Variety (Sep 1946)

52 i.i:caTiMi%TE WtMliiesday, St'|>leiii1»er 18, 1946 Plays Out of Town odt-stono lor aspii'ins t lospuuis. is 11 intlu-olliii!; sppctacle.' lra<lo- Ulv tntont and luniinm) PhiJadclphia, Sc pt. 13. I'.. minliam. fostiiiiif! i'riltf; L'Uofi'OBriiptl «1 iitlW ilj Miss THitllianl. Drt'lip"! illli.'IIHIV. ; .sm'.< KiltlwrInC; [[■{liiliiB l>.v ,T"hn Tl«' Vimun I- :tpji. , , PhiUy's fifst ,legit pi'eem of the new (.194(5-47) season is "Bal Negre," whirl! bowed ill at the Shubert to- nii{h'. after a day's postponement due to the truclting strike in N. ,Y.,.whiCh prevented costumes and scenery ar- riving here in time. "Bal Negre" is, o£ course, not straight lot'it, but definitely special- ized entertainment, and many ot those who saw Katherine Dunliam in "Tropical Revue" (which played two engagements here a couple of sea- sons ago) will probably be surprised to note that "Bal Negre" is much more closely akin to ballet, than it js to straight theatre or (as in the case oE ''Tropical Revue") pure vaude- ville. It looks like a click. Locally, three of the regular legit ci-ix covered the Shubert opening, while' remaining first-flight sheet turned it over to dance specialist. On the Whole notices were close to ra\'c variety, and even in present slightly rough state, "Bal Negre" rnn- presscs as superior to "Tropical Re- vue," and certainly far ahead o£ the ill-fated"Carib Song." IWost pretentious new item is, a three-scene dance drama (compris-1 ing whole of Act II) called "L'Ag'ya," | set in last-centiiry Martinique, and verv heavy on the zombie-horror atr mosphere. Miss Dunham shines ta excellent advantage in it and Wil- bert Bradley and Leland Morris gave stirring contributory performances. Although longi number is impressive and properly weird and supernatural in atmosphere. Last act contains mosf of the sliow's strictly modern notes, all of which are grouped under heading of a num- ber ^called "Nostalgia," which, with the Sans Souci Singers (mixed sep- tet), recalls such oldies as "Under the Bamboo Tree," "Alexander's Ragtime Band" and "Everybody's Doing It." The star has her share in these pro- ceedings and gets nice assistance from Floyd Smith. "Brad" Cowans and Lucille Ellis. Part of show which can stand most revision and sharpening—although even this is not too much off the beam right now—is Act I. Best item here is the Haitian roadside num.ber, with Jo Mielziner's settings borrowed from "Carib Song." This, with Miss Dunham appearing to good advan- tage, is light in vein and brings in a donkey for comedy purposes. Some of the earlier first act numbers, how- ever, seem to drag a little. Gilberto Valdez, the conductor, ar- ranged most of the tunes which, for the most part, are old folk songs and variations of 19th century" (or older) themes from the Caribbean islands, and Central and South America. Although it may be that a couple of the crix waxed a little too lyrical about show after opening, "Bal Negre" seems to have what it takes, although it always must be figured as a strictly specialized offering that can't be measured by ordinary crit ical yardsticks. One thing in its fa- vor at the b.o. is, of course, the em phasis on sex thaVis always associ ated with the Dunham revues. Waters. , ..it WW [■'I'lini',!,!....- ! Illlhorl ; Ot'.n.slJi.;t'i ((in,)>i-l.. li'Vinii .■ .. .lot' \'iiH'lli Aunii'. l'i'i;s! M:itil(l!i 'r<»iii|ioi'sir.v Niniih Wilmington, Del., Sept. K! ,, ill-y lii'iiVlluHiiiir (Uii-Uiii'il Kni- ■Sristinfi MhO-.ili'ri.ruro Ci'le.. smi's i/H^i-rmoi*: lUiiwica t>u >;■ ■■ ii'iifii iiiiil ■, liKliii'il liy )»'".■>>« (i(j,>i)i'ji Jt,l snu. t:\-\i. '4U iriv iih. 'riitimius villi' t^itilvt's.. KI: I n I !> 1.111 .s 11 n I i .".i u \ KLir .. , . . Mr.^. 'rttvvitijt i(tl.;. I. Miss Fiitili „;'l'ilfii.r,il,S.i Mr. T'Mitriliui,!!.'. yiv. i't iirtlJMiil.... . >lt'«i Jlf-iiilni:,u-ii.v- . )iliki>. Sl>!i,fr«.:.^.i,-i.-. ■Ciiii tftini .