanted to know why Sundays were sought. The managerial idea, however, may be theory, since it Is not known if an. of the featured people men- tioned have been asked vheir opin- ions. Believed, too, that at least some would appear "on Sundays If engagements would be lengthened and fellow players benefited thereby. A six-day week applies for musir clans working vaudfilmers and nlteries in New York. Stagehands In all spots pnly work five days. One day off is for resting, while the other is given Up by union rule to afford Jobs for the unemployed in the local's membership. Hammerstein Will Sta^e $1 Top Memphis Operettas Reginald Hammerstein has taken the Memphis Open Air theatre for a five-week season this summer. Will present a series of operettas at a $1 top, using Broadway principals and local chorusers. Schedule calls for 'New Moon,' 'Roberta,' 'Babes in Toylahd,' 'No, No, Nanette' ^nd 'Rose Marie,' Hammerstein will produce and di- rect with Clifford Brooks staging the book. Local music union is said to be cooperative. Nancy McCord and Guy Robertson have leads. (Continued from page •») of patrons. Stated, however, they have objected to payhig 5% of the gross to UBO, as the bookhig fe6. Believed that the VBO could woo back the showmen in the sticks by moderating the fee and adjust- ing sharing terms. At present It Is reported, they refuse to do business with the booking outfit American Theatre Council and the League of New York Theatres talked of plans to revive the road next sea- son, and plans for sending people to the field to enter in deals along sub- scription lines were at one time fairly well- advanced. Since autumn, however, little or no interest has been exhibited by Broadway show- men. • ,,, Recently, when the producers were advised of the willingness of the one-nighters to book shows, they did not seem to be'interested. One replied that half a dozen shows were in the higher brackets and would not play out of town except in the more populous stands. Another put it in different terms, saying that put- ting on shows in New 'York was like a, poker hand, and-if okay, a fortune is possible. He did not think much of file road's possibilities, although he is touring two companies. Such views are entirely different from those of managers before the de- pression. Next Season Looks Big Regardless of the small stand situ- ation, according to present indica- tions, next season should be' a bumper one for the road. That will be in contrast to the current season, which has been unusually lean. Op- timistic view of next season is based on two factors—the number of tour- ing shows in prospect and the fact that Broadway's current season is the most profitable in several years. It has long been a truism that a good season on Broadway means a hefty ensuing' season on the road— or in other words, the road always runs a season behind New York. That is explained by the fact that grosses on the road depend on the number and quality of touring shows rather than on general business con- ditions throughout the country. Theory has invariably been borne out for many years. Fact that the total grosses for Broadway legit are running more than $1,000,000 ahead of last season points to better business out of town next season. And the fact that the current road season is running more than $800,000 behind last year re- flecta the slump in Broadway's total take last season. Same conclusion Is indicated by the current Broadway shows that are prospecta for the road next sea- son. They include such hits as 'Abe Lincoln in Illinois,' 'Boys from Syra- cuse,' 'Hellzapoppin,' 'Hot Mikado,' 'Gentle People,' 'Leave It to Me,' 'Oscar Wilde,' 'Set to Music,' 'Stars in Your Eyes,' 'American Way,' Ut- Ue Foxes,' 'Philadelphia Story' and possibly "Kiss the Boys Goodbye,' 'One for the Money,' 'Primrose Path' and 'Mamha's Daughters.' That Is the most promising list of likely roadshows in several years. An- other bullish weathervane for next season on the road are the plans of the Legitimate Theatre Corp. for touring shows in towns with sub scription audiences, in virtually vir. gin territopy. Literati Future Plays - 'Carriage Trade,' a new comedy by Robert Thomsen, has'been acquired by George Abbott Rehearsals are skedded for early fall and a cast for which Betty Field, Lea Penman, Gene Tiemey and Joyce Arling have already been selected will be com- pleted then. . 