Variety (Dec 1945)

44 LEGITIMATE P^RtETY Wednesday, December 26, 1945 Plays on Broadway Kllllon Dollar Baby Paul I'ViRiij niKl Oliver Smith production of mush-al Yomedj in two acts (U scenes*. l**eatpreg Mhtsl Green. Jrtiiu McCracken. Dnvil Bui mm, William I'ahbeii. Robett fhiaholm, Panji) Daniels. siiiYl-\v Vim. Don De lieu, Ktnib Ross, James Mitchell.' Singed by OeorSc-Altboltr bPO-'t.;and lyrfca by Betty Coinden and Adolph Green; music by Marlon Gould; dance mui musical numbers directed by Jerome Bobbins: set- tings by Oliver Smith: costumes by Irene Shut-jrO'l conductor. Max Goherma.n. Opened Alvin, N. V.VUti'. $1, M Jin Junes Pa Jones.. .Vi...' Ksme , Champ Watson Photographer Retainer M-aribelle Jones Newsboys Master of Ceremonies. Miss Texas Georgia Motley Violin Player Jerry Bonai'Ka Dapper Welch Rocky Barton Cigarette Gill Waller M. M. Montague Comic Danny J. C. ('least Art Leftenbush Rodney Gentler Watchman ftopky ("who dances*.; Policeman. *(i top. .Kmily Ross ..'. William David Shirley Van ..vDtfntiy Daniels. .'.. .Anthony Keed Alnn Gilbert . ..loan McO-at-kcn Douglas Jones and Rlehar ,1 ''Thomas . .Richard Stinford Althea Elder Mltzt Green Tony f'ttrdcll Doe Pe L"0 .... .David Hurt's .William Tabben ... ... Jeri Arrti.-r . .. Dav'd.Thomas .Robert Chish lm . ..Doullas Dean? Tony Gardell ... .Horace Cooper Kddie Hud-.-e .Richard Sanford ....Robert Btlw-'n ...James Mitthcll ..Howard Lehters in. only in the show tiie thing is glorified. With Dapper knocked off and Rocky a hunted man, Maribelle goes into a tantrum. That segues into the wild stock market antics climaxed by the crash of '29. Mbiitaglie (Chis- hohri I, who captures Maribelle, scrambles tor the costly jewels she has cast among the celebrants, aware that he went broke fast. That's the rather contused finale, a reminder o' those days when the average man was caught just when Wall street layed its egg. "One Track Mind" is sung by Shir- ley Van and Danny Daniels, the lat- ter figuring in the marathon dance number. There are others in the bal- lets, who earn featuring. Irene Sha- raff has come through with costumes that are stunning, and George Ab- bott handled the direction, as lie did with "Town." /bee. A spotty musical, with diverting interludes. "Billion-' Dollar Baby" seems better in the first part than the second. It should do rather well, though: whether it will develop into a stayer of the proportions "of "On the Town." first presentation by the same managerial duo, is question- able. When "Baby" satirizes the "terrific '20s," the speakeasy times, it is amus- ing and refreshing, but when it darts off into the serious and pseudo- melodrama tics the going isn't so good. There is a pertinent difference in the complement, compared . to "Town." for there are real showgirl lookers here, as was becoming in the days of cabaret floor shows during the dry period, Novelty, ballet is a feature of the new show, and again Jerome Rob- bins conceived and staged the chore- ography, doing a better all-around job than in "Town." although the second-act dream sequence seems overlongt One integrated number that is particularly nostalgic of the '20s is a dance marathon. A Charles- ton-dance ensemble highlights the earlier portion of the show. Joan McCracken, as the ingenue, displays her versatility in the second-act dream ballet, "A Life With Rocky," surprising the first nighters.' Mitzi Green stands out as much, if not more, and she is a youthful replica of Texas Guinan. She wears her tresses just that way and is a sparkling personality without the "hello sucker" stuff. As Georgia, a night spot warbler, Miss Green puts over "Broadway Blossom" and "There I'd Be" with Robert Chis- holm, While "A Lovely Girl," with Miss McCracken, may turn out to be the show's song hit. Miss Green also sends across "Havin' a Time." Miss McCracken has her vocal in nings with "Dreams Come True," others also figuring, then with ''Faithless'' with Chisholm, while with William Tabbert she has "Bad Timing." Tabbert also has something with "I'm Sure of Your Love." What sustained story there is has David Burns as Dapper Walsh, a speakeasy operator, but a humorous guy, who's ambitious to cop off Mari- belle (Miss McCracken), one of the top entertainers in his joint. His opponent is Rocky (Tabbert), and at the first-act finale Dapper gets his'n. That provides the opening of act two, with the mob, gals and mugs giving DaDper one of those sendoffs that prohibition gangsters used to revel ATTENTION!' ers & Producers We tits undersigned stand ready for action; i*>*\* A „ ( '!