Variety (Nov 1946)

S8 LEGITIMATB Wednesday, NovcmLer 6, 1946 Scene-Painters Walk Out in N. Y.; Strike Brings Delay to Dozen Shows Scene-painters walked out ill New York on Friday (1) in a dispute rver pay increases . fpotti the scenic ■ oon- tractbrs, and that part of productipa of a dozen new shows came to a halt, :If the strike continues other unions will be involved, including that of the actors tEquity), and it's possible, that pi-oducers will be.'forced. ,to . cancer hookjngs. To dale the strike is not seripus, . because the- paihters don't: work on Saturdays, nor on Election Day. so that only two full days in the slwps have: been lost; so far. However, there is no indication when the 300 painters will return, to the shops. On Friday the union officers, met the, contractors, in a day- ,lohg: sessi'o.h,, but: the, result.'Was. ap- .; parently . negative. A m,anSigerial representative was, ., present, and ■ siijce , .the prodijCers' will, ultimately 'pay the expected increase, he par- ticipated in the discussion. Monday H) the factions, reported back to their .I'espective memberships and negotiations m^y be resumed today (Wed.), Arthur Segal, head of the Studio Alliance, which includes scenic contractors; Rudy' Karnolt, business agent of the Unionj and ■ James F- 'teilly, for the managers, ..■ were in the unsuccessful huddle. . There are 20 contractors involved, and it's contgnded that overtime pay , ■ is excessive,: Which seems to , be the issue that stymied the huddle. , Negro Players = Continued from page ,ST 5 University found it.solf picketed for following the, to.w.n's policy-of re- fusing to admit Negroes.,; : : Opening "ight picketing ot whites proved embarrassing for tlie bow of "Joan." Miss Bergman ,,and several .members of: the Playrighta Co.,'the show's producer, protested the pol- icy without, however, being able to change it in any way. In Washing- ton whites and colored do not even frequent the same picture houses, ,: Folio wing: si: couple of days 6i picketingj several Negroes- with tickets made , attempts to go into the "Joan',' performances, .being: re- fused at the door in each instance. Angus Duncan Succeeda. Greaza as Dullzell Aide Angus Duncan has been installed as assistant to :Paul Dullzell, execu- tive secretary of Equity. He sup- plants Walter Ni Greaza, who re- signed some weeks ago but re- mained oh the job while Dullzell was attending the American Federa- tion of Labor, cotivention in Chicago. Greaza did not withdraw until Fri- day (1). Greaza rerriains on the council, an elective position. He will be in "Drums of Peace," due into rehear- sal'around the holidays;. Because of radio and stjige appearances Greaza could not devote full time to the Equity post. ATAM, Mgrs. Nearer Pact Dispute between Broadway show- men and the Assn. of Theatrical Agents and Managers, which was started after agreement had been reached, may be amicably settled af- ter all. The factions renewed hudr dies at the request of mediator Anna Rosenberg. . Understood that • Lee Shubert inoderaled his stand on: a press agent provision, and: so paved the way for resumption of negotia- tions. Mrs. Rosenberg, as mediator on revisions of the basic agreement, which provides for salary increases, was believed to have completed her assignment when the new argument suddenly arose. Union demanded arbitration of the wage issue and excluded all other points. As ATAM and the producers have are again in agreement, it is: assumed that the "new blood" provision, which the union refused to arbitrate, will be reinserted^ in the pact. That was one stipulation the producers insisted upon when the pay boosts were granted'but was shunted aside when the row resumed. Sherwood's Letter Robert E Sherwood of the Play- wrights Co., which presents "Joan," wrote a letter to the N. Y. Times again protesting the Negro ban at the capital. Anent the Jim Crow restrictions: there, he quoted a friend saying: "They are: relics of the time: when: 'VV'aShihgton was con- sidered, a sleepy old Southern town . . . theatre-owners' haven't been in- formed it has become a great, cos- rnopolitah capital." He said, that a proportionate