Variety (Feb 1943)

W«lii««Ml«y» Febniwy 10, 194a USOnrfiMATB 41 AS OF JAN. 29, '43 Key !• abbrcviatloni: SB (ihawi rcTlewed), R (rUhl). W (wrenr), O (no epinion clearly exprCMcd), Pel. (ycrrcnUre). sn. - LOIilS KRONENBERGEB (PM) 37 LEWIS NICHOLS (Times) 18 RICHARD LOCKRIDGE (3un) 32 ROBERT COLEMAN (Mirror) ., 34 JOHN ANDERSON (Journal-American).... 36 RICHARD WATTS, Jr. (Herald Tribune)... 6 VlLELLA WALDORF (Post) ; 37 HOWARD bABNES (Heruld Tribune). 32 .RBOOKS AT«iNSON (Times) U JOHN MA.SON BBOWN I World-Telegram). 10 BUBNS MANTLE iNcws)..... 37 BUBTON RASCOE (World-Telegram) 21 VARIETY (Combined) 38 er Palmerton Becomes | Head of Holyoke House I Holyoke. Mas.-:., Feb. 9. j Guy PiilmcMon. slork producer. i« :he !•.(••.'.■ manaeer-ciiroctor of li-.c ! .\ew Holyoke ihcatre. For ihe pa.-l 10 years he had boon nimiinK n'-.n- I bir ihialre al Lake WhaNnn. He .-iii- j cccds Harold J. Kennody. Palnicriiin's tir.-l rjroduction 'No More LadiC".." which s(arls a v ci-k'i run (0!ii(!ht '91. Brandts Ask $2,000 Reimbursement Echo of 'Native Son Censorship Row SHUBERT WAREHOUSE * LraRuc of New York Th<>airf>-. or ' ilirce of its manaKenu>iii-nii ir.lic: s 'may pay (he los.s sustained by 'Na- ■viBB>>>>i.^ .... „__ "^t" Sun' foUowlnfi the rumpus ..v«r DAMAliFn RY FIRF "V*- <)>°«n^i> >" December. It all f-.c^nn VnnmUCU DI rinC ,,„,„ i,^^ Shuben-s p...sred cIc.-inK One of iliree Sliubcrt w.-irho'i-f. . notice at hi.- Majestic. N. Y., irflira- localed on 38lK strciM. .\. Y.. wa.- , lion? lioiiiB that llic -hmv w.i./bcinu ba<dy dania;;i'd by nrr lh>( 1'l-,i.i>(i:iy : closed because of pci.-'-ii>lc n;;-i>r- '41. Spot was the pniio:|>:il p/o- -hip. Ihouuh bu>inv.'- vv:i.- bad Louis Kronenberncr. of PM. is*i the leader in the 'VHriely' boxscore of the drama critics of the New York dallies midway of the 1942-43 seu.son. He heads the li.st with an averase of in. ba.scd on 33 correct gue.sses out of 37. shows cauiihl. Allhnuiih Krononberger's pare is notably below that of last sea.spn, when he headed the list the entire distance and ended with a percent- age of .923. he's still calling them more accurately than any of his col* leagiie.s. ; ' Holder of .second place in the tab- ulations is a newcomer. Lewis Nich- ols, who recently replaced Brooks Allcin.son. now a war correspondent la China, as. the Timesi' critic. Nichols' .889 percentage is figured on 16 right prognostications in 18 tries. Richard I..ockridgc. who resigned the critic's job with the Sun two weeks ago to enter the Navy, is in third place with an average of .87.1 on 28 corrects in 32 allempU. Robert Coleman, of the Mirror, is In fourth position with an .853 rat- ing On 20 right stabs in .14 tries. John Ander.son. of ' (he Journal- American, and Richard Walts. Jr., who siartcd the .sea>OM f«ir the Her- ald Tribmie. are lied with .833. al- though Watts, now with Ihe OWI, covered only six shows. Wilella Waldorf, of the Post, follows with .784, while Howard Barnes, succes- sor to Watt.s on Ihe Herald Trib. has a .781 average at this point. Alkiii- son's percentage on his share of the Times' reviewing was .714. and John Mason Brown, who opened the .sea- son fur the World-Telegram, had a .700 flgin-c when he bowed out to ac- cept a commission with ihe Na\'V. Burns Mantle, of the News, lias a .676 rating at Ihe moment, while Burton Rascoe. Brown's succrs.sor on Ihe World-Telly, trails the field with only .614. 