Variety (Jun 1944)

44 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, June 14, 1911 Inside Stuff-legit Burns-Ma«flc. 4-ctircd N. Y. Nov,> drama critic, who continues to edit his "Theatre Year Book," lias elected what be -thinks are ; the .10 best plays of the .1943-44 season, vvhfch. ho believes was'a.' poor one. News Sunday. U3)• Curried his selections, but Mantle, aware that some of the shows named were flops.-asked readers to '•hold your ■fire". .Three on.the list were unquestioned flops, those, attractions• haying boon; "The. Innocent Voyage." "Outrageous Fortune" and ''Storm Operation!" The others, which scored hits, are as. follows, although one - is still in the questioii- nVark division: "Winged Victory,". "The Searching. Wind." "Decision." "The Voice of the Turtle;" "Over 21," "Jacobowsky and the "Colonel", and "Pick- Up. Girl". :'• -A.\.' ■ -- •■ : : ::-[-;:- : ' : v-r";',.;■->• Mantle comments "In the third year of the .war we. are .shy of both play writing, talent, and playvvriting enthusiasm. : Men . cannot tight,, nor women weep, or. watch others fight or weep, and have any heart in normal routines. Especially-theatre routines; We are, .in the main, lucky to have, any theatre at all. . . , But thank heaven lor the comedies. There have not been many of them,.but they literally have saved the season by prov- ing that the aft of writing sane and stimulating fun shows.for.-the theatre has not been lost " . • ■ ' •• .'- '••' Regardless of what he thinks of the season as'a.'whole, several weeks •go Mantle-gave the critics a verbal pasting for not selecting a."best play" as per usual custom. '.'•■ ■ 'X- '_-:, " ■-.'•; ;>;-'•.;■".•■ Special edition 1 of "The Call Board," marking the 30th anniversary of the Catholic Actors Guild, contains an article by Arthur Hopkins headed "New Day Coming." Veteran legit producer, now devoting himself to radio, predicts the rise of what he. calls the professional community the- atre, spread around the country, such projects to be more important' than Broadway. Hopkins argues that individual judgment and responsibility for production aie passing because at this time many shows have multiple backers who pass on scripts before investing their money. He says that if. angels had to okay his first success.'"The Poor Little Rich Girl," de- scribed, as a "dread phantasy," it never would have been presented., same going for "Redemption" and "What Price Glory," sock success following the first World War ■'■i:i',' ; .".-.V;.' -'-."-•:■ ' ;".:'" V '- 'k~- Channing Pollock also contributed an artiele^.pn "Some Last-Century First Nights," naming standouts, but concludes with; "At no time in my more than 50 years, of theatre-going have I seen a., better comedy, better acted and produced than 'The Voice of the Turtle' (Morosco, N, V,), a more suspensive thriller than 'Angel Street' (Golden), a more entertaining musical piece than 'Oklahoma' (St. James), or a finer spectacle than 'Winged Victory'." Latter recently closed after a capacity engagement on Broadway and is now' being'filmed in Hollywood. .'. .- .. "Follow the Girls" moved from the Century to the 44th Street, N. Y., Monday (12) and'while the latter house has about 150 seats fewer, ticket scale is such that the musical can gross $37,000 in the new. spot, not much under that of the Century. "Girls" is scaled: at $4.80, but the top is $6 on both Friday and Saturday nights, instead of the latter only as hereto- fore. Mezzanine and balcony rates are up, with $4.80 and $4.20 the box- office prices in the front sections. Four musicals have the $6 rate on the final two nights of the week, although "Mexican Hayride." one of them, has: that price throughout the week. Others, in addition to "Girls." where the top is tilted, on the two nights mentioned are "One Touch of Venus," 46lh Street, and "Ziegfeld Follies," Imperial. ;..'