Variety (February 1950)

60 UBGITlOiATB Vccitteaday, FcbrMai? 22, 1950 Dance M in Red (Feb. itb-Mdrch A) ‘‘Yes, MXord/' W, Douglas Home4^ coinedy, which closed ; Saturday night (18V in Boston* inade a profit of about $20,000 on its eight- week road tour. The production, brpught -Buf f aldr^Febr* 2ii from London at ah estimated cost of around $20,000, just about broke j eVeii oh its BT-performance Brbad- w^ay run, > However, it earned a substantial profit in theatre rental for the Shuberts, o\vners of the j Booth;N; ^ Production was presented by the Shuberts and the London firm of. Linnit & Dunfee; by arrangement with John Krimsky. Original • British cast, headed by A. E, Mat- thews, Mary Hinton and , George Cui’^on, returns to England this week. “bance, Me a Song.”. Dwight Deere Wiman revue Which folded' Saturday at the Royaler N. Y„ is Unfierstood to have involved a loss of more than $200,0*00. Show was _ financed at $175,000, of which j Wimnh personally supplied $164,500 and his brother Charles Deere Wiinah put up. the. remaining, $10,500. • Following heavy iosses during the out-of-town tryouti grosses during the Broadway run were $1?.100 for the opening half-Week, then declined from $18,000 for the first full week to $12,100 the sec- ond week. $10,000 the third Week and about $7,000 for last week’s finale.. The production’s break- even figure was about $21,000 at the start. Ballets de Paris took in a big $16,100 in four days last Week, split between the Shubert, New | Haven, Tuesday and Wednesday (14-15), and the Erlaiiger here Fri^ day and Saturday (17-18), Troupe is playing the Hanna, Gleyeland, this week. ; OK $7,000, New Haven New Haven, Feb. 21. ; Les Ballets de Paris- came to town at faii’iy short notice last week for a two-day stand at Shu- bert (14-15) and departed with an okay batch of shekels. In three performances, at $4.20 topi the leap-and-glide troupe cashed in oh its first local appearance With an estimated $7,000. gross. This week has preem of “What a Day!’’ (Vinton Freedley musical) for three dayi^ (23 t 25). ' Fonowing are two full-week stands of “Briga- doon’’ (27-4) and “Wisteria Trees” (Helen Hayes) (6-il). ‘Tee Follies” due at Arena March 14-20. ' Ballet Russe de Monte Carln-^ Shea’s, Erie, Pa. (2-4), Ballet '|’heatre---BUtmorei L, A. (20-25); Union H.S. Aud., Phoenix (27);~Univ. :Aud.; Tuseon T28)^-Lib=^ erty Hall, El Paso (1); Music Hail, Houston (3-4)i . Ballets de Parls-^Hanna, Gleve. (-20-25)1- Royal Alexandra, Toronto ;(27-4).; “Barrets of ivimpolc Street'*-^ Ford's* Balto. (20-25). “Brlgadooii” ~ M Mon- treal (20-25); Shubert, New Haven ::(27-4)V ' “CohsulV^Shubert, .Phila. (1-4). Continued from paffe ST Lee and J. J, Shubert, Theatre Guild and Dwight Deere Wiman, plus such no-longer-active ipan- ^geFSu-as Jlomer Curran,.-. Philip Dunhihg, Marcus.; Heiman* Arthur Hopkins, Augustus Pitou, Elmer Rice (who now produces as a mem- ber 7)f the Playwjrights’ Go.,, which must post a. bond)* Latirence Schwab arid Ed Wynn. Fact that the waiyer of bond is based on precedent rather than fi^ nancial rating is indicated by the fact that; such establisbed manage- ments a$:RQdger$ & Hammevsteiri, : ♦‘Death of a Salesman”—Hart-j Leland Hayward, Cheryl Crawford, man, Columbus* p. (20-25); Cox, j Alfred de Llagre, Jr.* Hermari Cincy (27-4). - Shumliri, Kemit Blppmgardeh, “Dietcctive Story” American, Lindsay & Creiusei and even the St. L. (20-25). Rpckefellers, are required to put “Diamond LiP»-^Royal AlexariT up a deposit. In the Case of the dra, .Toronto (20-25); Hariria, Cleve. ^ Rockefellers, Equity refused to ac- (27-4)., cept a letter from John D, Rbcke- “.Haryey”:—Lyceum, Minneapolis feller* Jr., to coyer salaries for the ‘Detective $10,000 in Kansas City Kansas City, Feb. 21. “Detective Story,in a week-1 long run. at the. Fox Midwest Or-1 pheum, plodded all the way. Eight performances at $3.66 top totalled $10,000, poor. Company bad Ches- ter Morris in the lead^ Orpheum reverts to film (“Red Shoes’’) policy for next couple weeks, and has '‘That Lady,’^ with Katharine Cornell* for early March date, .'