'Variety." which ha-iil been doinjf so well in recent sea- sons, is back al the top currently, with a .snappy .021 average, accui'd- Ing to its own stiiiistic.s. In toughness, disregarding the matter of the correctness of the Judgments, Anderson has been the most difTicull to please of the eriiies. He has given only nine fu^-orable iio- lices out of 36 reviews, for an, ap- proval percentage of .250. Alkin>on liked .286 percent of the shows he caught, while the others and I heir re.ipective degrees <if favorable no- tices were: Kronenbergcr. .297: Brown. .300: Coleman. .:J24: Lock- ridge. .344: Waldorf. .405: Nichols. .444; Barnes, .469: Rascoe. .476: Man- tle, .486; and Watts. .."iOO. The com- bined 'Variety' revicM-ers liked .421 percent of the .<!hows they eaughl. Di-lii\ed deri.-ion uf ihe War Labur Board on the proposed raisins ol miriiiiUMil. pjy for legii arioi 'i f.'i.:.< S.'iO 10 Slill pn>bai)ly indi(';.li'-.< ll;e luim'ber i.f v.;igo'incre;i-e bureau is ron-idering. Fact ;h;.; ii wo;ild n.eun a 20',' boo-t m:iy be delaying ihe i.<sue. howevi'r. in>- caii.-e !l coulil be inlerpreUvl as -oi- ling a precedent. So f;ir Micn-ii v- Equity Agent's OK'i'""'' " but labor unions are contesting il:*; Max Richard Gets .Although there is an indicated policy in Equity (o hold down the nimiber of licensed casting agents, a permit was granted to Max Rich- ard, formerly' of Chicago, by the council last' week. His is the first permit okayed this .season, whereas last .season several agents were dropped from the accredited list principally through inactivity in legit. Richard has been an agent recog- nized by the other talent unions and has been active in getting jobs for Eqiiltyiles in' picture.<. particularly in the east, where commercial Alms are principally Hlmed. It's said that his work in that direction won the Kquity nod. Chi W Net $30,000 To Date, Passing I3G Profil Up to Present Booking .As earlier indicated. 'Lady in the Dark.' with Gertrude Lawrence. i.s turning a bigger profit from Ihe Chicago engagcmcnl at the 3.600- .seai Civic Opera Hou.-e than during Ihe loin- up to the present date. Grosti for the third week ending Saturday (6i approximated $51,000, another new high for a legit show out.-ide of .N. Y. Chi net to date is around $30,000. while ihe black up '.0 the Chi opening was $13:000. Profit for live week.- at ihe Civic may be about S'lO.OOO. although there will be added i.-xpen.se attendant to ■La<ly's' return to N. Y.. il starling a repeal showing al ihe Broadway Feb. 28. following a one-week lay- off. There is some chance that the Civic engagement will add a .-ixth week. 'Fhe Broadway contiacl has been .-ignatnred. 'Lady' will romplele ils .-cason on Broadway, date being indelinile. Paramount i.- .-hooling Ihe picliu-e version iwiih Ginger Rogers) and Ihe lilm will nol be lini.