Variety (August 1949)

Wednesday, AnKiist .^1, 1949 Literati towns to show “The Medium” are jSewport, StockbridKe, Worcester, “Ohasset and Marblehead, Mass; Ivoryton, Conn.; Albany and now Olney. Vanderbilt’s Bedside Cuts Cornelius Vanderbilt, .Ir. is cut- ting his European travelog film from his bedside, having been laid up ever since returning to New York two weeks ago. Hi.s wife, at ' first, was thought to have been stricken with polio but while she, too, is still convalescent, her ail- ment has now been diagnosed as different. . , | “Vagabonding with Vanderbilt’’ j is the columni.st-lecturer's theme for the 1949-50 sea.son, predicat- ing his views on a vast amount of footage shot during his station- wagon tour of the Continent. Vanderbilt is also slated for some ] guest-shots on the radio and video as soon as he recovers. Mackall’s 2d Edition Lawton Mackall has brought out a second edition of “Knife and Folk in New York” under a con- tinuing Doubleday imprint. A jacket spotlight tag profL-rs fur- ther footnotes and revisions, as changes occur. These are for free. Mackall has attractively grouped his categories of New York's and near Gotham’s many variations of pubs, “ clubs, eateries, dinerios, drinkeries and plush restaurants. A good gourmets’ guide for the heps and the .squares alike. Mugg’s Truman Kudo Martin O’Shaughnossy, C h i Variety mugg, tomed a book. “How to Break Into Politics." which got a literary review last week by President Harry Truman at the Veterans of Foreign Wars national convention in Florida, lattei term- ing it a valuable adjunct to the budding politician. 0’Shaughnes.sy has never been In politics. Merle Miller Takes on the FBI Merle Miller, ex-Harpei'.s staffer Whose first novel was “That Winter,” has drawn on his experi- ence as a Washington corre- spondent 'for his second effort. “The Sure Thing” iWilliani SI(t:mo. Tome is a timely opus dealing with the current lovalty investiga- tions of government employees, .4n astute reportorial jol). "Sure Thing” probes the probers, detail- ing the techniques thev use to pry into past activities and present be- liefs of “security risks." Volume has some hard-hitting sequenees. as when some FBI eyes show the wife of a snspeet a nhoto of her husband with another woman. And there are some strong iiuliet- ments of those who'd use the ex- posure of pro-Comimmi'-ls as a cover to further their own selfish ends. Story, tautly compressed into a 24-hour span, relates tlie investiga- tion of a middle-echelon St;ito Dept, employee. .\s .nn idealistic youth, he had joined the K'nls fr>r a brief period in 19118. 'I'his, to- gether with his criticism of some governmental nolieies. his distaste for bureaucratic red tape, and his other non-conformist altitudes, is used as the basis for his dismissal. Miller’s implication is that loyalty Investigations inevitablv trap the innocent and deny Uncle Sam benefit of talented public servants. Despite some sketchv eharacteri/.a- tions and superficial political analv.sis. “Sure Thing ” is a •"••e. punchily-written novel. Rrif. research department, has contrib- uted a chapter on re.search to “After (Busines.s) Hours." com- pendium on advertising put out by Funk & Wagnalls. Robert Downing, stage manager of “Streetcar Named Desire," at the Barrymore, N. Y.. authored a piece on stage cats, titled "Minnie and Mr. Clark,” in the September issue of Theatre Arts mag. William C. Lengel, exec editor of Fawcett Publications, authored a short story, “An Innocent Hus- band,” which will be included in the Jo.seph Greene-Elizabeth Abell anthology. “Husband and Lovers. ” due for publication soon under the Bantam imprint, A course on “Literary Property and the Law,” covering copyiight, libel and taxation aspects uf writ- ing, will be given at New ^ ork U. s evening session this fall with .Alex- ander Lindcy as in.struelor. Lindey ' is a member of the law fiiin of Greenbaum, Wolff and F.rnst and i eo-authored several books with Morris Ern.st, “Don’t Go Away Mad. and Other Plays,” which will include three full-length dramas by William Saroyan, has been added to the Harcourt, Brace list for November , publication. Title play deals with patients in a hospital who have only a short time left to live. .Al.so included are “Sam Ego’s House.” a comedy about the Great Ameri- can Dream, and “A Decent Birth, A Happy Funeral,” an allegory. 