Variety (Apr 1939)

Wednesday, April 26, 1939 LEGITIMATE VARIETY 41 Glenda FarreD to Play IStage Door In Strawhat; IS-Wk. Pawling Season LOBBYOPPOSING ANTI-WPABILL The Federated Arts Union, a com- mittee representing, the theatre, ^ters, musicians and other white collar people In WPA, New York, Is operating a lobby in Washington with the aim of side-tracking the lo-called Byrnes bilL Measure has been fostered by the senator, who ]ias been devoted to changes in relief legislation, while the committee is opposed to 'recasting' public works and social welfare legislation, which may switch such control to the sev- eral states. Announced Monday (24), how- ever, that the President proposes to merge .12 federal relief groups into three agencies, which would handle the whole and eliminate the present Identities of the separate divisions. That may mean that WFA will dis- appear in name, but how, or whether that win materially affect the fed- eral tiieatre' set-up is not yet clear. Martin Popper, an attorney, is representing the arts committee, ac- tivities of which are expected to be supported by collections from work- ing players. Those now having en- gagements have been asked to make donations. . Equity has conb'ibuted $500 to the committee, and affiliated unions are expected to also con- tribute. BERTHA KAUCH, TOP YIDDISH STAR, DIES A career of more than 40 years was ended last week when Bertha -Kallch, 64,-a-star of the English and Yiddish stage, died April 18 in a New York hospital following an opera- tion. Probably the greatest actress In the history of the Yiddish theatre. Miss Kalich, who crowned her Euro- pean dramatic achievements with even greater success in the U. S. when she migrated to this country in 1894, was forced to quit the theatre some 10 years ago due to a malignant eye growth which nearly resulted In the loss of her sight From time to time she made informal appear- ances at benefits, etc.-, but the tax of her strength curbed heir appear- ances Increasingly of late. Her last public appearance was made last Feb. 23 at the Jolson theatre, where t benefit testimonial was held in her honor. Miss Kalich, who in private life was the wife of Leopold Spachner, Yiddish theatrical producer, began her American' career at the old Thalia, on the Bowery, N. Y., under the management of Edelstebi, then the Impresario of the Yiddish thea- tre in America. Edelstein had seen her score signal successes as a mem- ber of the Bucharest National Thea- tre at a time when anti-Semitism In Rumania was at a height Sub- ■equent to her appearance In Yid- dish plays at the Thalia, she acted In Russian, German and French plays, too, as well as in some of Shakespeare's works,' sU given in Yiddish. At the behest of friends, who thought her an excellent possibility for the English stage, she learned the language and performed her first English-speaking role in Te- dora,' written originally in French by the Gallic playwright, Sardou. Daniel Frohman, David Belasco and Harrison Gray Fiske were imme- diately influenced by her beauty and striking performance. Fiske • soon thereafter signed her to a con- tract Minnie Maddern Fiske then took her in hand and schooled her to English. She also performed in English for Lee Shubert Probably her outstanding role was to The Kreutzer Sonata,' which she nad performed in Yiddish at the Thalia when she first came to the O. S., and later in English. She ™umed to the Yiddish theatre in W27, In 'Midway,' at the Irving Place theatre, N. Y., devoUng the rest of her career to Yiddish presen- tations. In 1929, appearing at the National theatre, on the lower east side of Manhattan, she caught cold, with the lltoess subsequently affecting her sight After several operations and the depletion of a fortune for medi- cal expenses, her sight was saved, In addition to her husoand, a daughter, LiUIah, also survives. Funeral services were held in N. Y. "Iday (21). The Bard Couldn't Take London'sWeather—Phelps Philadelphia, April 25. There would probably be consid- erably more of Shakespeare's plays in the world today if London weather wasn't what it Is, Dr. Wil- liam Lyon Phelps told the Ameri- can Philosophical Soci:ty hero last week. Bard was continually. sniffling from the chilly, foggy weather, which > was a major reason why he retired at 46 to live in Stratford and never