-hcd uniil spring. While the pic may be re- lea.sed any lime after completion, it will probably not be shown until fall, being slalcd as one of ihe m.-ijor releases for next .season resiriction. In Ihe case of actors, it is ai'gued that. WLB .should not class .such work ill the general category of em> ployee.s. Stage Jobs are ca.sual em- ployment a.s' compared with perma- nent jobs in the other industries. Also pointed out that only. a per- centage of actors would be afTected by an increase.' whereas in war plants and other factories raises gen- erally concern all emplpyee.s. In show business tho.se who will par- ticipate in an increase are Iho^e in the lowest bracketed class. In the ca.se of the actors, the man- agers readily assented to the boo.st, duc:io!< .-hup of ihe .Iifisnv... I and other cai peiury tii'\ ccs wci'c (le.-lroyed ai.d :l. \Mil lie diMicull lo ■ ropliice sucli !Kin'h.:ifry. I>i:<i|i.. ;.;)<! i olei'irii'id api>,ir;i;,is v.c:e .il->i i-:!!ht fiui'.i-jyvi; or (!a;ii:i;'e(.i. WlTi '.-:ri- liic blaze -.vili reUod .ShobOii !i\.v:,is i.- ceiiain lor .-i>vi-ial .-iu!i a.'.i;.!-. 'ioii.s. fiiiiy eip:ippei!. .-i.i' n?: .Mlhoi.uii Ihno ;-• a'i.Ml!:i-i- .■-■:iil ci; ■loragc b.iildiiu ami s:!<i;i .n Cm-!-,. • '.vie!'. Vi:i,i'.;f. !;ov prudiilii::; •■.■,^\■ .be i>ii!l!-:iiii'ii I..r a.iI. ■■,.;',[ phiiii.s. as I'le ■/.ic;,l<-:<i K...I <■-.• i>'>.v j-. Bo.-iiio. .Si-.iiber: v.iirriMHi. c (•■!■ cusp.llilcs Im-alcil ii; i!l>r Oi i-ji!i o( t!ie hlaw i.- rml k-nv. :i. il h;iv;iis .-.liiyn-ii un liii' .-i n-id '• ••vliile .'V.*!! were al ■.•..■.!•. <iO A i^.s;;i:i s. 'Sons'Biz at N.Y. i Wbter Garden Reported Delaying 'Follies' in Hub Latest 'Ziegfcld Follie.s.' cuncni '. in Boston, where it will play aii- , other wieek. is due into the Winter ; Garden. N. V.. but will not arrive until the middle or latter part of j •I . :i- a:;y- wiiy LiMiioe then calleil an < /- Kn:i-.i nieeilnii to arl on llie toliicrun'. .SiiubiT" ->Mlh<i!:<>w the nii;ici- oii.l il:e lliiriy .MKl Wilhaiii Hi-.n-.ii-. .!!i.e (Irclar'il -.Sill.' wiiulil rii:ili::ui'. ..1- lliooch i; v.i.« |ii..|ii:: iti-i;iiy. IIm-. man Shiinilni. Lind.-ay Ci.ki c ,::,,| Hie Playwnthls Co. Ihfn.-ii|)i-:i I- ll il.l !o .-|>S|I|,)|. tl),. |> I,. Will.iiiM Bi'antll n -ayn::: j i.v . > lit would lii.iie i-.-.ir iil {iw lol. III'!- and r:y ;,.-,|.:. |. |;,uti ^ ,> aire ; i-r m |,rr-i.ii- .•- ■I>":.-il)le li'i Wini- Wn.nii , ■S mv.: iianu'ly I. II. Il. il;. ;• ,■ , t.-.-.rrr. who wa.- rmiv .cii'.l \„i- r •i..!K an iiuleceiil perl .irmiiri-i-. •\V.; o' Wo-ed al Ihe Amti;-.<-i.d pr r.:.,;.!!), V. liile .'SDn" was anions . Ki.-.i-s ;.:iii>C(l by the Cailiolic i- i>!"'V(nu!il. a pi-e.<-ure SH'op. Ik- ■ iibji.cli»ii:i|.|(.. La-l w.ck Brandt v.n.lc the Lcufcue til the eirecl il-.al. bv i-iii- linuing -Son' iwo wei I:.-- arii r il-e MOii-cen.surship luiildli-. i.ie •]:u\\i I0.-1 another $2,000 lii t lo.-ed Jaii. 21. He s:iid that if hi.- linn was, alone iii Ihe project till- matter would not have crop|)ed. up ai.ain but u> ilure were nssociales the former -eenied !•> be enti;led' to ivinibur.-cnionl. League lakes the slam ihal as it of it. Loui.s and Maich. Reason for setting back the I went on rec.rd against ind.c.ir.l Broadway showing Is .said tn be the,threatened cen<or.