number of "Joan" tickets had been sold to Negroes, al- though the Lisner management "must conform to the general prac- tice in Washington" and refuse them : admission. He concluded with: "I believe that it is the duty of all us who work in the American theatre—actors, playwrights, pro- ducers—to protest. against this in- tolerable situation by agreeing to keep our productions out of Wash- ington until the ban against Negroes is abolished." Alfred Harding, sent to Washing- ton by Equity to survey the situa- tion, said the owners and managers of theatres are unwilling to lift the ban until' comniunity sentiment changed. He posed the question .that if actors refuse to play theatres that exclude Negroes from the audi- ence, what would be the effect on players? He also asked that if thea- tres closed instead of changing, their policy, would it serve the purpose of benefiting Negroes? Library Theatre Maps Extensive Plans for Season Plays Abroad The I^'iglil anil Laugliii^r London, Oct. 18; KiMii* T^itiler i)rotlu('i.ion;of r^^vtie tn.ltwo acta <18 Rfi'nRs): dfVlHetl fantl staged by itolmrt ' N>3hUt \ in ftssoointlon ' A^ith: Joan DjivIh* creiittij" of [.tituicea fi.n<l eae-ml)h'a, Mini's ,Bud l-'IanaKlvn, Three Siitlors, iSfanoy, ilrowii; fi>a tUrps Beryi Kaye; Ahtly MoFar- Uint",. ]''riin('ps MarHtien. Angi^la Glynnf, KfunPtli Uirvell. Hoy' MitrlielU. Diana KU HnKi'i-, Jack BucUland. Ceotfrpyv Staitin, Aiiih-t'y I.ynaon,' lUUy McXicholI, Music mur lyi'ics hy .-Dlolc Hurran, ' Pliil . PiirU, JacHib ('aide, Fritz Itothn, Harold Purfell, Van Plullips, .Micliai^l t'arr, Jawtiti Mat> (hewa. UVi'iy HhaniT, Joe . liuliln. Kdtlio I*inbmin, Jrvinff Horlin, llnrolU Labo. At llie Coliaouui. i'Ondon;' Oct. IT, '-JO. DE TOTH B'WAY BOUND TO PRODUCE'SAMPLER' Hollywood, Nov. 5. Andre de Toth, currently directing "The Other Love" for Enterprise, will leave for Broadway on comple- tion of that picture tq, make his bow as a legit producer „on Broadway with "American Sampler," authored hy Robert Joseph. His wife, yerphica Lake, may star in' it. Play is a fantasy dealing with a colonial scribe who returns to mod- ern: New; England with a campaign of reform. 'PICK-UP GIRU SET FOR ITALY NEXT YEAR London, Oct. 29. Dr. Remigio Paone, leading ther atre impresario in Milano, was taken ill on his arrival here recently and was confined to his bed at the Savoy hotel for four weeks with double pneumonia. Despite his illness, he concluded a deal with Geraldo and band to tour Italy in February. Also booked John Barbirolli to conduct Sym- phony Orchestra in Italy early next year, and acquired Italian rights to Elsa Shelley's big American hit "PickUp^Girl," which will be done in Italian with native cast in spring. Markert Sets Plans For Broadway Revue Jerry Brainin and Buddy ''Ber- nier have been signed to do the mu- sic and lyrics for "Confetti," revue which Bussell Markert, stagefc of Radio City Music Hall stage shows, plans to produce. Paul Roberts will direct the sketches, with Markert himself doing the choreography. Markert is forming a limited part- nership for the show Shd plans to announce rehearsal dates within the next three weeks, as soon as all the production money is in. Sketches have been written by Sam Locke, ■ David Greggory, Leonard Stern, Marty Ragaway, Mervyn Nelson and others. No cast has yet been set tiut Mar- kert is currently dickering for the leads with Sue Ryan, Nelson,, Eliza- beth Talbot-Martin, Harrison and' Fisher and Bil and Cora.Baird. * Laurence Olivier Forms Own Production Firm London, Oct. 29. Laurence Olivier has formed new production company, Laurence Oli- vier Productions, Ltd., with direc- tors besides Olivier including Percy D. Krolik, Anthony Bushell, actor; and Cecil G. /Tennant, who is man- aging director. ' Cornpany will produce plays, both English and American, with first one already in rehearsal. It's Max Gordon's Broadway hit, "Born Yes- terday," starring Hartley Power: and Judy HoUiday, gal who took Jean Artlmr's part in Broadway opening, du to lafter's illness. Miss Holliday is due here early next week. The Equity Library Theatre has set up plans for the new season tliat will broaden