■ !,' - •'■ . •• •' IsUivhirtkSi'. WilniillB- '; $'i4o top. ..., Ai-ilim- SK'Kol ..SiUiu iiMinciotH ,.. l''iliiiii Moi'lniift .jo.v ISollVii .........lii.v Allii'i I'anI Martin: i,'ii i\rine l.i!trrilB*«t' ;Mowayi) .li'lin ...,.. .Viii'Wn Aitor ■: ..; fii'H I-iuiiflilln .SlUU'pnt, M<'K,ciin .... V. . StVn.va y^iri' ..... .;l Jpnr^?e rini? ..\riluii* Wt'hvoihtr, ,.;.. l.ois TltiUnn ..iHliiii-ii ItlU'ht'll liv lici'seK I-.. . .. B.v liii'm'li lodos a I mafUcd by hi^.. —. , ^. , , ,. , . charm, li'errer'a delineation ot llu- c'X'ictiiig role shoiiUl catapult, hini furthir into tho' front ranks. Frances . Reid''^ vii '.'ina! Uoxiini' i.f appro- priately pictorial and, beauteous, i Paulu Lauienco lends some slrikin,s; .\ ■ revealing overtone.^ lo the sliw roio, i of tho t)U(-nna. and KCncst-Graves us i properly stilted as 'tlie obtuse Chns- ''Terrer'a own produolion, .sta.ned by Melchior Ferrer,' with settings and costumes by,: Uemuel,,,'Ayers, ^addi- ' tioiirl historical research by Alfred Stem and incidental music by . Pant Bowles, are all touched With .some. thin,c! o£ incandescence. ^i,,.,,,,, Holly- it up, Drama Critics ; Continued from pase 1 ; At the premiere .'The Temporary Mrs. Smith" dispensed a,fair share of laughs but, regardless of the usual oponinsj-night obstatiles, it: failSj. to impress as a Broadway entry. One reason, is a slow, draggy first act. The plot, what'there is of it. doosnt start perking until the, second act. Likewise, the authors saved, their best dialog for'the.' second, stanza. Both act.s, however, need plenty of attention. . Frtincine Larrimore. in the title role, has the support of two expert comedians in Mischa Auer and Mil- lard Mitchell. This trio is responsible for the play's brighter moments. The play deals with Natasha Smith, down to her last $3, who is unable to get an acting or singing job ;and has troubles landing husband No. 5. the Smith l-ibusehold includes Peggy, the teen-age daughter; a Russian aunt, several assorted- ex-husbands; a genius who is composing a sym- phony on. the Smith piano, and a number of more or less wacky char- acters dragged in for laughs. The heroine sets her cap for a stutl'v millionaire dog-fancier but complications arise in the persons of the ex-husbands. Mrs. Smith be- comes a dog fancier, too. but when she falls to tend the millionaire she trades the dog for an oriental bird, and starts in pursuit ot another mil- lionaire who collects birds. As the ex-husbands, Auer and Mitchell generate the lion's share of the chuckles. Auer is a former flag pole sitter, Mitchell a wise-cracking pres.s agent. Miss Larrimore's role makes no strong histrionic demands but the star is vivacious and knows how to handle comedy lines. Howard St. .loh-.i is properly stuffy ss the doglover. The romantic ipterest is provided by Joy Geilen. as the daughter, and Paul Marlin, the latter turning out to be rich, thus helping to solve some of the Smith family problems. Joyce Allan draws laughs as an obnoxious teen-ager. Fania MarinoflE plays the aunt, and good bits are offered by Loi.s- Bolion, Arthur .Siogel and Sil- vio Minciotti. Billy Gilbert, Hollywood comic, di- rected, and while he keeps his actors on the move the play's pace never rises above a pedestrian gait. Gil- bert uses a variety of vaudeville tricks, including a dog parade, to hold audience attention. Donald Oenslager's living room setting is attractive, and he aiso is credited with the excellent lii^hting eftects. Klep. Vera Eikel and marks the program for WOR under prpgram chief. first : top its new Rod Erickson. Format of the show calls for four participants who'll argue the pros and cons of a (;urrent legit attrae-- tion, plus a moderator. On one, side in the verbal slugfest will be two representatives of the show in ques- tion, probably the playwright and the producer or one of the stars. On the other side ol the fence will be two critics. Critics will be chosen not only from the daily first-stringers but from the trades and magazines. Oc- casionally, an average theatregoer i will also be invited to