Variety (May 1945)

52 LEGITIMATE Wednesday, May 30. 1915 Actors Fund's $8,786 Surplus For Fiscal Yr.; Gross Income to $231,218 Actors Fund held its 63rd annual ! Monty u Wool)ey; Ralph Polk and meeting at the Lyceum. N. :Y.. F ; fi, day t'25.» afternoon, when a favor- able financial statement was an- nounced. ■ . . The operating surplus for the fis- cal year was $8,787, gross income having been $231,218. and the total outlay $222,431. Receipts from 24 legit benefit performances totaled $46,099. largest amount ever gotten from that source since .the Fund started, while its own annual bene- fit .show brought in $9,009. Dona- tions- 'amounted;.to $19,080. coming from Mr.- and Mrs. Gilbert Miller, w ho gave $10,000; Katharine Cornell. the Ziegfeld club, While there were bequests to the extent of $24,890. There was an average of 28fi relief or rha'rity- cases weekly, total for the year being 11.896. not count- ing 30 guests at the Fund home in Englewood. N. J. -Hospitalization was provided for '35 cases and the Fund doctor administered lo 260 patients. Fund took care of 71 burials- during the year; at ceme- teries new New York and various parts.of the counti-y, v cost being $6.- 235, Amount expended in direct re- lief totaled $142,134/ ■ Re-elected.'. Frank Vincent, presi- dent; . Harry Ci. Somers and Miss Cornell. vice-presidents: Vinton Fr.eedley, treasurer; Robert Camp- bell, secretary. Trustees: Lee SrHiberi. Gilben Miller. Chrystal Heme. Raymond Peck. Edwin G. Lauder. Jr.. John Golden and Wil- liam J. Kelly, v The Mglil ami I he Musie . KtitHe \At\Iff prodjit-iinn of, musical revue in iwii mis »uir^iw(( Vic Oliver; fetitnrhiK Jill MHtuwra, Wurihy .lau-elt. Betty f'HUli Hfiyl. Kii.vr, slim Allan. Olympic \<laj;iit l>Hlic>l'N, .Sine .AxnlOns, Four Pairs, aixl inst of |0*i. .I^vise'l and Klasred by Rot«*ri S'e.'-Uin; ilanctfj* und ensembles by ohm l>avis; sViil"^ Ia -Alec Shanks: oon- ililclnr. Van Phillip*. Opened at 1.0lKiuil feuin. May IT. '4*. Sub Gum Continued from pate 1 THE CLASS MENAGERIE By TENNESSEE WILLIAMS (Coming early in June), $2.00 THE HASTY HEART By JOHN PATRICK, $2.00 BEAR RUTH By NORMAN KRASNA. $2.00 OKLAHOMA! the musical play by RICHARD RODCERS and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN 2nd, $2.00 THE PULITZER PRIZE PLATS 20 complete plays, $4.00 THE This is first big London show since V-E Day, and is reputed to have cost $160,000. Lavishly mounted, it looks it. Starts off with a great opener, a carnival scene. Kick-off is by Nine Avalons, three whirlwind skating acts in one. doing their stuff simul- taneously, on raised platforms. Worthy and Jarrett. colored sing- ers and dancers, were first applause- getters, with plenty of comedy gab. High spot of act is Worthy's takeoff of "Fats" Waller singing "I'm Good t'orj^othing But Love." '•Roman Holiday" scene is the set- ting for Olympic adagio dancers, six males and three femnies, tossing each other all oyer the place. Use of three revolving stages makes this unusually effective. Entrance of Vic- Oliver, in a Roman chariot, was marred by mechanical defect, which held up proceedings for a few min-' utes. Oliver finally passing it off with apologetic grin. Comic's clown- ing with his stooge. Slim Allan.- is good for laughs. Some of his mug- ging wasn't new. but best crack to ring the bell was anent the Coliseum which, he maintained, was his favor- ite house. Said he often used to go there when there was an air raid on because it had not been hit for years. ''The"CowbelT Sere nacle",''~scerie~by" Bob Musel and Eddie Lisbona, serves to introduce Betty Paul, singer in Oliver's vaudeville act. She was formerly chorine Betty Percheron. in Palladium show, but has since de- veloped into fine foil under tutor- age of Oliver. Can sing, has sense of comedy, and is a looker. *'■'.. Closing first half, is a big scene, supposedly New York in the '80's. Was more like the Grand Canyon of Arizona, unless it has been shifted recently. ■■• ■ Biggest comedy hit comes in the second half. It's a slapstick piano recital -by.Oliver, in which he uses many tricks made famous by Al Trahan and Herb Williams, even to the beer drinking. New twist is his straight finish, revealing himself an expert pianist. Oliver's other effort, later on, of mimicking famous per- onalities. fell flat,- proving slightly antiquated. One of the highspots