Variety (Feb 1943)

44 IMinMAXB WHnesfUf, February 3, 1913 Pbys Out of Town HARRIET - Neu- Hiivpn, Jan. 28. tit -•••! \r 'li't iirtMlui iimi iif ilii I 4 - l-.iii. I M>*iii-t>i lix KImi 1: I I'lil i. i*l--iit«-i>iH s:.*!^ Ih-lt-if S;.i':i".l K:i.i K;i/.ii: ^i'IIii'iu*. I. "--in-' I AI.i'i* lli-i iK^lxiii: ••■...•t.(-l :•; Sl:itl"il. ,1.111 i:m:i /.. . . . .Mln-ii , ('."k.ii^ II • \\ .: . i:. . h. .-i*.!!.!-! < • i;>iili>.t I;ilt,* >'i*Ml ••III )i.,i-;..i i;.....ii i <i i... Ili-ivh II I'lli'lii l:ii\H WiUi.-iir- ^^ 'till, i: hii .Cm s.ii-.-i KM ■-!<!' l:.'..h.- lli'iiflivi l.iiiiil. .^if« I; !i"i r-ii i*:iriiii>ii .Miiiiii-u^ < i. I-;... h. i ihiL-ii iv.iiii.ii'i 'I II urn., i;..is-li< ' (:.'>l..ril \l.i>.>i. Kilin'l.i l: I Ihn.Li KI:i<i'll".M .1 i: li-> Ii>.ii.ilil i:-l-r l> . I.t'>.:ii. It Ill' .l(.>l.>.|r II ,iii'...|. I .\l:. Tir-i.- Ihii|i.<..|| M. \\.. ...il. v.. Vi.ii.i I'l • • •■ .Mihlr.'il Tis.\. II I'l-ll- SM.n.' i.i- . Iii1.li '-. . Kilin I All.-! .« < II. M..!. . .. lli.|,.|. i-.n.-.v l-'li'lrli- SlMi\i. I.i- liilihi: lirilil .i.i*-k .M.t'iii-liU i: « ■■ Sl.tv •• Ii-.iii "I". I IliV. |!,.il. \\;|.|.' l:: r.i I |.. \\.„l.. .1 I' ■ • .< ll. A':i.i|.l 1.......:' ■■.•■i..ii \VJI.:ilii 11 S'l'.- . I Ml: I 'riiii|lllll< It • — 1:. I- -'i;! I .M.f ijll.ii I i» .1 III ' I^iih :i.- \Vli;r shdiild iillimutrly take n plai'c 111 th<' iipprr brackets of this yf'Sisiii)'.'- quiilily pi-odiicli<ins hud its biipliMii heiv Willi the pmnicre ur (iillii'ii Miller's prrscntution of MlHrriol.' pla.v bn.xcd on the life of Il:irrii". Eoechor Slowc and slurriitK Hi'len Hayes. A well-prepared ver- sion of events in the career of the writer, extcndiiig from her bridal days in the 183D's to the war period of 186K. Riit olT on the riKht foot and Kives indication of finishing well up in the money fqllowinit minor alter- Hiion.-. Play is an cfTeclivo com- bination of escapist entertainment and a Civil War analogy that makes ccrlaiii of its sequences and 'S|>eechcs Piirticularly timely today". Aiilhors have woven an interest- tnj! tale about the multitudinous, talented Beecher cU'-n in general and the gifted housewife-writer. Harriet, ill particular. Jii.st what proportion of the script is fact and what t (Ic- lion is not easy for the casual ob- server to determine. Nor does il matter much. The main point is that the pltk}-. ill toto. is good'diversion. It is obvious, however, that the au- thors must have iminer.-icd them- selves pretty thoroughly in Beeclier folklore before tackltng this one: Ihey have given the script an air ot authenticity. Beecl'.ers are pictured as a fam- ily ot natural-born crusaders—each with a particular horn to blow—ex- cept the mouselike younger sister, Harriet, who just wants to marry and .settle down to a normal life (hat is to include a program of Writ- ing, among other things. Harriet thinks she can live in her own little world, apart from nulsidc influences, until she is .stung by physical eon- tact with the slave question. Play deals with her attempt to gel away from the challenge of declaring her- self on the subject of abolition: her subsequent writing of 'Uncle Tum' and an elTort toward solving the slave iiroblem: and her ultimate realization thai her book virtually brought on the Civil War. Into this background the authors have knitted a sincere, heart-warming, some- times amusing, sometimes tragic pic- lure attendant u|)oh the creation of one of our literary classics and the sitreadin-.! of its message. Hi-lcn Hayes adds one more mem- orable characterization to her list with a superlative delineation of the peace-loving Harriet who turns H«l, I.OII n.AVTON e/0 Variety, Hollywood standard bearer when the calU-oines. Star'." transition from the play'.- lighlcr lii'i;.lining to a stirring liiial curiiiin i> at'rnmi>lishcd with typical .<klll and poli.