its aetivities extensive- ly in the New York legit picture. Expansion plans include branch- iilg out from gratis performances in libraries to paid performances in school auditoriums and elsewhere, tp put the ELT on. a sustaining: if not on a paying basis; inclusion of well known Broadway directors in its workings; assistance to libraries in other cities- in setting up similar play production, etc. Tagged as world's biggest rep com- pany on basis of the 88 plays it has produced the past three seasons, ELT has been budgeted for 40 plays this season and likely will do sev- real more. Organization consists mainly of young talent putting on: their own shows in simplified style under Equity approval. - This year, since Sept. 1, ELT has registered over 1,000 new applicants for roles in plays. Half of them ai'e Equityites other half from, pther entertainment unions,' or non-union. This is in ad dition to ELT*s regular files of over 2,300 (1,500 Equityites; 800 tion) Prominent N. Y. legit directors will take part in ELT activities this season for the first time. Guthrie McClintic, Gilbert Miller, Artliur Hopkins; Elliott Nugent- and others have expressed willingness to John Golden (ELT's godfather) to guest as directors on ELT plays when their schedules permit. Day Tuttle will direct ELT's second production this fall, "Our Town." Golden, who has been supporting ELT since its founding, paying for the production of plays and for an exec secretary will also pay for custodian at the Hudson Park Li- brary branch, which will be ELT's main theatre. ELT will be actively run, as before, by Sam Jaffe. operate ing from offices atop Actors Equity building, and by George Freedley, representing the N. Y. libraries, where the productions have been staged. ELT is now negotiating with the N. Y. Board of Education to set up its repertory in high school and similar auditoriums, at a nominal admission (stich as a $1 top), where- by actors can ,be paid Equity mini- muins and other union requirements met. Thought is being given to pos- sibility of performances before civic clubs, unions, etc. Although ELT permits its talent to pick their own shows to produce,, giving them free rein as well in the matter of casting, light, set and cos- tume making, etc., this year for the first time ,it has set up a suggested GUrriculuhi. Suggested plays include several from the Greek, medieval dramas, Moliere, Shakespeare, Beau« marchais; Hugo, Ibsen, Hauptmanii, Chekhov, Gorki, Shaw and others. Firsit production, opening Nov. 18 at the Hudson Park branch, will be "Rosmersholm," with Wendell Phil- lip.s-'directing and playing lead. Sec- ond will be "Our "Town," under Day Tuttle, and third "L'Aiglon," with William Ross dire^jting. Libraries in Washington and Los Angeles, among others, have been making inquiries of ELT on -setting Emile Littler has put plenty of coin into this production, perhaps I'ecord budget for a recent London riiusical, and. iii spectacle, cosstiime, decor, dazzle, girls and all-round op-, tical appeal it's a smash. What it lacks is good solid comedy, with star, personalities to match its visual artistry. .«: The only big star is Bud Flanagan, returning minus liis one-time partnei*, Gtiesney Allen, and both he. and the audie'hee feel the draught; He is well' servbd by a trio, of stooges, starts as s, stream-lined comic in white coat and dress pants, can't: live up to it, and end.s up as the junk man among the old clothes and moth balls. That w as he's best liked an<3 is the best thing in, his repertoire, an ambitious harlectuihacfe scene,,' and a cokery burlesque failing to measure up to his taleiits. , Idea, seems to have been to modernize the comic in keeping with ciirrent,;traditions, but it .dOeS, not jell. He has been given poor, material. Show . opens in .characteristic :splehdor with a fine Latin Quarter scene; Nancy Brown carrying the vocal honors as a Bohemian girl, and Beryl Kaye :Can-Can cavorting through a cafe number. This young dancer, seen in "Night and ,the.Mu- sic," adds to, her reputation, in this show "J. Strauss" so people will think he's Pop or brother Johann. By tlie time the traveler gets back