wrote another play. Thirty-three of Shakespeare's son- nets, Dr. Phelps observed, deal with London weather. PhiHy Gronp Ootfines Next Season's Plans, But StiD Seeking Coin Philadelphia, April 25. Plans for the new Philly theatrical producing company aiming to make a 10-week stand at the Walnut next season were formulated at a meeting of the leaders of various interested groups in the house on Sunday (23). Group, taggtog itself Philadelphia Theatre, Inc., will be modeled some- what along the lines of the New York Theatre Guild. Leslie Spiller, who will handle the Job of producer-director, if the civic- minded prom.oters are able to brush up enough coin, outlined. plans for the season. There will be a series of five plays, with pro casts, starttoe in October. Each show will run two weeks. At the conclusion of the fall season In December the theatre will close down to permit preparation of five more plays, starting in Febru- ary. All casting will be done In New York. Shows to be given will to- cliide current available Broadway hits, with origtoal casts when possi- ble, or a duplicate if necessary; new plays and N. Y. critical successes that hadn't enou^ b.o. to bit the road.' BURR, EQUTTY AT ODDS ON HAPPIEST DAVy Dispute over the claims of actors In The Happiest Days,' which was withdrawn from the Vanderbilt N. Y., will go to arbitration. Cast of the show, which was presented by Courtney Burr, was paid a week and one-halfs saluy prior to opening and received pay for the seven per- formances given. Management con- tends that as the players were paid at least two weeks, there is no fur- ther llabUity. Equity decided differently, saying that its rules are that players must be paid a mtoimum of two weeks dattog from the first public perform- ance. There was no question of paid previews. Management avers the rule was recently Invoked, with Equity clalmtog the rule to have been in force for some time. There Is an agreement not to change the rules between Equity and the League of New York Theatres, but Burr Is not a member. The time and one half was for rehearsals held beyond the time limit Council had conceded one week more at rehearsal pay, pro- vided the cast was agreeable. Man- agement claimed such an arrange- ment, but when the cast received notice' of the concession, the players called at Equity and declared they had never been asked about the matter. Council thereupon figured misrepresentation, withdrew the concession and ordered full salaries' paid. Management also plans to present that part of the dispute to the arbitrators. Engagements Gower & Jeanne, 'Streets of Paris.' John Emery, 'Wutherlng Heights.' Rhys Williams, Hiram Sherman, Erford Gage, Bertram "Tanswell, Winston O'Keefe, Raymond Johnson, Wallace Acton, Arthur L. Sachs, Franz Bendsten, Charles De Sheim, Howard Wierum, Byron McGrath, Joseph Callaway, William Franklin, Peter Leeds, Robert Hanley, Austin Coghlan, Charles Barre, Kevin O'Shea, Grace Coppln, Jackson Per- kins, Kate Warrlner, Katherine Bard, Katherine Squire, Elsie Dvorak, Eugenia Rawls, Timothy Lynn Kearse, Globe Theatre, Merrie England, New York World's Fair. Corrent Road Shows (Week of AprU 24) 'Brown Dannbe' (Fay Wray)—^ Forrest Philadelphia. 'Call It a Day' (Philip Merlvale. Ann Mason)—Maplewood, Maple- wood, N. J. D'Oyly Carte Opera^olohial, Boston. 'Hamlct'-'Henry IV (Maurice Evans)—^National,' Washington. 1 Married An Angel' (Dennis King, Vera Zorlna)—Cass, Detroit .'Kiss the Boys Geodbye'-HShrine Mosque, Peoria (23); Orpheum, Dav- enport (24); Iowa, Cedar Rapids (25) ; Shrine Auditorium, Des Moines (26) ; Orpheum, Sioux City (27); Lyceum, Minneapolis (28-29). 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye'—Chief, Colorado Springs (24); Auditorium, Denver (25-26); Lincoln, Cheyenne (27) . •Knickerbocker Holiday' (Walter Huston)—Grand, Chicago (23-29). Lnnt-Fontanne Beperiory—^Nixon, Pittsburgh. 'My Dear Children' (John Barry- more)—^American, St Louis. 'Onr Town' (Frank Craven)—Cur. ran, San Francisco. 'Oor Town' (Eddie Dowltog)—. Plymouth, Boston. 'Skylark' (Gertrude I<awrence)— Harris, Chicago. 'The Women'—Locust Philadel- phia. Tobacco Read'—ParEunouht To- ledo (24); Paramount Marion, Ind. (26); Roxy, Ottawa, 111. (27); Grand, Davenport (28-29). 'What » Life'—Erlanger, Chicago. 