. ' ■ . . BOOK YOUR SHOW in the NATION'S CAPITAL WASHINGTON/ D. C. I the New Legit Thecitre Now Available Put thii town on your Itinorory Write or phono JAY J. HORNICK t 6 I. HIRST ENTERPRISES 803-05 N. 7th St. Philodtlphia, Po. tOmbord ^988 in Rochester, N. Y.,‘Feb. 21. • “Diamond Lil” did abPut $24,500 lasf week in eight performances divided between the Court, Spririg- field, Mass., and the Masonic au- ditorium here. Show drew profit- able grpss despite a blizzard here arid Mae West’s Cancelling out pf the third act of one performance at the Masonic , because of illness. Latter incident resulted in theatre handing Put some refunds. Production is being offered this week; at the Royal Alexandra, Tpfonto. (20-26); Washingtori H. S. ; Aud., Sioux Falls, S. D. (27); Orpheum, Sioux City, la. (28-1); KROT Radio Theatfe, Des Moines (3-4). “Heart of the Matter”—Wilbur, BOst. (23-4); “Inside U. S. A.”r—Davidson, Milwaukee (20-25); Erlanger, Buf- falo; (27-1); Aud., 'Rochester (2-4). “Kiss Me, Kate”—Shubert, Chi; .(20-4), Vljend An Ear”^Shubert, Phila, (20-25)^Shubert, Bost. (27-4).’ “Madwoman of Chaillot”—Nixon, Pitt. (20-25); Cass. Detroit (27-4). “Man Who Game to Dinner”— Curran, S. F. (20-4). “Merry Widow” ^ Blackstone, Chi. (20-4). “Mister Roberts” —Erlanger, Buffalo (20-25); Bushnell Aud., Hartford (27-4). “Now i Lay Me Down to Sleep” -^Shubert, Bost. (2()-25). “OkIahoma!”-^Kimo, AlbuquPr presentation of “Virginia” at the Center; theatre, N. Y., several sea- sons ago.; Some producers have no objec- tion to posting a union bond. For instance. Miss Crawford believes that haying .a deposit to cover cast salaries relieves her of a respon- sibility she prefers npt tc/assume.' Furthermore, she notes, the bond need npt actually amount tP double coverage, since it enables her tP operate a productiori with a smaller cash reserve. Therefore, it; should not involve additional financing for a'show.- Equity Is the only union having a flat rule covering the posting of salary bonds. Other groups have varying pPlicies, but in most cases the decision is a iriatter of prece- dent. With Waivers granted to man- agements who have established ‘Streetiar’ Fair I5G For St. Louis Week St. Louis, Feb. 21. Natives thought $4.27 top -much for Tennessee Williams’“Streetcar Named Desire,” and the drama wpund up a pne-week stand; at the American theatre Saturday (11) with only a mild $15*000 for nine performances. It was the Second visit and4hird week of “Streetcar” to the American. Chester Morris, in the top role in Sidney Kingsley’s “Detective Story,” teed off* a one-week stand last night (Monday) at the Ameri- can. The house is scaled to $3;66. que (20-21); Aud * Amarillo (23);; Credit and with; whom there have Forum, Wichita (24-25); Memorial been amicable relationships. Hall, Jopliri, Mo, (26); Shrine ... Mosque, Springfield, Mo. (27-28); Music Hall, Kansas City, (1-4). “Philadelphia Story” White, Fresno- (20-21); Fox, Bakersfield, Gal. (22); Lobero, Santa Barbara! No NiUer Continued from t>aj:e ST (23-24); Aud., Long ' Beach (25); t ^ „ >.i • Aud.V Riverside (26); Biltmore, ■ ** ^ L. A. (27-4). “Private Lives” •Avon, Utica (20); Strand, . Albany (21); Erie, [ Stained Glass Window.” Door,^’ “Metropole,” “How Long Till Summer” and “Design For a Schenectady (22); Strand, Ithaca (23); Empire, Syracuse (24-25); Strand, Elmira (27); Kalurah be signed to weefeea th«n, since tho sh^ow would be playing differ, ent