the broadcast to turn critic ahd air his theatrical point of vieWv Virtually all of the major reviewers have indicated a willingness Ot take part in the broad- casts. :■ ■ Since critics have to cover first nights and the program will occupy an evening spot, Erickson will get around that problem by recording each session at a convenient after- noon period. A studio audience will be used, and the show will origi- nate at the^OR, West 52nd street playhouse, which used to be the Guild theatre. Series will debut early in October, with ."The Ice Man Cometh" likely as the first show to be discus-sed. Moderator assignment has not been set yet, with Walter Pritchard Ea- ton and Eugene O'Neill, Jr., cur- rently the strongest contenders for Inside Stuff-^Legit Mike Todd out himself large hunks of publleity on the Coast paiiding "Up in Central Park" and presenting ii in the mammoth wood Bowl. Four metropolitan dailies in Lo.s Angeles whooped participating in the gross, which goes to their charity funds. Slice go- ing to the funds is variously reported at from.10'',. to 25%, and the paper.5 are reliably reported being guaranteed a minimum of $25,000, as against (lie percentage. That, plus the Bowl's IZVi'",), nvakes it necessary for • Park," ill its curiously revised form, to draw big attendance if the 22- nighl date Ls4o pan out. "Park" isn't the first legiter to be staged in the 22,()O0-.seat Bowl. About 12 years ago Max Reinhardt put on "Midsiimmer Night'.s Dream," with the ensemble coming down the hills, which made it more ot a sight'show than Shakespeare. About four years , ago . "Ro.se Marie" was also staged there, a feature having Royal Canadian Molinties coming down the hills on their nags onto the huge platform stage. It grossed $52,000 in its sole week and cost $64,000. Todd took time out from the Delmar track, where he is directional head, ' to handle the "Park" .showing in the Bowl, He's quartered at the Uni- ' versal tot but shooting on Edna Ferber's "Great Son" is not slated to begin ■ tor months, and Todd is due in New 'York .soon to ready "Curiosity" and i "Galileo," both dramas, and he's also scheduled "Autumn Song," a ; imisical on Tschaikowslcy that was done on the. Coast last year under the i title of "Song Without Words." ■ In addition to theatre and film activities Todd aims to invade the sports ; field in addition to handling the Delmar plant. Vincent X, Flaherty, iiports ; I expert of the L. A. Examiner, devoted two columns to Todd's expecta- tions, understood the showman is forming a syndicate to promote big league baseball teams in Hollywood and San Francisco, transportation by planes to make it feasible. In closing "The Magnificent Heel" after trying out, Brock Pehibertoil said that the show was virtually two plays, but that wasn't apparent in script form. It is both melodramatic and comic but the two elements are not properly fused, nor is it certain that such an objective can be: accomplished. However, Constance O'Hara, who authored "Heel," has already started to work on revisions. : " From one angle the tryout was successful to Pemberton because it brought back to him confidence in his directional ability. For years that department was entirely handled by the late A«toinette Perry. "Barnahy. and Mr. O'Malley" was also withdrawn, making two tryout closings early in the. .season.'.' Earl Carroll will give all hiis theatre press books to the N. Y. Public Library at the request.of George Freedley, in charge of the theatre di- vision. Original scripts of the songs written by the showman will also go to the library. Carroll doesn't recall the exact number of ditties he wrote but thinks that "at least three" were hit numbers. ■ To celebrate another birthday, Carroll gave a party at his Beverly Hills home Monday (16), as he did last year, when 200 were invited and another 200 crashed. There were cops on hand this time to keep phoney free-' loaders off the lot. While east recently Carroll engaged :Kaven Malone, a