Variety (Sep 1941)

42 LEGITIMATE Wednesdaj, September 10, 1941 Plays Out of Town MR. BIG Boston, Sept. 8. F«rc» In two nctn liy Arlliur .Shei-kninn ftnd Mnrgorel Shnne, urMontcrt nml illrwt- 0(1 by George S, Knufmnn: m-iniiKe, n""- Bid OenslnBCr; »t riymoulh, Boslon. Sepl. 8, 12.70 top. Honry Stnoey GeorKO nnsnT rnuln LorhiK Kiiy ^\ r.iy Harley L. .Mlllei' ' """" ^"'■?V- " Oscar Cullcn Ilnriy QIW on Loo Orton Juilson Lnlre Myra Davenport Mna noil Joon Starling 'V'"..,'''''!^ g^(xck ..' Jflmefl MncOon:ilil Dr. ■JVIlloughby nichma Biirliee Bill Kay Mayer fitanwooa St. Clnlr Bnyflelil air». Jeaaup Eleanor Phplpn Mr. Jemup Jnf'< Le'lle Charles G. Wakeahaw Florcnz Ames The Little Man E. J. nnllnntlne Amy Stevens Betty Furncus Carter OeorKe rcirl" ■Nenbltt Robert Whitolion.l Kennedy Dnvirt Crnwoll Eric Reynolds n.irry Sulllviin Jtodney: OKar Polk Broadway Sarah .-..Mltzl Hnjos tinny Tllley..... Slilney .stone I. Tarpin Sarah Floyd n from Brooklyn Harry M. Cooko lly Hlgec Huth Thnne MeDovltl Jack Lampeson John r.nrrlnh Kan from Boston ...Harold Green lotographers: 'Wllllnm Layton, EdwnnI Fisher. Policemen: Benson Springer, Robert Rhodee, Rodney Stewart. Peter Lawrence, Irwin WIIcOK, Fred O'Dwyer. Check-room Boy James Elliott The ^^o^e The Merrier Baltimore, Sept.' 2. FiMve In three ilcls by Frank Gnbrlelson nml Irvin I'Incus; presonlod by Otto L. I'lvnilnser ami Norninn Plncus; stnKi'd by Otto I.. Premlnnor; aotllng, Stewart lluii.-v; nl Marvlnnd Iheiure, nnltlnmre, iMieiiiiiK S.'i'l. ">!>• iUff Cr.ik- Dorilt Kelton H.nrvey lloyul t-ouls Hector Seii.nlor Brn.lcriek J. C. NiiKCnt ni k:.r.n Herbert ru«y Robert Gray D.nnlel Flncii Frank AU)ert.lon BuKu Siiun.lers Grnco McDonald }»<»l)h Dolmn Mr. Cnrtwrlght Mr.<. Cnrtwrlght.. .Mra. nu.i Driver Mrs. Keek Lucille Keek...; Mim. nanv M in With a Radio Saint Subber Mr. Jupiter Max Deck Sinister Man Danlele PorlM Mh." HoKbcn Doro Mernnrte I Goblin Teddy Hart Hnrr- S-rnvIS Mlllnrd Mitchell Ge.irce S;nllh Jack RIano Forre.'"! r.ockhnrt Will Geer C.nit. .Inmi-f John Barnes FIr.xl St"te Trooper Lee Frederick R-cnpl .stiitc Trooper Bruce Fenialil Mr newev Guy Snmpael Mrs Dewey Jane Standlsh Doc Strube G. Albert Smith If nothing else, 'Mr, Big' is a challenge to the rewrite and gag tal- ents of George S, Kaufman. It isn't tnuch else. Written with an ama- teurish tinge throughout, the mys- tery-cometJy has a pretty fair basic Idea, which seems to be a beef stew ot 'Rellzapoppin' and "The Spider' as the main meat. Authentic reports nave it that on opening night here ft was running slightly better than 6i tiie Hartford preem last week; and anyone who has caught several Kaufman shows could safely figure that G.S.K. had been working madly over the weekend to insert sight and fine gags that would lift it from the aoldrums, ' . Show opens with the curtain going ^own, then some curtain calls on an Vn-named play, then a thank-you Sieech by the male star-producer, e pays tribute to a boxful 6f poli- ticians in the audience, and a min- ute later he drops dead to the stage Vhile the cast is singing 'Happy picthday,' Develops that the pianist murdered him by a poisoned needle. Shot from a gadget hitched to the piano; but before the murderer is mrned in at the finish and has es- caped through the front of the house, inany an actor and actress has Romped down the aisles tq the stage TO take part in the slow-paced, halt- ing proceedings. The district attorney comes on- Btage to investigate, and so does the .pofice commissioner and the chief backer of the d.a„ who is running for governor of New York. The d,a,, enacted by Hume Cronyn, Interrupts nis work approximately every five aiinutes to make snaches of political speeches, campaign promises and other phoney remarks to Improve his political complexion. He's heckled by an attorney in the audience, a cquad of cops takes over the house end continues to p}ay their roles dur- ing