Variety (Dec 1942)

Snow Freezes O& Ui TriorM StiH Has PriorityJ9G;'aaiidia'$8,000 Chicago. D«o. 8. First heavy mow of th« WBaon, with temperatuTt down near zero, hit boxofllces last weak for three days end raised havoo with patron- age. Start of MS rationing in this section was another factor In depopu^ lating the Loop at night 'Priorities of 1B42' continued to lead in receipts, with Torgy and fiess' and 'Good Night Ladles' next In line. Estimates for Last Week 'Good Night, Ladies,' Blackstone (84th week) (1,200; $2.76). Dropped to $U,SOO which stIU nets big money. •Junior Mta,' Harris (11th week) (1,000; $2.75.) Skldd«d considerably to $8,500. 'Maid in Ozarks,' Great Northern (lltb week) (1,300; $2.20.) StlU roll- ing along to nice receipts. Manage- ment has announced two perform- ances for New Year's Eve. Lowest nut In town, so last week's $5,500 profitable. 'Porgy and Be^,' Studebaker (6th week) (1,400; 3.30). Patronage drop- ing oil but advance sale kept last reek around $16,000. Prioritieii' Erlanger (6th week) (1,300; 2.76). StiU tiie town's leader did $19,000. 'Clandla,' Selwyn (1,000; $2.20) No. 2 company played here last sea- son. This one has original New York «ast with Dorothy McGuire and Don^ aid Cook/ Opened to $8,000. Fore Ms Hub; 'ApgeF Drops $4J0to$6200 Boston, Dec. 8. The legit houses are expected to recover somewhat this week from the violent reaction to the Cocoanut Grove disaster, which pared their grosses as much as 40% last week The Willow and T at the Shubert and The Sun Field' at the Colonial were not replaced this week, so only three hpuses are open, but future prospects remain bright. Among the titles expected before Christmas are 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' 'Something for the Boys,' "The Wife Takes a Child' and 'Spring Again.' Estimates for Last Week 'Angel Street,' Plymouth (1,400; $2.76). Hard hit by the disaster, its gloomy subject keeping the estimated take to' $6,200, a drop of $4,300. One more frame. 'Firefly,' Majestic (1.667; $2.20). Shubert revival got middling notices but brisk for Ave performances at estimated $8,000. 'Jnnlor Miss,' Wilbur (6th week) (1,227; $2.75). Dropped to about $9,000, but advance sale is very good and will finish out the month. 'Sun Field,' Colonial (2d week) (1,634; $2.75). Cast replacements and script tightening reported to have made this a contender, but biz was off. $5,500 reported. 'Willow and I,' Shubert (1.590 $2.75). Martha Scott drew well here considering the town's lethargy and mixed notices, $6,000 estimated. Script and cast still in the works. 'Widow' NG 6G, Buff. Buffalo. Dec. B. With an adverse press not helping matters any, 'The Merry Widow' took a nosedive at the Erlanger last week. With a $2.20 top. the revival tallied Jlightly over $6,000, poor for this OLD LITHOGRAPHS FROM MELODRAMAS AND 'MUSICAL SHOWS OF THE GAY 90'B Large ouortment of 28 s 42 and 14x21 Poatera luitable for Bare. Rathikeller, Play Rooma, etc Price 2Sc each - Min. Order 4 ENQUIRER JOB PRINTING CO. 412 E. elk ST. . CINCINNATI, O. LOUIS M. GOODMAN. M. Cp Podiatrist-Chiropodist Kormcriy at ib« America Hold ltemoTe4l to the HOTEL PLYMOUTH 148 \V. 4eth Rt., N. T. C'UlumbDH n-esM OtSct Hourt: 930,A.M. Ja 6:30 P.H. i- Ana by Airpolntmeflt G-S Operottas Fair $8,400 In Lonely PhiUy nilladalphla. Dm. 8. Thert was only on* laglt attrao- tlon In the olty last week du* to tiic earller-than-expected closings ot "The Willow and I' and 'Hellzapoppln' the previous Saturday. Last week's lone offering was tha Boston Light Opera Co. offering Gilbert and Sullivan repertory at the Locust St. theatre. First week's gross was nothing sen- sational, but gross of just under $8,- 400 was claimed profitable, and en- couraging factor was that blE im- proved au week, with Saturday night a complete sellout weakest house was the Wednesday matinee, with "The Mikado' as the offering. Decision wlu be made lata this afternoon Cfvesday, the 8th) as to continuance for a third week. '3 Sisters 29G In D. C. Despite Mixed Reviews Washington, Dec. 8. Katharine Cornell's Three Sisters' met with mixed notices from crit- ics, but that didn't affect the box- office last week, for the Chekhov revival sold out lefore the company arrived. Gross vas a few dollars short of $29,000, and $266 more than Miss Cornell achieved when she set the $3 top record nere with 'Doc- tor's