beauty-contest winner who went on the stage instead Of entering the Atlantic City "Miiss America" contest, for his Hollywood theatre restaurant. Edwin Lester brought the "Gypsy Lady" to New York from San Fran- cisco last week in a special all'PuUman train, same accommodations he provided for "Bloomer Girl" when that musical went to the Coast early in the summer. There were preview performances of "Lady" Saturday (14) and Monday, on the eve of the premiere last night (17), at the Cen- tury, N. Y. Clarence Derwent was with the company. Equity prez having gone to the spot. Possibility exists though | the Coast for two weeks ot rehearsal there. Understood it is. his first that the chairman spot on, the show may be rotated among three difl'er- i ent moderators.! ' It's expected that when there is more than one opening in a week, the producers of the series will pick the show which i.s generally rated as the most important. On weeks when there is no opening, the par- ticipants will kick around some general topic or'lheaTfi'caT "Contro- versy. This i.s believed to be the first appearance in a musical. John Chapman, N. Y. Daily News drama critic, is due to get two cita- tions, one from the Treasurers Club and another from the ticket sellers' union. Boxofltce people are seeking a pay increase and in last Friday's edition, Chapmajn highly lauded them, giving reasons why treasurers and assistants should get all they ask for. JULES PFEIFFERpr*s*nfs IN tut BELASCO THEATRE NEW YORK CITY NOW m ITS 70TH SMASH WEEK.' Cvrano «i<>« Hergerac 1 ■ (FOILOWUP) Buffalo, Sept. 12. For brilliant performances and an I upsweepinsi production of this monu- ' mental drama, Jose Ferrer and his associates, have' presented a superlar- tive piesentation of Rostand's actors' muscumpicce. Written nearly 50 years ago, partly as a display for the talents of the elder Coquelin and Sfirah Bernhardt, it remains one of the most magnificent love stories in all literature, pulsating with all of the epic grandeur of the great clas- sic tradition of the. theatre. Essenti- ally Gallic in its dramatic rodomon- tade, it has more temporary appro priateness and appeal in its glorifica tion of the inviolability of the free, unfettered spirit of the common man Ferrer's sentient and luminous pro- ieetion of the flor.y Gascon, long a Willie Schneider, who was in advance of "Life With Father" when his legs were crushed..in ..an elevator, accident in Oklahoma City about six years ago, is now out of a wheelchair and expects to be back on the job within a year. Schneider, who lives in Tacoma, Wash., pever collected , . , . , ,, . . damages. Hotel people claimed he was a cufTo guest—something that,has *™? a theatrical series of this type ] j,^^^ managers for quite some time. With big time budget east and am-I ° ° bi«o"s f ormat has been a ttempted.', " q^^^ ^j^^ weekend producer Brock Pemberton's office was ransacked. ~^ '■. ... ■ '. Nothing of real value was taken. Burglars probably wore gloves; tio Omaha Incensed Further fingerprints were detected. 'Omaha, Sept. 17. I —^ ■ —. , . ■ , , . — — A grumbling legitimate clientele was incensed further during the week when announcement was made that "The Glass Menagerie," set to open the roadshow season at the Omaha theatre, had cancelled. A Tristates Theatres Corp. spokes- man said it was because the show was too heavyi , EntePtainment tor tiniertaitU'rft TUn ZITTKI. PKESHNT.S MUSIC al MWmTE at TOWN John Jacob NILES Richard DYER-BENNET . . . GOLDEN GATE QUARTET . . Josef MARAIS & MIRANDA . ELIE SIEGMEISTER'S AMERICAN BALLAD SINGERS. Make This After Your Show—All Concerts Begin aMl:30 P.M. TICKETS $1.