.';.':■ -'-'•'- '..':'''• ,'V-•■'•;. ■•' ■ Career of Arthur Cunningham, baritone, who passed away in San Francisco June 3, although prominent for his delineation of Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera roles, was actually far more extensive. In addition to his G&S chores he supported Anna Held in several musicals, Fritzi Scheft' and Lillian Russell, among others. Also a featured member of Arthur Hammerstein's "Rose-Marie" and the Shuberts'. "My Maryland." He had been leading baritone-with the Tivoli Opera Co. of San Francisco from .1901 to 1906, and is best remembered on the Coast for his rendition of "My Own* United. States" in Julian Edwards' spectacular American opera, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." : , : Play on Broadway ltrokvu llwirtft of Hri»iMl way <SVM i.-l AnlMv Jm-; (m. asst»l I-iJ.UMl .W^iill Al:i ii * r-nu ■iiivst-nutinn 4>n ulillhilt; int»!o- Ji.nli. jn lu-.t a'dM (ll m-imm-s) hi Ki'pli 11:il>.jl.-. St'»K»'.:t' niilhiir. :-rYu ui rea HI))! "»i'TiwW, tinitsi' Sni'IVIir,--lWrli'1* l.ynn- 'IfnturM lillil .\:u;«lf.-H:i inn m ini (•.•(.rw.. OlKMYOll ill ;X. V. M.iisli- Hull; June JD V ' H: S.I.-II toll. »>l ...... ... >:ihi Ostein' • 111 <Vipl:i-m Kiilniilu}-; (! Kf Kl'tfvln rvi'fr C.v«i.ij ... IX'iid t<, l.vun-'rliuil'iiH! IimSv >::;>\vliail!..;. X.lln1)i>-'I l:ili>m<>tiil Corn Tn inlil.' l-'l.vi r«i| ., . . . . ... .. . . . Hrkiii O'SlJirfi Mm -»->«"J■ nl.n .. ...... t-..<>ii>e Ki'IKu i.n'-mlinii'.* l-':rin'i<l:i\ :;.. , Ahl'riiin'vi T.lnsklt* ikiiimikI, i:i. t «|i(|..i .... . si.\y< fiM'limri Snill.'! < IM.-oll . . . *, , . ;.:. , ; . , ; . .', , \\ ;\ \ j.cjl Vil I Ainl 111-' l'l.lilfiil-.r r>l:il.' ^li;ui'l<'i-.'ll.vii.i' I'yjiVr son. ■ Ki .-.I. I'mIIIt. Kitn-liv- I'ni.n.'.v, .lit-iln 1YI-: ii'i'sont... - -v. ■ ■;- -.: . Admixture of rathskeller and gas- light drama has been parlayed to whopping' dividends in the past, and this; presentation of "Broken Hearts of Broadway" -follows the general pattern of its tear-jerking predeces- sors. But. with .less happy' results. Its tenure in the New York Music Hull (ex-Central Opera'House) will depend mainly on the quality of the beer served and the degree of the humidity. -.- "Broken Hearts" is mildly amus- ing hoke. Programmed as "an old- fashioned melodrama," play abounds in the lush cliches of the Gibson Girl era and is rich in ad libbed asides, bits of business.; and overt audience cues for hisses and wild applause. '.'..',■■ ,- Meller's chief virtue is its straight len-twe'nt-lhirt angle, making for a heroine predisposed to sweetness and light, a right-guy hero (circa 1890 standards) and a heavy, with a hand- dlebar mustache and a Wall, street background. In brief, the cards are stacked from the outset and the audi- ence is in on the deal. "Broken Hearts" suffers its worst beating In its presentation sans microphones in an overly-spacious hall (capacity 1,700) lacking-proper acoustics. And lack of cooling fa- cilities doesn't help either.' A highlight is the ihtr'acte olio of musical vocals dating back to the mauve decade. The music carries bet- ter than the stage declamations and the. quality of the voices is a couple of notches higher than the actors' mugging. It's, good and loud. too. "Early To Bed," Broadway musical which has been playing the Jules Leventhal subway circuit in Flatbush and the Bronx, may be toured fur- ther if a snag about chorus replacements is overcome. ' The show, with Ruth Webb in the Muriel Angelus lead role, has been alternating at the Flatbush and Windsor theatres, playing a week at each, then returning to both houses for a second week. Show is at the Windsor now. If full chorus can be assembled for a further tour, the show will b« booked into Newark week of June 20 or 27, to be followed by a fort- night in Philadelphia. : ' •. .'•■ •. '■ - PLAY PUBLISH IRS . '. ... >, ©f f has* and 'many , of hur dittinguishud play* EVE OF ST MARK • KITTV '' FOYLE • MRS- MINIVf* ■' • EST FOOT FORWARD , HOUSE WITHOUT A KEY TREIAWNY OF THE WEUS ' ' TOMORROW THE WORLD i ' LOST HORIZON • GREAT BIG DOORSTEP-CatofpgonMqvut ' THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING CO, A CODE IN ETHICS ...';. i»rtinin-Kxtmi>r<linary C'OI/OKFl'Jy—DYNAMITE Two Sets—20 Penplit ADDRESS BOX 250 VAKIKTV. IS* \\. 