Variety (August 1949)

S 8 UBGITIMATB Wednesday, August 31 . I949 'Roberts to Wind Up 54-Week Chi Stay With Near-Record All-Time Gross Chicago, Aug. 30. ♦ The Thomas Heggen-Joshua Lo- g.in comedy of Navy life, “Mr. Rob- erts,” winds up its 54-week run at the Erlanger theatre Sept. 17, a stones-throw away from shattering the all-time gross record of any I legiter in Chi’s theatrical history. ' As is, the production will have gro.ssed more than any vehicle, in- cluding musicals, in the amount of weeks it played. While six other legiters passed “Roberts” in length of stay here, its $1,339,919.43 take was topped only by the “Good Night Ladies” gross of $1,413,900 the latter holding the run record with its 100 weeks here. 1 Chances are “Roberts" could ' have easily captured the gross lead if it didn’t have to vacate the Er- ^ langer to make room for “Death of a Salesman,” which opens Sept. 1 19, since its top of $4.33 nearly doubles that of the $2.57 “Ladies.” , Then, too, “Ladies,” with its ap- peal of bawdiness and semi-nudity and sreeching s.a. exploitation cam- paign, had the lush war years of 1941-’43 to capitalize on, while “Roberts” maintained its profitable weekly take consistently in view of upped prices, recessive economic conditions and tightened purse strings. 1 Lowest weekly gross of “Rob- erts” hit around $16,000 in May, but for the most part stayed near capacity. Average gross per w'eek j hit around $24,400; weekly capac -1 ity is $28,700. Other long-runners like “Ladies” did a top of $17,500 weekly, pulling out at the same fig- ure. “Life With Father,” which had snagged the record with 66 weeks in the 1940-’41 season, until “Ladies,” pulled out at a lean $13,000, while “Voice of the Tur-, tie,” after 67 weeks in 1944-’45, vacated at $17,000 with a $3.60 top. ' “Maid In the Ozarks,” a 62-week- er in the 1942-’43 season, pulled out at a weak $ 6,000 with a top of $2.75. Contrary to the expected rule, “Mr. Roberts” did not get extra heavy play from conventions as did “Ladies,” but the Heggen-Logan play remained intact despite cast changes, while it’s doubtful that “Ladies” could have survived with- out Buddy Ebsen and Skeets Gal- lagher. John Forsythe and Jackie Cooper took over leads June 1 . with Richard Carlson and Murray Hamilton bowing out. Hamilton is currently appearing in the Broad- way production. New Courses to Mark 14th Session of Wing Program Several new courses will mark the 14th session of the American Theatre Wing’s Professional Train- ing Program, which gets under way Sept. 14, with registration Sept. 6 - 9. Anna Sokolow, who i. staging the dances for the upcoming “Re- gina” (“The Little Foxes”b will give a course in choreography for Broadway shows. Carl Beier will head a course on performances for video, using guest lecturers. The Wing is going stronger on work groups and advanced acting workshops, for actors in Broadway shows, and Herbert Berghof and William Hansen will be in charge of these. Other new courses will include one in Hebrew singing, under Jacob Karsch; singer’s ap- preciation of music, under Alma Lubin, a new opera course under Lillian Foerster, etc, Charles Vance is director of the Wing pro- gram. Shubert Largesse Decision to change the title of “Cabalgata” last week to “A Night in Spain” was at the suggestion of Lee Shubert, who operates the Broadway theatre, N. Y., where the Spanish song-and-dance revue is current. Immediately after his return from a European vacation, Shubert pointed out that the “Cabalgata” name is meaningless to U. S, play- goers When he proposed the switch to “A Night in Spain,” someone objected that there had been a Broadway show of that title some years ago. “1 know,” Shubert replied. “I produced it. The title and the theatre both belong to me. You’re already using one. Go ahead and take the other.” Shubert Proposal Stalls ATAM Talks Proposal by Lee Shubert that the , Assn, of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers become rfn open union, has stalled the organization’s nego- Boston Area S3os Closing After Best B. 0. Season; Other Bam News Boston, Aug. 30. | 10-year contract for summer i.