was Beryl Kaye, ballet dancer, originally in "The Jackdaw of Rheims," a big scene from one of the late George Black's Palladium revues. Femme shows potentialities as a great bal- lerina, and has youth in her favor. Should go far. Talented gal. Jill Manners, is han- dicapped by her numbers, hone of which are worth remembering. Show scored on opening night, and looks set tor a lengthy run. Rege. an encore and one curtain call for which, unfortunately, Ying, or Hsu, failed to appear. As for the plays—"The Hangover" was in the Won Ton soup spot. Writ- ten by Ding Shi-Ling, it presents husband jCh'ao'-Li Chi i, wife (Wang Yung), and houseguesl (Ch'ao-Chu ChU in a South China living room after a tippling party. Guests is"hors de cognac" and spends all but las^ minute of action stretched out on sort of sofa—blotto (or the Chinese- equivalent thereof >. He keeps his eyes closed all the time and thus i.s prevented ■■ from looking at Wang Yung. This is" a bad break for him, and if. there's, such a thing as a Chinese Equity the 'guy ought to rate extra money for being penal- ized like that. Not So Chinese Yen Wife evidently has been looking oil the rice wine while it- was ripe, because she gets a yen (American style i to kiss the passotit. She and friend husband spend most of the time discussing the project and.she's-' about to go into action when the guest (What a dopei wakes up. That rings down the curtain with the three of them standing around cups of tea. There doesn't seem to be much point to it, does there? -;■ : The fried shrimp course is tabbed "Housing Problem" and scene seems to be Chinese equivalent of a Jack- son Heights apartment (only larger). This starts out very promising with much talk of "mistresses" and one is lulled into believing author (Ding Shi Ling again) is going to sprinkle some Oriental spices a la Noel Cow- ard. It turns out. though, that the "old mistress'' is the landlady and the "young mistress." her daughter. Latter never appears, ' mores the pity. A Little Oriental Spice Well, the hero (George Khan) is having trouble finding living quar- ters and the gal (Anna Kay Lee) Plays on Broadway McmphiM Bound John wiuiiidg piiwjiifiion or minim coini'ilv in two Ht-ts ironl- «oMH»8(,fAliyiit.toJ rroni Ollupi't * Sultli'aii'.i "i'lnuFuie Slars bill liobjiison: feature*! Avon 1.011*. Sonus. Don WalVer ami ( III}' Wnriiii'li; book bv Albeit ftllllvVl linil. Rally BiNlWrti; in'oitui'itofi aupvM-visM by .v Mil oil .►'rfHKv; ulaspd bv. Hobi'i-i llo.w; BeltliiBS (tpi»lt!lii"l In- UfOlKP .Iwilitlia: • (ttn'i'MI "> At WJille, ,l|',;' ('illll-lea Sanlonl. coinltictnr; o|Koo''l HI Uro.nlwny, .V. Vo ..May -M,,' M5; ,*t.SI) top.'• Herlol'. ........ .: . .-• - .Wlllialn <'. fcioilll Melissa Cm-let- tAuiit Well ■ • ■ •Knhli Wilson rhlo? U/fy ihiKKiitl. . ... il i-s. I»a ra it i ."p. Mlly Valentin.-.;e. .* (Jenny J'aiatlise,.-., ,. -flenny 1'ai-inlise. Mr. Kinili. Winllt'M Oilier i.-WiiiiI.v.i . I'llot Aleriivellier. il.'opsi. Tlmhiy.... ...... . .*.....'..... SheilfT .\U-I>aniels.. ..-, .... Kiiiaiiii;.. ,.,-..;... Sai'abf'l.lt'. .......... I.... . Bill. . .... .;.,'.' .... . UHlirie-l i ■liei.-ubs.: • 11i'oi Ki;' Ann 'I'itnimOi Delia IHiMlun Jtoyi. • T.ra vpiw I'l-aivl'oi-.t .. Ann Ibibinaon Billy linnli'ls ...... Alia Bl'iHVii Hli»tl» :(!uy« : . 1,1a .latin's 'lUiplni-.i fitipeni-i ., . ;i"V.altk Wilson ,; .-. A out I .nilK . , , ,' BUI llobinson .. .Timothy , (liiire ... ...Osoat- I'latilo .. ..toy Morrltoio i- .llHi-iul JaiUann !.. .1 •bal-li*s Wwloh !: WiHhllil PMIalM .Mnt lit'ite Si i-onif Belie lie Kitijjhl. Cil'i'l Join's.: Kflsey Chair, bf* llaln.'s Gilbert and Sullivan operetta is back on Broadway but in strange form, and there'll be more of it this week when "Hollywood Pinafore" bows in. "Memphis Bound" i.s the swing version which debuted last Thursday (24). It's pretty good— which is the measure of business it should draw. Bi\\ Robinson sings and dances through the colored-cast version of "H.M.S. Pinafore" and cops most of the honors, In fact, without the champ tapper they'd have to wrap the whole.thing up, but fast, lie re- marked, on opening night "about two- thirds of the way through the show, that it was his 67th birthday and first nighlers certainly went to town on the plaudits. Bojangles Bill cer- tainly must have blushed to the eve- ning's strongest aude demonstration. "Memphis" has a good first act. though not as hot as it could be. while second-stanza trouble which was evident in Boston, has been only partially improved. There are im- provizations of the "Pinafore" score, several cleverly done, some not so effective. There are interpolations too particularly "Growing Pains." which is pleasantly sung by Robin- a looker, i.s in' the* same junk TchU a SS^'ining little pickaninny nese for boat). There's a Hongkong at n,s knee ' 11 sll<,uld have been re ' has the Paradise Misses. "Pinafore Eight to the Bar" about generally describes the boogie woo gie version of the G.