Dilemma.' Max Gordon's production of The Doughgirls' is currently showing at $2 top. Popular-price scale appeal was shown when the play rang up $5,000 In advance sales before the Monday curtain. Russian Embassy is deeply inter- ested in the Theater Guild's The Russian People,' opening here Dec. 14. Mme. Ivy LitvlnoS, wife of the Soviet Ambassador, will again be guest critic for the Washington Post on this play. She reviewed Three Sisters' and gave Chekhov what amounted to a slug. Embassy is more interested in projecting dram- atically Russia of today. This is what Konstantin Simonov's play does, and it has the official blessing of Stalin. Roral Canada Starved For Legit; 1-Niters Of 'Arsenic' Sock $12,000 Toronto, Dec. 8. With a week open between the two weeks' holdover at the Royal Alexandra of Frank McCoy's spe- cial company of 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' and its going into the Lafayette, Detroit, for an indefinite run commencing last night (Mon- day), producer tested out the On- tario theatre market by following up the Toronto engagement with a series of split engagements that, at $2 top, grossed $12,100 and proved that the Ontario hinterlands are starved for stage productions and are willing to pay off if such at- tractions are forthcoming. With Walter Hampden and Cissie Loftus heading the Frank McCoy production of 'Arsenic,' the Royal Alexandra here (1,525) at $2.50 top gros.sed $27,000 for the two weeks. For the week of Nov. 30, McC&y barnstormed adjacent cities to Tor- onto in a whirlwind tour that grossed over $12,000. Immediately after the Lafayette engagement in Detroit,* 'Arsenic' returns to the Royal Alexandra, Toronto, for an- other fortnight's engagement. Hindered by blizzards at the start of the engagement but steadily building on, 'Life With Father', with Percy Waram and Margalo Gill- more, grossed a strong $13,500 at the Royal Alexandra last week, with 1,525-seater scaled at $2.50 top. The fact that, as outcome of the Serlin- Shubert tiff, 'Father' went into the Eaton Auditorium here last season, hurt business in Toronto this time on word-of-mouth inasmuch as con- cert hall, with its shallow stage ahd flat floor, proved unsuitable for a stage presentation. That initial reception definitely Ifurt the gros.s on second visit of 'Father.' tna Modest |4,200 In 4 Shows at In^ils. Indianapolis, Dec. 8. ^ "Hm firat Murd«r,' with Zasu PitU, took a modeit $4,200 in four perform- |BOM hera at Engllsh't (1,1(00) Dec, I^B at $S.75 top in iplta ot cold wuthw, goa rat&nlng, competition or Sonja Henle Ice i£ow and pan' nlng from orltics. Bal « gU performance at $8.30 top In Mar- Th« Ballet nieatr* played to standing room only and $3,600 in sin- gla performance at $8.30 top In Mar- tans series at English's Dec. 1. 'ARMY' IN 496 ADVANCE SRO. CINCINNATI Cincinnati, Dec. 8. Cincy'a theatre, newspaper and radio clan, plus city officials, ten- dered a party honoring Irving Berlin In the Netherlands Plaza hotel Sun- day (6) night. Mavor James Gar- field Stewart and Nelson Trowbridge, resident manager for the Shuberts, extended greetings. Berlin's all-soldier show, This Is the Army,' has an advance sellout for its week's engagement, which opened Monday (7) night, in the 2,500-seat Taft theatre. Scaled capacity is $49,000. Standees and extra chairs will probably raise the gross to $51,000. UWRENCE 25G IN STRONG DET. Detroit, Dec. 8. •Rialto here continues on the strong side but there still ara problems to keeping all three ot Detroit's legiti- mate houses going. Latest to go dark Is the Wilson, where Henry Duffy's musical com- edy, 'Life of the Party,' closed Sun- day night ifter nine good weeks at popular prices, tucking in $10,000 in the final stanza. Show was to go to Chicago, and head for New York later, but Inability to find a Loop house brought the fold. Possibility exists of resumption in February. Gertrude Lawrence in 'Lady in the Dark' garnered an approximate $25,000 in its first eight perform- ances at the Cass and goes two more weeks at $3.30 top. The Lafayette played out a second stronf week with $13,000 for John Barton in 'Tobacco Road' to bring the two-week tally to $27,000. It was followed Sunday by Walter Hamp- den and Cissie iJoftus in 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' set for a run at the $1.65 top policy for the house. Swanson-Lederer 5G In Poor Balto Week Baltimore, Dec. 8. Three Curtains," with Gloria Swanson and Francis Lederer star ring, opened at Ford's last week and failed to measure up. Given a luke- \ arm reception by local crix, who held the three skits by G. B. Shaw, Barrie and Piner? were dated, lay- out garnered an estimated $5,000, or less. In this week to a smasho advance sale is 'Three Sisters,' with Katha- rine Cornell heading a name-heavy cast. B way Spotty; 'Skin Capacity $23,^ ?irateSQck23aU(Hfto$im May Close; lifeline', M.R.' Are Out Karloff—'Arsenic'—$9,200 Milwaukee, Dec. 8. Although here for a week only la.'t spring. 