Variety (July 1949)

I.KOITIMATK Wednpsilay, July 20, 1049 Songsmitb Opines Critics Reviewed Sherwood, Berlin & Hart, Not Show DauI Biz Good to Smash on Silo Circuit; By ABEL GREEN ♦ IrvinK Berlin, Robert K. Sherw(»i>d and Moss Hart don t like it. but are inclined to agree with the critics' general downbeat reaction to ‘ Miss Liberty." But they also leel that (1» this was not a critics show: (‘2> that they’ll ride out the bad press, and (3) apparently the Broadway critics reviewed Sherwood. Berlin & Hart more than the •how. Before Sherwood flew' out to England on Monday (18' to join his w ife at their country place outside oi ijondon for the summei, and Moss Hart flew to Salt Lake C’iiv the day before to catch his wife. Kitty Carlisle, in the opera, •Carmen.’’ the three of them w atched the two Saturday performauces. These were following the Friday premiere, and all three became more convinced than ever that they had a good audience show The penalty of fame, they feel, is something which militated against a more generous press. Berlin, who heads for Hollywood late this month on one of his filnmsical deals, although he insists he’d like to do another legit musical first, is convinced that the $18.1,000 production will pay ‘ As you know. Bob, Moss have no outside investors, than our own groups, but ‘Hostages,’ ‘Ruth’ Spark Legit in Tel Aviv Tel Aviv. July 12. Guest -prod need by Harold Clurman. Habimah’s presentation of Phnanuel Robles’ ‘ Ho.stages.’’ .originally titled ’’Montserrat.’’ is mature offering. Translated, by Menasseh Levin, it is one of the most exciting plays that has reached the Hebrew stage in a long time. Performances are all good and settings by Moshe Mokady eye filling. ^ J. de Vriess’ ‘‘Silk and Bread. Ohel’s current production, is a mediocre offering dealing with the conflii't betw'een capital and labor. K. Lobe directed. Paul Loewy desicned the sets and Lea Cioldbeig did the translation. The Chamber theatre production of "Dear Ruth ” has been treated with appropriate hilarity, moving at a lively pace with never a dull moment. Yosef Milo’s direction is excellent and P. Kamnitzer’s sets are adequate. Boston, July 19. The Boston Stock Co., which has been leasing Brattle Hall In nearby Cambridge for the past four »ea' sons, has completed arrangements i to operate during the forthcoming season at the new John Hancock I Hall in the Hub. i Present plans call for a 40-weeki er opening in September, with plays presented three nights a week here and three nights weekly ! in Providence, R. L Teeoff will ; star Charles Ruggles in a new ' play, not yet announced, and bill ' will be changed weekly. Teinny Pretty 10y2G, A.C.; ‘Gay’ OK off. and 1 ot hell’d buy b.u k anybody’s share, that’s how convinced am 1 that we’ll put this one over. "There were capacity standees at both Saturday shows: our advance is into October and November; we have good calls from the brokers; the score had S.*! performances over the weekend and we already have one tune on the Hit Parade; the album with the original cast r»'^es into recording for Columbia on Thursday (21) and Manie Sacks tells me they have advance orders for 50,000 of the albums, so 1 think the only problem is the degree of hit th.at we have. It may not be a smash, but It won’t be a flop. The Shuberts tell me that the Imperial has $•’.50,000 in the bank, another $75.000 not yet deposited, some 15,000 letters not yet serviced, and we can do $45,500 capacity if we sell out.’’ Needs $27,000 to Break Understood "Liberty’’ can break at .$27,000; the kick-out break is at $;io.ooo. Beilin is also convinced that if and when "Miss Liberty’’ clicks, and as the notices retreat in the background, the audiences will see new values in the Sherwood libretto just as time has added to the stature of "God Bless America.’’ So < onvinced are he and Hart about -Miss Liberty ” that the songsmith observed that "it w'ould have been a greater error not to have duced it.’’ He looks upon the summer bow as a help, not a hindrance, in that there are fewer shows; the two big •mashes are tough to get into; and above all it’s a first in his career in that he’s always had a critic’s hfl. He feels that this will be an audience hit, and, while it would be a joy to settle for a universal accepiability. w'hen he and Sherwood had their bon voyage drink Sunday night, the playwright felt In fine fettle. As for his songs, he admits they’re reminiscent; Berlin knew he was "adapting’’ from himself; and "as for that hooey, would we make the same mistakes all over again:—!, e.. if they are mistakes— •ure we w'ould. Berause w'e certainly didn’t want to commit these errors deliberately, so it’s reasonable to assume that if we scU out doing a project of this nature, we’d naturally do the same things all over again. If the songs are there, the public will tell us fast enough. If they’re not there, they deserve to fail.’’ B.O. Treasurers In Pact Status Quo Regardles.s of the outcome of the current ticket probe, there will i probably be no change in the contractual status of legit boxoffice men on Broadway for at least a year. That applies to all b.o. men. j including Jack PearV suspended treasurer of the Majestic theatre. , All b.o. employees are covered | bv a contract between the League i of N. Y. Theatres and the Theatrii cal Treasurers & Ticket Sellers Union, affiliated with the lATSE • stagehands’ union). AFL. The pact, which extends annually from Labor Day. is automatically renewable unless either side serves notice by May 31. No such notice was given this year, so the present pact remains in force until Labor Day of 1950. Under the agreement, contracts of individual boxoffice men are also automatically renewable less specific notice is given by either party to the individual pact. In all known cases, including that of Pearl, no notice was served last May 31. so all existing contracts for treasurers and assistants remain in effect another year from this Labor Day. Although Pearl is under suspension. Lee Shubert, as owner of the Majestic, must keep him on full salary. The theatre P*®” 1 operator so staled recently to i N. Y. Commissioner of Investigation John M. Murtagh. who is conducting the probe of ticket-scalping. as a result of which Pearl^as suspended. CHI’S BLEAKEST SUMMER IN 25 YEARS Chicago. July 19. | There’s a .soanber note being registered in legit circles here, j Not since the prewar depres.sion era has the Chi theatre outlook been so bleak. "Inside USA’’ and "Mr. Roberts’’ are only legit attractions here. Both will get a play from the 100.000 Shriners convened for their golden jubilee, plus an influx of over 10,000 jewelers for their national convensh. Summer season will -be the leanest in over 25 years, since no vehicles are on hand to come in before Sept. Past three sea.sons averaged four plays a summer simultaneously, with more than six getting a brief play in summer of 1946. In 1947 "Born Ye.sterday.’’ "Call Me Mi.ster." "Carousel.’’ “Red Mill’’ and "Private Lives” were luring conventioneers in profitable fashion, while 1948’s summer had "Annie Get Your Gun” on a repeat. “For Love or Money.” "John Loves Mary.” which held over; "High Button Shoes” and a return of "Oklahoma!” before "Mr. Roberts.” Atlantic City. July 19. "Pretty Penny” racked up nice $10,500 last week at the Ocean playhouse at Steel Pier, best there this season. \V\)uld have been held over if deal had been possible. Show closed In exiting from pier theatre. Fixing is due, with a po.ssible eve to Broadway. "Light Up the Sky.” with Vivian Blaine, opens tonight tl9). Producer Bob Courtney is working hard to put summer legit over. He has moved boxoffice directly to the boardwalk and maneuvered so that there is a private entrance to theatre. Announcements of show are also being made at vaudeville and other spots. Courtney told the Boardwalk .A.ssn.. comprised of businessmen here w'ith stores on the walk, that the next two weeks would decide the fate of summer legit in the resort. Courtney admits that the first two shows brought into the Ocean playhouse, "Burlesque’’ with Bert Lahr and Kdward Everett Horton in "Pre.sent Laughter.” I lost money but said that "Pretty Penny,” a revue, played large audiences that Fields, the producer, had New York to bring his here to see the results. The Assn.’s members themselves to two tickets per week at a minimum and will start a pub lie subscription campaign. July 21-30, Tenthouse theatre Highland Park, has "The Royal Family” by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber as their next. Dairyland Players, Luzern Gardens. Lake Geneva. Wi.se., have "Three’s a Family” coming up July 22, followed by “Potash and Perlmutter,” July 29. Barnum Sand Dunes theatre, Michiana Shores, will offer "The Glass Menagerie’’ July 22 as its third production. Carol Bruce — ‘Lady’ at Guilford Guilford. Conn.. July 19. Producer Lewis Harmon last week successfully launched a doubleheader of "firsts” when he presented Carol Bruce’s strawhat debut in the first cow barn production of "Lady in the Dark.” Put on at his Chapel Playhouse here last week (11-16*. show was well handled in view of liriiited facilities. Mi.ss