Variety (Sep 1944)

LEGITIMATE Wednesday, September 13, 1911 Plays Out of Town Men lo (Ik* S«'a New Haven, Sept. ilti-Un-Uiui nl ■■..ilra;ii;i.:--ii •ette'si tiy.vJJiM lifM Kijlift nuu-iiu'is: *'!•» iMJ't llj<lrr ; ,-iisiuu|i»n. (li-nre H.iiis t.ui. <»|ii-nfil Jit shuW-iC ,SV,« linen->••!•! 1. '41: »:l "iuj». W.fttlit't: tlli--. >t-i)< O.lUiP l,y Nihil JlnKlinl 1 are light and frivolous: others, one particularly, depicting the women of the time waiting for their men folk away at war, are grimly serious..-; ■■■ . Several .-members'-of the "Okla- Hbout to have a family yia-the ymM homa" "original appear. Celeste Holm guy. and Joyce Mathews (Mrs. Mil- u a -captivating Eva|ina. with plenty (■in iwaTwl; ■ Ki,....i...,. M.i.Iu.ii." Mil jHK.linii>,... |i',ii.i..i .1 >ii. l. smi. Di p.nii.U 1 v,.V. 1 "li:i t\i . .KiuiIoti-...,. U.I IV I. I .I ' ll U.mr.ilil'li:. j»kK. i ?.» 1 Till ( V.-i. . . HiiVf.> iihiilil. ('.inn it. il ,W.»Si.' (Sulllii „.: . ' .Tun! (Siliii'in ;";. •'. in- vvv.n ... . .itiyrd : Nl H t-iH' tv>i SuWn'rt li,ii-niMi '.*-,:.:. ..T .i i.-.Sn-r.n . ...lUiutuliili. Ki-li.nK ,',-.,. iil'tintiiU'd: (,'I«"J' .. . . ..MiiV.ie! tiu-fi.uu --., '. : V.\Mwi>(!".lsllfs .JiiWs AMvilijfter. ..... StililrPil fiiiMI' ..- 11 id; i nii-i..'i ,'.'.. .. .;lii:-.i-.. '1-illitiM /. , . ,'BtH. ltunl \"l u > .iiimi l-'i'l'lil* »',Mnri<ii"i'iri'«.<?Ui-< ll P P.llUl f-l.il!>-. ton Ber'ei. as the tramp; of the group, make'- their presence felt effectively. James Alexander as an English sailor, pud:Tom Noonan. as an Amer- ican gob, tit nicely. " - ■;, If the theatre, legit or pix. is look of material, and she'll be. sure to du plicate her former .success; although her voice .seemed light in the big Forrest auditorium tor a couple, or. the numbers; David Brooks is going to click solicllv as the handsome poised as Ladv Elizabeth. Cathieen Cordell, an the trollop with a heart of gold, has many of the laugh lines which, with a little-stronger projec- tion, are sure ( to register smartly. J. P. Wilson buttles well. "While the Sun Shines" should keep on sliming lor many a moan. '.'.'..'-. " Kane. : . for some; -fresh '.talent to develop, j Kai Uu , kv hero ; a y K i Miss McCracken it caiv be found in thiS cast. Old- '■ timers : who; register, are^. Joe Verdi •If ceecl. •M<-n to the Sea" doesh t. sue-, i it wilt probably mean that it ; < has been scuttled by wrong guesses "oil what to. do with. it from here on as an organ grinder, and Grace Mills, landlady, . '.. Dave Wolper has given the play nice technical production, with How- ard Bav s sets catching the proper atmosphere., Bonv ItlOOIIHT <»trl Philadelphia, Sept. 11. Intiii C ,1\ ll-niY iM-inlut linn (ui :i*siii . il'i-n Kliu -N'.-it ■'(i*i|il>:t.nii-rcil' immiciil itJ.CWii lll,l!S: niii-V : ia-iii^, ■ i ciiuii^ ('fi(os)e tiiiiiii. ' M 'n -iitt li.nlKHss;, violin Mi-liiu V.r-n l» i' "I Unit Bi'isi-> «'»' MiUn'i I iiuii i'i'i i,i. Si.I H.-rx.ifi -aii'l Frt'il Sillily, -JAltiMl • lit Dun anrt Iviliih .i.nnios;-musi.-. \fiWr. lyrics.' K. V., Hiiiliuvs («In. ilci Ml-.IKi'il '.llnilillf lijMlT: Will liiuini-l liiwk;' I ."'on" Let" fin I..' Yiiusl I Villi! I Iht'riiM musi'- ,l.i.\liilor si'is". . i Wei- •'*ntfuu»»« Miles Wiin =. il -in t'piiist,. lli«(lii>, t'hUjMH'lutvli.H lii. At ■-;'.'"••/•'.-...',''■:.'■ ,\l iIkH T ill il'ci'iii -I'luneljl ti ullt*!!., , l.i. !.,n T.iii'i 11 • I'm'! MiUl'Vi- ■\iiHtV ll'HifjlHS.-. .I.iiiii. Mi l'i'ai ; !vi'i(. tU Jlilljl I il It. CIfi-IP Hnilll. Klili- nii.-. WiHiaui Ben'lir; ,.lne K. Msri-ks. lii-tfrlnnjwV. »«fi UiillHistocv! 