cities and there, would thus be nC question Pt Critical comparisons betweeri the actors Involved Cpiniiioii Fund As Gordon had outlined the scheme at GTP meetings, a sea- son’s schedule of proposed revivals would be-drawn Tup-frpiri lists~pf— Shows suggested by the indiyidual members. The prpductions would be financed from - a common fund cooperatively Underwritten by the GTP,- with outside managements sueh as the Shuberts and Paul Beisman, of the American theatre St. Louis* reportedly willing to ■■participate,- The idea would not be to riiake a profit directly, but tp rebuild the road by giving coritinuPus book- ings to key-city theatres and try- ing to educate the public toward regular legit attendance. Thus even if certain of the shows were to do poor busiriess, it would be kept oh tour. Any losses involved in such operation, If not covered by profits from successful entries, would be absorbed by all the mari- agements partieipating. Actors Equity oWcials have re- portedly been informed uriolTicial- iy of the plan and are uridei^tood to favor granting concessioris to encourage it. The idea would be that this project, unlike the .League prPppSal which the union nixed, provides for the productidh of a specific riumber of shovvs,, So Equity members would be assured of greater . employriient tp coin- pensate for the iribdified terms. in Stv/Paui, Feb. 21. “Harvey” wound up eight per- formarices in three engagements last week with a poor $2,100 at the Auditorium here Saturday (18', giving it a middling total gross of almost $15,000 for the week. Show split the ;other two dates, between the Davidson, Milwaukee, Monday through Wednesday (IB- IS) and the Vocational high school auditorium, LaCrosse, Wise., Thursday and Friday (16-17>. Comedy is current at the Ly- ceum, Minneaprilis. Other straight shows, offered during the period of eligibility, but which were either adaptations Temple, Binghamton, N. Y. (28); or of for^gn derh wiimmgton (3-4), ' M’Lord,” “The Browning Version,” 1 SKINNER'S 30, DENVER Denver, Feb. 21. Cornelia Otis Skinner, in one show, did fine. $3*000 at $3 top last week In her monologs; Offeririgs were“Wives of Henry VIII” and three modern sketches. A. M. Oberfelder* local impresario, . booked her. KIRK A TRIPLE Still "A/Wdys True to You in H£R Fashion" in "KISS Me, KATE," also currently doubling into the PER- SIAN ROOM for the sup- per show, and Ringing stdr of RCA-VICtOR ReC; ORPS. Prtii Relotloni: SIDNEY ASCHEIi Rfcerd Profndrtpii: JERRY JOHNSON WM. MORRIS AGENCY Set Pdget 53 dnd 44 “Silver Whistle”-^WRVA The- atre, Richmond (20-22); Playhouse, Wilmington (23-25); Ford’s Balto. (27-4). , “Streetcar Named Desire” (No. 1) —Plymouth, Bost. (20-4). “Streetcar Named Desire” No. 2) —Indiana U., Bloomington (20- 21); Qtiimby, Ft. Wayrie (22-23); Keith’s, Grand.Rapids, la, (24-25); Davidson, Milwaukee (27-4). “That Lady”—Har/is, Chi. (20- 25); Aud., St. Paul (27-28); Ly- ceum, Minneapolis (1-4). “Tobacco Road”—Locust, Phila. (20-4). ■ Webster-Shakespeare—Geary, S. F. (20-25); White, Fresno (27); Aud., Modesto, Cal. (28); Sacra- mento Rep. Theatre, Sacramento (1); H. S. Aud., Marysville (2); Sacramento Rep theatre, Sacra- merito (3-4). “Wisteria Trees”—Colonial, Bost. i (20-4). “What a Day”—Shubert, New i Haven (20-25); Forrest, Phila. I (27-4). ‘Norway’ Fair $39,000 In Week at Detroit Detroit, Feb. 21. “Song of Norway,V Civic Light Opera production starring Kenny Baker at Detroit’s Masonic Temple, did a fair $39,000 last \yeek. Civic’s next-to-the-last presentation this i Tsrpw Vnrti"» season* Annie Get Your Gun,” is • .wi®;T^qulrement.s; for current. Featured are Billie. Worth,state the work be Earle MaeVeigh arid Donald Burr, i which shall best represent . The Cass reopens Moriday (27) I value and power after a month’s hiatus with “The [ 9 stage; dealing preferably Madwoman of Chaillot*” staiTirig ''’^^^v American Hfe.”