* Ba"« Master LKON \ AIt.lv A*. Classical and Mod- ern Ballet • • EDWARD SINCLAIR. BallM and ... ;W»yHmi Tap, Musical Comedy FKANCKS I.. CHAW,Modern Dance I'Al'Q C'ANHINO, Spanish anil Gvpsv, Castanets and Heel Work JOHJJNV PLAZA, Acrobatic AH of its are ready to mid clamour, spirit unil new Ideas to plense the public of today and tomorrow. Stein-way Hall mW. 57th St. Studio 504-508 CI. 7-1927 PLAY PUBLISHERS . of hat* and many other, distinguished plays SONG Or BERNAD.ETTE TOMORROW THE WORLD IOST HORIZON • HIGHLAND FLING • EVE OF ST. MARK • BEST FOOT FORWARD • FEATHERS IN A GALE • MRS. MINIVER • GREAT .A DIG DOORSTEP • KITTY • *\ FOYLE • HOUSE WITHOUT A KEY THE DRAMATIC PUBLISHING CO. Incorporated 1887 59 E.VAN BUREN ST..CHICAGO 5 Homo Is the Hunter American Negro Theatre nrodiicjiott of drama in two acts (four scenes'.,b\ Smo- uel M. Koolz. Slatted by Abram Hill: set- ting. Irene Bresndola. Opened at I.Y W. l'.'llth at.. N. Y.. playhouse. Dec. Mi. ' !■">. Dawson Drake, Sr. . .i'.velin Grille Rusty Saunders. Maxw.Ml C.Uttiville Ann Drake Clarice Taylor Dawson Drake, .it... Elwdtul Smith If the American Negro Theatre has effected a great physical improve- ment by moving its Harlem head- quarters from a library basement to an Elks' auditorium, it hasn't made the same thespic progress with its newest production. "Home Is the Hunter." A long-drawn-out, talky primer on economics, labor and fas- cism, the play is obvious and im- mature, and anything but dramatic. The first play of an ait dealer with a sideline of writing mystery novels, "Home" has a good idea—a soldier gone to fight fascism abroad, who returns infected with the virus. But it has little else. Development is childish and the writing bad. In some cases, too. it drops pretty low in bad taste. Direction and acting can't be com- mended, either. There is a good deal of overacting by the quartet who fill the ro'.ss. Most of them constantly shout. Evelio Grillo is the most per- suasive of the four as a socially-con- scious factory-owner, while'El wood Smith, nitery baritone in his legit debut, wins grudging admiration as the evening progresses for his straightforward characterization of a heel. Direction obstacles : are too strong for director Abram Hill. Irene Bresadola's set deserves a nod. * Brou. Walter Vincent (President of the Actors' Fund) Traces the organization's growth, from humble be- ginnings^ to its firmly en- trenched position today. . an editorial feature of 40th Anniversary Number Soon Due Varsity Show Proof of the Pudding (HASTY PUDDING CLUB, HARVARD) Cambridge, Mass.. Dec. 19. Hasty Pudding Club-Harvttrd University production of musical in four, scenes by John. Lentmon. Htl. William Scudder. l.t. H, Allan Dingwall, Jr.. USNU, initl l.t. Hugh Sharpe. USNU; music by lit:. Sharpe; lyrics. William Scutlder: scenery.. l.t. Rob- ert Noel. -ftl. I'SNR. At the Clubhouse, Cambridge, .Mass.. Dec. Ill through It*.' Compared to its productions of yore, the Hasty Pudding Club's first show in five years doesn't stack up to much. But the old fight is there. Current writing team of Lemmon and Scudder will be around long enough to make it good next year. Main attraction of this one. which deals with a quartet of gobs and their adventures at a separation cen- ter, buying clothes at Brooks Bros., fooling around with strippers at the old Howard and winding up at the Hasty Pudding Bar, is the music, which though not necessarily of hit stature, is very pleasant and lively. It's the work of Lt. Hugh Sharpe, a Colgate alumunus and Honorary Harvard, '45. -He and Lt. Dingwall accompany t>e show at two pianos and click solidly. Only of hour's du- ration, show suffers somewhat from book trouble. Small chorus does a couple routines but nothing along production lines. In short, it's an intimate affair chiefly interesting to those with a sentimental attachment and as the resumption of a 150-year- old tradition. . Elie. Inside