Bruce offered a creditable performance in the lengthy (Gertrude Lawrence original* role. Biz was exceptionally good. to such Leonard gone to backers pledged Francis-‘Gay’ $5,300 Stockbridge. Mass., July 19. The Berkshire playhouse, in its 14th season under the operation of William Miles, did smash biz last week with Kay Francis in “Let Us Be Gay.” The 446-sealer did $5,300 for eight performances with tickets scaled at $L20-$2.94. Towards the weekend the management took out ads advising that the house was sold out. Current is "The Heiress.” with Francesca Bruning in the title role. New Conn. Theatre In 3d Week North Haven. Conn.. July 19. Broadway Playhouse. newe.st straw'hat hereabouts, enters' third week (19-23* of Rs initial season with “Angel Street.” Operation is headed by William C’ullen, with Frank T Gilloran. business manager;, William Ayres, stage manager; Patience Perry, scene designer; Leo Wixman. assistant stage manager; Allen Sanford, pa.; Laurel Baust. boxoffice. Top resident members of cast are Edith Sherman. I.,awrence Ryle, Edith Fisk. Michael M. Cain. Columbia ll’s Theatre On ‘NORWAY’ IN NIFTY • LOUISVILLE TEEOFF fi Theatre Guild Plays For 1949-50 Season Chicago, July 19. Thirtieth anniversary of the Theatre Guild. 1949-50 season, will Bnd Chi sub.scribers attending five Guild plavs. first being "Death of a Salesman” at the Erlanger theatre. Sept. 19. Second play announced is "Madwoman of Chaillol. •’ a round Jan. 1. Chi Theatre Guild 1948-49 season grossed an estimated $168,800. excluding tax. Louisville. July 19. "Song of Norway" teed off 11th summer season of musicals at Iroquis amphitheatre last week to sock biz and ideal w'eather. Denis Du-For is handling the staging. Role of Edward Grieg was sung by baritone Ralph Magell.ssen, with Robert Shafer, tenor, recreating the role of Rikard Nordraak, which he played in the New York production. Standout performance was given by Doreen Wilson as Loui.sa Giovanni, operatic prima. with neat support by Nancy Kenyon, Yolanda Dennis. Betty Ann Busch. Edmund Dorsay. Truman Gaige, Robeit Bernard and C. Douglas Ramey. Dancers David Nillo and Franca Baldwin registered in ballet and specialty numbers. Production staff includes Edward Clark Lilley. book director; Rollo Wayiie. technical director; William Parson, musical director; Virginia Jwhn.son. choreographer, and Walter .lohnson, stage director. 6’ way Awaits $8,000,000 Grant I Columbia Univ. plans for a colj un1 lege theatre on Broadway, announced 18 months ago as probably opening this falL are at a standstill. Although the project was approved by the board of trustees and has the ble.ssing of Gen. Dw'ight D. Eisenhower, university president, nothing has been done to raise the necessary funds. When the plan was announced at a dinner of officials and prominent ' alumni, it was said that the theatre would be part of a new school of the fine arts. It was estimated that the program would involve a , cost of $8,000,000 or so. Composer i producer Richard Rodgers, an alumnus, was chairman of the general committee, with Leopold .\rnaud, dean of the school oi architecture, in active charge at the university. It was slated that a finance committee was to be appointed iihortly. Eisenhower could not be reached for comment last week and Arnaud was said to be away on vacation. Another official of the university admitted that nothing had been done about appointing a finance committee. The university admin; istration just hadn’t gotten around I to it. he indicated. Rodgers, reached at his home at Fairfield. (Conn., explained that, until funds I for the project are raised, liis comi mittce can do nothing. Churchill ‘Story’ $7,200 , Saratoga Springs, July 19. Jeffrey Lynn and Sarah Churchill continue to rack up sock grosses in "The Philadelphia Story.” Team appeared at the Spa theatre here last week and did SRO business every performance, gro.ssing $7,200 for the week. Date here was the third of 10 bookings. Estelle Winwood, in "The Importance of Being EarnesL ” is current. Tallu's $14,400 Gros-s Marblehead, Mass., July 19. Tallulah Bankhead opened thO season here July 11 at North Short playhouse in "Private Lives.” finishing the run Saturday (16* with an estimated $14,400 in the till. Tins is biggest gross racked up by j theatre in seven years and tops revious Gertrude Lawrence high y $2,000. Basil Rathbone in "The Heiress” is current. k; I.ambertvllle Builds Lamberlville, N. J.. July 19. Music circus last week built strongly over opening stanza with "The Chocolate Soldier” starling Wilbur Evans and Susanna Fo.ster. Rain on opening performance of bill Tuesday (12* dented lake slightly, with subsequent showings stronger. Weekend showed marked improvement for estimated $5,500 at $3 top. No daily review coverage as yet from Philly papers, but both Inquirer and Bulletin have given ample feature space to novel arena type staging under canvas. “Naughty Marietta” is opening tonight and playing through Sunday with ’’Rosalinda" and ’’Vagabond King” set to follow. Bergner's 7G in Long Beach I.ong Beach, N. Y.. July 19. Crest theatre. 