-hip the Bi-.'imIs continued strong gros.ses of Ihe pros- i-re right in a.sking t-i be reimbuiM I ent.tenant. 'Sons o' Fun.'wilh Ol.sen ■ Whether the three ma.,a.en "ni" v li and John.son. Lee Shuberl. one of be asked to shnr* in n. h ., r -,. . At the confab when the concession tho.se interested in (he 'Follies' and Z yef been le erminod .'.r wav given it was suggested that an 1 also 'Fim.' strongly oppo.sed swileh- ■ whether the League « J 1 ' 11 increase from $50 to $57.50 would I ing the O. & J. revue to another |assume the Stion'Is < i '^7 come wiihin the 15'- idea. Showmen : hou.se. and his a.s.-ociates evidenllv decided Nor hiiVii h..., ,i« ., . promptly discarded the proposal, i Anally concurred, although iIumo ! f (he 'how m~ saying ihal $60 was hardly liveable | was a reported argument over (he .-.id the wh%e hfs- fm- 1 • pay r..r people who may be engaged matter. , Xther Branm lin^ on Ihe .stage for comparatively few) Tim' has again been clo.-e to ihe i-hould a.ssume a ocicentiee weeks durmg the year. Because of .(op gros.ser on Broadway, but i,|-:Play wa.s presented bv Lou that and the fact lhat only .some legit though it will probably stick until 1 George W. Brandt kin of Ihe 'eM^ people would partinpale. attorneys I (he early .spring. It is nol due for the ! Br.nndts, but it is known th-.t J J aniicipa'.ed an okay from WLB. If I road until fall. It all depends on Leventhal was al-o concerned the decision is delayed indellnilely. , whether O. & J. go to Hollywood for i 'Wine' is .slill billed on the Am however. theVe is nolhing Id pre-' another piclure. should Ihe show :bas.-ador hou.se boards House wa« vent managers from engaging the nol play out ihe sea.son in N. Y., or | operated by the Shuberts but -.incl lowcs(-bracke(ed people at 800. j.whelher tfie film is .set back. |lhe licen.se was revoked for a vei.r WLB may also be asked to act on ! 'Follie.s' is slated to be $.5..50 top >> cannot be used until next Decent (he manager.-'and ageiUs'applicadon I for (he Garden and. If so. will be for more salary. That wilK depend 1 the flr.-t musical at lhat price since upon Ihe recommendation o^ media- I the depression. 'Fun' has been using lor Paul Bri.s.senden, who listened to . a Si.HO top on Saturday nights and the arguments, but who had iiD( \ holiday eves. '.Somelhing for (he made known his repor( up 10 early ! Boys.' Alvin. now al-o charging (h<- this week. In lhat case the .-how-, .same raie on .Saliiidays. v.hen the n-.cn opposed the raise, which calls ' metropolis is filled wilh .-hnw- for 15". more. Even fewer people ihirsiy visilor.s. lhan the lower bracketc<l actors will be allectcd by ihal ruling, as there IS but (me manager and one agent w ilh each show. HOLD N.Y. FLACK ON EMBEZZLING CHARGE 3 MASS. BILLS WOULD NIX TICKET AGENCIES Philadelphia. Feb. 9. Hi.l Olver. N. Y. pre-s a;.( nt v.a» •Follies' is dated for .i;p Fc.ii.- i. W.OOO bail by a local inaeis- Philadelph^a. Feb. 2.1. utA niav .>;;iv "•'"■' week on the chaiw of «in- there a month, altliongli priii illi.il bez/ling $.1,628 from the operator of for Wa.