'Saint or Sinner,' a musical drama with a score by Hochelle Phillipp, ■v ill be a possible fall production to be presented by a new group headed by Ben H. Atwell, press agent and Herman Phillips, theatrical attorney. Scenes are said to have their locale In such varied places as a Pennsyl- vania mining town, Sou'i America and a Spanish bistro in Greenwich ■Village. Tears Bide the Night,' a new play by Mary Cass Canfield and Ethel Borden, has beeh bought by Arthur Hopkins for fall production. Deal arranged by Leah Salisbury is said to be the author's first drama. Revised CoBBeetlcnt Nntmeg 'Connecticut Nutmeg,' taken .over by Heywood Broun, will b* retagged 'Broun's Weekly Connecticut Nut meg' and later come out aa 'Broun's Weekly'. Understood Broun's deal with members of original board, who will continue as contributing editors, in- cluded cash payment and dividends if and when weekly becomes proflta' ble. Although publisher's policy is outright New Deal, anti-Fascist and antlranti-Semitic, attempt will be made to balance contents by opening columns to conservative contrlbs. 'Nutmeg,'until now an eight-page rag,.goes to 32 this week (13), and will try for as many pages as pos' sible to offer more for the dime price. Harold Yudain stays as managing editor. Mrs. Connie Broun is ped' dling display space. Editorial of- fices are in New Canaan and Bridge- port Herald, a Ciuild paper like the 'Nutmeg,' prints the job. Skokky Besnmlng Sidney Skolsky resumes his Holly wood column shortly, having been signed by the Federal Feature Syn dlcate, a New York outfit for syn dicatlon. Column will go out six times a week, and will.'carry, the regular features of the^ previous Skolsky columns. Skolsky has been Idle for some months, or since his contract with King Features expired. Previous to that'his cblumn had gone out from the Chicago. Tribune-N.Y. News Syndicate. Douglas Whitney; business man- ager of Federal syndicate, wouldn't state when Skolsky starts and which will be his N. Y. outlet, excepting that he's dickering with both the News and Mirror, which previously carried Skolsky. Also says he has eight papers lined up to start Fight Teenomy Firings' Latest act in continued conflict be- tween.the Newspaper Guild and S. I. Newhouse is decision of the Guid's Representative Assembly to merge the unite of the Long Island (N. Y.) Press and Star-Journal, both New- house papers, into a single unit AC' tion taken despite reputed opposition of Press employes, who urged policy of,'peace' towards Newhouse rather than one of.'conflict' Decided by the Guild that alleged steiidy series of 'economy' firings on the Newhouse Long Island' papers wlU be stoppied only by the uni^ of all Guild members on those dailies Guild sees the Press and Star-Jour- nal united in fact, with reporters covering for both papers. Form Overseas Press Clnb Formation of a new organization comprising former 'American news- paper correspondents abroad effected at a breakfast at the Hotel Algonquin, N; Y., on Sunday. Around 90 invited to attend the organization meeting, at which Wythe Williams presided. Announced by Williams that the group, temporarily calling Itself the Overseas Press Club, 'would devote itself chiefly to social and cultural interesta of the members. Commit- tee named to draw up by-laws and work out a permanent name for the organization. On the committee are Eugene Xyons, Charles R. Ferlin, Irene Kuhn, Samuel Dashiell and Williams. Doty-Free Boeks Expeeted ' - In the belief it's only a matter of time when foreign books will be ad- mitted here duty-free, as the result of a continued campaign to that end, !)u!)lishei:s abroad are beglnning.^o make American sales arrangements. Such a one concluded last week whereby Dr. Alexander Schaefler was appointed U. S. rep for the Docu- mente Press of Paris, Recent reduction of U. S. postal rates oh books, whereby the postage was equalized with that for mags, has given impetus to the drive for tiie removal of the book tariffs. Cam- paign led by British publishers, who point Out American books are ad- mitted into their country duty-free. They want it to work both ways, claiming it to be good for the indus- try as fi whole on both sides of the water. - - Suggestions made during last week's session of the Canadian House of Commons that duties which were, taken