-ih. Her .sen.se of i-om- rdv and dramatic values is braiiti- rully balanced throughout the |>ri)- diicliiin. and to. this f.tct is added a thDi-ornhncss uf portra.val • that bi-s|icak> iiitcn.-e prepa,ratiun for her role. While the part of Harriet does not alliiw the .scope that the actrrs.-- cxpcrionced in 'Victoria . Regina.' il- d<>c.< priividi" an. excellent outlet fur hrr talents. Mi.is Hayes should i-n- jiiy luT present chore and playgucr.- rieiinitol.v will enjoy her in il. A larue cast, obviously -.selected \<illi care even to bits, adds llrst- ratv .-iipport. Important role.- are .-killfiilly treated by Sydney Smith, as Harriet's famous preaching broth- er. Henry Ward Beecher: Jane Sey- nioii!' who makes a capital si.ster Callu-rine: Rhys Williams. doii)g a riiDiiiiirli jot) as. Harriet's aljseiil- inipilrd hu.-band: Robeit Harrison. :.. l-iilirr-Dr. Lyman Beecher: Selli AriiKld. a small town character. Amuim". the younger element. .lack M.-iniiiiiu. .roan Ti-lzel and the Wade twins. Betty and Leonore, reuister as Sinwe offspring, and William Woodson (Its as a young suitor. Bal- ance of troupe exhibits commensu- rate ■euni|)etcnce.- Miller has given the production a nne break phy.-ically. A combina- tion of attractive .-iettings and color- ful costumes provides .«cveral tab- leaux that register vividly on the reiina. An ornate third-act mansion ofTci's a beautiful backgroimd for a .striking stage picture. Costumes, likewi.sf. htive been employed to full c'llnr advcintaue. Play al.so offer.* lee- w.nv for exlensive lighting elTccis. Staging has been handled adroitly, both as to catching the play's spirit and conveying it properly. Inlelli- i!enMiit_prnrelation of the .icfipl is api>arenT in the manner in which audience apnreciatioii builds cnii- stanily to a liiial curtain that brings an eiithiL-iaslic response. .Ainixr: biographical Mlm po>sibil- itic-. •Ilarriel'.s" chances aiipcar op- iinii-:ic. Bone. whose performance^ ranged from mediocre to macabre. Even with money Hush and night cliibs and theatres liouining in a war world with distorted ecoiviiny, this play seems hardly worth a |>eep show -pot on Broadway. .'Xs for pictures, the celluloid could be init to belter u.si- in the form of washable collars. The Return of Ulyties Pasadena. Jan. 27. l*;i... ,|»IIH lM:i>linlll** AltHI). |I!-,hI||.-I ill! of llil>-,'-,,l |i|;iv lllVI* lii-fltHHI liv hjpiit Ijlil- iviK. l-%-iii:-i)i Mini mtiiii^il I'.v OiiHliiv Sli— vi'li-; ii'MilMUi*. nilil lllfi\t*r: fili^li.*.! -I ('lii\- lliiii."-. I*:i.'i|.|,.|iii, .lull. I'T. f-LiCi l.i|i. Blinded by footlights and con- fu>ed by a curtain that went down when he came out and up when he went off. Emil Ludwig took curtain calls following the world premiere of his "The Return of Ulys.ses' at Pasadena Community Playhouse. His olio bore out the frustration ot h:< |)eiiman.<ihip. The play is intended to be a so- phisticated comedy satire on the re- turn of the Trojan hero. It is neither llsh nor fowl, although it bears a phonetic re.-emblance to the latter. Ir every dog is entitled to one bite, then one of the world's outstanding modern biographers should not be too roundly condemned for sinking his bicuspids into fare that, seem- iiiKly. only John Erskine. and i>pr- haps a couple of others, has the genius to munch. Perhaps the motive for this theat- rical crime lie.<i In the fact that Lud- wig's previou.< biographies have dealt with flcsK-and-bloud men. Uly.-se.s was a mythological creature, and. as such, an impostor in the eyes of Ludwig. who attends lo-loop him in his mythological grave with a nipi>aii( expo.se. No man as basically prufiiiind as Lud\Vig can be accu.-ed of going beyond his depth. The only other analysis is that he attempted a swan dive into a wading pn<il. The title role as well as direct'.on of the play fell upon the broad and ca|>ablc shoulders of Onslow Ste- vens. Me did his be.<t and got Uly.