5Uu«n.u'i us, DlivhI. Ri.inUn. I..(•_• K.iiiii>. K.lei- m>N \iltne Amli i>iiii. Kl : :',iuui Win- i (...r.ilH- 1 I lies ' I'm i-il, ,lii»eiih l.'iiiiesiiiiio; linlpll > n*"i". IDihvm lii. -.'hit-liiifd , SViey. •JolH! fiiiai'l liixiill. , - - • il KnsiMnlil^;-'Kleiinor .Tonus. Mulililii .\,l-kllV Aml.-rmin.. 'LMi'i y'--Suiimleru. If it does succeed, it; will probably mean that Eddie Dow:ling has,found a way to toss the deadwood over- board, bail out some! of the bilge- water ' that passes for dialog., at^d pilot the opus safely into port. Odds favor the- latter. Film possibilities would involve drastic: blue pencilling of blue lines. : Show is plastered'with sex and profanity. ■' . WhUtji-tfr* p' a y .contajjis nunierows. j segments that are in very bad taste; |; " nevertheless it' is quite obvious that (, |( the production has been staged Willi a sincerity .that pointy upi ; its moral ^^i(^^ m ^ m ^ ,.,e-B ; ,r values rather than. the. .lurid. Back- , :V. , ^j,,;,,-. 1: ., v n „, k , u™,,- ■ground stresses the Mary Magdalene theme. • ~,: ; .;- ; ;■' : : . ["„ ?:.;-.'; Dowling's direction is coherent, al- beit premiere was a full. 20 min- utes too. long. Despite number of scene changes, action steps along at a brisk clio. A change of pace that shifts rapidly from a bedroom orgy to religious discourse aboard a bat- tlewagon is noteworthy in the man- ner hi which latter scene holds audi- ........ ..„,.. . , . . .. .. ence attention as gobs carry on un-| hits. Last season brought the city.s orthodox scripture discussion. 8 first musical show of smash propor- Pl'ot concerns a group of sailors - tioiis—••Carmen - Jones — that nas wives whose men have put to sea come this way since the days_oi Max in the present conflict. Frbni where the author sits, it's a pretty , sordid picture 'which seems to have an .air stops the show on several occasions with her dancing and pert comedy Margaret Douglas is good as ;Polly Bloomer; '..*'■'.' ' : ' • :■'■'':■•: Show has no comedian in the con.- voiHionaT sense, but it is by. ho means lacking in life and humor and gayety. Five pretty sisters and their rather pompous but delightful- swouses score heavilv. in 'When the Boys Come Home" and "Gicero Falls," An un- usual feature- is that they are all re- quired to have fine voices, although none of them has a solo number "Bloomer Girl" 'is 'unconventional. I that way all the time. .. Wilson's debul in the musical field reveals him as a man of imagination and resourcefulness. Curtain first night went up at.8:50 and fell at 11:25; There was hardly a hitch and very few dull, moments. In fact, several number-, seemed to cry for expansion rather than cutting. This one will be hard to beat this season. Waters, 1 vii<i> in jliir« 111" s.-ni^il by 1:11111.11 'II- Siri'Iimi S'^Mi.'l?s : I'V V :Hnitiiiiin;e-,:,s.>|ili, II". tni'vcf: tJriiili'i .. Shsii II I i:ii,' J.'* ..... . . . I.a V>>iliv. . Ultlllll.-- •: ...... "rii- i'iuf. -s....... Wnle \i. i\. -. ; Sjifn'. ; : ..-, i -.;",.-...".... K.l.ll* ' , >. .. .. ,il|n'»i. ..Wir> k ..;..-...;; Jim-.: :'.... Hin>.»'.ed.,-)<i-hij\ii)**y,,, liu//....,;.. . .v. ■ Our Fun 11 v Balt : imbie, Sept • iti.H \ y 11 si%iiii K».1 - In' AV i- .ix: a:t .Ki»i ft-'litre ,V>,, , .-.,loUh A ri-lier ;. . .,.';. MikIkvu" , it in 1: H 1. ii.-s illI,i..Kiii:.l.' HiiDidav ■;.-, .*; ,'; „( .- - N.ukimu ,.... .\k k.11 nis .'...';.'.'...-i.ini J'lilitn ,lm l< Kin 1 • ;v.... . ..Viixinin Hf-Pil . s Kfn J..nmhliii ,., .'