1 doe Laurie, Jr., is writing a fore- ^ word for a new book on break- I ing into show biz penned by playwright Paul Gerard Smith. Titled “Guide to Glorv—A Hand- book for the Stageslruek.” the book details the requirements an aspirant should have and the gauntlet he must run in order to gain a place. Smith is now work- ing on a .second tome, titled "Puin Pum l*eedaway.” humorous biog- raphy recounting the last davs of Kavenswood, N. Y.. the .suburb in which he was rai.sed. Strike Nips Chi Strawhal Chicago, Aug. 80 Chicago’s plush strawhat biz re- a slight setback last week with the outbreak of the gas truck- strike. Chevy Chase summer theatre has been considering ex- tending its season for two weeks, but gas strike plus heavy legit schedule in the loop for September may change its plans. Lake Zurich Playhouse. Lake Zurich. 111., has foregone plans to extend, winding up season with Ruth Gordon’s "Year’s Ago,” Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. Tenthouse theatre. Highland Park. 111., will shutter as planned, instead of extending addi- tional two weeks. Luzern theatre. Lake Geneva. Wi.sc., winds up .Aug. ’2fi, with two weeks presentatiim of "1 Like It Here.” Chevy Chase was to wind up this week. Chevy Chase ‘Lover’ S.-l.T-IO Chicago, .Aug. .30 Despite gas truckers strike here, w-liich has paralyzed strawhat biz, Chevy Chase Summer Theatre broke its single night attendance record Saturday (27» with 794 per- sons, including .standees. Big weekend rush helped week of "Cardboard Lover," with rom Drake and Haila Stoddard, to hit a $5,7.50 gro.ss. Eighth week of silo .setup’s fir.st season gets under way tonight i3(T> with Dennis King in “The Second Man.” Chevy Cha.se will extend its sea.son with a ninth and tinal week. Sept. 6-11, with (Miai Ics Ruggles in “Nothing But Hie Truth.” Philly’s Legion Continued from pane t (MO outfit, the ,AC'.A-.A merican (’ommuriication .Association. .All local AM stations picked up President Truman’s address from Convention Hall, at the l.egion’s opening ses.sions. Several of the stations fed it to the nets, allliough none of the TV webs picked up the Truman speech, except tor film feeds on network news shows. Philadelphia relaxed iis regular blue laws for the vets conclave. The Saturday midnight closing was extended well beyond that hour and the \lce sipiad ignored the street corner crap games and oilier over-stepping of bounds. .Allhoiigli the night clubs planned nothing special, several hired name acts. The Click brought in Duke Elling- ton and the Latin Casino engaged the Radio Rogues; but generally the nitery bonifaccs learned their lesson about high priced acts Irorn the national political conventions last year, most of which fizzled. for Dick Joseph’s Book Dick Joseph, travel editor hm E.squire, has been signed try Dou- bleday to do a book, Mlow to Plan Your Vacation Abroad” Joseph is al.so working on an- other travel hook, which ina> go Via the-same firm. Boston Area Continiird from paicr .S8 CHATTER Jeanne Sakol. of Mar-fadden eir- oulatjon-promotion stall, in Europe tor six weeks. Inez (INS) Robb and her Ini.s- band off to Europe on holiday; <lue back Oct. 15. Fred Beck dunking his eoliimn |n the L. A. Mirror to devote his time and other interests. Gilbert W. Gabriel, recently with ineatre Arts mag, becomes drama ontic of Cue mag next week. Maxwell Wilkinson and Kenneth Littauer, ex-mag editors have opened a literary agency in N Y. "^nl Hochuli, drama editor of toe Houston Pre.ss. in Hoi I j® .lE^ke his bow as a film Facie and the Hawk ’ The Human Nature of IMay- j ['I'ng.” a how-to hook by 'icrmar- si-dramatist Samson Ba|)h;iel‘a»n. 