-hinglon Man-h 8 Boston, Feb. 9. B< ..vino's long-smouldering leuii •.ichel ageri-y row broke out anew •.oday lOi ivhen three bill.--, designed Showmen figure ihal Lady' at ihe j lo abuli.-h or make agency opcnir Civic will ea.sily exceed the po.-sible [ tioiis prohib:ti\e. pa.s.std a public net by fa:' if the .show played a rcgii- j hearing al Ihe .-late hou.se and were iegiler ' ' " '~ ' lar iegiler in the Loop lor six monlhs. Other managements have i eyed the Opera Hou.-e for bookings The'Jalings are based on a total j i,"„t the .,pot i.s not alway.s available of 38 show.s, .starting with 'By Jupi- 1 f,„. ^hows and few are ol the ter,' which opened the season last j ^.^nbre 10 draw big monciy in .-<J Jun# 3. and ending with 'The Patri-1 i,,,..,^ „ -heairc ots,' which opened Jan. 29i Revivals vaudeville .shows, such as 'Show Time,' 'Priorities' and 'Laugh. Town, J*U8h.' or such uncla.ssillables as Once Over Lightly,' are excluded. However. 'This Is the Army.' the William Saroyan 'Across Ihe Board on 'Tomorrow Morning.' 'Talking to You' and 'Hello Oui There' are in- cluded. LA.Gets'Dougligirls' Los Angeles, Feb. 9. noad company of 'Ooughgirl.-.' Broadway hit. is due al the Biltmore theatre here late in May. following the close of 'Arsenic and Old Lace." Which opens May 10. Currently the Biltmore is hou.-ing Ethel Barrymorc in 'The Corn Is Green.' to bo.followed bv 'The Me. ry Widow.' March 8: Junior M s-. March 22, and 'Life wiih Father." April 26. Mary Morris Comeback Deferred; Out of 'Harriet' Pill.-burgh. Feb. 9. Mary Morris back on faculty of Carnegie Tech drama school here, deal for her 10 go into the Helen Hayes p!ay. 'Harriet.' Ii.ivinu fi:iled 10 jell. Miss Morris, who abandoned her Brtiailway cireer scvi-ral years 1 ago 10 leach, wa.-' .-('nt f'T by Pro- ! ducer Gilhei t Miller ai.ii -he made 'a hurried (rip l.' one of ihe fliii:r.ii"- Ir.voul -puis. Oiice hein.e Mi— .M''::i- "|'.i'r- rnr)ied )ii-r li'.i'ie- a' Ti i h '■• d>i ■„ .-iio-.v lor I'll' Th<-.ilre C.jtid b .' :t :a-led "•::y ,, !<-.v -.y-k ' S;;c :..iii iir.an;>il <'■■■■'<■ ■•!!■■■.■;• i.n i: >:• rr.:'i i".--i ■■■ ■■' ■•• '■ ••' "■•'' 1 M , • • ■■ 'II.:!'-.!''" -•• .".■.■• " .1. ^■tv.y- -hi-' ■ '• tiled lor ac'.ion in Ihe Le;;i.-lature. .\'l ihree b.ll« passed (he hearing -.tilhiHil i.videni tipposilion. there apparunly oi-ing no .repri-.si:i'a;ive of Ihe agencies present. The bills must siill past llie hoj.-e .-(.na'.e and governor- si::iia;ure. A^ ha- oe< n proved befoie. Ihi.i i.- a (l.nicii!; jiiiiriiey and many con-ider '.he oiils oo< med. Sissle-Bbke 'Shuffle' Set for Los Angeles ■FollIrN' I A..W. '.Mutiiier' Bo-Ion. Feb. 9: The new 'Ziegfeld h'ollu's' had il.-- defense workers matinee last week i4i at the Shuberl. and it's slill j wondering if it was all worlln^hile. The .show began at 1 a.m. for a un- thealrewise gang of swing .-liifler. from the G. E. plant in l.ynii. Fow River shipyard in Qiiincy aiirl .-n forth, who cjimc in their work clothes. The llr.-t tliree or four .scenes of the e.vlravaganl iiiu-ieal . were greeted with lus'y beHo'es u, 'take 'em olf!' but as the iiudience go( used (o (he live lalenl, il .veltled down .somewhat, bpl Ihf r"-p<>ii.