Stuff—Legit Helen TVIarcy. understudy who stepped, into ailing Betty Field's lead role in "Dream GirV last week two nights after the opening, to be hailed as Broadway's latest Cinderella, has had only one prior N. Y. part, a brief bit in Ilka Chase's "In Bed We Cry." But author-director Elmer Rice rememberered actress from an Arthur Kober play tryout which Mike Todd staged out-of-town but never brought in, and signed femme as understudy. Miss Marty got call Sunday night at 9, sat up all night studying, and went on Monday (17) to excellent reception. Performance of Miss Field, incidentally, has evoked admiration among show people. Understood that when her husband, Elmer Rice, cast "Girl," which he wrote, she suggested at least two picture name femmes. for the star part and had to be coaxed into accepting the assignment herself. Shepard Traube has been released from the Army, as a major, after serving three years in the Signal Corps. He's gone to the Coast on a talent hunt, due back during January, when he Will start readying "Sweet Bye and Bye," his first musical. Book is by S. J. Perelman and Albert Hirshfeld, with lyrics and score by Ogden Nash and Vernon Duke. Show was first called "Futurosy," title reflecting the calendar year of 2076. It was first slated for production by Cheryl Crawford. Taube stand- out was "Angel Street," now on tour. Extensive-redecoration of the 48th Street, N. Y„ will be made by the Joe Leblang estate, with backstage, especially the dressing rooms being renovated first. Because the exttj^ion. of the Mike Todd lease an the the- atre was in doubt during the 14 months that "Harvey" played before Todd exited from control of the house, there was no .renovating. Front of the house is in fairly good shape with the exception of the lounge, which will be freshened up. .' \- " » Walter Kerr, who directed "Song of Bernadette" at Catholic University last summer, will handle the"direction for Victor Payne-Jennings"in the professional, production. Betsy Ross, who played "Bernadette" in the original C. U. production, has been requisitioned to play the same part in the professional play. She has been taking drama lessons at a New York school. " - Harry E. Could announced that he is a co-owner of the Belasco N Y in an ad that appeared in the holiday issue of Script, Lambs club monthly publication. Ad read that it there is a hit in the house by Christmas he would shout holiday, greetings from the housetop. But if there was no tenant by Xmas time he would cancel his good wishes until 1946. House relights tomorrow (27) with "Home of the Brave," a war drama. ■ - _Jean Arthur's deal with Max Gordon, on "Born Yesterday," the Garson Kanin play which latter is also staging, calls for several unique clauses such as chauffeur, maid and beautician. Hollywood star also owns 25% of the play on a doUai-foi-do.llar basts, instead of the usual two-for-one which the average investor faces. With wartime restrictions on bonuses off Equity gave, its staff two weeks additional pay for Christmas. That is in partial condensation for salary reductions made several seasons ago for economy reasons. Added com is subject to withholding tax. ' Plays Out of Town O .Micros* Min<> Toledo, Dec. 20. The Theatre Guild and ,Itfm C,Wilson production o Terence: Utittlgah umi.-dy In three acis. Stars Alfte.d l.unt and Lynn f'\»ntatni(S Siagvd by. I.ttni;; aetllngs hy Robert -DavIabH: gowt-s by MttlytieiiN. lUldlieil lit Town Hall lltettlre. Toletlo. Dec. -II. '.'ie ( . !V- '■'■;•.:•'.- Olivia Drown .'..",',•. .T.enn Fontanne L'ollon., .Margery Maut'r Miss Dell LOslber M'.tcbe'.l i|f .Itib'n rit'Lcliet: Alt eel I.tn-l Mlcltael llrown.. Dick Van Putt tt Ufann l^leitdter Ann I.ee Mlas W'eniwo 1 Hi. M-ttrio Paxtnn Recently called "A Very Light Comedy," but now "O Mistress Mine" a tor being, known in England as "Love in Idleness." the Lunts' latest olay is light but should do well with the stars for the marquee, Terence Rattigan. the author, planed in from London for the Toledo opening. Al- fred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne also starred in the London shewing. Set in London, the play has sev- eral lines which miss first with American audiences because they re- fer to unfamiliar English