.Virif.in .Hnywul-Ih v . . • I III,' S Kull.M- Strawhat Review I ome He >ly Love Cambridge, Mass.; Aug. 29, < .uniirklKi' ti.111111.111j iIibiihv (lio.hn-li.Mt" i,f. iMnnVily in llimi- ucly ii>: I'Mwarti C'auli|iO,.l; rttn i-jr'- "Wall er lliiutjij.'ti:. f i»a in res .1 pan' Aila vi' anil Durotli.V SallUs. Direi-^i-d by Arllnu- .110(-U4iaril; si'11»»«. Kilvvai-ll Alaol,-.-' A t liral- tle Hall. I'aLnlirHlKe, Muaij.; 4il.fiO:tuj,., ■ lai-ltni Wftlisici-.:.. Miss >\Kft\ H : . ,. Miss t'rth'Kli'sllail I rah. ...'; . ., . . | Item v ;., ,. . . .. . 1'hvllis.. . ... Attflr Mi liilliunif .... Aila -litMiticl 1., ltlK^ii*;,.., . . . .. v.. ; A \ 1311 ul P ris, nyiuii.. MilliBan, Jus.eiiii Fl.nesl.inc, S K ili^l'u'lli.-ei s : iVfesv Holmes Oorotli! lliii Hem Ikiiv, Tai'inelila l sinzi Kl»na ivnina. .limn Mini" I'lullw M.'hi-i». Ilioi- ,-sa Uiisliursi. ,Kiny SI. .lum. l.t'i'.i.i l-'-ai's- liii : '- k.-Uh'leell- O Br'n'ii. Ait. Jt"»ilinsl■>». Uli hinl 1>S" v. Frank T>i Wnilei." lanif Mm iiell \\ liimin A\ eliei-. -Jac k Slarr. At linn- (.".r.rtv]. . While ih«» Kim Shines Princeton. N J. Sept. 9. Mux- Gr.i-il.in- iu,i,Iii,.| S' ^ni?si f uofi b\ Ten i^\- rtfnvge "S. Kanri.i Hillinl. Oiwilfil x<\ rr'i'noeiifn, X. :l., SeiM llniion 'l li» Kai-1 i.if Jin pi-ml.'ii . I ifitl. ,\liilvani»\ ■ ? , \. I.nlv Wh»al.elll Kami ill., bilk* ill' A \ i nut Sil iiilii^ 1. i r- III. I' llll-VI . . .... .J , ... . .Malir-l ri-llin.'..*.".,. ... .. . .'. n nf-l hi-eti-in-.I (I'lin Kmi. ii SI isi-il n-; s-^lliiiK, T'Mwaril MrCarloi ' Uieatie.- », -.it, :'•.'•';'■.•:''..:;'.,-'--. ■ ... ' t p. yfvmi ... "Mauley B. 11 . I .eivis 1 tiVwai-il ./I . . Anne Rut r Mrlv.ille: Cnuiiet- , AleMi iHlei-. Jv\i nt'lttei-n t'offlcll .'.. .-Urirol.tiv Sands- Iviin ihii'Duiiahl". ... Cuuaiann. lioin. , .Joiiu Allan- . Wallt'r rialnli(l-..u . Uuih itiuuoiul . ;vliaj-1.'S ,l;uivll.v : •- . - •I"i' l.illiiln ....... Vim M.isnn. . . . ; ...'Alia l:o?;lun .. I-Mniti-Vuslinian Philly has had few musical preems in the last few seasons, and far fewer Gordon s musical string, "Bloomer Girl.' presented by John C. Wilson in association with Nat Goldstone, of authenticity about it. With one which opened .last night '11) at the exceptiOiT, ' the feinmes go ■ in 'for Forrest here, shapes up as a smash in any man's league.' ; ', ;• ■ Prpgrammed simply as a ' new mu- sical," this one might have fallen into double dealing while their spouses are away. Even a 16-yeai>old bride slips romantically, though not com-,.—.. pletely, -when her husband - of three the standardized category of- operetta dnvs takes off on the bounding main. I or it might have been .^".^ y v Throne strictly pure" 'wife falls" by- into - convenUona;, - ".rn^'W.l .comedj the wayside when her man is killed patterns but, thank.^ «° judg- in ball e-and she seeks his counter.- ,ment. and taste •?t'.^ l P»^" c «^* 0 , , part among, the sailors who frequent the superb, contributions ,ha. The boys in the aisles can put away their brickbats and polish Up their pleasa nter adjectives as Max Gordon is bringing a new hit to Broadway, It is ^'While the Sun Shines," ' •>.'*.•„ "Sun'' is strictly tailored for laughs with a cast for the most part, cut to order. Though four ot the play s seven participants are in Uniform; il- ls escapist fare of the first order. The discriminate will hug it closely; whether Joe Doakes and the gill around the corner will be as recep- tive is debatable, but it's likely they win. -'; .;-'; , : ..-;'"■.i ■ .'