off American periodicals several years ago should be re-im- posed as a means of checking flow of objectionable magazines into Can- ada have been rejected as imprac- tical by finance Minister Dunning. •New Dally Not Oars'—Time Projected new N.Y. daily news- paper is taking tangible form, with leave of absence granted Ralph Mc- Allister IngersoU from his duties as publisher of Time Magazine to take active charge of the undertaking IngersoU began his new duties Hon- day (10) at the midtbwn offices of Publications Research, Inc., corpor. ate name of the new undertaking. Associated with IngersoU, who wiU serve as publisher of the new dally are Edward Stanley, former head of the AP Photo Service, who wiU be editor; DashieU Hammett, the who* dunit scribbler; Harry C. Cushing, banker, and John F. Wharton, attor. ney. Time organization or any of iti officers have no interest financial or managerial, in the projected dally, it's emphasized by the weekly in the current issue. Had freely been mentioned that Henry R. Luce, the Time head, was an interested party. ' No starting date for the new daUy|' nor, it's said, has a name been se* lected as yet IngersoU, publisher of Time for the past two years, pre- viously was managing editor of For> tune, and before that ah editor of The New Yorker. Flotlon vs. Front Page Pronounced drop in mag sales past few months resulting in price cuts as a bolster effort Even digest mags, which maintain high sales price Is necessary because of absence of ad- .vertising, are slashing the tariff. One. leading digest has cut ita price from 25c to 10c, and another is ready to foUow. Price cute by other periodic cals not so severe, but nevertheless. sufficiently deep to lure readers again. Drop in mag sales blamed on th* European to-do^ which favors the newspapers. Also; growing practice of the papers of interpreting as weU as reporting the news, cutting in on the province of the mags. As some of the mag editors put it, most fanciful fiction Is tame com- pared to a great deal of what's com'- ing out of Et^rope today. If read'- ers can get that'for 2 or 3 cents, they won't pay 25c or even 15c for a mag. Some wonder whether readers will pay even 10c or 6e. Brookes Heads Hearst Setnp John S. Brookes, Jr, Washington, lawyer and industrialist elected prei of American Newspapers, Inc., the William Randolph Hearst publishing enterprises. Moving to N. Y. Brookes to' work closely with Clarence J. Sheam, Hearst's voting^ trustee in the holding company set- ' up. Committee of Hearst exec* which dlrecta company's business policy continues that function. $lM,Mf Salt va. News-Week James Moore filed a Federal court action in N.Y. Monday (10) against Weekly PubUcations, Inc., tor $100,000 damages, alleging libel. The plaintiff claim; to 'have been a pro- fessional baU player and to have played with tiie Philadelphia Ath- letics and Chicago White Sox. He says that News-Week, pub- lished by the defendants, libeled him in the AprU 18, 1938, issue. CU Times Leans Other 'Way Chicago tab Tbnes, formerly ■ strong New Deal paper. Indicates an about-face in its poUtical leanings since Lou Ruppel resigned as man- aging editor to join Columbia broad- casting as press chief. The Times has started to rap cer- tain New Deal operations, particu- larly the Chicago Federal Theatrat Project A. K. Newshonnds Gather Invitations have gone out to mem- bers of The Silurians, organization of old-time' N. Y, newspapermen, for club's ISth annual spring dinner to be held at the Hotel Lafayette, N.Y., on April 29. A. k. newshounds will elect new officers at the same time. Present head of The SUurians is Joseph J. Canavan, with Robert R. Wilkes the secretary. LITEBATI OBITS THIS WEEK Samael J. Byan, 70, retired editor of the old Appleton (Wis.) Crescent and the man credited with giving Edna Ferber her first Job, died April 4 at his home in Monrovia, Calif. Ed H. Bradley of Atlanta Journal editorial staff for 21 years (iied Wednesday (5) afternoon of heart attack at fishing camp near^anark, Fla. Nathan A. Coward. 52, editor and publisher of the Belton (S. C.) News for the last 14 years, and a former member of the state assembly, died March 30, a victim of pneumonia, Helen Valery MacKean,. 58, for- mer member of the editorial staffs of the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Daily Eagle (Continued on page 63). '