from the steppes to reawak&n thfe gal's love: and a low comedy Russian cossack ' appears in search of the Strauss who seduced his daughter it would take: Phllo Vance to: ^nl^ayel what'.s going oh. But book suffices to provide situ- ations for a batch of love songs, in- cluding one typically Strauss waltz,' "First: Love," and'a couple of ralhdr - ineptly staged ballets. Two of the finales, are smash- song and dance numbers, however,,'With,' the audi- ence spontanp,o,vsly tapjaijig,, out the tempos. ■Despite "Strauss Boys" faults as seen here, the basic idea and the soOre could be worked (with addi- tion of new numbers to vary the three-quarter, time) into something, acceptable to those who still find themsplycs swa.ying when: tlie band plays Straus.^. Even the unconscion- ably long and complicated book could be cooked over into somethiivg: no worse tlian the: books of :smasher6os like "Merry Widow" and. "Eledor- ■ maus.", Soiiie ol the music in 'iStrauss Bo.ys" has a chance (o live as long as .tunes, from these shows,. : That ought to be ehou.g'h, ■ , Isra;,. Au'iiy From li All London, Oct. 23. Envoy, 'Prpilut'iions .tivospntfiUbn:.iii" iimv play, in two iictH ii.v VaV O.iolKttd., nirecdHl by the' fiuthyr. ,upU ;An,thohy , IIawti'e,\ tlie Kmbns'sy thi'alre.'iypndon. Oct. 21'. .Tohnny Quayrp. ,'....., .sHlrloy Marsh. .■;.'... IIUBO nastln...,,.;. Dnnli'I Dotane....... li^dith i^astin...'..",,. SMoi'an Bfi'ni.Kiuiii.... n e i II rich :Mal:l.Ka ri... (ilni'ia Seltt'yn....'..-. Sou......;.. ..... ... V .: .Raliiti rioclolto,' M .I'lHi'r ('riif,t ... .Ui'siila HowpUs . . .Ravilibml Tjivi'H Obarlos PiUTiMl . , . ...\x\vo I.aiubaio .l-'l-pilc-rirk SpliiUcv, ,,. .Sti^phPii .'laflf .TIannah W.-xlt An interesting, if at timesmeahder- ing, play by radio drama producer Val Gielgud. Would have better She has marked grace and j scope as a film, after some of the po- personality The , Throe Sailors stage an early hit in, "Anchors Aweigh" and bad the house rolling. This was the real music-hall , stuff, generally absent frOm' the rnassive artisitry of the: show. Frances Marsden follows with some sprightly song and dance routines, notably in "Where Would We Be Without Music" and "Per- sonality Parade." "Clown Caval-' qade." magnificently staged and trac- ing the : history of clowning, shows that London has little to learn in the art of glamor and spectacle. Highlight Of the second half 'is a religious ballet. The Holy City, in whicl'i ancient and modern feuds are exhibited in daring conflict, and liero again Nancy Brown scores with her singing and Beryl,Kaye stops the show with the audacity of her ballet wi)i'k. The real triumph of the produc- tion is the direction of Robert Nes- bitt, who many times shows skill in elaborate stagecraft, brilliant light- ing and handling of crowd scenes. His ingenuity , in making full use of the Coliseum's revolving stages de- .sor'Ves high praise, and most of the show's credit must go to him. He emerges top stager of spectacular revues in London.- Production had a cordial if not a blazing reception, and looks set for a run df at least a year. Previous .show, "The Night and the Music," grossed about $2,000,000. Ebct. litical discussion is 'W'atered down. I On a mission from Washington, a yOung couple ii'i the RAF make a forced landing on an uncharted is- land in the Pacific. They find a Itix- • urious house and evidence that it belongs to a famous British film actor in Hollywood whose: plahe; with a - party of friends, .vanished ■ seven,: years previously. ' : ■ When their host appears he breaks it to them, with suave urbanity that they must; remain. his. permanent guests as there is no contact with the outside world nor any means of es- cape. Knowing his own .star was waning and sensing the imminence of world war, he had planned tliis retreat, with a chosen few, to get away from it all. Preferring to re- ■ (Continued on page 60) Show opens out of town lor fpur yp gi^iia^ play production in their weeks' and then comes here. British 5tar for Minerva Sydney, Oct. 22. Megs Jenkins is coming here un- der contract to Whitehall Produc- tions to play in Emlyn 'William's "Wind of Heaven" at