-. :'•'>■'" ' The liiughs "roll alcing with amaz- ing rapidity..: and no small credit for that must go to George S, Kaufman, the directorial generalissimo. Al- ready an established success iil Lon- don, this Terence Rattigan piece London setting' biit it could pari ailliiUK lilt: scniuiB .win/ 111.4UU1U 1 ' - ■ . - , nan a jjunugii ..scliiii^ uni. it a nearby park, .She is redeemed in j ers and the superlati v.e wOrK ; o? near- e . dsil be .set down in any locale ...j 1... _ ...n.,.™„.i.-..„.i,in. Tv all., the. members of the cast, it ,„,,, „, ... . ... the end by a posthumous message 1 Jit from, her departed husband—a liies- sage that also - clarifies .Confusion among other characters. It ly ^^^^^^XlBir'ahd" <* m "-M'the''.love." vicissitudes of the 1 manage^ to retain a nostalgia and Eari ot Harpenden. recently enlisted charm that belong pioperly «>. tne I-•«'-the British NavV havine as his Civil War period, and at the same m tne oiinsn iNavj, naying as nis time have a vitality and a freshness doi^aSj^Ro^te^^^ erally well - written. Toni Oilman «eal or oUierw se. . bi „. heads the distaff; group with a good ^^S^S * ; group performance as Christabel. -wife of ' the great Duckworth." It's a role that calls lor the complete list 'Pt emotions. Duckworth is played con-, vineingly by Randolph Echols, and that goes for his shipmates. Richard Camp as Brbphy, youthful groom of the 16-year-older; Michael Strong as Chaiincey, slow-witted sailor who forgives his erring wife: Maurice Ellis as Reuben, who. with his wife Hyacinth (Mildred Smith), give fine portrayals of.a steadfast Negro .cou- ple. As Bonnie Brophy. the newly- wed kid. Susana Garnett contvibu.tep a personality that should have the is certainly entitled to it: but certain- ly the score by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg stands high on the list. Word had 1 drifted in about Aliens times, and there was no exaggeration. In "Evalina." "When the Boys Come Home." "It Was Good Enough for Grandma." "The Eagle and Me." ' Sunday in Cicero-Falls," andntw v o or three others."Bloomer Girl" has the best score since "Oklahoma," with which, for many and obvious reasons, this musical show will be compared. When a chorus number, generally figured as just-aiv. act-opener, like Cicero Falls;" stops a show cold, it's talent scouts battering their knuckles j ; ^ indication .of the ca'li- on her/door. The love ->cene of the hc [. or " lh ' e t„nes. "Grandma".-is a young pair is one of the play's most appealing: . :'.',..,. ' ■ ; : Maggie Gould, as th> wife who is WILLIAM FRANKLIN Slnr of "Porgv nnd Bps*" > l '.US i:-M'Ki:iCN-K AOKM OM KK I" t ri>inifr,v>vi<l(i 'J'tMir* . Currently Los Angeles -; (Sept. 11-30) '■■::'-:•> / ' MiiU t>: MI IJIJX, New,W.rii comedy solo (for Joan McCracken) with any number of verses and. just house guests' the rough and ready Lieutenant Mulvaney. an American bombardier, and Lieutenant Colbert, of the Free French. The; latter two, libido emotionalism being what it is. throw hospitality gratitude to the fast-blowing winds, m frantic efforts, to win the love of the Earl's fiancee,. Ihe alluringly youthful Lady Eliza- beth Randall, also in uniform. The Earl has 2.000,000 pounds' but is handicapped by . a hone-too-virile physique. The American lieutenant has the undepressed' potentialities of a, dressed-up Tai'zan, and the French candidate to the matrimonial sweep- stakes has powers of persuasion born of many conquests. The girl has enough on the ball to dangle the provocative .apple simultaneously be- fore all. three of them but is "weight- ed down by a philandering, ne'er-do- well papa.