Variety (Jul 1946)

Wednesday, July »1, 1946 LEGITIMATE 81 Dondero Tilts His Doughty Lance And Roars Away at Red (Equity) Windmill Charges of Red influences within-t Equity came out of the blue last week and for. the second time from- s more or iess obscure legislator who too planted his indicated propa- ganda in the Congressional Record. Rep George A. Dondero, Detroit, Mich., claimed that Communists and jejiow-travelers are trying to win control of Equity, and also of the. picture . industry. He also averred that there is' being formed an "Equity Assn. Anti - Communist League," made up of "loyal Ameri- cans." The Michigander's thesis was promptly denied around Equity. It's believed, the union won't take the same altitude it did combating simi- jar charges made by ex-Congress- man William P; Lambertson, of Kan- sas, several season ago. At that time, responses of Equity officers seemed to give the Kansan. "ammunition," and their demand for an investiga- tion by the former Dies committee never got past first base. Clarence Derwent, new president of Equity, in referring to.the alleged. "Anti-Communist League," stated that he never heard of such an organization and if so "they are ..jousting windwills. for I know of no Communism (in Equity) to fight." It was Deiwent's "baptism of fire" as Equity's head, a similar situation having been, faced by Bert Lytell, who defied Lambertson, Dies and «ny other.Congressman to prove the charges of Red radicalism. Equity leaders believe that Lam- bertson was given certain informa- tion from some member of the coun- cil but it could not be proven. How the Kansan, who was delated for re- election, became interested in the theatre, virtually foreign to his slate, was not discovered, and the same can apply to Dondero. Hinted that rabble rousing so-called "Christian Fronters" steamed up the latter. - j Frank Fay PosWrlpl? However, it is reliably reported that stich- a clique as the "League" is being formed and that petitions are being circulated among actors. Indicated that it is a reaction to the rumpus raised last season by Frank Fay when he became voluble and agitated over a speech made by the British laborite Harold P. Laski who criticized the Catholic church in Spain. Fay; who is on the councii, is reported to be steering the anti- Communist group. During last sea- son's Equity rumpus he emphasized .the political angle, the religious fac- tor evidently becoming secondary. Dondero charged that "a group of fellow-travelers succeeded in getting themselves placed on the nominating committee of the . Equity council" and that the rank and file member- chip had no opportunity to "make a free choice." Michigander evidently swallowed propaganda, for the coun- cil selects only three nominators while six are. chosen by the mem- bership. . Derwent, who is a conservative, was the only; new Equity officer, elected June 7. He was named by the nominating committee of which he was a member, but withdrew when no other candidate was avail- able lo succeed Lytell.- All four vice-presidents who had served for three previous years, were renamed and reelected, same* going for'the treasurer and secretary. Helen Hayes proposed Derwent for the presidency and Waller Huston sec- onded. During a lime when there were sharp differences over radicalism within Equity, 11 members of the council quit, dissatisfied over the election of some new councillors. They said they could serve the as- sociation belter thereby but have not been active in Equity's affairs since. Duncan's Aussie Click Booms His Concerts Melbourne, July 15. Todd Duncan, first Negro concert artist to visit Australia, has had a phenomenal success Down Under. Baritone star .of. N. Y.'s musical success.'Torgy and Bess," has had to extend original series of six Mel- bourne recitals to 10. This, together with added concerts in Sydney (now 10), and 10 more in New Zealand, will total 30, instead of 20 originally contracted for. Singer leaves Auckland, N. Z., Sept. 20, by plane for the U.S., stopping off in Honolulu for; a concert.' Mgr&, Authors StiU Huddling Four sessions were conducted by Broadway producers and authors within the past week for the purpose of reaching agreement oh revisions, of the basic agreement with the Dramatists Guild. Latter was con. cilialory as had been indicated from the start of the huddles but some managers resented proposed.changes, particularly as pertinent to musi- cals. Known that ; managers who specialize on straight plays register- ed but mild objection to changes