Variety (Dec 1944)

46 LEGITIMATB Wcdofladay, December 13, 19ii^ Plays Out of Town \ I.ikIv— of ? Philadelphia. Doc. 9. Bluibon pro'liii lii.ri iif. limsii-Ml. I-'i'iiluvcrt CanOo l.iMi-11* ."^iM' I'.yiiii 11. Ayi-OS: bnnU l.> 11iiMi>" Ashl.: Sllinley A<liliii!<: nmsli liv I"i ami iVnluir iii-isli»in: sin'iinl Bud Biii'-lHuii mill lljiiul'i b.v \V;itmiii I'.jnun; i-ipmiiiii Eluele: l»UJli<:i! .•n.-i-mlil.- BootJ* Mi-Ko>init: l>;ilh'i- 1 arova; lionk ilM''»i'''i ' orrhehii-H ilii.M ti''i ^ Piin-OHl llfi'l"'. I'Im1;i. tn|< 11(1 riiiiMiiiit' l>'i ii-s by il Siiii'lili;i)i uimbin's by •ii:' .><i*(»niM y >4 b.\ -l.dU iihd ihinOi'ii. b> Nt»t;i,lli',.K:itii- i-Mum .>b-r.vi'>:«>i: a M. I IH. .Al Mil- .111... n- . 11. M . spoUiiig of two b:illc'ls--6iK' Chincsp and the othci- Ethiopian—dose to each other ill the last hall or the sec- ond act. Chovcograph.v ot iieilher is noteworthy. About that book—wow! .PiploK is laid in the U. S. in 1914. willi ciit- back to Venice in 1,=)44. with a side e.'ccui-sion to China and way stations. . Vt'nicis. TlM> A'ew Mavi'ii. - Der., Anothci- loiiR-runniiif; nui.sical. this one outlived its prcdea'ss()i> of the season hoie bv having a. 12:20 final curtain. There are possibih.lies licre but they will lake plenty of diyynn;. "A Ladv 01 is so overboard on itory that wholesale anipiilation is a. Vital necessily; as well as re-stayinii; maybe some east changes and ccrlaih rearraugenieiils of lunnbcls and. most of all. thiowinii overboard many long serlions oT the tedious, pointless and tasteless plot. Show is tkedded for two full weeks here. / Judging by preeni pcrfornianco. which was really only a dress re- hearsal, show s outstanding features are personal contributions o£ Bobby Morris and Sue Ryan; the (lorgeoiis lnv«stiture aiut. more especially, cos- tuming, with a bow al.so to the pul- chritude of the gals. The Shuberts have reallv gone to town on the pic- torial aspects of llie rich and obvi- ously costly production, which is also . In generally good ta.ste. Morris, although using material he has had before, had the audience iiv spasms on three specific occasions a.s well as clicking even when forced to keep step with the laborious book. His prizefight niunber. his hospital scene and his imitation of dilTercnl striptease techniques were really on the beam. Miss Ryan, playins most of the time opposite him and. also entrusted with several of the comedy songs, clicked as potently as she did In the last "•Follies." if not more so. She and Morris got a terrific hand when the various principals made their bows at the end, Their mate- rial is sometimes ulha raw but they never fail to bo to town. ■ < That's going to create a problem fpr the management, too, because 1 Hollywood's Carole Landis. who has first billing in the show. Is forced to take second place. J>Iot that MisS Landis is bad. She is certainly easy on tlie eyes pnd, wearing an eye- flUing set of costumes, she's always glamorously exciting. One doesn't tepect great acting fi om her. but her Bong numbers (she has four of them) i are, with one exception, not too well 1 rendered. Main possible exception is I "Without a Caress"—her first. ! Of course. Mi.ss Landis is one of ■\ those most plagued by the silly book, .i Christine- Ayres. weaving probably tne scantiest costumes throughout, is i a luscious eyeful and docs her. chores V capably.' Arthur Maxwell Is a per- '; sonable male lead, also sufTering from plot afTlictions. and, Victoria Schools is an attractive heroine who tings a couple of numbers eftcctivcly. Score by Arthur Gershwin arid 1.; Friad Spielman has possibilities .al- ■k though many aren't realized: Like M "Olad to See You." it has n "Brook- ^1 lyn" number. "You're More Than a Name" (Landis. and. not well sung) ^ "Caress," "Take My Heart With You' and "Don't Talk "riiem Up Too Soon" may eiiierge as niodcrate faves. Worst bit oC bad. arrangement is lltiwiti'.l l.mils.i.v ;iil.tl j:u.';iv lui'ILi'H ff i'('i|U-(l.v 111; [111' .1' liy Jiillil INiliU'U. Sl:ii:i'.l !..