-the Duke.of Ayr. •; ; .'A curvaceous redhead, stingingly called Mabel Crum. is in atid out. of This is an alleged,, farce tied to a very thin slorv' line . with actual laughs few and far between. Cpn- tmed situations try overhard for comic effect, but to .no avail. Plotting is - wrapped around a young couple splitting up assets fol- lowing a divorce with a mutually owned race horse titled Fanny,pre- senting some complications. They decide to share custodv of the nag for three-iiionlh periods and the contrary boss-wins only when he's working for the missus losing con- sistently m hubby's stable, - A betting mob gets in on the deal and when reconciliation becomes a possibility they step in with .dire threats to keep the iecalcilra.it pair apart To break-the. winning streak of the nag, the gal promotes a match race with the outstanding stake horse ot thee year owtied by a wolfish playboy who agrees to the setup on condition she yield to his designs. Stalling for time,; the lady makes with a switch offering to give up only if horse loses the race. The big event comes in over the radio to the frightened young couple and in an obviously hokey and contrived se- quence, the horse comes irom be- hind to parii a photo finish which tee? suits, howevei. in defeat. But only for a short scene between the joyful turning off Of the radio and the en- trance of the happy betting mob w itlvthe news that the winning horse has been disqualified: and Fanny : is really the winner. It all ends well, when the wolf turns out to be a real sportsman, re- fusing to accept the judges' disqual- ification verdict and is unwilling to cash his ill-earned Wagei, So t,he voung folks give away the horse and wedding bells are set to soon ring agaiiTv'. I"' '''..:V;,V--'y '■'.-' -.'■"' •"•■'*•'' V. Acting is adequate with material: at hand. Joy Hodges and John Archer look and act their parts well enough and Lou Polan as a horse player: Hildegarde Hailiday, as his dumb wife, and Vinton Hay worth as the wolf, come through better than the script. J C. Nugent is a boozy professor; with a good line here and there.; Director Arthur Sircom keeps his aclors moving in an effort: to stimulate t{ie lagging business at hand, and the settings by Frederic Fox are okay. Burm. Edward Caulfields comedy is a reasonably bright affair though, in fact, it is through Walter Hampden as its star and Jean Adair as its lead- ing lady that much of the play achieves merit. Both are such: su- perb personalities the audience ex- pects too much of them, however; and is curiously, sub-consciously dis- turbed to .find them playing roles which it cannol conceive for them despite the tact they give—of did give, after the first shakv perlorm- ances—such sensitive portrayals. The comedy, containing some graceful and witty lines, deals with an elderly widow, a research scien- tist, who meets a Monty Wooley.an actor, a sort o( fugitive from "Ihe Man Who Came to Dinner* when he wanders beardless and incognito— and by error—-into a Lonely Hearts club. ' ; -C l^V^v^l She becomes attached to him and he to her, and she invites him to her house; on a sort of trial marriage, both posing as man and wife His captious, hammy behavior as head of the household imperils the romance of , the widow's daughter with ii sailor, and; finally the actor's former inamorata arrives to break up. mo- mentarily, the December romance: Hampden wallows 111 the role and is, as a matter of tact, amusing, de- bonair and youthful, while Miss Adair and the first-line professional supporting cast headed by Dorothy Sands are too competent to give bad. performances. -Yet the disturbing element of the complete miscasting of the' principals is always evident, and it is too preposterous to con- template the character Miss Adair plays. - - ' - '.