Variety (Jul 1946)

Wednesday, July 17, 1946 P&RIETY LEGITIMATE 51 Upped Equity Fees No Bar to Tyros; Oldtimers Also Gravitating Back Before the war, when a majority . of rank and filers in Equity feared there-were too many actors for the number of jobs available, the in- itiation fee was jumped to $100; doubling the former requirement. That has not resulted in limiting the number of neW memberships to any appreciable extent,-as shown by the steady influx of embryos join- ing the legit talent union, a jump being particularly noticed during 1945-46. Drama schools and amateur thea- tricals in many communities account for the apparently unceasing urge to go upon the stage. A leading agent, who estimates that an average of 500 would-be actors come to his.of- fice daily, thinks the large majority -'should v go back where they came from because they have no talent. He says that the desire to become an actor is a sort of sickness among youngsters with an excess of ego, adding: "We do them and their . families an injustice in not being bluntly brutal." Judging from the number of old timers aiming to come'back into show business, there should be an excess of character players to be had. Noticed lately that a number of aging actresses have come out of retirement, rejoining Equity in the hope of getting engagements. For the most part their homes are somewhat distant from N. Y. and they*! explain that their husbands died, leaving modest estates, so they decided to try the stage again. Garden Pier Sale To O&J Nixed Atlantic City, July 16. Neither Olsen. and Johnson, nor any other N. Y. producer, will be permitted to purchase the idle Gar- den Pier for the purpose of using its theatre for shows, reopening its large ballroom, and generally bring- ing the spot back to life. The pier was taken over by the city months ago through tax fore- closure proceedings.' Shortly there- after the city made a. move to sell it. Move was immediately blocked when former State Sen. Emerson L. Richards, large boardwalk landown- er, went into court arid obtained an Injunction. Last Thursday (11) the matter again came to a head when Charles Hart, who said he was representing Olsen and Johnson, appeared before a conference of city commissioners and said that his clients were inter- ested in the pier's purchase. Mayor Altman pointed out that the sale; or rental of the pier was blocked because of the Richards' in- junction, and. that if i.t should be withdrawn, some action might be taken. Richards immediately said that he had no intention of with- drawing his injunction. "When the city became the owner of the pier by taking title under foreclosure, the property became part of the park (all but a few small areas of the Atlantic City beach- front have been deeded to the city and comprise a public park) and it cannot be sold or rented for any purpose in violation of the park deed," Richards declared. (Under the easement deed which conveyed the land to the city is a provision that it can't be sold, rented, or used as a site for the sale of merchan- dise.) "I am acting for myself in the litigation and will not withdraw the Injunction," Richards added. JOOSS BALLET IN DUTCH FOR IRISH OPENING Dublin, July 10. Dock troubles tied up the Jooss Ballet Co. after its Amsterdam show and delayed its opening at the Gaiety, here by two days. Costumes and props were moved around until a direct boat for Ireland was lo- cated. Baggage was then put ashore at Waterford, 100 miles south of Dublin, and trucked up again. Show got under way tonight with "The Big City," "Ball in Old Vien- na." "Company at the Manor" and 'The Green Table," but house man- ner Hamlyn Benson still has a headache from angry balletomanes switching bookings from the two blank, nights. New Orleans Tix Law New Orleans, July 16. Scalpers who offer tickets to the- atres, football games or other amuse- ments at higher prices than those printed on the tickets will now do so. at their own risk. Signed into law Thursday (11) by Governor Davis is a bill which calls for a fine of from $1,000 to $500 and imprisonment of from 30 to 90 days for conviction. Jobs A-Plenty Despite GIsBack There are plenty of jobs for ac- tors this summer and very little complaint about unemployment if any. For a short time it was felt that engagements would be scarce what with the steadily Increasing number of players coming out of uniforms during the past year but mushrooming of summer stock was beyond