intermission. Ham and bologna sandwiches are actually passed out to the audience at the end of the e^ond act just after the second mur' aer, that of an amateur magician in thp audience, who came onstage to tell what he noticed during the first murder. At times, the action alter- nates so frequently between stage (nd front house that the audience requires swivel necks. Prom the mystery angle, the au- thors do a satisfactory job, throw, log suspicion on practically all con cerned and then coming through with a fairly ingenious, if imprac- tical, lethal device. Their comedy (s clumsy and corny, and since the blece is chiefly a farce, this wcak- n.es6 is fatal. More realism would Also help matters considerably. Cronyn troupes excellently as the four-flushing politician, gets some good laughs here and tliere with his business, but in the long run doesn't quite fit the role, Harry Gribbon bvermugs in the Mack Sennett man- ner as the police commish. Fay Wray Is lost as the Hollywood star tangled up in the Idve cavalcade of the mur- oared leading man, and she has lit' tfle oppprtunity to move into high ;ear. St. Clair Bayfield rates a nod or getting something out of a thin part as the ham actor of the com- pany. Eleanor Phelps is okay as Jjne of the love-bitten women, Betty Fumess gets the cream' oft a skimmed-milk role of ex-mistress, Oscar Polk is a standout, playing ^he colored, dumb dresser of the inurderee, and Barry Sullivan comes VP with a good performance as the handsome playboy who uncovers a ^lue when he's not busy gumming iip the d.a.'s show. Florenz Ames, seldom seen, but often heard, has blenty of zip as the attorney-heckler In the audiende, Fox. HEWABX O.H. BEOFENS Newark, Sept, 9, Newark Opera Rouse, shuttered alnce last winter, reopens Oct, 6 with legit. House will be operated by Alex Cohen and Alfred Cerrigone, prez of turrent operating company. .Keenan Wynn John McKee Priestley Morrison Scott Moore Lucia Soger Brenda Struck .Ralph Chambers FUN FOR THE MONEY Hollywood, Sept, 3, Revue presented by George ,ShnCer; sketches, Charles Sherman: music anil lyrics, t:hei Furrost. Hub Wrlglil, Frank .^telnlngir. Jack King, George llnm-n, Irving Aclinnii, I-:iMI- Scmt; staged by lJuvo Gould; openeil at lIoMywoO'l Play- house, dept. 1, '-11. A rather good idea but. not suf- ficiently developed, this farce as now projected is too obvious in its de- nouement and hardly subtle enough in treatment to merit serious consid- eration for Broadway. Unless it is tricked up and given some adroit twisting to eliminate the constant telegraphing of scene and situation, it is destined to remain just another one of those workmanlike efforts. It has the benefits of a well-nigh per- fect cast, some funny dialog and mo- tivation, a striking set and fairly di- verting characterization, but minus the all-important ingredient so necessary to successful farce—a sus- tained and constantly mounting ele- ment of surprise and comic com- plication. The yarn: Multi-millionaire Har- vey Royal (Louis Hector)- has been indulging in a philanthropic spree to boost himself into the governorship of his state and the subsequent step to the Presidency. He's built him- self a castle in the Colorado Rockies near Denver and his high-powered press agent is ready to beat the drums for the first big step in the election sweepstakes. The press agent is taken down with an attack of appendicitis and a $65 a week as°ist?nt (Frank Albertson) has talked himself into" being given the big chance. Youthful flack has engaged his boss' former wife, in an effort at reconciliation, to do a biography of the Great Man, but she shows up with a new boy friend as assistant on the assignment, arriving when the p.a. is alone in the castle. Femme (Grace McDonald) and her new heart (Keenan Wyhh) put on the tap for the available cash at hand to pay cabfare.