'Whlteoaka^ (Ethel Barrymore)— Capitol, Calgary, Alberta (24); Em- pire, Edmonton, Sask.' (25-26); Capi- tol, Regina, Alberta (27); Orpheum, Winnipeg (28-29). WPA WASHING DP CONN. FTP Hartford, AprU 25. Final curtain for the Connecticut Federal Theatre Project will be nmg down May 6. Public announcement of the blackout waa made Friday (21) from the office of State WPA Administrator Vtocent J. Sullivan to New Haven. Siate project employtog 92, is be- ing closed at the recommendation of the WPA Federal Theatre Project with the concurrence of the Con- necticut state office of the WPA. Most of those employed on the pro- ject are non-professional and will be shifted to other WPA projects. In- clude some 47 clerical help, stage- hands and musicians. For the 45 remaining pros, a 'paper project' Is to be created with John Drabkin, assistant director, as Its co- ordinator. Under this set-up, actors on the paper project will be loaned out to other WPA theatre units to the east Elimtoation of the FTP will mean an estimated savtog of more than $160,000 yearly. For the period of July 1, through December 31, 1939, the unit operated on a nut of $64,000. Budget for the first six months of this year had been set at $70,000. There were at one time three sep- arate units in the state, one at Bridgeport another at New Haven, and a third here. Subsequently these were consolidated toto the single project with separate units for white and Negro actors. FTP Extends '2-a-Day' Run mLA^W Next Hollywood, April 29. Federal Theatre Project extended the run of 'Two-a-Day' at Holly- wood Playhouse to May 14, alter which it will be replaced by 'Run, Li'l Chillun,' now in its 10th month at downtown Mayan theatre. Theodore Piatt's 'Big Blow' opens at the Mayan May 17, and 'Excur- sion' at the Belasco May 5. Leftwich Shakes FTP Los AngeleSf^ April 25. Alexander Leftwich, director of the Federal Theatre Project abol- ished the vaudeville department and shifted the personnel, including the actors In 'Two a Day,' to the drama department Gene Stone and Jack Robinson, In charge of vaude, were assigned to write a musical comedy. After the shakeup, Leftwich left for Washington to confer with Hal- lie Flanagan. Added Strawliats (Not PreiHousl]/ Listed) Central City PUy FesUval, Central City, CoL July 15-29. Frank St Ledger, Richard Al- drich. Ceaoh Hoase Theatre, Ocono- mowoc. Wis. Opens July 17. Thoda Cocroft Stildred McDon- ald. Cross Boads Theatre, Bailey's Cross Roads, Va, Opens June 5. Howard Wentworth, C. Adolph Glasgold. Lltchfleld HUto Theatre, Litch- field, Conn. (Formerly Litch- field Theatre). Randolph Car- ter, Stewart Chaney. O'Neil Has 3 of His 8 Plays Set; Guild Won't Get Cyde Unta'4(M1 Eugene' O'Neill is working stead- ily on his cycle ot eight plays for the Theatre Guild, but doesn't ex- pect to finish the crop for at least another season, according to word received in New York last week. Playwright Is said to have three of the plaiys fully outlined and two others to rough pattern. Still some possibility that the series might be extended to nine plays. O'Neill Is at bis home in Casa Genota county, Oakland, CaL He has fully recovered from his recent illness. Gaest-^ Stock Co. Opens m Chi May 5 New stock company, using a guest- star policy, will open May 5 at the ■Chicago Civic theatre, Chicago, where opera la given . during] the, winter. C. Thompson, of the Civic Opera company, will head the ven-- ture and John Charles Gilbert, gen- eral manager of the opera, will di- rect Opentog bill will be 'Enter Madame,' with Eugenie Leontovich, followed by Death Takes a Holi- day,' with Philip Merlvale, and "The Lady Has a Heart,' with Elissa liandi. Norma Terrls Is tentatively set for a subsequent show. Bills will run three weeks each. Cham- berlain Brown Is casting the pro- ductions In New York. Sunday Legit (Conttoued from page 39) hand leaders, who say the Issue Is .not cold regardless of the local's negative vote. Equity Is certainly of that trend, but now contends It was right In delaying the referendum to the full membership until the . atti- tude of the other unions was made clear. Theatrical Managers Agents and Treasurers, a comparatively new union, took the position of riding along with the stagehands. New Attempt May Be Made It's possible that a new attempt to work out the Sunday question will be made this week, upon the theory that the stagehands