■•-.' : : _-... ■:•;.':.-1.":..-.-,■ The comedy itself needs.a com- plete : fighteiiiiig and a partial re- working to be seen to advantage, and neither it nor the direction of Arlhur Beckhard can be judged more ads yantagebusly utitil that time, If it's just a summer theatre frolic it's okay, but it will never go in New York as it stands. . Elie. . enough piquant, innuendo to.get theithe romantic' picture with hilarious frequency, just as during her amor- ous career.she has beeii Vbouncing in and but" of half the beds of London" —obviously the former: with relish and alacrity! . ... V The suspense of the play is so well sustained . that just who will get whom remains a matter: of complete uncertainty and wild, guessing until a few seconds before'the final cur- tain ,'■■' ;wh ich wi 11" be■-. good -news -.for jaded theatregoers b;ut bad tidings for the morning paper gentry doing hasty exits to make their deadlines. The entire action lakes place within, a 24-hour period: its pace is [a'st. the lines sparUingly witty, its .characters; varied and plausible, - its situations' of high -humor-^-witness the scene of the three suitors shoot-: ing craps for the daughter's hand! arid' her- father, the impecunious Duke, joining the, game' and clean- ing up! ' ': >'.■ . ''.-,'- '''••". ."."'.■",',"" .'': The one set. by Edward Gilbert aisle-sitters.', Other numbers like "T'morra T'morra.".;"Rakish- Young I Man With the Whiskers," "I Never Was Born," "Farmer's Daughter" and "Pretty , as a Picture," 1 are also po- tential.hits..and there is one number, reminiscent of . Negro folk songs, called "I Got a Song," which is al- I most sure to stop the performance cold: anywhere. With all due. credit to Arlen.. however, Harburg should not be overlooked. His lyrics—easily I the best, he has ever done—are. ex- i ceptional. comparable to the late (Larrv Hart's and often Gilbertian. 1 The old crack ab^ut the one fault ] being the "book" is hardly true in this'-case. True, the book is what needs the most work, the most cut- ting and the most polishing, but even as ; it statids now jt is consistently-cn- terlaining adult and intelligent, be- sides possessing the charm, and the pictiiresqueness which one ..would naturally associate with the 1861 'Cherry Orchard' Due period.:,' In addition, to the revolt ot the sitting room : c'if. ijie Earl's cham- SAMUEL FRENCH SINCE. tftSIf, ,' "Play Brokers aritl - . , Aulliors' Reprcsciilalivcg U» U'eftl 4.-,ili Sln.cl. NffW Turk Hit IVcst Till Sired, l us Ainirln one Dolly Bloomer in an up-state New York town when she".insisted' on wearing pantalettes (bloomers) and not hoop-skirts, the -play also deals with the runaway slave uridergrpund.- and includes a perlormance ol the much-discussed."Uncle Tom's Cabin." ■In -this part there is a resemblance to "Show- Boat." . T . . Hand plenty of applause' also to Lemuel Avers' eye-filling atid artistic bers in London, is extremely, effec- tive ' , -- Melville Cooper, as the philander- ing Duke, who trims his prospective son-in-law- "because the --poor' JjQiv can't add,"' is standout. Stanley Bell, although appearing to have slightly top much bounce .and self-sufficiency in the earlier scenes, does much with his role as t'-.o Earl, as do his zealous i ival.s. Lewis; Howard as the Ameri- as well, as_ colorful settings.. and to. can bombardier 1 !o whom hospital- Miles .White's: stutihing. 'costume's And ,t?,!