^rom an adjoining state, and when snow and sleet iso- late them in the mountain fastness, getting to nearby Denver for an im- portant date -with the boss becomes a pressing "problem. An itinerant duo of elderly tour- ists looking for shelter in the storm take the castle to be a tourists' roost, and the quick-witted ghost writer (Wynn) flgures it an angle to raise some quick coin for a chartered ride into town in time for the appoint- ment. Signs are put out and a pass- ing bus unloads* a wide variety of characters as temporary guests in the royal manse. Assorted types lend themselves to some rather funny situations, includ- ini; a murder and the subsequent efforts at disposal of the body, with the suddenly returning rtiaster of the house, seemingly a dead goose as far as his political ambitions are con- cerned, becoming involved in the mess. Solution does not surprise anyone and romantic possibilities of the triangle don't jell either. There is considerable running around, shouting and transient comicalities, but it doesn't all add up. First act is actionless and talky, second session lifts matters and final round doesn't fool anyone. Wynn, with the fattest part in the doings, gets the most results. Teddy Hart and Millard Mitchell, as reformed criminals on their way to enlist in the army, have their moments. Al- bertson does okay - and Grace Mc- Donald looks .well and reads lines with considerable assurance. Other okay performances are by J. C. Nu- gent, Doro Merande, Louis Hector and Will Geer. Jack Riane as a corpse almost steals the doings with his trick falls and knockabout. Direction by Otto Preminger seems strained and a bit hectic, pos- sibly because of an ardent desire to maintain the swift pace of farce. But speed alone is not the answer here, SetUng by Stewart Chaney is a standout, with the Iwo-level han- dling and multiple doors nicely worked in. More time for work prior to its metropolitan debut would be a smart thing here, for there may be suf- ficient salvage to make matters i worth while. There's a deflnite pic- ture possibility here. Bum. George Shafcr, operator of Holly- wood Playhouse, tiring of house's long blackout, whipped together musical revue, 'Fun for the Money,' which was warmly received by capacity turnout on opening night. Dissimilar to most local revues, show runs heavily to music specialties and pro- duction numbers rather than double- entendre blackouts. Sketches by Charles Sherman for the most part are howls and clean, an innovation in these parts. Show is without standout names, but many youngsters should use this stager as a springboard to film recog- nition, Jane Kean is a personable, petite singer, and Dolores Diane, 10- year-old who can mimic, sing and play piano, rate best chances. In Louis Da Pron and Johnnie Berkes, the latter an oldster, show has stand- out hoofers. Others are mostly home- grown, still biding their time for break this showcasing gives them, Shafer has invested show with production and costumes seemingly more elaborate than any previous domestic enterprise. There has been no skimping anywhere, with line of 16 girls going through a number of changes. Musical score by Frank Steininger, Bob Wright, Chet Forrest, Jack King, George Brown, Irving Actman and Eddie Scott is fairly tuneful and may have a couple of sleepers, Dave Gould staged, with 27 numbers mak- ing up standard double-act revue. Show's long talent. list includes Melton Moore; Stop, Look and Listen, femme singing trio; Sherry Cameron, Mary Lee, Eddie Hanley, George Dobbs, Sammy Wolfe, Dick Buckley and Betsy Strong. Show goes on tour if it makes the grade here. KEEP COVERED Baltimojre, Sept, 8. Comedy In three acts by Michael Wallach and Pat C. Flick; presented by Moris Sar- nofC; staged by Flick; aetting, Frederick Fox; at Ford's theatre, Baltimore, Md., Sept. 8, '41; 12.22 top. Miss Mapcs Hlldrcd Price Georgo Williams Robert Breton Henry Goo<le Jerry Barton Chris RIecl Joseph V. De -Santls Donald Ross Don Shelton Catherine Parker N'ancy Douglass Allan Brooks Robert Shayne Calvin Lewis Pngo Spencer Guls.