-<- wa- never le.—■ lhan loud. Sue Ryan, who's been wo-.-. ;iiy lh<' cus(nmers all along anyhow, pro', ed . especially popular wiili the shifters. I When i(.wa,s all over, in Ihe neigh- • I borhood of 4 a.m.,- an undeier-, I mined number of boliles wa.s 1 cleaned out. variou.-ly ('.•.tiinaled! 'from .58 to 303. The hoo.se wasn't' sold out. but the gross came close to $;i.4(W, good. Meanwhile. Ihe .-ho-.v is in a con- tinuous state of H'.i.x AiUiur Treacher's hialerial has been eon- a project<rd 'liltlc tliealie' pr«,ject iwo years ago. 1'he ch.irge -.-.iis bro'.ight by Mr.s. Caroline .Shi rinan Johnsofi. .socialite, who h,-i<l pliii,iied lo build a $75,000 lliealie lo be known as the Main Line I'layhoii.-e at Gladwyne, to caler lo the social sel on Ihe 'Main Line.' .Mrs. Johnson .said' she had hired fjivi-r fur live monlh- !i Mm and illat he had taken the moiny iroin -lib eiiptioiis for .-ifon lukels. The Pl.'iyhoii.se venture ncer panned out. It w:i.s hno il:.u-il n IU4I. when a Con.sl: ble -old all oi /s :isr.cts a couple ol ball < ol hi y ami o/ii':- f i|iii|irrii-ii;. . (JiVi r r'l-i Ii . ( d he wa;: hired .-il $10(1 ii •.Vfi-k b;.' .M; . Jolio.- oti and Ih.-il h>' l<. d lii.-;.' M:e book'. iiO'l had an ev>-ii b I 111..C .•,I.en he left. II:; denied the 1 iiil.c/./tleir.'.iit charges and hi.s iiliorin.-y .ho'.'.'C'i an 'aulliorization" by Mr-, .loim-on lo ""■■ ""■ endorse and cash check.-, iiiinlc O'll lo Ihe Pliiyhou-c. He al^o . hv.' cd <i signed rclea.se from his coolrjict. Los Angeles. Feb. 9. ■Sl'iiiVIe Along." Ihe all-colored ;..-.i-iial .'. h.ch uii- one of the H.'oiid'.viiv hils of Ihe early '2(ls. will siderably bolstered and Vii'riou- im be revivid here, wilh Noble Sisslc. proveirieiKs have been inaile all F.MOK: Blake and Flournoy Miller of down the line. Belly Keane 11.- 'he i.iiVi'i.-il ca.sl. ported out of the .••how. and Jack T! I' 'ipeiiiiiti has bee.i .-et d'l' CfOiid i< iei>iiMed in .soiiieliine in the ly May al Ihe downlown .Miiayii fuMii'e .la' k Cnle. '.•.■r:o'e t'.vn Soldier's Gift to Actors Kd'noT. 'Variety": Thank yon veiy r<\>n-\\ lor !he .Money Order Irum f,.eui. R..i,i.rl .Sciii'ble and letter. Si.eh ii i-oirv.ir.i- ;ion from a layman irlway- 'iiiilis aiiil interests me. 1 oIIi'm v. ■inder 'lo-A- II f-on:es about and .vht ;! Ml till; lieulcn.-int I -l.:i;i liy i oiil. .Such men love lliv t.'iiir I'ii.'i iinag.iie iiO'A licilii '' I ; 'hi-i.I.e ■S!'.o(ll». ;i'..'h"r'<l. ■ ;..-;p>. • 1 ■. C: :"!i S:.. 'i:; *' I..r' '.'.h.ch .Sis-le and Dl.ike l.ii<- been louri;iu :irni.\ ■ N"'V. 23.. iindi r ;!,■• USO- " . Lie. i.-Mp. Ai'^i l!.e .■,j:..ls .ii(i-i-t. diiiiee .-pei'.iillu < '.'..111 hiv e: >rip uf diineei.s. are one of Ihe be-i !e ' features of the »r.ow. i xpi-' t 10 b'" iiia|ii-'l bv F'-b 2(1. '.'.IlCIi i-.i ..• ■ '!:" i'l-' 'if i, p'l.'.erlill t'l'l, .tl.l.o'i ,1 r*i'«'. lYi'k . I il la.', m.-iii, Iiviiij .Viii' • iiiiii-r hi • w ill loll 01- ■ of o- er SI IKiO.OnO I., •:. b: vii'i e hi- luveil tl." '; ii o e. L.i-iK. .S !:ii .' < '..'.I- -aine thrill I.f .\-- I ■.■.r.'.e lind /e. You ;i- '.••■hen |{i-!on, 'line Fji'.d . :.'l .:» I . i'. es • (.