> -U [u>,; |>i,iilnt'1 lull ,i-<'i!;iii''I l>v ' 11 (ir.l.Tl: VliilK . I>i:;t:i'r ICUvi. . Ill.issi. 'I'liiuiii; .Mil (',>liin-l. Olii-IW-il l>,'< l-iM . iir Sbii It. i iii> Wiir. ,..utl S,.- . .1-,'i.j .. ;.t,.bn ;.-iiM'ii l.llllli J:ilill'l.l-U r)i:i|iiil . .,.K:n r :i..iii-> . .1 '.»il;;l;i!* <.'ti;iii-lb-i" . , . , . A 1 Ml- ■ r.uri- .1 r."i till . ..r.i. b.-.i.j I'.ii.-i ii.iii PtAY PUBLISHERS , , . at 'A«M cNirf itnny otktr 4it>!»avith»4 ployi SONG Of SERNAOETTI TOMORROW THE WORlb LOST HORIZON : HIGHLAND niNC ' EVE OP ST. MARK ■ BEST FOOT FORWARD ■ FEATHERS IN A GAlE ' MRS: MiNlVER . GREAT 110 DOORSTEF KITTY ■"■Y FOYU ■ HOUSE WITHOUT A KIY WE umm raiiisHiM ca < IncorporaUd I8B7 19 (.VAN lUREfl $T.,CHlCACP 5 Coming to town with liltle advance rccommciidation beypiui the Lindsay- Crouse sponsorship. "Hasty Ilcarl " left here with the pUiucUls ot local villager^ ringing in its ears. This, liowever, does not mean it s a pu.sh- over for Broadway. With Ihq abOve- mentioned sporisor.ship for guidance, and in consideration of the talent in- volved in writing. ,staging and acting, indications are th.it "Heait" will: land right-side-up in the Oolham hit column. It can develop into a good film. Although no niajor revisions ih play construction are reqiiircd. a present obstacle i.s slahza three: Script falters after passing the half- way mark but it docs come through .with a'^good finale which obviates nn undercurrent of impending trag- edy by sagely clo.sing on a comedy, rather than a romantic; note.. John Patrick has. woven a bit of autobiography into his play, wherein a Yank ambulance driver serving with the British spends some lime in a convalescent ward in Burma. That portion is a reislica of Patrick's own experiencei he having been a victim of malaria over.s.eas: He has caught the spirit of such a setup very faith- fully and has managed to transfer, his impressions through a cast that lives, rather than acts,'its. roles. : Story gives Laclilen MacLachlen, a stubborn yoting Scot, six weeks to live following an operation- for the removal of shrapnel. His fellow pa- tients in the Vvard know this but. Lachlen doesn't. Their efforts to offer friendship to the Highlandier, whose Illegitimacy has caused him to hate mankind all his life, meet with rebuffs but they finally \vln him over by pirescnting hiiiv with a kilt on his 21st birthday. Also, the lad wins the love of . a nurse, who prom- -ises to marry him. Subsequently, LaChlen learns that his days.' ffi'e numbered and the knowledge brings with it a bitter feeling that, kindness and love had been bestowed on him only out of pity. Although it's a misconception, it brings a blast fron\ the Scot, who then crawls back into his shell. The' eventual cracking of that shell and his acceptance by the group make heart-warming theatre. Richard. Basehart makes a fine Lachlen, whose fierce pride and un- derlying character win the audience as well as his ward mates. Opposite him, and the only woman, in the cast, Anne Burr is convincing as the nurse. John Lund scores distinctly as the •Yank whoise verbal dressing-down brings Lachlen to his seniles: "Types arc outstandingl,v portrayed by John Campbell, as -Digger the Australian; ■Victor Chapin. as Kiwi the New Zea- lander; Douglas Chandler, as Tommy the Englishman; Earl Jones, as a na- tive soldier. Edward Cooper, as a medico, and Francis Ncil.'tcn. ah