expectations and there are still a fair number of USO shows operating on this side and overseas. As of this week 950 Equltyites are appearing in stocks. Included are principals in open-air operetta re- vivals . including such spots as St Louis, Pittsburgh, Dallas and Louis- ville, where choruses are recruited locally: At Atlantic City where the shows are indoors, the choruses for the musicals were engaged in N. Y. USO units currently find 1,200 ac- tors employed and while the major- ity are vaudeville artists, there are approximately 150 players in the dozen legiters routed. Theatre Guild's Film Tie Causes Legit PAY To Contract With UA In a move which sets a precedent for future film roadshowing, the Assn. of Theatrical Agents & Man- agers, union . of legit pressagents company managers, has completed negotiations for a contract with United Artists on the roadshowing of the British-made film, "Henry V,!' which UA is releasing in the U. S. This marks the first time the ATAM has made a contract with a film company. Agreement states that wherever "Henry V" is shown in a legit house which has the usual contract with ATAM, UA will put in an ATAM p.a. and co. mgr. The p a. will be put on three weeks before the open- ing, with the co. mgr. put on the night of the opening. In those cities where a pix house and facilities will be used, the deal is non-opera- tive. What gave the ATAM the cue to solicit such a contract, was the tieup. of the Theatre Guild, legit produc- ers, with "Henry V," even if only in the tenuous sponsorship way. Also the fact that an ATAM man, Leo Freedmai^ was called in when film had its first U. S. showing, in Boston. Freedmah went up ahead and did some prelim work, but left before the pic opened. There has been no ATAM replacement, and pic closed its Boston run Sat. (13). , In N. Y. Al Tamarin, former, thea- tre Guild p.a., has been on the job, since six weeks before the opening, with Jack Yorke as co. mgr. Yorke, who. is also gen. mgr. for the Amer- ican Repertory theatre, stepped out of the "Henry" setup Friday! (12), Jim Miller replacing. Pic is due to open in Baltimore, July 19; Chicago, Aug. 5; and in Los Angeles. Balto. and L. A. will use film houses, so don't need an ATAM' duo. Jim Keefe is already set as p.a. for the Chicago run. UA wants Tamarin to 6tay with them beyond the N. Y. run, and set up operations similar to that at N. Y.'s City center in other cities. He's already visited Baltimore and Chicago for this purpose. The Screen Publicists Guild, which hasn't a strong setup outside of N. Y., has a general working ar- rangement with ATAM -in this situation, so. there is no danger of a jurisdictional fight. Jeff Living- ston, of SPG. is also working for UA on "Henry," coming in to aid the various p.a. setups. Freedley Not to File On Malua Contract Breach; Going Ahead on'Smith' Vinton Freedley plans placing "The Temporary Mrs. Smith" in re- hearsal next month, depending upon whether he. can engage another femme lead in place of Luba Malina Manager decided not to file charges of contract breach against the ae tress, and it appears that she out smarted Freedley with a stipula tion in the contract, which was regularly signatured and was not a verbal agreement as claimed. Her refusal to play "Mrs. Smith", was registered with Equity along with the contract by Freedley, just in case. i The contract provision, at her in- sistence, gave Miss Malina the right to approve the stager and when the manager told her that he had lured Thomas Mitchell from the Coast to handle the assignment, 6he ex- claimed: "He's. an actor, not a di- rector." Freedley believes that Miss Maliha's friends in Hollywood talked her out of appearing as "Mrs. Smith," supposed to be'the mother of a 17- year-old daughter. ' Mrs. Rosenberg Emcees 1st ATAM, Producers Sesh Mrs. Anna Rosenberg, sitting as mediator, held the first huddle be- tween the Association of Theatrical Agents and Managers with a com- mittee representing the League of New York Theatres last week, ob- jective being to adjust a demand for much higher pay by ' the union. Showmen declare that before they will consider any boosts, ATAM must first provide for new member- ship, the so-called new blood over which the union membership has been somewhat at odds. At the meeting ATAM insisted that the salary matter be decided first, while the League people were adament that their counter demand receive initial consideration; It is up to the mediator to rule which is- sue is to have priority. She will listen to .both sides separately during the: week before making a decision. Mrs. Rosenberg's findings are not necessarily binding on either faction but should count in revising the present basic agreement pay clauses. 