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' with Boris Karloff. returned to the David- son theatre for three nights and a Tapa' 5G, Cincy Cincinnati, Dec. 6. 'Papa Is All,' with Jessie Royce Landis. grossed approximately $5,000, below expectations, on four perform- ances in the first half of last week at the 1,300-seat Cox theatre. Top was $2.75. In the last half, and at the same scale, the house grossed approxi- mately $7,500 on three night shows and a matinee of 'Arsenic and Old Lace' with Boris Karloff. Pull was rated very good, in view of two days' opposition from the Russian Ballet, with the Cincinnati Symphony Or- chestra, in the 3.500-seat Music Hall at $3.30 top. The Ballet held over Sunday i6) for a matinee, making four performances in all. and grossed approximately $10,000. a disappointer. •Merry Widow,' with Muriel An- gelus,' opens a week's engagement Dec. 14 in the Cox. Top is $2.79. Sunday matinee, and, with chairs put into the orchestra pit for one performance, turned in a practically capacity gross on the engafiement es- timated at $9,200, at $2.75 top. Current is a revival of "The Merry Widow^' with Muriel Angelu.s. Broadway slipped last week, which is usual for the period following Thanksgiving, but there were few violent declines. The leaders, especi- ally those high-grossing hits among the straight shows, held to big busi- ness, some being aided by advance sales. Two arrivals last week were quick folds, 'Lifeline" being withdrawn from the Belasco after eight per- formances and revival of 'R.IJ.R.' be- ing yanked from the Barrymore after four times. Saturday business tap- ered for first time since early fall. Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Coviedy-DTama), R (Revue), M (Musical). O (Operetta). 'Angel Street,' Golden (52d week) (D-789: $3.30). Starting the second year, first anniversary having been celebrated late last week, was off. but at $9,000 did alright. 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' Fulton (98th week) (CD-893; $3.30). Went downward also, with takings approx- imating $9,000, okay at that level; due to- stick until film version ar- rives early in February. 'Beat the Band,' 46th St. (7th week) (M-I,347; $4.40). Tentative closing notice posted and decision one way or another due this mid- week; around $14,500, not good for musical at high scale. 'BHthe Spirit,' Booth (56th week) (CD-712; $3.30). Slipped along with the field, with the gross rated around )0,5OO, but that is quite satisfactory for one-setter at this period. •By Jopiter,' Shubert (27th week) (M-1,325; $4.40). Held up much bet- ter than most shows last week and attenclance generally close to capac- ity; takings quoted at $27,000. 'Oreat Big Doorstep,' Morosco (2d week) (C-939; $3.30). Some doubt about chances for this new one; first full week estimated around $8,000, disappointing. 'Janle,' Miller (13th week) (C-940 $3.30). Parties have been helping here; patronage not regularly seen in the theatre being drawn; has done well enough to date; rated over $11,000. 'Jnnlor Miss,' Lyceum (57th week) (CD-1,062; $3.30). Dipped to around $9,000 after jumping sharply on holi- day week; still excellent property and should be around for most of season. 'Let's Fwe It,' Imperial (54th week) (M-1,326: $4.40). Has been doing ex- ceptionally well; slipped last week as expected; still very good money at $25,000 or more. <Llfellne,' Belasco (D-1,000; $3.30) Business after premiere was so light that manager decided to withdraw Britisher after one week. 'LUe With Father,' Empire (159th week) (CD-1,062; $3.30). Comeback of run leader recently is surprising; has turned profit consistently since opening; topped $13,000 which was a decrease. 