Variety (Jan 1946)

Weiliiesdaf, Januarjr 16, 1^46 T.EG1TOIATE 59^ Inside Stiiff-4j^ With »U money raised for production— flSO.ODO— ex-Major Mclvyn Poiislas and Herman Levin have started on the GI musical revue, "Call Me Mister," Iter which Harold J. Rome wrote lyrics andmusic and Arnold Atierbach the sketches. Bob Gordon, head of USO-Camp Shows legit dept., will be Stage director; Johnny Ray, dance director, and Lehman Engel, liiusical director. Switch of Douglas, who originally planned sponsoring a CJI book show, "Take It From Here," by Bill Walters and Leonard Key, to the Eorae-Auerbach revue^ was: a surprise. ni.S interest in the Rome-Aiierbach work, however, dates back to last summer, when Doufilas came to N. Y. o'l temporary duty from Burma to woi'k with Army Special Services; At that time, discussion came up about doiivg one of the Army's "blueprint" shows, a Gl-written-aiid-acted musical, on Bibiidway. Idea was dropped, but Douglas did' some huddling with Rome, who was then in the Army, and with Auerbach, on talk about a iininical for the future.. Douglas also got interested in the Watters-Key show at that time, and decided to (jponsor the latter as a dtl-vet show for Broadway, Wlien he went home to the Coast, Rome continued to be in touch with him about the revue he was working on. On his return to N. Y. recently, Douglas huddled with both Walters Slid Key, and with Rome, and decided he liked Rome's material better. Fact that Rome's work was practically completed and likely to be produced .sooner than the other work, also prompted Douglas' switch. Levin, Who is to co-produce, is Rome's .attorney, thi.s marking his first such venture. Douglas, Walters and Key are negotiating settlement of expenses incurred on '"Take It" production ($2,500), Douglas wanting a three-way split, others wanting Douglas to as.sume it all if "Mister" click.s. Revue, with its theme that of the returning veteran, will be stafEed largely by discharged GIs; allhongh femmes won't neoe.sisarily be from the services. Joshua Logan, was sought as director, but had signed for "Annie Oakley." ' There lias been a tendency to use pictures o£ stage or film' stars in com* mercinl display ads without mention of the plays or pix in which the pinyels are billed. Reason is that N". Y. dailies have decided that mention of a play or radio program in the ad calls for a national amu.sement rale, which averages 33% more than regular rates. Change came about some months ago, when the News first cracked down, followed by the others. Paper.s objected to, say. a shoe or beer ad running a star's picture and mentioning the shows in which each played luiless rates were upped. Ad was a plug for the play as well, they maintained. Today captions accompanying* a picture can't even mention the name ot a network, like CBS, but will say something vague like "star of radio or rccord.s." Ad can't even say "star of a Broadway show." Situation h.Ts satisile'd press agents having individual star.s as clients but. of course, not those p.a.'s with Broadway shows. Several have insi.sled on name of .show going into ad, even if rate is upped. Elliott Nugent, who owns a piece of "Turtle," refused to pose for a series of beer ads unless show's name went in, ieeling he didn't need the publicity or the fee he received. Manufacturers using the ads are themselves coming around to believe that mention of a player's name without his current attraction detracts from ad's effect. Agencies handling ad accounts for these manufacturers are beginning to feel likewise, and recommending paying the highcr.-ad ratej ■■ Michael Myerberg, producer of "The Lute Song," starring Mary Martin, is doing the unusual in linancing 75-80<?;i of the show him.sel£, having sold only 20% ouLside and' not pushing that angle further. Show, budgeted originally at $125,000, will cost over $l.'jO,000 by N. Y>ci>rtain-tirae Feb. 6, when it opens at the Plymouth. Prodiicer seems in good financial shape With "Lute," the show having done good biisine.