or- derly, round out a glove-fitting cast. Single, set is used, being a striking reproduction of a British general hospital ward in Burina. Against this background, Bretaigiie Windust has staged the play with a realism that carries the audience r^ht across .the footlights: Bojie. I Colette Lyons, Wheeler Slated for Revival Los Angeles, Dec. 12, . Stage rights to "Breakfast in Bed," played by Florence Moore on Broad- way 20 years ago, were purchased by Russell Lewis and Howard Young, who'will produce it ii\-spring, with Colette Lyons and . Bert Wheeler slated,as co-sfais. ; Doris Colvun is rcWri ting the play, originally adnplcd from the French b.v Wiilard Mack andHovvard Booth.. Current Road Shows . (Period Coi'criiif/ Dor. ll-2;ti "Abie's Irish Itose"—His Majesty's. Mont. -ili-lC>: Royal .-Mcx.. Toronto 118-23). ■ • . "Blossom Time"—Royal Alex., 'fo- ronto (ll-lC). ."Cherry Orcliarel"—Ford's. Hallo. (11-lG); Nafl. Wash.. D. C, (18-23). Dante tMagieianV — Mel. Seattle (Jl-10). ■ . ' " "Doll's llousr"—.\u"d., Sacramento (12): Aud..C.kland (13-14): And.. Salinas (15); And.. Santa Barb. (IC): Wilson. Detroit (18-'23). "Errand for Beriiiee"—Plymouth, Bb.<tou (11-101. Gilbert & Sullivan—Erlanger. BufT. Ul-IG).. "GIsil to See You"—Qp. H ae, Bos- ton (11-23) "Good VlRhl Ladies"—Oi'ph., D'port (11): Iowa. Ccct. Rap. (12): Aud., Dcs MoinesdS): Orph.. S. City (H); Pal- ace: Mitchells (15,1: Col., S. Falls (16): Grand. Emporia (i9i: Convention H.. Hutchiii.-on. kans. (20); Mus. Hall, Kan.';. City (21-24 1. "Gorilla"—Geary. Frisco (M-lti). "Harriet''—Hannii. Clove. (.11-16); Pai-v. Toledo llB-23). "Hasty Heart"—Wilbur, Bos. (U- 23). "Kiss and TeH" (2d Co.1—Stude- baker, Chi, (11-23). "Kiss and Tell" (.3d Co.)—Bill- more, L. A. (Ilrl8); Russ. And,, San Diego (17-18); Municipal Aud., Long Beach (19); Civic Aud., Pasadena (20); Coll. Pacific Aud., Stockton (22); Sr. H. S. Aud., Sacraitiento (23). "Lady of-?"—Forrest, Phil. (11-23). "Latfliif Boom' Only" — Shubert, Boston (11-ld). "Life With Father". (2d Co:)—Cox, einoy (ll-lfl); 'Victory, Dayton (18). "Many Happjr Returns"—Walnut, Phil (11-16). "Merry Widow" (New Opera)— Aud., Atlanta (18-16); layoff (18-23). "Merry Widow"'—Hartinan, Columr bus (11-16). "Merry Widow" (2d Go.)—Aud., Pueblo tl2); Audi, Penver (18-16). "Oklahoma!" (2d Go;)—Erlanger, Chi. (11-23). "On the Town" —Colonial, Boston (11t23). , . "Othello"—Lyceum, Minn. (11-13); 'And , Minn. (15-16). "Over 21"—National, Wash. (11- 16) "Porjy and- Bess"—Aud., Gary 01); Aiid., LaPorte (12); Oniv, Aiid., Bloom. (13); And.. Andei-son (14) Mus. Hall, Laf. (15): Shrine, Peoria (16); Wilson Aud , Detroit (18-23). "Ramshackle Inn"—Curran; Frisco (11-23). "Rebecca"—Cass. Det. (11-23). : San Carlo Op. Co.—Ryman, Nash. (11); Til.. Paducah (12); Aud.,, Memph. (13-14); Rob., L. Rock (15); Aud., Ok, City : (16-17); Convention Hall, Tulsa (48-19); Ritz. Muskogee, (20); H. S. Aud.. Denison (21); City Audi, Wichita Falls (22). "Sing Oat, Sweet LaiidV—Shubert, PhiU: (11-23). . "Sleep No More"—Amer., St. Lou. (11-16). "Sons O' Fun"—Aud.,: Winn. (Il- ia); Aud., Gr. Fork-s (14); Lyceum," Minn. (15-16). "Sophie Halehcilk, Amcrlcah"— Lyrid, B'port (11-12); Bush. Aud., Hartfoi'd (13); Shubert, N. . Haven (14-16); Plymouth, Bos. .(18-23). "Star and Garter" — Blackstone, Chi. (11-23): . ' > "Student Prince" —Par, Austin (11); Texas, San: Ant. (12-13); Hall, Houstori (14): City Aud., Beaun). (15): H. S. Aud.. Baton Rge. (16). "ten Little Indians" (2d Co.)— Harris, Chi. (11-23). "three's a J'amlly" — Arcaclia, Wich. (11); Shrine. Ok. C. (12); Convention H.. Tulsa (13); Mus. HaU, K. C. (14-16); Shrine ■ Aud., Des Moines (17). - .. . 