^0 to $$.60—Scries Tickets $15, $1,!..';0, $10, $7.50, $6 Including Tax—At TOtVN IIAIJj B»x OBice or TKD ZITTEL, Itoom mO, 15 East.40(h ii^lreet, NpW; Xoik ,16,, N^.X. EVE. SAT. EVE. SAT. EVE. SAT. EVE. SAT. EVE. HALL OCT. 5 OCT. 19 NOV. 2 NOV. 16 NOV. 30 Northwestern football games the company up as one of heaviest spenders to date in television picture. Under the sets the the pro- Field, Ford's Tel. Continued from pfii;e 1 according to video industry officials. Latter are now looking for an unin- terrupted progress of commercial television across the country within the next few years. Field's 65G IMiinfte . Field has signed to spon.sor the McNeill show, on a 26-week contract, with a cash outlay of more than $65,- 000, believed to involve the most coin to date for a video series. Move is an entirely new one for McNeill, Whose "Breakfast; Club"; is one of radio's top daytime shows on ABC. Pact was negotiated for Field by Foote, Cone & Belding. McNeill and Sarri Cowling, "Break- fast" comic, are the only two per- formers from that show to be included in the Field layout, with' F.C.&B. expected to supply the other talent. Format ha.sn!t been com- pletely set yet but it'll be a variety show, with JVIcNeill describing Field fashions on inodels..:Kickoft, slated to start next Wednesday (25) in the 8-8:30 p.m. slot, will be from WBKB studios, but sut)sequent shows are expected to be telecast from spots like the .Ambassador Hotel's Pump Room." 1. r i . / I ■ 1 . , Ford's decision to sponsor the gressive advertising policies insti- tuted by Henry Ford II, new chief exec of the company, Ford has also signed to sponsor all sports and special events from Madison Sq. Garden, N. Y., this fall and winter over WCBW (CBS, N. Y.), with the exception of Mike Jacob.?' boxing matches, which are carried by WNBT (NBC, N. Y.) under sponsorship of Gillette Safety Razor. In addition. Ford will also bankroll WCBW tele- casts of all Columbia University I home football games, as well as ail N. Y. games of the recently-formed I All-American Football' Conference, i Latter are telecast by WABD (DU- Pont, N. Y,). ■ '^ r'v ■ Telecasts of the Wildcat games are slated to tee off with the Iowa Slate tilt on Sept. 28. Bill Morris of the J. Walter Thompson agency, which handles the Ford account, is due to gp to Chi to handle the games in cooperation with WBKB director Bill Eddy. Announcer Joe Wilsoh will handle the play'by-plays. Chi station will use' two RCA Image Orthicons for the gamesy thereby assuring the best possible pictures. Pickup will come in from Dyche Stadium in Evanston, 111., in a single-.iump relay to WBKB's transmitter in the Chicago loop, making it one of the longe.st .single television jumps in history. Distance exceeds that for which the station used the double relay system in covering the recent Tarn O'Shanter golf tourney, ; . ' KCA's Video Farade New line of RCA receivers . is slated to be unwrapped at a special demonstration in N. Y. today (Wed- nesday) for RCA distributors. Dem- onstration for the press had origi- nally been skedded for yesterday (Tuesday) but was called off by RCA execs under the belief that they'd rather have their distribs get all the information first-hand from management. In line with this, the company toppers deislined to give out any in-i formation On the sets. It's been learned, however, that the new re- ceivers will comprise two small- screen table models, and a large- screen sized console, plus another pro.iection-type console throwing an image the size of a standard news- paper sheet. 'BARNABY' PIXIES DO THEIR BALTO. WORST Baltimore; Sept. 17. Legit season got off to a terrible start here last Week, with the James Proctor and Barney Josephson pro- duction of "Barnaby and Mr. O'Malley" giving Ford's one of tlie most inept openings in house his- tory. Extra*heavy production ovei - loaded with numerous light cues ana scene changes was a dog fight trom curtain to curtain, with subsequent performances postponed .J"''-, lone showing Saturday (14). Hou.se was guaranteied for .entire week o" minute takings for two s'howsplayeo added only to production cost smn to have reached $100,000 with fold- ing ordered at windup here an added headache. Town is dark currently, a Sooj idea to clear the atmosphere for j ;*^ advent ■ of • '"The Temporary JMi* Smith" due Mon. (23), -