<!S in its four-week "fhiladelnhia tryout, and currentl,v being in Boston for three weeks (Jan. 14Feb. 2) under Theatre Guild isiibscription, which guarantees it $12,000 a week alone. Show, originnlly titled "Pi-pa-ki," is an adaptation by Will Irwin and the late Sidney Howard of a Chinese classic. It had a tryout at Stockbi'Ulge, Mass., and at Carnegie Tech several years ago. Paramount's John Byram read a good notice in Varietv from its Pittsburgh mugg, procured the script and called it to Myerberg's attention. Lslter got excited over it, and got idea of setting it to music, finally deciding on Raymond Scott as the compo.ser. Myerberg gave Byram a small: interest in the show for bringing it to his attention. Week and half prior to the premiore o£ "N^ollie Bly," dated to open at the Adelphi, N. Y.. next Monday (21), o.vtra-spacK ads appe,wed in the dailies^ signatured by Eddie Cantor, co-producer of the .show with Nat Karson. After stating that William Gaxton and Victor Moore are starred, wd went on to Siay: "As an expert on girls (Cantor is the father of five and has appeared in Ziegfeld $hows> I want to go on record that you have never seen anyone as gorgeous as Marilyn Maxwell.'; Mi.ss Maxwell has since been replaced by JOy Hodges. Cantor, incidentally, is due to leave for the Coast on Thursday (17> and won't be in N. Y. for the debut. Miss Maxwell, who reportedly handed in hor notice on "Nellie Bly" because Metro requested her return, is believed to have been motivated also by feeling iJhe was too inexperienced for the stage role. Also i.s reported to have felt producers were building up Beiuiy Venuta's part, and cutting hers down. Former had two songs when show opened, for instance, and nov) has three. Ads had placed Miss Maxwell's name ahead of Miss Venuta's, arid it's reported latter wants billing ahead of Miss Hodges, on Strength of personal notices out of town. Closing Saturday (19) of "The Rugged Path,'' starring Spencer Tracy, a.t the Plymouth, N. Y., means another of the .sea.son;s casuiilties although, If the drama wa.s to continue, it might well have been among the successes. At the closing it will have played 10 weeks and one night. During the first nine weeks, it is -stated by the Playwrights Co.. the' average weekly gross Was $23,326. Early weeks the takings topped $26,000, and while the pace eased off to around $19,000, it is declared' by the management that "Path" hasn't had a losing week. The contract for the Plymouth provides for a stop limit of $10,000. John Steinbeck and Gcor4;e Frazier's libretto of "The Wizard of Maine," musical about a pitchman, runs B0,000 word.* be;:au.<se, -js Steinbeck puis it, ''X want the actors to know all about the characters they're portraying. It's not sufficient to say 'business man type,' instead we describe the characterizations f<w the most effective portray;)!.'' Al Katz and Stewart Chancy, latter the scenic designer, will produce. Artb'iu Schwartz has been propositioned to write the score. Mail orders for "O. Mistress Mine,'' whlfeh, with the Lunts. will rctitiht the Empire, N. Y., next Wednesday (.23), accumulated so much thrit two girls were engaged to handle such orders. Additionally the boxolfice stafE has been increased to four tickctsellers. Cora Gibb.s, who was treasurer of tl«! Broadhur.st, and Fred Fabo:*, former ticket broker, were added to the staff. Lee Baker is treasurer. While ill the Army Owen Davi.s. Jr., bcc.-.mo interested in lGlcvi.';ion, and is now a producer-director in that field for NBC. He doer? not inti-.nd returning to the .sif'.gc. Donald Davis, a b.-othcr. who collaborated with Owen, Sr.. in wi'itir-g n couple oi pUiiS, is out of the Coast Guard and ha.s joined 20lh-Fox as a writer. Fay Rally ConUnned from pate s; audience Included many priests and was made up chiefly of Catholic lay organizations. Actor could not appear early because of his "Harvey" performance. There was a tableau built around the late General Patton, with Lambs clubbers participating. Another was to have gone on after Fay but it was decided to terminate the meeting instead, The Barkers Leader of the Fay group is said to be .Father Urban Nagel, who heads the Blackfriars Guild, a Cathohc drama group that puts on . serai-professional plays in New York. Father Urban was ''defended" by one of the speakers. Juist who is backing the Fay organization is