«. Strawhat season in this area is of the state-owned house Apr winding up with the best record of' ment runs to 1960 * gro-sses since the inception of the | Huntington, after experiment silo circuit. ! ing with an pjphf ”"‘®***’ With very tew exceptions busi-! sajj he would nof nm any ToS ness has been sock, most produc- the future. He plared S/ tions piaying to capacity or near dies exclusiveiy this year wdih capacity for the season. Influx of guest stars. Business was abo S I names and name p ays no doubt 20% ahead of 1948. August homi had plenty to do with heavy b.o. i the racing season hmC. * 'draw and results .show that t>m It'^he ,he"itre ^s public can still afford to see solid | ,„onth. although Hungtinton ^ hff productions. I his highest gro.ss his .second week Leading gro.s.s pullers weie Tal- .t,,, Churchill and Jeffrei lulah Bankhead with a terrific - - -lettrev $14,500 at Falmouth and $14,300 at North Shore Playhouse. Ap- "T^fTrov Lynn in “The Philadelphia Story.” pearance of Sarah Churchill in “The Philadelphia Story” at Bos- ton Summer Theatre grossed a sock $14,000 and resulted in bring ‘Jennie* Stockbridge Sleeper Stockbridge, Ma.ss., Aug 30 “Jennie Ki.ssed Me.” with Leo G Carroll, proved a sleeper at the ing her back for an extra .week, Berkshire Plaj^iouse, Stockbridge I prossinp Sd QUO o no « r grossing $4,990 at a $2.90 top for 436 seats. Wildberg, Kaufman Buy U.S. ‘Chiffon’ Rights For 75G Pins Percentage London, Aug. 30. Lesley Storm’s “Black Chiffon,” one of the outstanding plays in the West End, packing the Westmin- ster theatre despite unprecedented heat wave and house being off the beaten track, has been sold for America. Purchasers are John Wildberg and Joe Kaufman, who expect to stage show on Broadway late next year with practically an all-Amer- ican cast, although they would have liked Flora Robson, current- ly starring in the London produc- tion. But Miss Rob.son will not be available till practically the end of next year, and then she will want a holiday. V^'. and K. have, however, ar- ranged for Charles Hickman, who procluced the play in London, to stage it in New York. Understood price for Broadway and film rights Is $75,000 against 12 J 2 ^c of gross, plus 20 % of the profits. Although substantial offers have been made for the film rights, from practically every major Hollywood film company, no deal will be en- tertained till after the Broadw'ay production. American owners are seriously considering producing the film in Hollywood themselves after Its New York run. with Kauf- man using his Hollywood experi- ence In directing. ‘Wisteria Wails On ‘House Party Whether or not the Theatre Guild decides to bring its “House Party” tryout to Broadway this fall may determine whether Joshua Logan produces his “Tire Wisteria Tree” this season. Logan adapted the play from Chekhov’s “The Cherry. Orchard” as a vehicle for Helen Hayes. However, she is starring in “Good Housekeeping” in summer theatres and is com- mitted for it if the Guild goes through with plans to bring it to town. Apparently there was some misunderstanding between Logan and Miss Hayes, as he went ahead with the adaptation of the Russian classic in the belief that she would be available to appear in it. He was aware of her plans to do “Good Housekeeping” in summer stock, but thought there were no Broad- way prospects for the William Mc- Cleery play. Although the Guild has financed “Good Housekeeping” as part of a four-play package at a total budget of $200,000, the McCleery comedy-drama has not been well received by strawhat audiences. So another play may be sub.stituted for it by the Guild. In that case, Miss Hayes would presumably be avail- able for “Wisteria.” If so. Logan would schedule it for the fall, as his first solo production. He would also do the staging. with the house already sold out. Grosses at North Shore Play- house for the sea.son hovered j Producer William Miles reported around $13,000 for all attractions,! an excellent advance sale for the the only disappointment of the ; current “The Corn Is Green,” with season being “The Medium and, Eva Le Gallienne, and “Yes My The Telephone,” which dropped | Darling Daughter” with Ann Hard- to a mild $7,000. Artists such as ing, for the 12th and added week. . j*u T - f XT xr lO a miia ?