'GIRLS'CAST ESCAPES IN PHILLY CURTAIN CRASH Philadelphia, July 16. At the finale of last' mid week's matinee performance of "Follow the Girls" at the Forrest, while star Gertrude Niesen and rest of cast and chorus were on stage taking their bows, a heavy curtain, and its wheels, weighing more than a ton, broke loose in some manner and crashed, narrowly missing them. Rusty Roads, chorus gal, was bruised on the fight arm and taken to hospital for treatment but was back in show at night. Audience, about a two-thirds house and natur- ally prominently femme, was mo- mentarily on the panicky verge, but Miss. Niesen and others'took a sec- ond bow. in unruffled composure, and audience gave them a big salvo. Mgrs.-Authors Huddle Still a Muddle; New Musicals Rules Chief Bugaboo Todd's Country Chicago, July 18. With legit grosses almost as low as they can possibly get in Chicago, what with the current heat wave, the special new stage money printed-for use of the Boss Tweed gang in "Up in Central Park" has taken on a new significance. In place of Lincoln's picture, : there's one Of Mike Todd, pro- ducer of the musical, on the bills, together with, the inscrip- tion, "In Todd We Trust." Bloomfield Ties With Vargas on Model School Chicago, July 16. New enterprise is on tap for Harry Bloomfield, producer of the much- litigated "Polonaise," who huddled here last week with Alberto Vargas, who's also had a plethora of law- suits with Esquire mag recently over coin due. him on his Varga Girl drawings in the publication. Duo plans to opening a model school. Pair also discussed making a Broadway musical or film centered on the artist's pin-up paintings. 'Firefly' in Greek Bowl Los Angeles, July 16. . Allan Jones and Irene Manning will co-star, with Isabel Randolph as featured comedy lead, in "The Firefly." which ' opens a two-week stand in the outdoor Greek theatre here July 22. James Westerfield is directing. Equity Hears Rap Vs. McK. Morris Charges against McKay' Morris have been filed with Equity by other players In the road presentation of Candida" after he. walked out on the show without any word to the management at the end of a week's engagement in Buffalo recently. Equity regards such behavior as m serious offense because it jeopardizes employment of other actors. Latter aver that he further affected the performance by refusal to rehearse and failure to remember lines, al- though he has appeared in the Shavian play many times. Morris claimed that he was in- sulted during the rehearsals he. did attend; just how was not indicated. Jane Cowl, Martha Hodge. Richard Newton and Victor Beecroft signed the complaint to- Equity, and al- though J. J. Leventhal, who pre- sented "Candida" with Frank Mc- Coy, has been hesitant about charg- ing Morris with breach of contract, the actor has been notified to ap- pear before the council on Aug. 6 whether the manager formally files a complaint or not. During the final portion of "Lute Song's" engagement last spring, players in the cast were upset by certain of Morris', "eccentricities" and temperament. "Candida" moved from Buffalo to Toledo, when it was discovered that Morris had returned to New York, but performances were given re- gardless, Newton taking over the part of Dr. Morrell, which Morris was to have' played. Maurice Mor- ris, a veteran legiter who lives in that .city, stepped into the show, both replacements reading from the script. Situation was explained to the audience and refunds were of- fered. Local reviewers . who cov- ered the show were sympathetic to the actors, and the notices were distinctly favorable, cast expressing appreciation in letters sent from Toledo. Ralph Kcllard was subse- quently engaged to replace the dis- affected player, joining the show in Cincinnati last week. Leventhal denied reported train ■ accommodation difficulty when ' Candida" went to Buffalo, saying that Miss Cowl traveled in a draw- ng room on the Lehigh Valley rail- road. He was unable to get a sim- I Iar reservation on the New York j Central, which carried the others. Morris is said to be rehearsing in 1 Beloved," a new. play to be tried j out in summer stock at Martha's , ■ Little progress