^- ^ Martita Hunt and John CaiTadine. Play, is in for l5 days. The Shu ^ bert-Laf ayette, meanwhile, stiU shows no sigris of life after five weeks of darkness. ** I “Montserrat,” “I Know My Love,” “The Father,” “That Lady,” “Glut- terbuck,” ‘Caesar and Cleopatra, “Member of the Wedding,” '^The Enchanted*” “Cocktail Party,” “The Happy Time,”“As You Like It,” “The Innocents” and “The Devil’s Disciple.’' The remaining twelve offerings, all musicals, include five adapta- tions of. straight American plays* five revues, an adaptation of an Irish work and one original entry. The last named is “Miss Liberty,” while the quintet of adaptations includes “South Pacific,” which preemed April 7. ’48; “Lost Iri the Stars,” “Regina,” “Gentlemen Pre- fer Blondes” and “Arms and the Girl.” The revues include “Black- outs*” “Touch and Go,” “Texas. Li’l Darlin’,’’ “Alive and Kicking” and “Dance Me a Song.” The Irish work was “Happy As Larry.” Shows scheduled to cOme in be- fore April 1 of this year Include a reyue, three adaptations and an original entry. The new work, / Cage,” bows tonight : (Wed.“ 'The4feart of^the Mat- ter, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep” and “The wisteria Trees” make up the adaptatiohs, while the revue is “What a Day.” Besides having to be “an origi- nal American play performed in FREE IF YOU ARE PROMPT! Weil-Known Serfon Will.Give Proven HAIR-COLORING fo Limited Number of ApplU tents W* hav* developed a ipectoeuior new product for holr-colorlhg. frovod for two' yean by lome of tho world's lovol|eit women, its op- pliecition It now avalloble to oil. In lets timo than you con Imagine you con havp lovely hair. Whether your hotr It long or short—noturoi. bloachod, tintod, groy or just foded —whother you have a recent or remote permanent, or none of oil. a chorming experience awaits you. A LIMITED numbor of women may hovo salon hdir-eolorlng absolutely FREE os d promotion measure. No strings ottached to this ofleT* But, to be chosen, plegte be prompt. Call PLoio 3-3452 AT ONCE for your appointment. ICfe, Too WIltlAM ST. NIW VORK 7 . N. V. Bowling. Crttn 9-4420 ‘Brigr 36 i);U Ottawa, Feb. 21. “Brigadoon” racked up a sock gross last week of over $36,500 for seven performances in two stands. Show played Monday through Wednesday (13-15) at the Palace, Hamilton, Ont:, windirig up Thurs- day arid Friday (16-17) at the Capi- tol here. MusicM is playing His Majesty’s, Montreal, this week. SAMUEL FRENCH SINCE 1830 Play, Brbfcers and Authors^ Represenlaliyes RS West 45fli Street, New I’orli • 7628. Sunflet BlTtl,,. IfoIl.v\vood 46. Cat i-op Continued from page ^7 i?r ..P^vate Lives” and Monty Woolley m "Man Who Who Came to Dinner.” jt’s figured that major names are essential to draw strong grosses out-of-town. It’s hoped that Hollywood stars may be wUl- .AiSn for such tours, espe- cially since they would not run the risk of being panned by New York critics and haying the shows col- lapse shortly thereafter. In cases where film stars were available for only limited periods, others might FOR RENT BRlLLlANTtV SUCCESSFUL SUM* MER THEATRE In high school audr« tortum. Almost 1,000 seats. Qn densely populated theatre-minded Massy No, Shore. 1949 rent— $2,000.90, with 6 eapacity performances weekly under star system. Leased only to fman.- ctally responsible with theatrical back-, ground. Apply: Supt. A. W. Coleman, High School, Marblehead, Mass. Give referontes aiid •Kperience. SUMMER THEATM Panna.-p^-lOO mllat from New Y.erk Star System Only FOR RENT Completely Equipped AIR CONDITIONED . , Write: R. B, BELLO, 1003 Commercial Trust Bldg., Phila. 2/ Fa. Phone: LO. 7-13SI