>/,uuu. Ariisis such as Bankhead. Hildegarde, Helen | Theatres. officials have j Comel Wilde and Raymond ' flatly refused to consider the move, I drew capacity houses and which they claim would wreck the ! ‘ ^ ^ union. Opening the rolls to new ; ^ England members would aggravate the al- Summer Theatre re- i P-‘ed tatt. grosses.for its 10 ,week New llampshires Silos Close Manche.ster. N. H., Aug. 30. By the end of the week, most of New Hamp.shire’s strawhat thea- tres will have put on their ear- I season with such talent as Susan to close, Aug. 27 was Except for Shubert’s suggestion. | peters. Kay Francis. Joan Blondell, Salisbuiy Players in Salisbury, I the ATAM-League negotiations for j Edward Everett Horton and Paul J®"' a new contract appears to be rela-! Lukas, all in the $13,000 bracket. ! Jf^^ee williams Ihe Glass lively clear sailing. The union has | Appearance of Elizabeth Bergner, ^i^^^g^rie. asked for no increases or conces-; “Amphytrion 38” drew lowest! _ Sept. 3. these closings and sions covering employment condi- j figure ($ 9 , 000 ) of an otherwise sen- tions. And, other than the open-1 sational season, shop proposal, the theatre owners’ ! I I Hayes-Lawrenee Magic Parlay !lhe current contract fur another! Dennis. Mass. Auk. 30 i Helen Hayes and Gertrude Law- final pre.sentations will take place: Chase Barn theatre, Whitefield, “My Sister Eileen”; New London Players. “Laburnum Grove”; Wind- ham Players, Patrick Hamilton’s “Rope”; Barnstormers, Tamworth, Peter Blackmore’s “Miranda,” and Peterborough Players, “Take a Dream,” original musical by direc- tors Alice Lee Edwards and Ber- nard Welch, I WatVA V. » 1.4 V4 V JUJU TT — Although the open-shop move, rence proved a magic b.o. parlay was not settled at yesterday’s last week for Richard Aldrich, w'ho (Tues.) ATAM-League meeting, operates strawhats at nearby Fal- j members of the latter group’s I rnouth and here. Both actresses : board are understood to be trying topped capacity. Miss Hayes gross- , to persuade Shubert to drop his de -1 ^*^8 $12,000 in a tryout engagement mand. I “Good Housekeeping,” at the Falmouth stand, while Miss Law- rence racked up $ 10,000 in her London hit, “September Tide,” at the Cape playhouse here. Miss Lawrence (Mrs. Aldrich), is continuing “Tide” this week at _ , _ xx . ! Falmouth, with the house com- Louise (Mrs. Watson) Barratt is pletely sold out in advance. Edward summer home in , Everett Horton is starring here in Highlands, N. C Her designer- j Noel Coward’s “Present Laughter,” husband planed to her bedside a with a ororaisine advance Thi« U u , . . .. x x j ^ week before the season finale of the closing week of the most ffni I strawhat operated by the _St. Lqui_s Muny Opera ... I cessful selson for^ Wh I William Cullen, came to an abrupt San Antonio Revue San Antonio, Aug. 30. “Show' Window' of 1949,” revue made up of local talent is to be staged here at the YWCA Sept. 9 and 10 . I Sxloi? M n Opera . I cessful season for'both ThVatVes, i o^^Edn^’BeMf'cameTa's't wUlft" ' ^-P-'“vely. Conn. Barn’s Abrupt Fold North Haven, Conn., Aug. 30. Brief career of Broadway Play- hou.se, local strawhat operated by mother, w'ho will costar with Maurice Evans in his production of “Double Bill”... Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse are writing the York cast and wrth Its'oHpinai ’hi” i "ever even got started, some per- taok of a musical, for which Irving original di- „ 39 ‘Money’ $8,000 at OIney Olney, Md., Aug. 30. Produced largely with its New end a week ago when the box- office suffered an acute attack of sheriff’s plasters. Demise left a trail of unpaid bills in its wake. Setup, an initial venture here. Berlin may suddIv the soncs for t ^ Money,” with ‘^ ,. k Ethel Meraan. ^ ^ ^ ^ I Jo*)" Loder and Vicki Cummings, I People. There was dissension be ' Schloss, Philly Drama Critic, Hospitalized , Philadelphia, Aug. 30. [ Edwin H. Schloss, drama critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer, is a patient at Eagleville sanitarium, 'Eagleville, Pa., with a lung ailment. His condition is said to be satisfac- tory. After catching cold recently. I Schloss had a fever that refused to subside, so doctors X-rayed him and discovered the lung condition . while it was in its preliminary stages. rettists Dorothy and Herbert Fields, ■ ®x*u Good ' compo.ser Burton Lane will not be ^ P^ncipals. I associated with the Theatre Guild’s Dayton, a resi- musical edition of “Pursuit of Hap- member at (Jlney, in the in- piness” . .S. M. Chartock will' k? t’ I present a Gilbert and Sullivan I ^ ^ helped the boxoffice. repertory, opening Sept. 26, at the ' 1 x summer theatres are Hellinger theatre, N. Y The P^^Pa*”!*^? to close up shop, the Playhouse, N. Y., rented the la.st year by the ABC network, reverts I , its sea.son, with its * to legit this .season . Max Gordon i a*’®ad. Cur- will present, under George S- Peters in asso- nei merman. i« n j v.