places. However, there are enough laughs to keep Lunt fans happy. It's the story: of Olivia Brown, a widow living with cabinet minister Sir John Fletcher, whose philander- ing wife refuses him a divorce. The Lunts are the lovers, their smooth domestic life being unexpectedly in- terrupted by the return of Olivia's 18-year-old son. Michael, played by Dick Van Patten, who has spent six unaware years in Canada as a ref- ugee from the blitz. Michael dislikes Fletcher's political and economic views, calls him a re- actionary old fogi.e and refuses to live with the pair, doubting their love is sincere. The clash between the two leads the mother to renounce her lover and move to a lower-class flat, and, not-too : sticcessfully, she keeps house for her son. who is still earning more than he is worth in a government job FleUher has given him. While Olivia is trying to be a good, mother and understand the half- baked political convictions of her son. Fletcher persuades his wife to give him a divorce. He visits the flat and the son finds the tables turned, with him trying to placate Fletcher for a change. They approach common ground when they discuss the tribulations of being in love, and Michael becomes reconciled with his prospective stepfather- The play is carried by the Lunts and Van Patten, who are on stage most of the time. There is little action and a great deal of dialog, but the Lunts give their usually fin- ished performances. Ann Lee as Diana Fletcher, the wife, does well in a brief part, as does Esther Mit- chell as the minister's stenographer. Margery Maude as the maid delivers a few lines while Marie Paxton as a visiting novelist completes the ade*- quate supporting cast. Setting for first and second act, a dignified' and stately livingroom. is in strikinga contrast with the com- fortable but practical flat in act three. Both settings are excellent. Gowns by Molyneux are okay. Ankl. Born Yesterday New Haven, Dec. 20. ^■.ix Gordon production of comedy in three acta by Onraoit Kanin. Stars Jean Arthur. Singed by Kanin: setting by Dtinltl Oens- Ittger; Miss Arthur's costumes by Mnln- booheK opened at Sliubert tbeatre, .New Haven. Dec. 1:0, '4.'; $::.0l> top. Helen Ellen Hall Paul Verrttll Richard 13. Davis Ktldie Brock Frank Otto Bellhop William'-H"rm>n Bellhop Russell W. Robcu Harry Brot U P»Ol Douglas lite Assistant .Manager Carroll Athburn Billie Dawn Jean Arthur Kd Devery , : otlo Hulctt Barber David Pardon Manicurist .Marv Laolo Boot Made Milton Williams Saqatnr Xnrvnl Hedges Larry Oliver Mis. Hedges ......Mont Burns Wuller ,c. L. Burke 'Bom Yesterday" has the makings' of goad entertainment and boxoffice fare. Some of these makings are not fully developed as yet but the foun- dation is there. For lusty laughs there are some bawdy lines that would require snipping from a pos- sible screenplay but they do very well as stage fare. Similar comment goes for situation involving femme lead as a keptee. Play serves as a vehicle to trans- port Jean Arthur from pictures back to legit after an 11-year session of Hollywood. Production has been given lush presentation; Max Gordon has assembled a capable cast and set his players down in a gorgeous Washington hotel suite that looks every bit the rate the script mentions —$23a per day. Plot is up-to-the-minute, involving chicanery as practiced in present- day Washington. Story concerns Harry Brock, a tug who has rough- shod his way to a fortune as a metal- salvage dealer, and who employs similar tactics in his social life. The illicit love interest in Brock's entour- age is Billie Dawn (Jean Arthur), one-time chorine long on looks and short on mental development.. When Brock starts rubbing elbows with senators, he decides that Billie should acquire a dose of culture, so he hires a young newspaperman, Paul Var- rall, to "educate" her. Varrall shows her the futility of her life with Brock and opens up to her new interests particularly books; When Billie's new outlook turns tp romance with Ver. rail, she tips him off to a scheme Brock is cooking up with a sha'dv, senator, takes a filial slapping around from the rough-and-ready one. and leaves him in favor of 'the young fourth-estater. ; ' ., Miss Arthur should please her film following in this