the Minerva. She played the original role in London with the author. cities. ELT is also priding itself on number of its actors and directors .who have been picked up by Broad- way, outstanding examples being Mary James, who played opposite Walter Huston in "Apple of His Eye" last .season, and whom Jed Harris saw in ELT's "Maedchen in Uniform," and Margaret Phillips, of "The Late George Aploy," who got Tim Strauss Ito.ys Vienna, Oct. 21. OporeUa In three acts (11 acenes) by Hu- bert llarischka and Rudolf Weys; music by Johann and .Tosef Straus.';. noathumouHly discovered Strauss music revised by Oscar Stalla: staged by Hubert Marischka: dances by .Rudi Franr.I; settinRa, Rudolph Frels- muth; costutnes. by Lambert HoCer. At Uaimundtheatre, Vienna-. With Fritz Imhbrt. Mizzl OuntUct. Elfl KoniK. Richard '^"aldi'mar, Aiexa'ndet;. rfchler. Wolfpfang: ,I)ausch.a. Tony Niesner. If and when there's a public for Strauss music there's a lot of gold in the musical frameworic of "The Strauss Boys." It's rich with waltzes less known than "Blue Danube" and "Vienna Woods" but just as singable.' Producers state much of the music is new even to Vienna stages, having been dug out : from unpublished Strauss works. This has been woven together with a few familijar waltzes to background a pointless and con- fused book about the adventures and rivalries of the musical Strauss sons, Johann, Josef and Eduard. It's, hung with heavy but enjoyable Vietinese humor, mostly stemming from -wet- eran Fritz'Imhoflt in the role 6f a jolly janitor. Played mostly in thick Viennese dialect, it drew the biggest ovation of any postwar presentation here, probably as rhuch for the fact that the producers took the trouble to get fresh sets and lavish costumes,: plenty of experienced people and all the trimmings of prewar operetta long absent. Most of the musicals on view here look dingy. "Strauss Boys" book starts with sort of fun-loving Rover boys com- petition between the young Strausses; Love affairs of their two sisters also takes up time (ran four hours open- ing night). Young Johann is Invited to conduct in St. Petei'isburg and breaks up his engagement to do so. Bereft fiancee is soon going steady ' i I I: H: t r., ( : I her chance because of her work in with brother Josef whose greatest ELT's "Hf WJio,GSits j^|ipRed,"j , 'grief is that he has to be billed as Rugoff-Becker Lease Newark Opera House Newark, Nov. 5. ; Edward N. Rugofl and Herman Becker, operators of a circuit of film houses in New York, leased the Newark Opera House recently to stage legit attractions, and installed George Ashby as manager. Plan is to sked tryout and post-Broadway attractions, through HBO, with pres-, ent No. 1 touring company of "Dear Ruth" as first offering, opening yes- terday (4). Firm plans to bring in musicals, in hopes of building Newark up to its oldtime rep for musical attrac- tions. Lined up for time being, how- ever, are straight shows like "Mary Had a Little," Nov. 18; "Come On Up," "Th^ Temporary Mrs. Smith," etc. Firm also expects to book two- a-day roadshow films: House, a 1,750 seater, will be extensively renovated. House had a short legit season last year 'Under another management, but no' legit for abou* 10 years previously. 'Burlesque'Revival Set Arthur Hopkins will stage "Bur- lesque" for Jean Dalrymple, who will star Bert Lahr in the George, Manker Watters-Hopkins reyivfil. June Knight will be the femme, lead , and Kay Buckley, who appeared with Lahr in the .strawhat version of "Burlesque," Will re-create her iar genue role. Gus Schirmer, Jr., who did the show this summer at his Greenwich (Conn.) Playhouse, is associated with Miss Dalrymple in the Broad-, way version. : , Cass theatre (Detroit), money " reported among the dominant bank- roll. Show opens at that house Dec- 9 and is due for a Xmas nigW preem at the Belasco on Brpadway. Joyce Matthews (Mrs. Milton Berle) is slated for one of the parts. l*eW Kessler, pianist, will do the Oscar Levant original. Latter was a minor player when the late Hal Skelly starred in the present I-.ahr role. Barbara Stanwyck (nee Ruby Stev- ens) did the present June Kiugm assjignment,, ,