-'.ses home, .starting at 8:30 PWT and ar- riving in what Kinsteiii irlativcly would have considered 10 years, al- thoiiuh it seemed a little longer than iliat lo lhi.<. reviewer. While Stevens carried Ihe load, he had sterling aid from Harriet Brook- in-- as Nuusic-ia (brother, is that one a leinptaliiui for a pun! i. and ficiip Kmidson as Penelope. The sirmc was cluttered up by 28 nllipis SLEEPING our CUCKS, 'STREETS'NG IN LONDON London. Feb. 2. New farce by Walter El'.is. -Sleep- ing Out.' oiM-ned at the Piccadill.v, Ian. 27. Comprisinu all (he stand- ard ingrcdient.s. it was nicely re- ceived. Less fortunate, however, was the revival of the Victorian melodrama. "Streets ot London.' which bowed in at the Cambridge Jan. 28. Recep- tion by generally |)0|iie audience was poor, and there is little likeli- hood that it will Slay around long. Current Road Shows (Feb. .I-I.'f ''.\rKcnlc and Old Lace' list Co.t— Court Square. Springlleld. Mas.*. i3>; Shuberl. New Haven i4-(ii: Shea's, Bradford. Pa. f8t: Shea's. James- town (N. Y.I. i9i: Shea's. Erie. Pa. HO: Eriaiiger. Buffalo 111-1.11. ' 'BlackoulH of ivaudel—El Capitan. Hollywood i:i-13i. 'Claudia' — National. Washington i3-(ii: Loi-u.sl. Pliiladeljihia (8-131. 'Corn Is Grern'— Billniore. Los Angeles i3-13i. 'Eve of SI. Mark' ■2d Co. i -IIar- rl.s. Chicago i3-13i. GHlierl and Sullivan (repertory) -'-Slndebaker. Chicago (3-I3V 'Good NiKht. Ladles'—Blacksttine. Chicago 13-131. ■llurrleC ilryout i—Forrest. Phila- del|>hiii 13-131. •Hey, Rookie'—Belascii. Los An- geles 13-01. 'Illghilgiits of l!>4.r I vaudci—Alca- zar. San Franci.sco (3-13 ■. Junior MIt*' (2d Co.)—Curran, San FrancLsco (3-131. 'Junior MIm' (3d Co.) —Locust. Philadelphia t3-8i: National. Wash- ington (8-13). Lady In Ihe Dafk'—Civic Opera House, Chicago (3-131, 'Leaninc on Letty'—Wilson, De- troit (3-13). 'Life WItb Father' (2d Co.)—Er- langer, Chicago (3-131. 'Maid In the Oiarks'-Great North- ern. Chicago (3-13). 'Porgy and Hew'—.Municipal Audi- torium, Kansas City, Mo. i3-6): Shrine Auditorium. Des Moines (7): Lyceum. Minneapolis (8-111: Audi- torium. St. Paul (12-13). 'PrIorllleH of 1942' (vaude)— American. St. Louis (3-61: Cass. De- troit (8-13). 'Sprlnftlme f«r Henry'—Colonial, Boston (3-13). 'SindenI Prince'-Davidson. Mil- waukee (3-6): Selwyn. Chicago (8- 131. •This Is Ihe Army—War Memorial Opera House. San Fraiici.-co (3-13). 'This Rock' uryout)—Plymouth. Boston 13-131. Tobacco Road'—Walnut. Philadel- phia (3-13). 'Walch On the Rhine' (l.st Co.)— Karlton. Williainsport. Pa. i3); Slate, Hr.rrisburg. Pa, i4): Playhou,se. Wil- mington iS-61. 'Walrh On Ihe Rhine' (2d Co.)— Lafayette. Detroit i3-13). 'Zlegfeld Follleii' (tryou11—Shu- berl. Boston (3-13). Plays on B'way 1 I^^S ('ontTniied from paije hade Stuff-Legit Late Alexander Woollcotl's proclivity tor prolitlc Ictterwriting l ad i. humorous angles When his health was doubtful he wrote a number of former friends in a melancholy vein, suggesting that they forget pa i arguments. Some replied in a like spirit. One answered that he wo;:iii like to vi.-it him after Woollcott nearly di.wrplcd a Boston hospital si.ilT with his didues. Former critic, by then fe(>ling fully recovered fioni a gall bladder removal, replied: 'The thought of your visiting mo Alls n.i? with d.isgiist.' ■ . Some months ago he wrote John Peter Toohey, once of the Woollco'.i 'inner circle.' saying: '1 have been pondering as to whether it would bi.- fun to liave one more reunion dinner of the old 'Algonquin Round Table.' I think I should like seeing ju.M once more even tho.se old chums that ,1 still di.slike with a waning intensity,' A lecture tour by Woollcott a couple of years ago is recalled, partlciilarly an incident, in Texa.«. when he was dirijleased over arrangements at a rich rancher's party. An Austin paper carried the warning: 'If you send Woollcott down here-again. Texas will secede from the union. Remember the Alamo.' Woollcott's last dinner dale was to have been after the NBC broadca.st on Jan. 