-uiiuiiiiiks, . • Because of differences with lib- “P ® $8,000 at the Ol- tween Cullen and certain txs-x-—xm._^ , .. i nev theatrp h»»po in«f uixxaL- ! ciates who threatened to institut# (Continued on page 61) Murtagh Hasn’t Okayed ‘Buys,’ Though He Feels They Are Not Illegal wiu preseni, unaer Ueorge S. •‘The’'Rarrpi;‘/‘nV’ 1 Joh" M. Murtagh, New York City on whicirXaSL Commissioner of Inve.stigation. If"' Nex^tZih w^r rT''. '"‘--"-.'“•1 ! Hayes in “Good IInii< 5 »'lrpotTitii»" ticket Iluy.s Central Office Continued from page 57 Vovkor Play, which hCll exit ■•Make ^ -d KU,^ Car,lx,_e^ i„ show.^ehher^toKa^or ^vaude^,... i On the strength of the improved Sarah Churchill and .Jeffrt^ some of the dailies have stated, grosses the last two weeks a .sec- T*’® Philadelphia Story,i’ Kiven his “blessing" to the broker nf T\/r„ which Carries the Olney season in- “biiv” arramied bv Billy Rose for Cornell in Buffalo Debut Erlanger, Aug. 30. , Premiere of Katharine Cornell’s ■ ‘‘That Lady” Is underlined for Erlanger week beginning Oct. 17.' Rehearsals start Sept. 19, with Guthrie McCllntic directing. Rolf Gerard, English artist and i stage designer, will do settings and costumes. | volume and make many le.ss errors. After each day’s orders were sort- ed. the required tickets could be obtained from the boxoffice all at once. Or, if the desired .seats were not available, the patron would be prnimptly notified to that effect, via a standard form. It’s questionable if such a perma- nent office would be able to thwart “diggers” who use mail orders to get tickets to hit shows for resale ' to scalpers. However, the central office would be able to do .so just as well as can the individual the- atre or producer .staff. In any case, the management of one Broadway show has been studying the problem of how' such a central agency could be set up and made to work. It will then submit the proposal to the Commit- tee of Theatrical Producers and the League of N. Y. Theatres. j original troupe on tour, open- , , u -w.... vu mg Sept. 19 in Boston. Ruth i * at Olney. Hu.ssey, currently subbing as star, ■ will head the new aggregation . . Garson Kanin has written a new ‘Animal’ $7,300 in D. C. Washington. Aug. 30. II mere is any overciuuKc i than the legal 75c. (plus tax), he will take action. There may be no more major developments in Miirtagh’s ticket comedv “thp poT Mono'”'" m ' Mpi iHim Hi T i ’ I developments In Miiriagn .s ■ (O' “ TnMI ^ .. _* ^0.® weeks. The next important step » V » — ••MV . I .Fones ha.s taken the “Summer and ..■..cww la.-n wt?uK wiin ■■'I'he' i ' mi. x ■ ct Smoke’’ company to Chicago for ^^ale Animal.’’starring To n Ewell . ‘T-nH.tion th^^ final rehearsals before next week’s •'> outdoor playhou.se.^ situated , ‘>®Yi ^® ^ 1 . fwo larger • Deblang’s ticket agency ^^th street’s Emba.s.sy Row. has : ‘^® "®®«s®s of one or two large has filed a notice In Albany on re- ^®®o drawing ’em in. Although : revoked. A so. tner classification of Its stock. ; operating on a non-segrecation "'^y be fireworks, possibly invoiv 'fhe Robert Whiteheads have Policy. Negro attendance has ave- evidence of specific gone to Colorado to visit her par- 1 ^^ 8 ®d only about 5 %. i of “ice” by brokers to boxoffice ents . Joanna Roos, whose. Coleman and John Beal nicn, w'hen the commissioner i^ue _Among Ourselves” has just won i Tl'o Voice of the Turtle” are his final report on the ticket situa* Ilia m Stevens award ft Meridian. Coming up is i tion to Mayor William O’Dwyer. ^ and will be produced this season at Holman in “O Mistress Under the “buy” for “Blackouts. )n a new . ^'‘oe. 1 25 brokers will take a total of 5W return simniord U., is working on a new script to be titled “Step-Mother” Saint xSubher and Ixemuel .\yers go to the Coast next deck to confab with scenarist Dwight Tay- lor on the book of “Heaven on Spa Biz 20% Up on ’48 Saratoga Springs. N. Y., Aug. 30. ' contract with Rose, wno John Huntington, who closed his Ziegfeld theatre, where the sno ticket.s a night, with a privilege of jo%. Under tn^ contract with Rose, who owns Earth,” for w-hich Cole Porter Is c ' * season at the Spa theatre, w'ill be housed, the brokers gua (Continued on naue 631 Saratoga Sprlng.s, .Saturday (27). tee not to re.sell tickets at more >v,onunuca on page 631 1 announced that he had signed a, than the 75c. limit.