desired by. authors. Whatever the feeling of those producers who did protest, it waa doubtless cumulative, because of the 15 theatre unions and associations that have been making demands for higher pay and stiffer regulations almost annually. The result has been that showmen have come around to the opinion that all they are sup- posed to do is to provide the finances for producing. Managers contend that the labor elements have made it so difficult to put on shows, that the limit has'been reached. However it's understood there are no changes in the authors' pact In regards to royalties and sharing terms and the Guild is not a union. Leyenthal-MeCoy File Claim With Equity On Morris''Candida'Walk J. L. Leventhal and Frank McCoy have filed claim with Equity, ask- ing that McKay Morris be required to pay them damages equivalent to two weeks salary for breach of con- tract, Morris, currently appearing in summer stock tryouts, abruptly quit "Candida" when the managers presented the play in Buffalo some weeks ago. He failed to give two weeks quitting notice, which is a stipulation in standard Equity con- tracts. Morris received $200 per week for. "Candida," the figure be- ing about half his regular pay. Aclbr is under charges, .filed by J^ne Cowl, : starred in the play, and others of the cast. "Candida" jumped from Buffalo to Toledo and there some parts were shifted when it was. discovered that Morris had quit, show going on 88 scheduled, with two actors reading the lines. Mor- ris' walk was regarded as an af- front to the star and his action jeopardized the engagements of all other players in the company. He has been ordered to answer the charges before council. "Candida" played Cincinnati after Toledo, then switched to rural summer stocks , as a unit. Road Attractions Beating B'way To New Season Wire; 6 Tourers Set *■ Season of 1846-47 will have a fairly early start on the road while ■mm v •> m j m rvpSl >J «J«U l.V SUITI DM IMC TUHU Willi* Mine. jeritZa BUed for 751* Broadway's legit season can hardly On Management Contract Maria Jeritza, Viennese soprano and • former Metropolitan Opera star, and widow, of Winfield Shee- han, was sued in N;Y. supreme court Thursday (25) for $75,000 damages by John T.. Adams, artists' rep. Adams charges that the singer, who returned to the concert stage last season after five' years' retire- ment, repudiated ah agreement. in Which he was to manage and pub- licize her return. get going until mjd-autumh. There are four shows in rehearsal, all booked to tour, one being readied on the Coast. The first new show is not slated in town until early Sep- tember. The current list of attract tions therefore cannot increase dur- ing August, but only decline, there being two departures this week— "Around the World," which finales far in the red, and "The Glass Menagerie." 1 "Harvey" is the first attraction to start touring from N. Y., it having to'iT'him 20^ >™ in ^n*d. 'greed o£ned last\£* to sock 'busS Indoor on 'Ura^e'races' ^ing over $23,000 :„ Buffalo, that and 10% on opera appearances. Mme. Jeritza denied all allegations, saying no written contract existed, FORTUNE TELLER' N Y. BOUND; SEPT. 16 BOW Los Angeles. July 30. Edwin Lester's operetta,' "The Fortune Teller," currently playing in the Philharmonic Auditorium here, moves .east in. September for two weeks in Boston before opening for an indefinite run at the Century, N. Y., starting Sept. 16. While in Boston, "Fortune" will be in competition for one week with another Lester production, "Song of Norway." which opens in the Hub Sept. 9 as its first stop on a road tour after nearly two years in N.Y. REFURBISH TARK'FOR HOLLYWOOD BOWL RUN ' Hollywood, July 30. Mike Todd's "Up In Central Park," slated to open a 22-day run in the Hollywood Bowl, will be re- vamped in various ways to suit the architecture of ihe Bowl and its outdoor environment, 'Scenery for the play, currently appearing in Chicago, will undergo changes to conform with the shell that covers the stage. Dir.log will be slashed and accent placed on spectacular routines by choral groups and an enlarged cast of 150. "Park", will shift from Chicago to Kansas City late in August and will arrive, in Hollywood Sept. 2 for five days of rehearsals before open- ing in the Bowl. . Johnson Coming For 'Avenue' Rehearsals Hollywood, July 30. ■ Nunnnlly Johnson, International film producer, takes leave of ab- sence this week to' start rehearsals on the-, forthcoming Broadway ■musical, "Park Avenue." Johnson and George S. Kaufman arc col- ■ labing on the book and Ira Gersh- win ana Arthur Schwartz are do- ■ng the music. Following the legit opening, John- ?on will .return to International to Produce "Mr. Peobady and the Mer-. maid." Eddie Foy Forced Out Of 'Red Mill' Second Tune For the second time Eddie Foy. Jr., is out of "The Red Mill," having been operated on for an intestinal condition at the Madison Park 'hos- pital, Brooklyn, last week. Over the weekend secondary surgery was re- quired but he was reported "much better" yesterday (Tue). Chet O'Brien, who recently'-'joined "Mill" as a stage manager,, stepped into the part temporarily, Benny Baker taking over Monday (29)'. Shortly after the revival came to Broadway last winter from the Coast Foy was forced out when his leg was injured during a'-.performance. Comedian was the musical's sole featured player. Coast Coin Being Sought For Scully-Morris Comedy Hollywood, July 30. . Option for Broadway fall produc- tion on "What Made . Alexander Great." by Frank Scully and Jack Morris, is being peddled in Holly- wood by Norman Markwell. former public relations officer for the 13th Air Force. Filippe del Giudice, head of Two Cities Films, originally took the play to London for Laurence Olivier but yesterday (29) cabled his deference to Markwell because of difficulty of getting money released from London at this time. Markwell was associ- ated with "Tobacco Road" during its early years and was a writer with Metro. RKO, and Universal before moving into advertising in N. Y. While on the Coast, Markwell Is conferring . with Brian Donlevy. Franchol Tone and J. Carroll Naish for leads, with Talullah Bankhcad and Judith Anderson up for femme roles. Legiler is a comedy in which Alexander conquers the world try- ing to escape from two women. Scully is author of "Fun in Bed" and a Variety mugg. while Morris is associated with Oliver Morosco. 's 30% Tax Nick on N. Y. Visit Although it was believed that London's Old Vic players had been exempted from American . income taxes on salaries .during their recent Broadway visit, it was revealed that 30% was withheld. Alien division of the Internal Revenue dept insisted on proof of the withholding before passports were okayed. It is pos- sible, however, that the tax money will be refunded in light of the new, reciprocal arrangement which elim- inates dual income taxes of British- ers over here and Americans over there. Withholdings are not payable (o the collector until June,- 1947, and there is ample time to determine the status of the taxes. Prior to the en- gagement of Old Vic there were ne- gotiations between the respective governments to strike out a clause in the reciprocal plan which made discriminatory classification of ac- tors. The' revised pact was signa- tured by Sec. of Stale James F. Byrnes for the U. S. and Ambassador John Balfour for Great Britain nn June 6, just one day after the Old Vic engagement terminated but it is figured that as the new arrange- ment had been agreed to some time prior to that date, the visiting play- ers should be entitled to the exemp- tion. Old Vic's payroll for the Century date was $2,500 weekly, not excep- tional because the British group is a non-profit organization. As the total salaries amounted to $15,000 for the six-week engagement, there was $4,500. witheld. In addition, some of the Vic players are said to have been paid around $5,000 for radio broad- cast*:, Laurence Olivier and Ralph Richardson being principal figures in the radio end and it is assumed a percentage of that money was also held out for the collector. stand rarely having had'so strong a draw especially in midsummer. That the show with Joe E. Brown could play a full week there is ex- ceptional. "Dear Ruth" is the sec- ond road show, having closed last Saturday (27), immediately going to Washington where it.opened Mon- day (29). "Life With Father" opens out of town in August and so does "To- bacco Road" after a brief rehearsal starting Monday (5). Others are "State of the Union," rehearsing at. Los Angeles, "Dream Girl" and probably another "Ruth" company. Original "Dream Girl" will relight Sept. 2 at the Coronet, N. Y., with Betty Field back, and although the show is not being advertised, a siz- able number of mail orders are on hand. "O Mistress Mine." which also laid off, is being advertised and | the boxofficc of the Empire where it will resume Aug. 26, is open daily. 