'J’lll be published Oel IH hv .Mae- milian. _^.*'‘*nk Luther, conductor of juve ^bows. will have two ot his fniidren s i o w r s. “Siliv Billy Jtorie.s” and “Mr. Wheal lev Whah* jUories,” published bv Garden City m Septemher. Dr, Leo Handel, head ol Metro’s ouster proceedings. Hie situation has not as yet. Cullen is operated previously Beach. This angle of been clarified said to have at N'iiginia y w ood a< tor ‘lAledlum’-'Telephone’ for Olney "The .Medium’’ and "The 'I’ele- phone,” Gian-Caiio Menodi's imi- sie-drama twin-bill which has been plaving the strawhat circuit, will do a week at Olney theatre. Olney, iVId., .starting Sept. 6. for its eighth and final barn engagement r»f the summer. The N. Y. City Opera Co. has "The Medium” in its repertory and will probably do il once or twice at City Center. N. Y . in the f, lead and Leo Coleman, are '«li "The Medium," and will the Center. Reception on the road this < 0111 - mer has been good, with one excep- tion, the Newport iB I.)Ca'in(» This was r'xpinined hy fact Hie simw was the strawhatter’s opening lull when r<*giilar patronage hadn t started to arrive at the shme re- vert. Package unit has ber-n travel- ing with a two-piano aceompani- menl performed as well as dirr’ct- td |)v William McDermott, who eondiKted "The Medium’ "ben il phiicd the road and in Pari.s Light Tryouts This Week “Texas Li’l Darllii*," imisiial comedy with book by John Win don and Sam Moore, lyrics hy .lohnny Mercer, score by Robert Emmett Dolan, at Country playhouse. Westport, Conn. “Yankee Clambake,” revne h.\ Milton Lyon and Stanley Pearl at Chapel playhouse, Guilford. C«)nn “Clutterbuck,” play by Benn W Levy, at Elitch’s Gardens. Denver “Letter from Harry," (Ir.im.i liv Leon Stein, at Putnam playliouse Mahopac. .N. Y. “While the City Sleeps,” innsiea by .Alfred Dumais and Riehari thitts. at Camden Hills i.Me.t sum iner theatre. “Lo and Behold.” musical h,\ William Happ and Broun Kurlow at Red Barn tliealre, WesHioro Mass. “I.,et’s Take Stook." play will music, by William Wheeling ami Russ Ames, at Mountain IMaytmuse. Jennerstown, Pa. "Tammy.” play with music adapted by Cid Ricketts Sumnei from her ow n novel. "Tammy Out of Time,” with .score by ,AI Moritz at Duxbury i.Mass.i playhouse.. “.Miranda,” play by F*etcr Black- more. at Starlight tlieatre. Pawl ing. N. Y . and at The Barnstorm- ers’. Tainvvorth, N. H. "Too .Much Johnson.’’ musica version of William (Jilletle play adapted by George Schaefer, mu sic by G. Wood,.at Hilltop theatre Lutherville, Md. “Baa-Baa. Black Sheep.” hv Montgomery Hare, at Barter i! Ire. Abingdon, Va.. opening ' 2 >. "Syllabub." by Patricia Collier at Grand Island (N.Y.) plavhous “Love Thief,” by (^ aesar Duni at Keene 'N.H.) playnouse. "Take a Dream,” revue, by Alii I.ee Edwards. Bernard Welch. .A tied Simon and Harold Kmtuay. ; Peterborough 'N.H.) summer the; tre. “High Time.” musical by Willai Jodicc, at Nar.tasket (Mass.i thci tie. !m; Frida fall. The original three Broadway lead's. Marie Powers. Evelvn Keller 'I plaving do il at Play Abroad Conllnucd from paje «0 Tilt* IWklail Parlv symbolic, refers to two occasion One parlv introduces the erisi Hie other—le.ss cleverly handled- resolves it. Action in betwet consists mainly of conversaiioi between various pairs of charai le engaged in searching out their ow and each other’s psychoses. Characters include a middi aging lavwer and wife who ai rapidly drifting apart, an emotio ally (onfused .