comedy. It allows leeway for her special mannerisms, which she capitalizes to the peak' She s!eps back into footlight stride with complete ease. Also displays some very feteching apparel with model-like skill. . Paul Douglas plays the blatant Bi'ock with plenty of gusto. He flings profanity . around amusingly and puts over with a wallop some o r . the script's funniest lines. Otto Hulett's performance as Brock's legal adviser is fine thesping; Richard E. Davis makes the youthful scribe 1 be- lievable and likeable, and Larry Oliver is good as the conniving sen- ator. Frank Otto, as Brock's handy- man cousin, and Mbna Burns, as the senator's wife, fit as minor support. Kanin has incorporated some bulls- eye dialog into his script. Some of it is pretty frank wordage which util- izes that frankness for sock laughs. Also, he has made his story interest- ing through a brief peek into inside Washington.. He has provided ab- sorbing contrast in the two charac- ters of the blustery junk czar who discovers to his surprise that you can't get everything you want simply by using brass knuckles, and the ex- chorine who unreels a tiew world for herself when she learns "to think." Staging was workmanlike at pre- miere and will no doubt bolster the weak spo's from here in. Major doc- toring to be done involves third act, especially the final curtain. Bone. Dr. Ilerzl Yiddish Ait Theatre production of drama In two acts (ill scenes! by 11. It. I.entz and CI. Nllloff;' stats Maui ice St hwttru; staged by. Schwartz: .settings'. II. A. Condi'll; music, Joseph Hunisliinslty; ptrturos on stage painted by Loth ICatlison. Opened at Yiddish Art theatre. X. Y,, Dec. 2(1, 'tr.. Iteli Israel Yudel buhinsky Ills Cintmlsoti Lelb Keoigsberg Josephine tloldie l.ubtltsky Anatole Itergson...,' laaac Area • Dr. Mnrmoiek.. .; ,.. Morris Hnisbevg Dr. Theodor Her/.l Maurice St'liwartfl Huron de Hirseli Boris Aucrbttch Herr Kramer Solomon Kt'auso Bertn, Baroness von * Suttner.Lubit Kadison Dr. Karl Llppe; ...Meyer SbelT Dr. Max Xordau Abraham Tp.lfelbnuin Jacob Herzl faldbre Ca>her Adolph' lacoh I. pa iue Clretcben .Jennie Oasher Jenneite Herzl ■ '.Berta Gotstln Julia Herzl. ...Muriel Ciuber David Wolfsul Mcnacliein Rubin Philip Michael Newellnsky.. .Isidore Rlgard William Hechler Mlsha t'iwlisnn Franz. Baron von Ruiow. Michael Goldstein Kaiser W'llhelm it Ciustnve Bergev Sulomlth Cbaiiolie Colilstein Ncchamah . .Oellti LlpWn Moyahe Max Teunenbtiutn Nechamya Leo Gold Shoshnna Lillian Knt« Baaya.v, Bell) Ciianct Dr. Schnurer ...Max Rosen An Arab Moriia iielavsky Rob Schmerel Abraham Lax Ibrahim- Bey ;...Meyer Scherr Suit in Abdul Hahiid II...Morris Slrasberg Mnsha... <*clia Pearatm Wasll Charles Cohan Truiil Isabel Washerman Ren Yltzeholt C.tilrtherg .Tsatte Arco Dr. Yechlel Tcchlenntr Yudel Dubinsky Rlrlnskv .' Solomon K'rausa T.etter Carrier Mortis Belnsky Yltzehok Safer Michael Goldstein Reh Schloime Herman Scrntsky Reich • .Meyt'i- Scherr Chnllt ...Itot-la Aucibnclt Israel Zangwill Lett. KatlVson A Nurse. Lisa Sllbett For hLs second production of the season, Maurice Schwartz is extoll- ing the deeds of Dr. Theodor Herzl, the great Zionist leader, founder ot the move to make Palestine .^.Jew- ish state. If "Dr, Herzl" is not the fluid work of some of ■ Schwartz s other productions, it at least has a worthy theme to occupy an audi- ence's, interest. It hasn't smash box- office potentialities, though it Should . have a moderate run. The actor-producer-director is en- acting the title role; as always, it is he who dominates a play that fre- quently becomes cluttered with ex- cessive, dramatic dialog. By una large. "Herzl" has a message that is particularly pertinent in these times of-internal disorders in the Holy Land. The founder of modern-Zionism js shown as a young Paris correspond-* ent of a Vienna newspaper, and how he becomes affected by .anti-Semit- ism when he covers the Dreyfus tnai. Ho then seeks the aid of influential persons throughout Europe to pro- mote the' Jewish slate. . . •» ' It is a large cast supporting Schwartz, and all do well. Schwartz has staged, and H. A. Condell has contributed the atmospheric settings. Joseph Rumsbinsky's music, for in- cidental purposes, shows his veteran hand. * Kflli.li.