'Roberta* Production Bought for Down Under Costumes, hew script and orches- trations used by Civic Light Opera Co. of Los Angeles for recent six- weeks' revival of "Roberta" have been purchased by J. C: William- son Theatres Of Australia through their N. Y. rep Dorolhy Stewart. Musical, which has been done several limes Down Under, will be revived '''there again this tca>on. Jory East for ARP Hollywood, July 30. Signed to a new two-year contract by the American Repertory Thea- tre, Victor ' Jory leaves today ; (Tues.i for It. Y„ where he will co- ; star this fall with Eva La Gallienne ! in. "Henry VIII" and "John Gabriel ' Bjorkmann." . i Jory has just completed Pnp- i petoon chores at Paramount' and j will resume his legit work with . Margaret. Webster, directing ARP productions. Brill Picks 'Birthday' Six j • Hollywood, Jlily 1 . 30. ! Lcighlon Brill, Coast rep for j Richard Rodgcrs and Oscar Hom- merslcin. II. has pickcd.six potential players hero after a series of auai t tions for the Helen Hayes legit, j .starrer. "Happy Birthday," Play, authored, by Anita Loos, gets a break-in Oct. 4, in Boston ! before moving into Y. Joshua !■ Logan- will direct. M'.-s Loos will ' eye Coa-l aspirants this week in i Hollywood. BALLET DUE IN THREES ON B'WAY THIS FALL The fall is slated to see three bal- let companies competing against I each other on Broadway, it being in- Idicaled that the outfits may start ! day and date engagements. The tcrpsichorean trio involved are the Ballet Theatre, booked into the Broadway: Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo, at the City Center, and the Russian Ballet (S. Hurok-Col. de Basil loe combination) listed for the Metropolitan Opera House. Those dance groups are among some 14 ballet trouprs which have been booked to tour the country next season. The tendency is toward Two 'Father' Touring Cos. Booked, B'way Run Indef, Despite Jan. Pic Release Oscar Serlin will send a road com- pany of "Life With Father" out again-, there will be another tourer traveling by truck, and the Broad- way company is . indefinite at the Bijou. As the picture version of "Father" is finished and under terms of the contract Warners can release it in January, the status of the stage shows are dependent on the film af- ter the first of the year. Deal for the tour by truck was made by the producer with Jerry. Cargill, James W. Kling and David C. Jones, who have.contacts in com- munities not. reached by (he road "Fathers," the trio being active in staging local pageants and attractions for charity under auspices of organ- izations such as Kiwanis, junior chambers of commerce. Lions, serv- ice leagues and the like, the truck "Father" is a sort of packare deal, local organizations reportedly guar- anteeing the attraction but under a sharing arrangement. Serlin and the authors will be guaranteed and will "share in takings on a royalty basis. There are stands untouched by the road companies. That is particu- larly true of northern New England. Portland. Me., is the first stand of that type booked. In some small stands the show will be played in school auditoriums,. town halls or pix houses: DEKKER TO BE TEDDY IN NEW LEGIT COMEDY Hollywood. July 30. Albert Dekker draws top role as . Theodore Roosevelt In the news legit. comedy. "Father Was Presi- dent." slated to open late.September appearVr^es i^;legil'^heiitres "ourof , ^ Weslwood-Phoenix theatre un- i through- concert bureaus. Most of i will . be second of a series'of five j the dance organizations are now in ; rehearsal but the Ballet Theatre is I !in London, having attracted alien- | lion this summer at Covent Garden. ; i Lucia Chase, the most consistent j backer of Ballet,. Theatre, told "friends that she expended $2.2.10.000,, on it during the past nine years. i ! der .sponsorship of Paramount. Play {stage productions on the 1946 pro- gram. First of the five is Ferenc Mol- ' nar's "The Good Fairy," opening : Aug. 8 for four weeks.. Third will be. S. N. Behrman's "Dunnigan's Daughter," followed by George WalKs to Open Legiter • Hollywood, July 30. Michael Robinson play. "Most Likcy to Succeed." will be staged on Broadway thi.s fall by Hal Wal- lis before'he sends it into film pro- duction. ; Meanwhile Leonard Spiegelglass ; is writing the screenplay, with Bar- ; bara Stanwyck slated as lemmc istar. Bernard Shaw's "Arms and the Man" and a fifth still in the writing process. KAZAN'S B'WAY CHORE. Hollywood, July 30. Elia Kazan will produce and di- rect a musical on the Broadway stage following completion of his current chore as pilot of "Sea of Gws" at. Metro. Understood Kazan will divide his future activities between films and legit.