46th Street New York City 19, N. Y. Executive Secretary kt£UHI>3' fur tlieatrical producer'* offiu», JiiWIlsreiit,- .experienced and aler: r»u»« lady, #ood sldnocraphei*: no. fill and boiiiia. .State lull partlcularji •»•*'. Vhri'efT, IS*'.'W. *»lh St.. Neiv York 18, N. Y. SAMUEL FRENCH Play Brokers and Authors' RepreBentalives 85 Went ♦.".Mi Street. New York 8it IVest 7<h Street, Loa Angeles ELITCH OPENS JUNE 25 FOR ITS 53D SEASON Denver, June 13. Eliteh summer theatre opens for 10-week season June 25 with "An- other Love Story." Opening for the 53d year, Elitch is the oldest sum- met' theatre in the world. George Somnes will direct for his iOth year, and Raymond Burr and Martha Sleeper will carry the leads. Reservations indicate as good a year as last, which broke all records. Only two of last year's company'will be back—Helen Bon.fils (Mrs. George Somnes) and George Calvert. Ballet Theatre Season The Ballet Theatre, which recently completed its "greatest" season, wiil start its fall season at the Metropoli- tan Opera House in late September with a five-week engagement, to be followed by six weeks there in the spring. S. Hufok is the impresario. -Company leaves next month for Coast, where it will make appear- ances in San Francisco, Seattle, Port- land and the Hollywood Bowl this summer. V'-."' : '-. - : ' SETS RESORT SEASON ; Murray Brown has given up angling for Daly's, N.- Y., but in- stead has pacted. the Playhouse! Kiamesha Lake, K. Y„ for a 12-week seaspn beginning July 1. Opener will be "Bad Company," authored by Brown and featuring Esta Borden. Playhouse is adjacent to the May- lair hotel, and' operated by hotel's management. -.i. Play Out of Town Song <i( \m « a v Los Angeles, June 12. Kti.wia T.^tcr phiiluction ,tiijidei: auHi>ice» of -I.-m. An S rti,.fl CH'fc'JjlRlH' Opeiu Assn.). oC rmi-ai't opwi»t(a («iven scenpsi liaaed on 11'» ipnsic of Kih-ai'd' niler. Stars Ifni i'eHha. Waller i.'amsel. Helena Rliaa. Jtohert Stiafar. Wi»- Ai'nOl fea'turea Ivy Scolt. \Val- lar Xlnft.ir,iht; C'liarl^H .Imlela. Kov. tlordon, raufaii Rrerhel', .Alexandra Itanilova. Fied- ai'ic Frankltn, Jlifaiinl ailaiitiitton anil lyn. a l.y Hubert. W.rlftbt and GeorKe Vol- raat, ri'>m a slory by llonler'. t'urran. SmxtI . iiy. f'hai'Ies K. I'Veeinun: ehoreogV. raiihy. ..(leorire Kalani-hihe; divlipstral and rhoml arriiiiKeioenta anil iniisi.al dlrccllnri, Artliur Kay; aetlinfts, T.euinM Aye'ra; '■oa- luiua dasijeii. Ttnher'l" baviaop. Opened at }*liilliarinp>ilc . Aiidtt.orluin, I.oa Ancolea, Jinn 12. •(<: Sll.fld tiip. ' Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Co. may have a hit on its hands in this new operetta based On the life and music of Edvard Grieg. On its pre- miere it was given most enthusiastic reception of any of spring series, and although created for only L. A. and Frisco it should be taken east for operetta-hungry theatregoers. Hugely in its favor is freshness the perennials invariably lack, and score that can't miss. Those who are tir- ing of revivals will find much to cheer about in this gay and colorful musical of Norwegians. Story needs pace and tightening, and once that's accomplished paeans of praise may flow from the pens of critics. As pre. seined here production is first rate and cast much stronger than project- ed by traveling operettas'. VrPi. Civic is said to have around $65,000 tied up in presentation and should get it back with added prestige. Heading cast are two solid draws in Irra Pe- tina and Helena Bliss topping femme side, and Walter Cassel. Robert Shafer, Charles Judels and Sig Arno as male bulwarks. Alexandra Dani- lova and Frederick Franklin, from Ballet Russ.e. pace mixed chorus in fast and tinkling dance routines, Grieg music has been freshened and tempoed for operetta trade and never allowed to become ponderous. HtJnw em'rirn." Frisco theatre oper- ator, contributed story which is along familiar romantic lines. Sets by Lemuel Ayers, who- provided scenic background for "Oklahoma," are tasteful and ornate. •Miss Petina is given star billing but it's no runaway. She has solid competish most of way/' from Bliss, Cassel and ballet stars. Piece stays for three weeks and then moves to Frisco for perhaps longer stand. If it's taken east it should click if cast isn't weakened and pace speeded. Operetta'lovers should flock to it if for nothing else but the Grieg score. Time is ripe for new light opera and "Song.of Norway" should fill bill handily., .,. Helm. Anvil Theatre Outfit Readies BVay Prod. .