^ocietv girl wl thinks she's in love with the lawvi hut i'^n't. a bouncy voting M-ree writer who thinks he’s in love wii her and is. a government of fin uilh w orldwide connect ion-, chatterbox of a widow who ton -ennii'-minded at the authors co venience. and an unknown gue who eventually turns out. in wh (liinil manner, to be a consullw LITERATI 61 I SCULLY’S SCR.4PBOOK t By Fratik Scully ♦ ♦ ♦ Murray Hill, Aug. 29. Clattering across the continent toward Times Square is Ken Murray’s “Blackout.” Far from being the reserves rushed eastward to support the Palace while Mike Todd plans to open with plushier acts at the Win- ter Garden. Murray and his carloatl of corn are set for a two-time kill- ing on their own. In fact, hi.s sivle of vaude might well outlive all otliers. Murray will give New York jnsi about what he has been giving Hollywood since the critics looked at his wares and ordered him locked up for six weeks and then released lliat was 'way hack in June, 1942. He will feature the same vaiiotoiis acts, moving them along so fast that vice cops can’t spell out s-e-x belore he has swung to the acrobat.* and the animal acts. Even George Burton and his beautiful performing birds will be there lo add an air of Inicolic innocence to the bawdy merriment. Ashes On a Windy Day Somewhere between those 10 .shows a week and that $17,000 weekly gross he must draw at the Ziegfidil, Murray will shake the ashes of Ins ever-present cigar in front of CBS’ TV cameras and trust that the kinoscopic offset which old pal.s in llollvwood have to view will not be too hard to see. In fact, if it hadn’t been for one of the juiciest plums ever dangletl before anybody in show biz. ii is (UmbHiil if Murray would have Icit those Hollywood pals till cairi»(1 on their shoulders to Forest Lawn. Two years ago he told me he couldn't imagine a happier guy than him- self. He had everything he had ever wanted—his own show, a pa<k»d house every night and lots of Hme to play golf. But when Bill Palcy of CBS offered him a straight ttiree-year deal for an hour a week at a minimum of $20,000 a program and a lav off guarantee of $3,750 evi-ry week pending the signing of a spon.sor. Murray felt he simply eouldn t say no. Figures Don't Lie. But Figurers*’ (An closing, “Blackouts” had run np a record of 3,943 consecutive perforinances in one house. Dick Hunt, who opened and closed the show, long ago filed a claim for the all-time lon.g-run record of the .American theatre. This is a tricky (iaiin because Hunt based it on the tact that “The Drunkard.” which has l>ecn running 15 years in one house, i.s a revival and, besides, serves Iveer and sandwiehes, whiili makes it. in his opinion, a cross l)etvve« n a hurle.sque house and a niglii- elub. The only legit contender. Himl holds, was the New York pio- duction of “Life With F'ather." and Father'’ folded after 3,209 perform- anees, or 635 showings short of where "Blaekouts” ended its Hollywood run. F^l.sa Lancaster and the Yale Piippi leers at the Turnabout i.s left now lo tight it out with “The Drunkard" for Hie Hollywood long-run reeoid I'his melange has been playing to lapaeiiv for eight years and. hort of some irresistible offer to Miss l.anehester to (piit Hollywood s ’< h as has come lo Murray, it is doulitfiil if the Turnabout show will stop for another eight years. Ditto "The Drunkard.’’ Of the original cast only Miiriav remains for the N. Y. opening the (lay after Labor Day. Marie Wilson, who opened with Murray, dropped out two weeks before "Itlaekoois" completed its Hollywotul run. ami will be replaced in New York hv I’ai Williams. .Also in that original east were Billy Gilbert, Gene .Ansim. Rov Davis. P.irk & Clifford. Ni(‘h- olas Brothers, Helen Gardner Fomsome, Betty Atkinson and Vivien .Marshall. Of these all are gone Jack .Mulhall, the Old Ktinnor-Up Longest to Murray in point of service still with the show is Jack Miil- hall. He joined as a handsome slraiglil man in 1942, eight weeks after the opening night, and has tveen m there pitching—10 shows a week— ever since. The Mulhall of the old pielore team of Alulhall & MaeKaill, .lack should be well remembered around Broadway. They don’t come lielter liked. The Elderlov('lies. too. have lieeii a long time with the show and eon- trihule a nostalgic touch that i- possilily more eharacteristie of Broad- way than it is of Hollywood Tools Shor and other crumbuins from the (lavs when Ward’s .sold a loaf of bread for 5e, will now be able to sec what happened to vaiuU.