'My Sister Eileen,' RiU (102nd week) (CD-945; $1.65. Dropped to $6,000 last,week; cast now on cut salary; due to move to large Broad- way next week and should improve. •Rosalinda,' 44th St. (6th week) (0-l,325; $3.30). Very good attend- ance continues with the gross around $20,000; costly to operate but profit- able. 'Skin of Our Teeth,' Plymouth (3d week) (CD-1,075; $3.85). SUndees right along, although play arouses controversy as to it£ merit; $23,500. 'Sons o' Fan,' Winter Garden (53d week) (R-1,519; $4.40). Off last week after spurting during holiday week; rated around $25,000 last week. 'Star and Garter,' Music Box (24th week) (R-991; $4.':'0). Matinees some- what affected, revue dipping for first time but gross still very big at quoted $23,000. 'Stars on Ice,' Center (21st week) (R-3,000; $1.65). Getting ready for Christmas-period clean-up, with ex- tra performances scheduled in Radio City spot; dropped to $24,000; still plenty good. 'Strip for Action,' National (10th week) (C-1,162; $3.85). Has been somewhat offish recently but turning ail operating profit; Sunday per- formances may help but again around $16,000 last week. The Damask Check,' Plymouth (7th week) (C-895; $3.30). Several capacity parties last week at full price credited with jumping gross to around claimed $14,000. The Eve of St. Mark,' Cort (9th week) (D-l,0e4; $3.30). One of standouts of season's product hold- ing up to big money, with gross rate over $17,000. 'The Pirate,' Beck (2d week) (C- 1,214: $3.85). First f jll week regis- tered $23,000, capacity, and that mark probably will be exceeded when subscriptions are over next week. The San Field,' Biltnnore CC-891: i $3.30). Presented by Howard Lang; , written by Milton Lazaru.";; bafed '-n Heywood Broun's book of same tltla; opens tonight (9). 'The Willow and I,' Windsor (D- 873; $3.30). Presented by Donald Blackwell, Raymond Curtis and David Merrick; written by John Pat- rick; opens Thursday (10). 'Uncle Harry.' Hudson (28th week) (D-1.042; $3.30). While not up with leaders, it's making very good run and earning profit right along; dipped last week; $9,400 estimated. 'Withont Love,' St. James (4th week) (C-1,520; $3.30). Up In the big money with capacity registered right along for a count of more than $24,000. 'Yankee Point,'Longacre (2d week) (CD-1.016: $3.30). Picked up slightly,' but still in doubtful class; takings for second week estimated around $4,500. Added 'Claudia,' Forrest (return engage- ment) (original date 56 weeks) (27th week) (C-1,195; $1.65). Not much better than even break, with takings around $5,000. or slightly more, last week. 'Native Son.' (Majestic (return date) (6lh week) (D-1,715; Dropped under $6,000; publicity over closing notice which was rescinded after censorship protests should perk at- tendance. Revivals 'Counsellor-at-Law,' Royale (2d week) (D-1,047; $3.30). Very good follow-up press comment should help here; with pace around $13,500 is quite satisfactory. 'R. U. B.,' Barrymore (D-1,104; $3.30). Opened Thursday (3) and taken off Saturday; doubtful press and little coin after opening; four performances. Vaude-Revues 'Show Time,' Broadhurst (12th week) (1,142; $2.75). Holding to very good money for vaude outfit, wlUi most of the coin drawn last haU; dipped, but aroimd $19,000, which is plenty. 'Wine, Women and Song,' Ambas- sador (1,200; - $1.65). Was suddenly withdrawn last Friday <4) after play- Ing 10 weeks; ordered off when man- agement was convicted of sponsoring indecent performance; had been do- ing well at around $14,000. RATIONING UPSETS LA. B.O.'BLACKOirrS'llG Los Angeles, Dec. 0. Gas rationing has finally slowed up Ken Murray's 'Blackouts of 1942' at El Capitan. In 24th week show got $11,000. It's stUl making profit at those figures but suffering along with rest of the town. 'Hey Rookie,' Army entry at the Belasco, was also affected in eighth week, attracting mild $6,500. 'Cry Havoc' at Music Box in Holly- wood pretty badly hurt though still profiting slightly at $4,000 in second week. Light nut saves the show and unless rationing damages further, will stick around. Show hasn't caught on as expected following it* sparkling little theatre run. Biltmore, downtown, opens Xmas night with road show of >'Chocolate Soldier.' Mafc -IiOD OLATtOS e/o Variety, Hollywood THROW A POSEY TO VICE PRES. WALLACE who pat that office into the posterity class. Direction: Wm. Morrla