'J.'l. during which he was stricken. He was to dine with Frank Sullivan and RusscI Crouse. Former 'wrote in PM: 'A friendship with. Alec wa- apt lo be tumultuous at times, but it certainly never was likely to he dull.' When memorial .services at the McMillan theatre. Columbia Uiiivcr-lt.v,- were held Thiir.sda.v i2Hi !)I)U attended des|)iic a snowstorm. Brook.-- Custiiine outllt a|>|)c:irs to be stepping out in the way of buyiti:; in on shows, having pieces uf four -Broadway pruduclioiis this sea.so:: ami at least one of Inst season's attractions. Shows are the incoming 'Zie^jft-ld Follies.' 'Moon Vine.' also 'Janie' and 'Count Me In.' Investment in tite lat- ter musical was all red. it having lu.<t around $80,000. Dotlnite winner.-- are 'Janie' iback at the Miller. N.Y.■ aiid 'By Jupiter.' which opened at the Shiibcrt last spring and is still there. 'Jupiter.' which cost $120,000. has earned back 90'';,-of the investment. Revised llguirs on the 'Follies' place the appro.ximnl'e production cost :ti $140,000. but it may go another 10 gees higher. Revue is rated a cinch in Bu.-itun. It's not due on Broadway until next mnnth. Paramount Pic- 'tures and Howard Cullman are also in on 'Vine.', which is being brooght to the'Mor(>.-co next week 1^ Jack Kirkland. The production outlay for 'The Three Sister.s.' now in its 7th wcel; at the Barryniore. N. Y.. was paid off by the end of the 4th week, ii's lioi-u announced by the management. Half of that was earned during a three- week out-of-town tryout. Cost was nearly $40,000. Yd clainvil tha: a gross of S19.000 weekly is necessary for an even break. The pace of $'J2.8(ili is capacity. ' . 'The Skill of Our Teeth.' Plymouth, has al>o paid olf aiul do.-oi'.i' ilj costly payroll, is S2l).00«l in front. Herbert Hoover in a speech at the Lambs Sunday i31i when a Ciaiv.i^'.l was heUI. complimented showni(>n for giving fiw tickets to men in I'a'i- form, 'it is the only business in the country that gives away the oi::y. thing it has lo sell.' the ex-president said. 'No civilian profession i^ giv- ing as much and perhaps none has .so iv.uch to give,' he added, Agoiu-ii"! in Washington were blamed for insisting that adini.ssinn tax be colleciol on gratis tickets given merchant seamen, whereas there is no levy api>licd to soldiers or sailor.s. John Gulden, the club's Shepherd, is endeaviu'ing to have the tax removed. Courte.sy tickets are distributed at the American Theatre Wing's Merchant Seamen's Club. West 43rd street, N. Y. Maxwell Ander.<ion will gel his wish, thai ot going abroad to rather material for a new war play. Conference between President Roo<cvcll and Winston Churchill in North Africa will likely be a signidcanl scene in the forthcoming play. Anderson will be In uniform similar to thai ot war corres|>ondent.<. a.i representative of the National Theatre Conference and will have cr(>den- tials from the Office of War Information. He wrote 'The Eve of St. Mark' for NTC,'which has authorized many coinmunity theatre presentations of the jjlay. The drama is also a Broadway hit at the Cort. Author is ex- l>cvted to be present in London when 'St. Mark' opens there. Alex Gottleib. a picture producer, is among those having a small part ot 'Something For the Boy.<.' Ihe Michael Todd hit at the Alvin. N. Y. II<j is sai<l to have invested $3,000 and to have accepted an offer from Todd to buy back the interest for $15,000. . 