&S. operetta" Don Walker and Clay Warnick Inve done very well in fashioning the score and revising the lyrics. Dance direction by Al White. Jr.. has the' ensemble.? going at a fast clip 'Cos- tuming and settings contribute tn a performance that is good but o 0ll ),j be belter. Robinson has his pair of.stairs for the specialty hardshoe number that has been standard with him, ana the hoofing clicks, as always, lor the perennial Bojangles. Robinson in- spires smiles, yet the show could do with a couple of bellylauglis. lliee. Foxhole in lhi> l*»H»r •'Hurry Hloontllelil proilnt-t ion i,r ilnet-act th a ota ■ ttiitt! Hl'Cnel. by 1<;isa S|i..||.n. i.- eft . linos Miitlln'otoery. ('lift, .Sti( t ,.,| )„ ,|„| m Hns^iill: soll'inu. l.ee . Sioionsioi; i,„enetl Hoolb, ISV Y'., Mlly 28, '45; fll.iui I.eroy. ■ . ..... ..... . Iina |,| lv a , m 'I'oln Ansli'li, ..,....... ItiiMSell 1(hi J1» Vlt'W Kills...;..;...... ..Ann Morula. Ann. Allslen. . .... ,... ; l-'loi-a 1 '.intnllcU Sena lni:-1io\ven ........ .itJITflllviol 111 efiileaf Dennis l'atlersoli . . MonIu-.m^i-v . <'11 ft Kate Mlltllt'li; . .(inne t'0|i|i|a THEATRE CHILD ANTHOLOGY 14 complete plays, 53.50 imitation of a Keystone Kop (Ch-ao-Chu Chi) for laughs but the whole thing winds up on a rather familiar note. The guy and gal pre- tend they're married so they can rent, the apartment. Curtain falls with hero asking the filly, "What's your name?" giving some onlookers the impression Chinese not only read backwards but perform their plays the same way. Finale, or the Moo Goo Guy Pan course, was a switch on "Uncle Tom's Cabin" titled "Put Down That Whip." from the pen of Tsi T'i- Ch'uang. Ch'ao-Li Chi. who is made up like Merlin, the enchanter, has -his-Xwo_ daughters (Wang Yung and Chin Chi) performing before a Chi- ese street crowd. When the former collapses from fatigue daddy goes" to work on her with a whip, but George Khan, in the latest Nat Luxenberg double-breasted model, dashes on the stage and forcefully imposes a cease and desist edict. Then comes explanation that the trio. 14 years before, was chased out of Manchuria by the Japs and have been forced to eke out an existence as tr.veling performers ever since. Climax is clarion cry. "Back to Man- churia" (or change your act) after wiping out Nips. Strictly propagan- da and. for that reason alone, praise- worthy. Dramatically n.s.h. Troupe did a repeat Wednesday night (2:1) and is skedded for Brook- lyn June 1. where the Dodgers shape up as stiff competition. Then fol- lows a tour of eastern cities this summer and a nationwide junket next fall. East and "West Assn., of which authoress Pearl Buck is presi- dent, is sponsoring as a non-profit, "education through entertainment" project. prised al the debut but wasn't Orchestra pit is too loud. Second act is supposed to be .entirely changed from that first seen in Bos- ton but it appears that most of the book material is retained, only defi- nite number tossed overboard being a ballet staged by Anton Dolin. In this section of the show a travesty on "Trial by Jury" is interpolated, the number participated in by Robin- son. Avon Long, the springy dancer who went lo town in "Porgy and Bess." Edith and Frank Wilson. Long goes into action with "I Am the Captain of the Pinafore." but the showboat that's stifck in the mud on the Ohio is called the Calliboga Queen. To raise money so that the boat can be floated and proceed to Memphis, a production of "Pinafore" is started, then' interrupted. The story is somewhat confused but Windy. (Long) cops the ticket coin and lands in jail with Robinson. "Old Love and Brand New Love" i.s warbled by Billy Daniels. Sheila Guys, the show's prettiest pretty, and Long. Miss Guys with Ida James and Thelma Carpenter, form a trio lor several numbers, doing well. One of the recognizable G.