<ieppl Nicholas Dennis Preston Bingham Franklyn Fox Dr. Baker Lawrence C. O'Brien Mildred Brooks Edna Bennett Carrie Knox Florence Dunlap Lily Crawford Hone Damur Phillip Phillips John 0'Ix>uehlln Wallace Johnson Paul Parks Dr. Garver George Leach Packey Joe Byron Totten Yayo Kelly Fred Catania First Hospital Attendant Peter Block Second Hospital Attendant Tom Franks Police Offlccr Beau Tllden A Colored Man John Marriott Motorcycle Cop Ed Barron Trixle Mnrnee Latham This is an alleged comedy about the insurance business. As presented here, laughs are few and far be- tween and conversation endless. Plotting is thin and characterization phoney. It's highly doubtful whether anything at all can come out of it. Money can be saved by calling it quits right here. Story is set in .an insurance office where Allan Brooks (Robert Shayne) manages a coterie of salesmen quick on the touch, but slow on premium gathering. His latest addition (Don Shelton) is engaged to his secretary (Nancy Douglass) and to give him a break he sends him out with a set- tlement check to a widow, figuring an annuity sale is in the bag. Widow turns out to be a fly dame with a collection of names figured a cinch for insurance. In spite of a set rule against lady agents. Brooks takes her on, and along with a series of romantic upsets in the office, she shakes a playboy into a $2,000,000 deal. Sale saves Brooks from the axe being swung by his boss because of inability to produce during the current drive for business. Obvious maneuvering of situation involving the insured goodtime Charley and unoriginal in-and-out stuff regarding the issuance of the big policy make for a third act that holds up less than the second, which IS only a slight improvement over the first. Latter sums up prac- tically nothing at all. Curtain lines are flat and running time falls far short. Acting is fairish, Shayne labors mightly with the material at hand, as does Miss Douglass, Hene Damur looks well and reads the part of the fliperoo turned agent quite adequate- ly. Paul Parks, as the playboy, and Franklyn Fox, as the go-getting in- surance executive, make the most of the lines allotted them. Set looks like a repaint job. Burm, Anna Ersklne has succeeded Bar- bara Burton as secretary in .the Lindsay-Crouse office, which shifted locations in the Empire theatre -building, N, Y., this week to occupy the office formerly used by William Harris, Jr. Plays on Broadway LADY IN THE DARK (Revised Cast) After an 11-week layoff to give Gertrude Lawrence a rest, 'Lady in the Dark' resumed Tuesday night (2) at the Alvin theatre, N,Y„ fol- lowing a special benefit performance the preceding night (Monday) for the Stage Relief Fund, Three things were immediately notable. Despite replacements in the four leading male parts, 'Lady' seems more en- tertaining than at the original open- ing. Moss Hart has written a much better show than he's generally been given credit for. And, finally, Ger- trude Lawrence again demon- strates that she is one of the most exciting talents and personalities in the theatre world. Of the cast replacements, probably most Interest is in Eric Brotherson, succeeding to the comedy role in which Danny Kaye was such a click originally. Considering the difficulty of following anyone as successful in the part as Kaye, plus the fact that he got the assignment only a couple of days in advance, when Rex O'Mal- ley was replaced, Brotherson does remarkably well. The only place he is definitely Inferior to Kaye is in the song about Russian composers, in the circus scene. Otherwise, his performance lacks only a little of the brilliant incisiveness Kayft gave the part. When he's played it a while, Brotherson should improve considerably. . Walter Coy, following MacDonald Carey as