under cover but it's understood that wealthy Catholic laymen supplied some of the bankroll. It's common knowledge, too, that many Catholic laymen are opposed to Fay's group. Tickets read that the meeting was to be "America's An-swer to Communism" and "We Believe in God." On Sunday, Jan. 6, there was a meeting at the Miller theatre held by the Independent Citiz.ens Committee of The Arts, Sciences and Professions. Group is listed among Communist-front ^ organizations by Joe Kamp, longtime Red-baiter and anti-Semite. The meeting was held to "protest the infiltration of alien philosophy" in America and against •'subversive elements— an answer to Communism." Quentin Reynolds addressed the theatre session, claiming that certain underground group.s operating during the war had emcrsed, hiding behind the names of prominent people and behind the cloak of the church. He charged the ''Friends of Frank Fay" is one: such group. About the actor he said: "Those of us who have known this poor, wretched unhappy man realize that he doesn't know what he is doing or how he is being used... Fay could not unfo'rr tunately withstand the heady wine of success, . .he developed a martyr complex. . . the perfect symbol, for the forces of disunity, of anti-Semitism...he probably never heard of 'The Passing Caravan' published by Edw^ard F. Atwell, . wlio is well known to audiences who once flocked to meetings held under the au.spices of the America First committee and the Conghlinite Christian Front... Fay mu-st have heard about Kamp, who edited a magazine called 'Awaken,' published by a self-confesised Nazi propagandist. . .Kamp eulogizes Fay and attacks everyone who ever had a progros.sive idea, a man who i.s under indictment (oicontempt." (Atwell is publicity director for flie -'Friends oi Frank Fay"). Incidentally, New York's new mayor, William O'Dwyer, was sent a protest by The Friends of Democracy, which asked the mayor to withdraw his name as honorary Chairman ot the grand ball to be held next month by the United Irish Societies Assn. because it allegedly promoted the Fay event. Latter was termed "an attack on democratic freedom." Protest ^et forth Ihiit delegations were sent by the Gentile New.s, an anti-Semitic paper published in Chicaso; The Leader, a San Fran.; Cisco Conghlinite paner; the Christian Front and "phoney 'mothers' groups." Another alleged promoter was identified as Homer Maertz, said to have written a resolution "at the 1944 convention of Gerald L. K. Smith groups calling for the deportation and stovilization ot .Tews." On its own the United Irish bunch v/r.s sir ted to be ^"democraticallyminded." Koeiui^sberj^ to Head Pitt Operetta Season . Pitt.sburgh, Jan. 15. M.-.x KoeiiiMberj?, one of the founders and for 25 years a director of the St. Loui.s Kunicipal Opera, hs.s been named managing director of Pitt.nburgh'.s new Civic Li«ht Opera A,s.-'n., which will .swin": into action (his Summer at the! Univ.isr'sity; .'of Pittsburgh .stad iu '-n. Anj' openinj; Kna^en deficit in .the local .set-up ha.s alrcrdv been underwritten by Edgar .1. Kaui'mann, president rf Kmifrflann's Departnvent Stoi-e, with an outright gift of .$50,000. AFRA Opposes Equity Aker To Back Experimental Library Shows Plays on Broadway The Would-lle tii«»itl«nian .Midiacr.'rodd produotiou: oL' Ctiroe: Ju .tiv.o aetB (.one acene) of .^tJlicre':a -".t-.e ; F.yiivs^-flta .(iontitliomino," ndnptfitioh • iiilftcct-tOil/'tl. Stai-s nobby . Clark i' ieiitiupa Ilulil Itaivt.son dhd AIox li-i.^h!?r. Jiitie Knislit, jMliI.Ei Kinjf, ycne Bavi-y, Ann Thomas. JjeO)i'a:fl Elluitt, ■KleanOi'e . .■Whitney, Dohiild Burr.. .lohn 1-Ieath, StaKCfl by ,Tohn K.ennpily ; .spttlrijj by Howard Bay: vofitunles by In^iie Hliariift. Qpenea at Booth. K. T,, Jan. », 'iV; *.t.8il top ($7,20 opening night), . . ilusic Maater... ........... i .BonaUl B.ur Danciine 3\h.)stei',' Criquet. . . . .... . . Nicole. .... ... . . . Marcel. . ; , llaptistn. Monaieur .loiirda Madanioisr .Mtf Flslwr .; I''|T.,1 W'Pl ner .Ann TlioinuB . ..tl in.l .KlUot jert' Uf'bdf-Vson ..rtolmj ("larlt .Itnih. Harrison Minfierj^t-ijnsLanee Brighaui, .AJ.ai.y Gtotlwin', Uewi.