'Tropical Revue" (Kalhierine Dun- ham)—Locust, Phila. (11-23). ': "Voice of Turtle" (2d Go.)—Sel- wyn,. Chi. (11-23). "Waltz King" — Shub. Laf., Det. (11-23')'. "Winged Victory"—Civic Op H.. Chiv (11-23). ; "Young Know Beat"* .— Copley, Boston (23). • Literati 'Noel, Noal' In Beversa Christmas issua of Saturday R«- view of Literature ' contains first weekly column of' ex-drania. critic John Mason Brown, "Seeliig Things."' Irrthicaliy enough for a Chi-istma.s good cheer opener., column is de- voted complletely to an attack on Nbel Coward's "Middle East Diary," c.allcd"one of. the strangest and most shocking voliimes to coine out of the war." ;Browi\ says the book is "alive with mls(;hief . . . belicinff Coward's own war 'record as com- |)lctely as if it , were a journal Mr. Hyde had kept for Dr. Jekyll." Terming Co\vard "an ungallani re- pbrter. of his own gallant doings." Brown adds, "hi.-i liagedy is that, even when speaking to himself in the supposedly private pages of his diary, he mu.';! continue to give a Noel Coward performance. Me con- tinue; to play from his nerves rather than from his heart." . In san\e issue, Bennett Cci-f in his "Trade Winds" column takes a jab at Coward s biwk as '.'so piffling and inconseqiieiitial, somiworthy of a man of Coward's abKity," Majc Digest Fined lOG In the first proscctilion of it.s kind in Canada, Magazine Digest, Toronto, was fined $10,000 aiid court costs after pleading guilty lo Wartime Prices and Trade Board rejgulations infringements oC paper rationing. Money was . paid biit legal counsel fees, with publishers retaining some of the best in Canada, w'ill swell the penalty-tariff. They'are also to be cut down on paper tonnage until the excess use is made tip on legal an- nual allowance; William A. Deacon; WP'PB admin- istrator (and literary editor of The Toronto Globe; & Mall), stated on the stand that there had been "a flagrant abuse of regulations." Prosecution .introduced evidence that mag; during, the first nine months of 1944, had useci 161 tons rriore; than permitted under their paper i^uota of 278 ions. Publisher's also pleaded guilty to making false statements of paper tonnage used. Mirror chose to edit him out of one day's usage. Ldit's position is that Anglo-Greek or Anglo-Belgium dip- lomatic relations are not. for Winch- ell's Br'oadway column. Short Order StafTcl s on Marshall Fields'. N. Y. afternoon tab, PM,,have been handed an editorial inner-sahctunt memo aimed at uniformity of style; to achieve terse, realistic presciuation- of faols. Memo suggests that all staft'ers write.like Zola. Well, ThemV HIS SentinienU Frederic Prokosch, after seeing film version of his book, "The Con- spirators," writes in- New Republic that Hollywood is dying and that, "the hope of future films ; lies in France or Russia oi' Zan/.ibar;' cer- tainly ' no longer in that Califorhian city, of dreams." The pic, he' says, has .led hiiii to speculate, on the whole direction in which Hollywood is moving. "It reveals all the symp- toms of an: art which has become forniali'/.cd out of all human recoB-. nilion; crystallized, thoroughly cor- rupt, and dying." P. A. Yule Girts Nixed Second phase of the Los Angeles Time."