the advertising manager, seems less effective in the early, scenes, but more plausible in the lat- ter ones. His dressing of the part particularly suitable. Willard Parker lacks the sun-kissed fatuous- ness which Victor Mature brought to the part of the visiting Hollywood idol, but his acting clarifies the char- acter for the first time. Paul McGrath is quieter, yet stronger, and thus more logical than Bert Lytell as the magazine pub- lisher. Margaret Dale seems too mannered in the juicy part ot the heroine's old-gal friend, while Nata- lie Schafer is unnecessarily affected as the silly 'writer. Donald Ran- dolph still makes the negative role of the psychologist believable, while Ann Lee and Evelyn Wyckofl draw notice in bit parts.' Of course, Miss Lawrence is still the spectacular star of the show. She plays light or broad comedy, with lightning transitions to tense emotional drama and with intervals of dancing or selling a hot song. Above all, she has a blazing per- sonality that enchants an audience. Her 'Lady' continues to be one of the most amazing exhibitions of ver- satility and vitality in Broadway memory, Kurt Weill's score, Ira Gershwin's lyrics, Hassard Short's production and the other contributions to the show are all unique and valuable. But without Moss Hart's original script the entire effort, of course, would be meaningless. The concep- tion and the framework are Hart s, and if the story is something less than perfect drama, it provides a re- markably provocative outline for a great show of the sort audiences love. In this revised edition it should have a long run, Hobe. VILLAGE GREEN Comedy In three acta (four scenes), by Carl AUenaworth. Stam Frank Craven. Staged by Felix Jacovea, setting by Ray- mond Sovey, presented by Dorothy and Julian OIncy with Felix Jacoves, at Henry Miller theatre, N. Y., Sept. 3, •il; f.'J.SO top (^-1.40 opening). Judge Homer W; Penbody.,, .Fra'nk Craven S^eke Bentham Josepti Allen Margaret Peabody Laura Plerpont Harriot Peabody 'Ferry 'Wilson Jeremiah Bentham John Craven Henry Amea Malt Briggs Hubert Carter Henry Jones Rev. Horace ShurtlefT Calvin Thomas Walter Godkin John Ravold Harmony Undkin Malda Rcado George Martlii Joseph R. Garry Boy Scout Julian Olney, Jr. Rev. Arthur McKnIght Fr«nk Wilcox Dawson Norman Lloyd an t>oss attempts to make a deal with him, a young artist paints a nude in the Town Hall, which the opposition politicians and the local bigots seize upon as an issue in the campaign. With Craven supplying full dimensions to the key role and with some transparently contrived incident, there's a typically audience- satisfying conclusion. Supporting Craven's brilliantly- casual performance, Joseph Allen mugs Ingratiatingly as the judge's sidekick and the local soak, while Laura Plerpont is quietly believable as Craven's knowing wife. John Craven, the star's son, is satisfactory as the impetuous artist. Although he still lacks full-rounded footlight ex- perience, his playing reveals steady development. As the judge's daugh- ter. Perry Wilson has force and va- riation in her emotional scenes, but has difficulty with the comedy por- tions. Henry Jones gives an expert por- trayal of a pompous, futile swain, while Matt Briggs is properly cast as the heavy, Calvin Thomas is credible as a bigoted preacher, John Ravold impresses as a henpecked husband finally driven to rebellion, Franli Wilcox is acceptable as a tolerant minister and Norman Lloyd gives realism to the small part of a Life mag photog. Julian Olney, Jr., urchin son of co-producers Dorothy and Julian Olney, has a walk-on. Felix Jacoves, co-producer with the Ol- neys, has staged the show compe- tently, and Raymond Sovey's single setting admirably re-creates a Yan- kee living room. • Originally tested by the Olneys and Jacoves at their Ridgeway thea- tre. White Plains, N. Y., early this summer, 'Village Green' was given an added