-^ Pierce. M.adaine Jouriluin. . i>-en(iins iMasteir... . , I^hiloKfiplier.;!. ....... . Count Durante . . . .. .l.ucUlP Joiu-flain . , rovipM*^. . . . . ■ .... ... ./. . . . . cieonte. .;i . . . . . ■t','iilor. TlayoKiinl Marqui.4fi Dorinienc. . . . . . . . Al tlKiO lanF;— M'AX Ta l'i'il=i'. y., lOrJc .Silbcrman, Gregory GinOin. K.lllb Kins . . . K.U I M,i..Vfl«h . I'H'eOerie I.*er.irion . . . . . .(Jene Barry KWanore Wliit>iey ..I.eoTiavd l-'lUoit . ...... lohn Hi"arli , . . . . :r,»no) onu vi . . . . .(."Hter 't'owne . .... fiuie Kn'fKht .Iftniea. N'tii,.*}-. Henil.'o, David This Moliere farce emerges as a spotty burlesfiue but with enough lauehs to get it acros.s. "Would-Ee Gentleman" is a lark for Bobby Clark. At times it is hilarious, even boisterous, a leaiter that's a curicsity. Essentially it's a co-stume comedy. Clark is Jourdain, a Parisian commoner with plenty of shekels, a shrewish wife and a marriageable daughter. TVith the aid of a French dandy who owes him plenty, a rendezvous is arranged for Jourdain with Marquise Dorimene, who is falling for the other guy at Jouro'ain's expense. To pi-epare for the titled girl, his philosopher advises that he take fencing and dancing lfe.s.»ons. That's where Harrison and Fisher come in. Clark's amorous didoes when the marquise arrives tor dinner are amusing, but the conuc is in hiuh with the phoney foil stuff. When he has a couple ol swords tangled between his less, Clark's antics are screamingly funny to those Who go for real low comedy. The , dance stuff, too, is laughable, and SO is the scene when the "tailor" comes with new dud.s. Althougn it's a one-setter, Mike Todd hasn't stinted in embelli.shing "Gentleman," mo.stly in the way of eo.stumes designed by Irene Sbaraff. Some of the duds are bizarre, as for instance a disavowed circus clown's outfit. There is also a live-piece string orchestra on stage now and then with bits of. chamber music. I'red 'Werner, a .stooge with the rausickers, is an acrobat who plays cello on the .side. Ruth Harrison .and— AIrx Fisher are not togged out as nuttily as some others, for that isn't neees,'ary for their screwy gyrations,. Clark works with them in one number, a .sort of minuet, but "Gentleman" is far from being a dance show. Among the ludicrous getups .sported by Clark, one has a Turkish motif with a globular headpiece. At th-it time there's some ofi'statje hocus pocus during which . the dau.glitor weds the mug she likr-s and the marauiso doublecrosse.s .Jourdain by hitching up with the dimdy.. June Knight i.s the titled bimbo who gets a sparkler tbnt would make Pe.sTgy Joyce envious if it was On the level. Ann Thomas, as a maid, rates when helphhg Clark '"ot ipe.5.sod. ud with the swords. Edith King is pronerlv vixenish as the wife; Frederick Pcr.sson, as the nhilosopher; EarL Mac'Veigh as the fencing master end Leonard Elliott, as the lover, rrc also in the going along with Eleanore Whitney, ■ Gem 'Barry and John Heath. New show's oace drag.? at times, mostly when Clark is not on stase. A more sustained performance would give it a better chance. .•■ Ihee. '. ■♦• Plan for an Equity Library Theatre of the Air program, to finance experimental shDwinss in New York libraries by younger professionals, is apparently being stymied by t'ne American Federation of Radio Artists. Although : plan was never submitted for approval to AFRA, according tci officials, AFRA is against the plan, especially since' a duo of radio agents, Thomas L. Stix and J. G. Glide, was authoriiied to sell the library program. AFRA's objection is based on rule 15 of its bylaws, which states tliat no AFRA performer can work for less than regular pay on a comnier^ cial project, and that no artist may work on programs where additional fees are paid outsiders. It's AFRA's contention that the ELT is laudable; enough as experimental theatre, but by going on the air to finance itself, and getting paid for it, it's.clianging character, especially so whsn it's rumored that ELT will get about $250 a week out of the deal, while the two agents reportedly \vW get $500 plus a further cut if they eaii raise the fees. : Under.stood'that AFRA has planned to sponsor a radio program to rai.s-e an emergency fimd for its member.s, following __the lead of the Screen Actore Guild, which is maintaining an elaborate retreat for indigent-, filmitcs. Radio artists do not come within tlie benefits of the Actors Fund unless able to> prove , a legit stage backgroimd' at' one time or stir other. Picture players likewise are not entitled to Fund paitieipEtiort unless originating from the stage. First intimation of AFRA's «bj0ctive cropped up last season, and the Lambs Club propo.sed a radio program for the purpose of rai.sing emergency funds. Although partici^ pants were to have been paid re^u.lar salaries, it was reported that A^PBA interposed various dhjections and the plan was scrapped. SeHwartz to Coast To Do 'Park Ave.' Songs Arthur Schwartz returns to Hollywood next week to start composing the score for "Park Avenue." Aiax Gordon's,n«w musical by George S, Kaufman and Nunnally John.son. Schwartz will work with Ira Ger.'-hwin on the Coast, latter doing the lyrics. : The songsmith-shotvman returns to New York in Jimc,. not only lO put "Park Avenue" in production, but to produce another musical in association with Richard Halliday. CAl. 'RAMOHA' BEVIVED , Los Angeles, .Ian. Historic outdoor dr-ama, "R.->nw)nr." discontinued in 19*1 becau.se of the war, will be revived this year in tlie Raraona Bowl, near Hemet, Cal. Play will be held on four wcckend.s, .starting April 27, with Adrian Awan as executive producer. Tll('\'iii'.^ Pavi.';-.\''i']ii" 'l*iio-:n" )n iir'.thici i. ?i of miMr'i'y in tUl'Cf SU'in (OIH' -i' I ) hy \'ini.'.'llL MrCoi^nhy. Ktar';-' Cuv K'i^b'-": l'".ltlIlr.^ DiM'oth.v f^nntli-'. N-I<'hol.'i.i loy. N.ntalic >'r'Jir'rer. I..ovin,tr .S'lnil in .SL.'iirr.i In Ui-H'in.ald l)..TiIi.'ini : ^-ettintf, Sft-\v-ai-l rli-if v. At IfiH i i.i.,r(>., .N.y... .ran. fi, •in; i",.niy u.p (.'sr,.4(j '■. i-iiinf? nifjliD. Levy's Coast I. \ Hiwlille Matthew M. I^cvy. spocii:l coun.scl for the International Ailiancc of ThcKtrical St.a.'je EaiploypCs, left for tlie Coa.st Sunday i KJ ) to confer with Richard F. AVal.<.h. president, now there, on legal matters affecting the Alliaiicei;.". T'rith ... . ] k'n,1.-in)'ln Viniih.'Uni ... ■■.'•iirnif Din,.,;. , ilM Dnn.. ......... ♦ 'onplancfi .Sh^i-tnan. . *'arri.-bh I3an'*'>i. * . . . . ^ ''''hftr BarrtllKtan. WfiH<'"p ............. ■tr'.>!. TIlkTy. ....... ;. <!:olr,l .......... D' livf-ry JI"n .Mr.'-;. Homer "W. D.-inforth. . .Hurothy Sanil-s , .r'iri-l"."! r.Mfiliri . . . .t'.ny J< i-.,b'.^e ..William Mutin . . . . Se tf» ,^ rnoltl . .,0.1 tUT^' IC'-ueer . . .T*'»viPje t^mitli . . .Xit*hola<» Joy .-. . ..r»e Jolinsoti .'f'-li>'7.". AU-nnll ... liollin Tl'iiier I!. . t.o!% n ill.m "A .Toy Forevci-." omndv nir^'^'im' Cu" Kibhce, is mildly tlivctilu; in .' i-^oi^, but warrants no more .than a 'brief run. Has neat production and supporting cast, but story doeiai't come off. Plot revolves around Kibhee. as an eccentric artist, who releijaics himself to self-oblivion when his famous nude is branded immoral, lie and the model for the painting have been hiding out in a shanty in Fort Tryon Park, N. Y., for some 30 years without benefit of clergy. They'i-e living a hand-to-mouth existence on $2 daily, which Kibbce earns a's .sandwichman for a neighborhood chowmeinei-y. AU remains tranquil until the grlist, is again ''discovered'' by a reporter. This precipitates a parade of outsiders, which greatly upsets the old codgei-. Nicholas Joy, art-criiic friend, is among them, and has the paintingj? Kibbee has stored, in tf'e .shack appraised at $1,000,000. Tliis briiif-'s more turmoil, and wimds up with the arti.st giving a\vay the paiuting.s so that h^ may continue in his iiappy poverty. Kibbee is fine as the blustering old cooti holding hU audience throughout. Dorothy Sands turns in a neat performance as the former model. Joy is capital, as u.sual. Loring Smith j!ives< good account as the tycoon who would buy the paintings. Natalie Schafer is okay as the tycoon's frau. Oltilie Kruger leiid.'s charm and talent to the youn,^ art.studeiit whom Kibbee shoos back to her Ijoy friend and matrimony. Of the Icsfcr roles, Seth Arnold scores as the eccentric inmate of nearby home for the aged. Direction by Reginald Denham is nicely paced.