675-.seater here, gros.sed an estimated $7,000 for eight performances of ’’Amphitryon "38” with Elisabeth Bergner. House is switching to nine performances a week with its current attraction. "IJght Up the Sky.” Sam Levene beads the cast of "Sky ” ‘Earnest’ $6,500 in D. C. Washington. July 19. Estelle Winwood and John Buckmaster in "The Importance of Being Ernest." brought In $6..500 for the week at Meridian Hill, not bad considering tlie outdoor theatre lost Iw'o nights on account of rain. Buster Keaton in "Three Men on a Horse” is current. San .Antonio Names Griffith San Antonio. July 19 H. M Griffith replaced Jean Wildensleif) as manager of the Mtinicipal auditorium, San Pedro Playiioiise and other city-owned public gathering places. Wildenstein has iield tlic post lor 26 years. Longhair Shorts Herva Nelli, who sang in Arturo Toscanini’s last two NBC Symph opera presentations, approached by Gabriel Pascal to do "II Trovatore” ' in Italian film (Hadys Swarthout and^iSwrence Tibbett .sang at the International Business Machine convention in Endicott, N.Y.. last week . . . Yves ('hardon, associate conductor of Minneapolis Symph. resigned to do a South American tour Will conduct 19 concerts with Hav.ma Philharmonic Jean Watson re-engaged by Covent Garden Opera Co. for 194950 season C’laiidio Arrau, who played in the liewisohn Stadium. N. Y. last week. decorated by Minister of Education of his native Chile. ' Florence R ed’s Sock Bis New Hope, July 19. Florence Reed garnered the best local notices of season last week (11* in "The Circle” for Buck.s County Playhouse. It was sixth bill of the summer. Except for few empty .seats opening night the SRO sign was on display. A .strong cast including Oswalt Marshall, Eleanor Wilson. Tod Andrew's. J. W. Austin, AiRhony Kemble-Cooper and Ruth White. W'ere In support of the star in tlie Maugham classic. Henry Jones staged. Thi.s week lUrne.st Truex is starring in "Ah. Wilderness!” with spouse Sylvia Field featured. Haila Stoddard and Mary Wickes are featured In "The Torchbearers” week of July 2.5. Overflow from Playhouse benefiting Lambertville, N. Music Circus across the river. i Horton ‘Laughter’ OK in D.C. OIney, Md.. July 19. Washington’s hunger for legitimate theatre, plus drawing power ! of Edward Everett Horton, enabled I the OIney theatre to ring up the , mo.st profitable week il has yet I had. Play is “Pre.sent Laughter.” Advance .sale for the Hartman^ in a new inu.sical. "Up to Now', which opeffs tonight (19*. promise* another good week. is J.. Chi-Area Haylofts Going OK Chicago, July 19. Strawhalters are going full pace in this area, with okay weather and lack of legitors in Chicago contributing to near-full houses nitely. Chevy Chase theatre, at the oid Bon Air country club, opens tonight (19*. with Peggy Ann Garner as lead in ‘’Peg O My Heart.” and runs to Sunday eve (24*. July 2631 presents Nina Fo<h in “Light Up The Sky.” Bellyfry Players. Lake Geneva. Wise., W'ill do an original play. "The Candlestick Player,” by ChijCago radio writer John T. Kelley, Canadian Strawhats Mushroom _ Toronto. July 19. With decision of Ernest Rawley to drop this season his eight-yea^ consecutive series of summer theatre at tlie Royal Alexandra here, strawhat groups within easy motoring di.stance of Toronto have amax* ingly mushroomed. . Rawley. manager of the Royal, had in past seasons — in a partnership deal with the late Frank McCoy. and later in three seasons on his ow'n — .sparked a policy of guesi* star appearances in straight plays and also musical revivals using ca.sts of 60-70 persons Of the Toronto area silo the most important are Kquliy* franchised. These Include tM Peterborough Pl.ayers. with Brai^ well Fletcher and Margaret FeuD'. opened July 11 with ’Ange St reel ^ ^ Another Equity-franchised is the Red Barn Players at Jacxson’s Point pre.scnied ’’Room Ser ' " ohlains .1 tl.; Brant Inn. where custoineis. * . seeing the Midland Players wnoer (direction of Jack Blacklock. n to Hie I.ido Deck for dancing drinks Blacklo<‘k also has another ' (Continued on page 50) Mid