<p time 0t.1t for plenty -of ap plaiisc for Agrics-.DeMilte's" drilling ity . is offered, as' .'"reciprocal lend lease''"'., and Alexander Ivo as the French warriol" of philosophies. of the severarballel.numbcrs. Some Anne Burr is restrained and well Pittsburgh, Sept 12. ... Off-again, on-again opening date for .--Nixon, town s only legit .house, is now definite. Theatre will un- shullei; on Sept. 25 with Eva Le Gal- lienne-Joseph Schildkiaut "Cherry Orchard" under subscription aus- pices. ; \ ■ ■ .■'..■; "": ,"•-■ ;:':,- Nixon was to have started out last night (.Monday) with "Early to Bed" but that show decided to go straight from Cleveland to Chicago. Then "Doughgirls" was to have, returned Sept. 4. followed by two weeks of "Kiss and Tell," When latter can- celled out. however, to remain in Chi. management thought it was fool- ish to open with; an oldie ('"Dough- g'trls.:'.), which had been .here twice before, and then close down again for two weeks, so. "Doughgirls" was given the heave-ho. Bookings for. Nixon are solid through February following "OreiHrd." .'. , '. Sam Nixon comes back to manage the house again, with Arthur Low arid Dava Shanahan both returning to the boxoflice. . .- CANADIAN CHURCHES ON $100,000 BUDGET .' Ottawa. Sept. 12: i United Church of Canada mulling air program to cost $100,000 a year. Policy suggested by a special church commission;; headed by Dr. J. S.: Thomson....former.' Canadian Broad- casting Corp. g:m.. will begin, if ac- cepted, by spending $15,000 in the 1944-45 year, and will include train- ing of special..."radio pastors' ia. specified areas, a central office for supervision of "an aggressive pro- gram ot evangili/.ation. and educa- tion through broadcasting," and gen- eral broadcast training PC all pastors who. go on the air. United' Church, commission also is. urging CBC. to provide i'imds to Na- tional Religious Advisory Council for employment of a permanent sec- retary . acceptable to churches.;., .■.'.'.:- ,', 'Marriage'Investors Investors in Cheryl. Crawford's fortliconiing, "The Perfect'Marriage" are listed as follows: Leland Hay- ward, $7,500;,. Howard S.. Cullman, $5.000:: Marguerite W. Cullman, ..$5.- 500: Henry I„ Salsbury, , $5,000; Julian Goldman, $5,000; David Levin, $2,500; Louis Schwartz, $2,000; Wil- liam H. Weitttraub, $2,000; Mitzi Soinach. $1,000; Francis S. Levien, $1,500; Ralph B.. Neuberger, $1,500; beig, $1,000; Herbert Levietij $1,000 and Martin B. Stein, $1,000 Lawrence Takes Option On 'Bed Called Murphy' ..' Philadelphia. Sept. 12, Lawrence Shubert Lawrence, man- aging director and head of the Shu? bert interests here, is again po.sett to take a flyer in show production. He's just announced taking an option on a script by Ted Nathan ot the play, "A Bed Called Murphy." Deal called for a rewriting job on the pin t-. of the author.Who is now engaged in essential \-artime work but is sandwiching in editing choie. "Mitfi. phy" was Originally down on the books for Broadway production last y'ear; • ■:.'•'. ■•:'■'>'■■".••':'•'.:..' '.'■"'.'-. ■ .,- -.''.■'; . Play, is laid • i:i a swank Miami Beach : hotel, -just alter it has been turned bads,to civilian ownership bv the Army." Originally geared as a melodrama With Nazi sub offshore," spies, etc.;'-Lawrence figures; show as having good comedy angle,. Author has done a rewrite job on Act 1 and casting will start within a month with premiere for comedy set here in Philly later in . fall, Lawrence has had other production experi- Ira Birnkopf, $1,500;, Maiy ;J,'Kiel 1-.,ence with one show, '•Congranila- tions." making grade as mild hit some years back.