tune-up in Baltimore. Al- though it will probably draw limited grosses in New York, it obviously operates on a modest budget. And since Craven, the only one in the cast getting sizable money, reporteid- ly has a piece of the show, he would presumably share in keeping it run- ning awhile. If the play is shrewd* ly exploited and handled it should earn a comfortable profit, not even figuring the screen rights, which should draw a fair price. Hobe. Legit FoDowtip Carl AUensworth's folksy comedy about politics and bigotry in a small New England town is the first entry of the fall season and the first of what promises to be a number of Broadway productions of this sum- mer's strawhat crop. It's hardly a smash, but with Frank Craven giv- ing a characteristically skillful per- formance in the star part. It's a be- guiling show and .should have a mod- erate run. Although the comedy is so old fashioned it resembles a highschool dramatic offering. It gives Craven plenty of scope for his subtle brand of make-believe. There are several ingenious plot twists, providing three effective curtains. What's more, the situations and confiict grow logically out of the characters. Above all, it contains lots of solid. If obvious, laughs. (jraven plays a judge In a New Hampshire town. For the ninth time in 16 years he's running for state senator, but being almost the only Democrat In the community, appar- ently has no more chance than ever to be elected. However, his oppo- nent drops dead, the local Republic- Bbys and GirU Together (MOSQUE, NEWARK) Newark, Sept. 6, Making the first stop on a trans- continental tour that will .extend well into next spring, Ed Wynn opened a two-day stay here with the refurbished version of his last sea- son's Broadway success, 'Boys and Girls Together.' It was the first time Wynn had appeared here since 1938, when he scored in 'Hooray for What!' and a big opening-night audi- ence welcomed his return. Current version of 'Boys' remains essentially a Wynn tour de force. Comic dominates practically every scene and remains on stage for all but about 15 minutes of the show's three-hour run. Wynn was in fine fettle opening night, every gag and piece of busi- ness being good for prolonged chuckles. The comic ran through his entire gamut of tricks, from his zany philosophical monologs to his Rube Goldberg type of inventions. Audience response was always ter- rific. Appearing in his usually bewilder- ing and variegated series of cos- tumes, Wynn evidenced considerable versatility by playing the piano and the accordion, doing a tap number, and by draping three of his cuties in an assortment of gowns that he fashions before the audience in a few minutes flat. Three of the outstanding princi- pals in the Broadway production are missing from the current show, the absentees including Jerry Cooper. Jane Pickens and the De Marcos. In the main, however, both In cast per- sonnel and in production, the road show does not differ markedly from the New York version, Marjorie Gainsworth, the new femme lead, has a pleasant voice and is easy on the eyes. . Jaye Mar- tin, in the singing role that Cooper had on Broadway, accredits himself well, especially when singing the show's only outstanding number, 'I Want to Live,' The D'lvons are a dance team of more than usual grace and ability, and received a good share- of the audience plaudits. Dave Apollon's mandolin specialty Is still very much in evidence, and after three encores he was forced' to beg off. The comedian, however, has ho part to speak of, and outside of his mandolin bit he appears in only one brief skit. Among the other players who earned their accolades are the La Varre brothers, in an amusing drunk-acrobatic act; Lucienne and Ashour, a homicidal dance team; Dot and Dick Remy, who do a howling specialty number, and the Six Willys,' who do a tumble bit and handle Indian clubs with dexterity, Jon.