-. A .N. Y. dramatic group, calling selves th« Anvil Theatre, has gone up to Peterborough, N. H., to spend the summer readying a play for commercial production on Broadway this fall. Group's director is Wen- dell K. Phillips, who directed "War President," which the Experimental Theatre staged at the Shubert, N. Y., in April. •/•'•'. Play to be done is "Inquire With- in/', by Fredrtc and Frances Day, playwrights in the group. Philip San!:, who appeared in "War Presi- dent," heads the actors in the''group, Legit FoIIowup "THE DOUG1IGIRI.S" ' (Lyceum, N*. Y.) Betty Furness, Leila Ernst and Peggy French stepped into the prin- cipal roles of Joseph Fields' "The Doiighgirls" at the Lyceuin, N. V., last Mon. (5), replacing Virginia Field, Arleen Whelan and Doris Nolan. Original trio had been in since the play's opening, Dec. 30, '42, Miss Field dropping oiit to have a baby, other two being Hollywood- bound. Switch by new trio was smoothly done, the girls having had over a year's experience in the Chicago or touring companies to make them feel at home on the Lyceum's boards. Girls stack up fairly well with their predecessors, weakest link being Miss Ernst, who plays the scatter - brained V i v i a n blandly enough, but without Miss Whelan's softness: and charm. Miss Furness has a dry humor like Miss Field's, with an approach' that is brassier but just as effective. Miss French's Nan has the same hard-boiled at- tractive quality of Miss Nolan. ' ; The bloom •~h'as~TVorn oft tif the show, of course, but most of the gags are still good and the satire on a n accommodation - less wartime Washington is still very pertinent. King Calder and Reed Brown, Jr., remain hard workers, but the sup- porting parts are still done best, as in William J. Kelly's Gen. Slade and Ethel Wilson's Judge Blake. _: - :':.' .•''.. '.-'■: Broil. Richardson, Olivier Out of Army to Legit London. May 19. . Ralph Richardson and Laurence Olivier have been released from the Fleet Air Arm where they have served since the war Started. They have taken over direction of the Old Vic theatre company, and will appear with Dame Sybil Thorn- dike and others in a repertory of classics and plays by contemporary authors. ';'•-'■ . v Revive '8:40 Revue'? Hollywood, June 13. Plans are afoot for reopening the lately folded "8:40 Revue." with Felix Yoiing eliminated, the same physical production, with nut and admission'Shaved, new show is titled. "Heads and Tails" and will be more intimate in delivery. : " Danny Winkler negotiating to bring revue into the Music Box here. NEWtTALENT SHOWCASE Jules Denes. European playwright- directpr. has taken over former Mas- ter Institute of Arts. N. Y., and; will rechristen it the Career theatre. He intends io get tinder way July 2 with "Variety Revtie of 1944" as initial production. Idea is to showcase talent of legit and music fields via productions to foe &HKu>IKnWiHttttf?'