* when .ill Hie Hme they thought il was dead. The Ken Murray N. Y. i.s going to see will not look anything like the (haraeter vvho.se smoke has liecn gelling in their eyes for so many vears. The export job has a crew haircut with a cowlick instead of a part, and rarely, if ever, vve.irs a hat. Whether he will dare go bare- headed around Times .S(iuarc depdids on whether the warm weatlier liolds out all winter. The chances are you will not see him light a cigar either. He quit smoking some time ago Inil si ill carries one for a prop. People whose imaginations are awful fast on the draw have frequently sworn lh(V inhaled smoke arising from his blue gags. But actually what happened was (hat somebody lell a door of K1 Capilan open and the smog which passed for fresh air around llollyvvood came into the theatre and louled up the air-conditioning Murray’s D. .\. R. Guys Barring his el ropo routine, the rest is as authentic Murray as Miiriay Hill. Incidentally, friends of the key (omie claim he is descended from the gal who entertained the Biiti.sti at her Manhattan manse while Washington’s army scrammed across the Hudson to New Jersey and .sti lived to fi.ght another day. If .so. I suspect the present-day master of emcee is using the same gags Mrs. Murray u.sed in 1776, dirtied, of course, by the wear and tear of lime Old-timers will miss Marie Wil.son dreadfully. .A trouper always on lime and perfect in her timing, she ran up 2,332 eon.secutive perform- .inees in one house. Has any other pal played 10 shows a week, week in and week out. for four and a lialf vears without taking a day off’ In the early days .she and Mm ray were in and out of every skit In latter years, however, she lias done less and le.ss and, if po.ssible, shown more and more. But in the last ‘ Blackouts’' she stopped stripping and returned to the plunging nei kline In cleavage she has been Hie siieees.sor to the split neckline In (leavage she has been the sueces.sor to the split week. Now hu.';y wiih "My Friend Irma” on stage and sc reen, watch the battle to keep Miss Wilson dres.scd when she opens- - and "opens” is the word—on television. Out front at the Ziegfeld the Mm ray dynasty will show some changes, too. Sid Grauman, C. E. Tobennan and IJoyd Bacon won’t be around Broadway, but David W. .Siegel, the Cleveland attorney who put up the .show’s original $12,000 in 1942. will be counting the house and checking with Billy Rose for Murrav. In Hollywood Murray and Siegel ran their 12G up to $6,535,100 be- fore they quit. It would he more amazing than atomic fission if they should top that on Broadwav But lemember what Napoleon said: ■ 1 mpos.sible’.’ (!et mot n’esi pas fianeais” psychiatrist equally handy at tricks of behavior and theological allii- .sions. 'I'rouble is that most of hi> writing i.s neither simple nor dramatic enough. His philosophical trails, especially on Hu* questions of love and responsibility for love., are iritere.sting hut diffused. Hrs talk is often static. Henry Sherck. who i.s interested in the play’s West End possibiliiies has spared no effort (»n the Edin- burgh presentation. I'hvsteal pro- duction IS slick and lavish, the (•o.«.iitmes especially smart. Polished east IS headed by Robert Flemvng and I'fsula Jeans as husband and wile. v\ ho.se problems of loving and being loved provide the plav s (cntral core; with .Alec GuineVs. one of England's be.st eliaradtr a(ioi>. the mystical doctor who ailernalely is taken for either a saint nr a devil. Director Martin Browne, who staged Hie other two Eliot plavs. Hies valiantly to clarify the plav > theme and keep lack of action from b« ing loo obvious. Ahiu.