!' anti-gift campaign was an in- vasion of Hollywoo(i in the form of. a letter to all studios and publicity chiefs asking them "not to include the narha of any Times employee in any gift list, you may contemplate for Christmas." Letter; slgrtccl by Norman Chandlar, foUowii an office order to all'tha newspaper's depart- ment heads to report staff mernbers receiving holi()ay chesr. Now the p:a.'s are wondering if the ord^c in- cludes syndicate writers whose columns arc published In tha Tlrries, John Selby, Joins FAR John Selby, aiithor • and critic, joins Farrar Si Rinehart Jan. t as associate editor, where his duties will. Include tha handling of public relations. . \ Selby' has been arts editor of the At»'11 years with tha K. C.'Star, and author of four novels, all published, by F&R. Helen A. Murphy, who formerly handled the firm's publicity, will have full charge .of advertising and prornotion. CHATTER . Randorn .House throwing a literati party Xraas night at 21. ^Elsa Ma.xwell's autobiog will prob-. ably be published by Random House, when and if written. Reported Gouyerncur Morris back on. Coast after many years' resideiiiie .. in Tahiti:, iii South Seas. .. John Farrow, author of the poeiii, "A.Lelior from His Commanding Of- ficer." is rewriting it as a novel. Drew Pearson starts his colunih with Bell Syndicate today (131 in- stead of with Post Syndicate as er- ratum'ed' earlier. Alice Dixori Bond, lecturer and literary critic of The Boston Herald & Traveler, has cohtracted to edit an anthology of New England writ- ings for .Whittlesey House. S./Sgl. Robert W. Mantel, fbrmer member of the comedy dance acrt, Bobby and Rudy, is how writing a book, "Stepchild of War," on the. Ufa . of an Army casual overseas.: The new. winter edition of "Con- tact Book." published by Celebrity Service," Inc., wiir be out Nov. 26. It's a trade directory of stage, screen, radio, nightclub, agent and press contacts in New York. Joseph Wechsberg, whose auto- biographical itinerant musician stories have appeared in the New Yorker, is author of autobiog "Look- ing for a Bluebird," which Hough- ton Mifflin publishes next mbrUh. United Auto Workers (CIO). De- troit, has organized the'Labor Book Club, Inc., to provide auto and air- craft workelrs with books at pop prices. Reynal & Hitchcock, N. Y., publishers, to assist. Idea is six books for $5; : Pylc'a TerriHc Seller Ernie Pylc'i "Brave Men," Book- pf-the-Month for Daccmbar, has topped all previous selections In popularity during tha first month of distribution. The print order to date for Club members alone stands at 415,000. Henry Holt, publisher, re- ports that it has been compelled to hold print order down-to 240,000 be- cause of: the paper, shortage and that all of these had been sold be- forehand.' Thus within six we«ks after publication over 650,000 copies of "Brave Men" will:have been disr tributed. Publisher plans 200,000 mbte copies during. tha first six months of next .year. Unexpurcated Cols. Book? Lawyisr-aulhor Morris L. Ernst has an idea of publishing an an- thology of columns that wound up on the cutting room floor, or unexpur- gated versions of certain Winchell, Pearson, and , o'th,er columns which only saw publicatieh after severe editing. The plan preceded this past Mpn day's (11) experiehca where aditor Jack Lalt omitted Wlnchall's -anti- Churchill col. from tha N, Y. Mirror. The columniBt-commentator mentioned It oq tha air, atating that he'd Just let It to at tW fi the WITH GLASSES DuniliNH CONTACT LBNBF8 tlv* 70U p«rreol (Isioii wiilium inipnlrlng your look». '■ Inviil- bt«. ■■f«, pniUcllve, coDifoilatilo. Now iforn l>y hiHiiy fliitrs In Ui* aniuvemem irorl<1. Vr** Niii)tiili:itlon, 0:S0 to 5:C0. Incliullni Salitf* *ay "AMiliT -mi 8:30. DUNSHAW CO. 130 W. 42n< at. Naw Ytrk it, N.V. WIUMilH 7-4MO 17 Auttmy 81, Ntwvkl. N.I. . MlltlNM 2-MM TWO YOUNG ACTORS DESIRE CONNECTION WITH NEW YORK TRAVeUNO COMPANY DOING VARIED WORK. Writa ieuls - Dakar, Story 20Hi e«Manr-Ni Da^. EXPERllNCfD DRAMA TEACHER WANTED Mun or waoiaa, with radle, •IM" aBH t«l«vl>lon Iwrkcreond'pIUH ■hlllty <» leacli. Flue oppoTtanlt)' for Pon'tl"" «> director of department ot I«t«o cDlabllHliril •Kheol In Cliitsae. Write t. W.. Room M3 tl W. Bwsdolph Bt^ Chle#«o