- > rr, "~> - Scarcity li iagjB ' Continued (torn pif« 1 talent is chief reason for decision of Warners to jettison variety layout pending favorable bookings. House has run into booking■ difficulty from time to time, and on several occa- sions during the last year theatre has voided its stage offering in favor ol continuous pix. ' . •' V' Similarly, in Louisville the Na- tional is dropping full-week vaude for weekend operations. The Albee. Cincinnati,' closes out its stage shows for the season on June 16, but other RKO houses, including the RKO, Boston; Palace, Cleveland, and Golden Gate. San Francisco, will re- main status quo despite fact that biz continues below par in most spots. Unusual, number of houses, includ- ing the Adams, Newark, and other New Jersey vauders of lesser stature, including the Majestic, Paterson, and Liberty/Elizabeth, have already fol- lowed their whilom practice of .fold- ing until the autumn. . Fund Pledges Aid Pfiilly Opera Plans Plans for a nation-wide tour next season of the Philadelphia Opera Co. starting in October for at least 20 weeks-have been completed.. All outstanding obligations of the, or- ganization are in the process of be- ing met in full, and pledges are be- ing received which insure realization of a complete 1944-45 season, despite reports to the,.contrary; according to David Hocker, who has been reap- pointed general manager. Performances of "The Merry Widow,". "Tosca," "Marriage of Fi- garo" and "La Boheme" will be given at Philadelphia's Academy of Music, March 1 and 14 and. April 3 and 17. Prior to that; the 20-week tour will include two weeks in San Francisco, among - other key-city dates. S. Hurok will manage and superyisej.. the trip, the seventh for the company. Henry E. Gerstlej has again been elected president. Other officers in- clude: Mrs. John White Geajw, 1st v.p.; Mrs. Charles R. Tyson, secre- tary, and E. Raymond Snedaker, treasurer. Directors renamed are: Cummins Catherwood, Nathan Hani- burger, John HarVey, Edward S. Lower (also reappointed counsel), Henry P. Mcllhenny, Fredric R. Mann, Mi;s. J. David Ster,n, Deems Taylor, Mrs. William T. Tonner and Charles Newbold Welsh, Jr. Frisco Preem Slated For All-Negro Revue Hollywood, June 13, Lou Victor, independent publicist, is gomg in for stage production with an ail-sepia shi»w, "4 and 20 Black- birds." slated to open, iri August in San Francisco, with Clarence Muse signed as director. , Cast consists .of Ben Carter and Mantan Moreland as comic leads, June Richmond as thrush, 12 Show- girls and Sweethearts of Rhythm. 22- piece all-girl Negro orchestra. Play; backed by Frisco and local coin, will play several Coast towns before hit- ting Los Angeles, '..••. Test Indpls. Operetta Indianapolis, June 13. Outdoor summer opera will be Introduced to Indianapolis on an ex- perimental basis with the three-night presentation, July 21, 22, 23, of "The Pirates of Penzance" in the amphi- theatre at Garfield park by a spon- soring committee in cooperation wilh the Indianapolis Department of Public Parks. Th« project will be financed privately. The performances will be staged! by the Jordan Civic Operetta Guild, directed by Charles Hedley, a local outfit that did sock boxoffice at the Civic theatre with 10 performances of the same show indoors last winter. There \yill be no admission charge for the test series, vyhich will lead to a permanent summer light opera or- ganization here if conditions war- rant, J. M. Bloch. member of the Park Board announced. Shafer Leases Music Box Hollywood, June 13. With the closing of "Meet the People" June. 17, George Shafer takes over the Music Box theatre under a new lease for the. production of legit -*ivvs..ia .the. Hollywood boulevard spot. • 'T""* Shafer has acquired rights.on "Lit- tle Jesse James." but will probably I delay that .'production--while'-tie tries ot\t another play. 'Decision' for Leventhal "Decision." Ed Ward Chodorov's anti-fascist drama which closes on Broadway Saturday (17), will go on the Jules Leventhal subway circuit directly following, playing the Flat- bush ' theatre. Brooklyn'; week of June 20 and Windsor, Bronx, June 27. Most of the original Broadway cast are expected to sign for the two weeks.- .;:"''; '• - '.,-'. - M-G BUYS 'COPPER CAMP' : Hollywood, June IS. Metro bought "Copper Camp," a yarn vyhipped up several yeais ago by a WPA Writer Project tniit func- tioning in Montana, Tale, dramatizing the growth of Butte as a copper city, will be one of the studio's high-budget productions on the 1944-45 program. .'. .'-.