can be induced to change their stance on the issue. Proposal, however, will probably be along .the Itoes bf seven-day weiek, without strings; which was the gen- eral idea In back Of the deckhands' recent objection and despite the fact that that union does not exact extra pay in film and other theatres, nor do musicians. Stagehands came out for Sundays during the regime of James Bren- nan, lA v.p., who is still in favor of that move. After heading the New York local a number of terms, union replaced him last year, election be- mg an upset Brennan's name was placed In nomination last Sunday, but he declined the post Robert Amstedt was renominated, he to be opposed by Harry L. Ab- bott a veteran who was business agent some years ago. Posts of busi- ness agents will also be contested. Vincent Jacob! and Frank Powderly, present incumbents, were nominated along with Solly Pernlck, current v.p., and Samuel Goldfarb. Glenda Farrell, to 'Stage Door,* wiU be the initial blU at Steve Coch. ran's Olney Playhouse, Otoey, Md., opening May 15. Second show will be Douglas Montgomery to 'Night Must Fall.' Eva lie Gallienne, In 'C^mllle,' Is mentioned as a subse- quent offering. This Is Cochran's second season at the spot Pawling Sked Productions for the 15-week sear son at the Starlight Theatre, Pawl- to^, N. Y., opening May 29, will be chosen from the followtog: 'Merry- Wives of Gotham,' Tovarich,' 'What a Life,' 'Devil's Disciple,' 'Room Ser- vice,' 'Merchant of Yonkers,' 'I Want a Policeman,' 'House Beautiful,' 'Command Performance,' 'Missouri Legend,' 'Helena's Boys,' .'Shadow and Substance,' 'Midwest' and "Three Wise Fools.' Season will Include three tryouts, substituting in the above list Maryveme. Jones will agato operate the venture, with a subsequent road tour of the east ten- tatively planned. Cenlcal City's Teomatf 'Yeoman of the Guard' will be the presentation at the eighth annual play festival July 15-29 at Central City, Col. Frank St Leger will di- rect and Richard Aldrlch is associate director and eastern representative. Broadway players will be used. New Comedy Prise Award of $250 cash, to addition to the regular royalties. Is .offered for the best new comedy produced this summer at the (3oach House Th^tre, Oconomowoc, Wis. Playwright will retain all subsequent rights to the work. Thoda Crocroft will direct the strawhat season, with Mildred Mc- Donald bustoess manager. All new plays will be given. Swerdlow at Ftoe Briaok -Pine Brook theatre, Nichols, Cona, will be directed by Irwin Swerdlow, and the season wIU open May 28 with Having Wonderful Time.' Sub- sequent shows will include 'You Can't Take It witbr Yo\i,' 'High Tor,' 'Boy Meets GirV Tliree Men on a Horse,' 'Yes, My' Darling Daughter,' 'Room Service,' "Measure for Measure' and T. S. Eliot's 'Sweeney Agonlstes.' 2-a-Day Stock at 2Se Policy of two-a-day stock, with a dally mattoee at 25c admission and an evening scale of 36c, wlU be tried this summer by the Capitol Players, Footguard Hall, Hartford, Conn. Alan Moore directs and the 10-week season opens June 15. Shows will todude a new version of 'Franken- stein,' 'Arizona,' 'CamlUe,' Tamed and How,' 'Raffles' and a modern adaptation of 'Amphitryon.' 'Able' In Bam Cross Roads theatre. Bailey's Cross Roads, Va., will open Its third season June S with 'Abie's Irish Rose.' Shows will run two weeks each. Spot is operated by CHiarles Hohein, Neil Linger and (Seorge Hohein. Howard Wentworth and C. Adolpb Glasgold will alternate as stagers. Keith Cheeking Bams Robert Keith has been named Equity representative to check strawhat theatre compliance with the association's siunmer stock regula- tions. Action was taken yesterday (Tuesday) by the counclL He will begin May 15. Mietzmer's Quartet Jo Mlelziner, who did the sets for S. N. Behrman's 'No Time for Com- edy,' at the Barrymore, N. Y., al- ready has four productions definitely set for next season. They Include the Playwrights' Co. production of an untitled Sidney Howard play, the Carly Wharton-Martin Gable production of The Merchant of Venice,' with Sir Cedrlc Hardwicke, and Max Gordon's production of the Clare Boothe-Rodgers and Hart musical "The Wedding Day.' Fourth item Is an unrevealed musical Antsi Dorati, formerly with Co- vent Garden Ballet has been en- gaged as guest conductor for Aus- tralian Broadcasting Commission.