was made in the first negotiation session between, managers and authors held last week. Most of the time was used in discussing tentative regulations per- taining to the production of musicals, those revisions in the basic agree- ment being objected to by some showmen. Those specializing . in comedies and dramas were not par- ticularly active during the meeting, there being no special complaint against changes ; covering that type of attraction. Producers of musicals appear to be jittery because they feel that their rights and prerogatives are being whittled away by the authors. One veteran manager declared that he woud not produce any more musicals under the proposed restrictions.. He protested the right of the author to select the music arranger, stager, dance director and orchestra con- tractor. Authors will probably not insist on the" latter appointee as it is a matter of contract between the theatre operation and the musicans union. . Dramatist Guild people present were conciliatory as had been ex- pected and explained the reasons for the new musical show rules.. Stated that the composers threatened to withdraw from the Guild and form their own organization unless the revisions were made. Probably pertinent is the fact that Richard Rodgers is president of the Guild and fully cognizant of how some managements have ordered interpo- lations heretofore. He is both com- poser ("Oklahoma" and "Carousel," with Oscar H?"i—o r tci". r"d a producer, so it's, indicated that the Guild will not withdraw its pro- posal for the right to select the. ar- ranger; . Managers were told that they were over-stressing the point that their rights may be dissipated. Guild people saying that because compos- ers and authors have the privilege of approving' directors and others, it doesn't mean that they will be insistent on making their own selec- tions. Matter of picture rights is not in- volved in the negotiations. So far there are no proposed changes in Ihe regulations that have covered the film rights for years, nor any change in the 60-40 sharing of such revenue. Picture execs asked to participate in the negotiations, doubtless with the idea that points they previously objected to, might also be revised, but no action has been taken on the suggestion that they sit in on negotiation sessions. Vineyard, Mass.. by Beckhardt, July 22. Arthur J. LA. OPERETTAS IN DAY-DATE COMPETISH Los Angeles, July 16. Operetta addicts in (his town are up against the ancient quandary: "How happy could I be with either, were the other fair charmer away." Problem ' arises July 22 with the simultaneous openings of "The Fire- | fly" in the great open spaces of the Hollywood Starlight theatre and "The Fortune Teller" indoors, under sponsorship of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Association. It's a musical double-header, played in separate spots, one in downtown Los Angeles and the other in the Hollywood hills. Bat- teries: Victor Herbert and John \ Tyers for Civic: Rudolf Friml and ' Allan Jones for Starlight. 1 New Ballet for America Troupe Headed for The One-Niters and Byways Ballet for. America, newest of the classical ballet troupes that will lour the countryside next season, plans to avoid the usual ballet cir- cuit routes, aiming for virgin ter- ritory. Handled by CRA Artists, troupe will be booked as bands are, in one-night stands and away from large cities, to points where a large louring company usually can't reach. New company will open a trans- continental tour in Bridgeport Sept. IS. Company, which roughly 're- places the Leonide Massine Ballet Russe Highlights - of last season, is smaller in personnel than the big troupes. Members will be Nana Gollnerj Kathryn Lee, Tatiana. Grantzeva, Betlina Rosay, Haiina Razoumova, Virginia Barnes, Yurek Shabelevski, Yurek Lazowski,: Paul Petroff, James Lyons and Shaun O'Brien. Most are former Ballet Russe and Ballet Theatre principals. Miss Lee was also on Broadway, dancing in "Helen Goes to Troy" and "Are You With It?" Her father, wealthy second-hand auto dealer, is reputed to be a strong backer of the new troupe. Massine, Ruth Page, Edward Caton, Boris Romanoff, Shabelevski and Lazowski are writing ballets for the troupe. 'BUDS' ON AGAIN Hollywood, July 16. Jack Kirkland is refloating' "Slid* In Your Eye" across the footlights in Los Angeles, starting Aug. 1. Road tour opens in Portland, Ore., Aug. 29, with bookings also set in Detroit and Pittsbureh