&S. tunes is billed "I'm Called Little Buttercup" amusingly sung by Ada Brown, with the aid of the Delta Rhythm Boys, a quartet who figure strongly on the vocal end. Another melody of the original score that stands out is about the sailor's hornpipe which is re- vealed as "The Ruler of the Queen's Navee." sung by Robinson, Daniels has "The Nightingale, the Moon and I" which sounds okay though the tenor's pipes are anything but lusty. Ann Robinson gets her chance audi makes good with "The Gilbert and Sullivan Blues." Long sings "Fair' Moon" with the Delta Rhythm Boysd' then capers sprightly. Robinson and' Long team for "Things Are Seldom; What They Seem." "Love or Reason" Newest Broadway drama deals with issues of vital importance but chances of registering are doubtful because "Foxhole in the Parlor'' is preachment, if not propaganda. Elsa Shelley's play seems her best writing to date, and in script form it probably is more convincing. She aims to get a message to the San " Francisco Peace Conference, an ap- peal for lasting unity, btit just what to say she doesn't seem to know. In- timated in the play that there will be more.such international huddles. The play's major proponent, one Dennis Patterson, has returned from the war a psychoneurotic. He has just been discharged from an Army hospital, where psychiatrists regard his case as cured, but there are re- currences of his mental disturbances. Dennis tells his friends. Ann and Tom Austen, something of V\e or- deals at the front. Tom is a painter living across the narrow court in Greenwich Village, Dennis often calling him Henry—for that was the name of his pal over there, killed at his side. Henry had told Dennis tha meaning of the Jewish Passover, the ideal , of salvation, the empty chair and wine of the sacramental feast, lie tells of two other GIs killed on either side of him in a~ foxhole,... ^ Tom's uncle, a former senator, is about to leave for San Francisco, and to him Dennis tries to explain the message, that should be presented to the Conference. It is vague but there is enough to the young man's incomplete thesis to have the senator put Dennis on his staff, and they leave for the Coast. In that -way the plan of a flinty-minded sister lo send Dennis to an asylum is foiled. There is some tension in the show, through the direction of John Hag- gotl. Lee Simonson comes forth with at. admirable setting, picturing the yard and the living rooms of both houses, scene swinging from one side to the other as the dialog switches. There are but seven characters, one being a model who falls for-Dennis, but romance is buL a tithe to the returned GI. ,■ Montgomery Clift. w'no gave a splendid performance in "The Searching Wind," does an admirable Dennis, whose partially befogged mind finally sees the dawn. All seven characters are played well. They are Russell Hardie as Tom, Flora Campbell as Tom's under.' standing wife, Grace Coppiri. the too-praclical sister; Raymond Green- leaf, the senator, Reginald Beam?, the intelligent colored man of Toms -house, and Ann Lincoln, the sexy model. Ibee- RANDOM HOUSE 20 E. 57 ST.. NEW YOM 22 PLAY PUBLISHERS of now and many othir dist'iguithmd playt SONG 0 BERNADETTE TOMORROW THE WORID LOST HORIZON • HIGHLAND . FLING • EVE OF ST. MARK • BEST FOOT FORWARD. FEATHERS IN a gale ■ Mrs. miniver • great 1ig doorstep • kitty FOYLE - HOUSE WITHOUT A KEY THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING CO. IncDf pcrated 1 887 SI E,VAN buren ST.,CHICAGO 5 America First Continued from page 1 thank you JANE COWL far a breathtaking fifteon mi«»t« Maritime Day. madgt pfau kclly Hollywood. Calif. 1010 Equitable Hag. of this sort.''. Segal, when queried by the Boston correspondent tot' "Variety," said that he does not. dic- tate' to- -the- station''who should be commentator on the show and added, "the cost of sponsoring news locally is too high for this outfit, and so it may be dropped shortly." ' . ' However, retailer did not drop news o the station, shifting to the 1-1:15 p.m. slot on WHDH last Mon- tlay.' (28i . with George Hamilton Combs, also a WHN commentator, replacing Steel. Obviously, the Hub group is due lor another rude awak- ening shortly, when they find out that Combs, like Steel, has a "lib- eral slant" on reporting the news.