20lh-Fox ha.i the m.ijor interest in 'Boys' along with Todd, who is on the Coast with the idea of closing a deal for Ihe film rights. He is also angling with Orson Welles lo stage William Saroyan's 'Get Away Old Man.' Mark Barron, drama critic for the As.socialed Press, is due lo be in- ducted by the Army this week. lie pBs.sed the ph.vsical examinalion with considerable personal satisfaclion, for he had been subject to rcciirivnl .seizui-es due to illne.ss that dales from his experiences while covering the Italo-Ethiopian war. Barron was war correspondent tor AP during that campaign, and was downed with a type ot malaria known as 'black water' fever. He is the husband of Erin O'Brien-Moore, Max Gordon states that the price agreed upon with Warners for Ihe picture rights to his production of the Joseph Fields comedy, 'DoughgirN,' Lyceum, N. Y.. is $250,000. and not $50,000 less as reported. Puicha>c price of Ihe rights tor the Cornelia Otis Skinner-Emily Kim- brough book. "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay,' obtained by Paranuuiiit, was $50,000 although reported at a lesser ilgure. Ward Morehouse's first new play coverage since he took over as criia; ot t!ie N. Y. Sun. when Richard Lockridge went into uniform, wa.-! 'Ttii- Pairiols.' which premiered at the National. N, Y, last Friday 129). . Review TL D L u J CI I adji"'*-'"' 10 his daily column, which carries his byline, so his iian o the Barber Had Two Sons was attached to the bottom of the play notice. mmtm mm actoks The Deparlment of National Service F.ntertalniiienl has ■rrannrd lo '.nclude melqr» in Ihe Brillsli volunteer scheme fo^ service In, Ihe United Kingdom and overseas. SuiUble applicants will be empleyed for the .duration, at aaiaries ranging between £3 and £10, plus expenses, and will be farnlahed round trip passage. For inrormalion, address the New York ENSA t'om- millee. 137 Weal IStii' SIreel. New York City. wfy ha-- ,in inniiiK so far as war plays arc concerned. Its people are the heroes for the most part. But the drama is spotty and the storv hardly c mvincing. Authors hav'o I oul!:i-,cil Mieir character.-:, rather tliaii ctrliing them with claritv; the • (i\-ul; 1.- that ihc |>erformarice is ' mild. Locale is a Norwegian villaae on Ihc day that .Vazi hordes invaded with till- prelext of •.•;avlnK' il from , the Briti.sh. The cruellv of the Ger- ■ Mian >iildiers upon the ritizeiirv is ili.splayed but it's hardly the bru- tality that is a.-^.-iocialed' with Nazi Hornilroopors. There is .<onie dniible-cro.ssing and killiims. but (Irst iiiKhters thought the plav neither riramalir nor exciting. No refer- ences are piitde lo the'Qui:<ling dom- ination or the populace. Drama is enacted In J he home of Ihe Matliiesons. Mother is ttt the roatriai'ch type, one .ion. Johaiin, be- ing an artist opposed lo resi.sfance. while Christian, the other son. is Ihc sturdy one. Il Is he who throttles a spy and conceives a nlot to liqiii- dale the Nazi force infesting the town. Karen, a school teacher wtin boards In Ihe Malhieson home. switches her affections from one brother to another, then gives lier- .self lo a German official to wheedle passports from him. thai .she and Joliaii!! may e.seain- to- Sv. eden. Whcr. the Nazi.- come f<n' Cln-i.-itian. who.-e plot IS detected. Ma Mathic- soii iiiriK in the weakliiiK. Johann, and when the cnl threatens treach- ery. t!ie matriarch shoots her. Cur- taiir. Blanche Yiirka is starred as the S|)arraii mo;li(>r and is best m the third act. It is her llrsl appearance on Broadway in four seasons, and while her por'rayal is uelcome. she ha.'.ii'i miicn chance at einolionali.sm. ■She lius had better paits. Richard Powers, as her seaman Mtn who resists the invaders. Is chief aiVuini; Ihc male .support. He hasn't been around Broadway but got a start on the stage before going into pictures. Tiitta Rolf, as Karen, is a iiewcumer. she being a refugee I'rom Norway. Hers is one ot Ihe pqris that could have been maclc .St -oiigcr. Walter Brooke. J. Arthur Yo. ng. WolfKang Zilzer. Eddy Alfred Zeisler and Fairfax are best among the others. . ibee. Field. Burgh THRaW A P&SEY TO ARTHUR HOPKINS »-iir "Ijiirf Want* to Niini" hI MHut II. llsrriK' (-HKiTKl (imiv !■ pHniMlo.rl riirni—.Morrill Jiirolm. Oirtelleni Wm. Morris