Variety (July 1950)

50 LEGITIMATE JSaSUETY Wednesday, * July 5, 1950 Michael Todd’s Peep Show . Michael Todd presentation' o£ v revue in two acts (23 scenes). Sketches by Bobby Clark, H. I, Phillips, William Boos, Billy . K. Wells; music, BnUmibol it Chakraband, Sammy Fain Sc Herb Magldson, Harold Rome, Raymond Scott, Sammy Stept Se Dan Shapiro, Jule Styne Sc Bob Hilliard. Staged and lighted by Hassard Short; scenes directed by Robert • Edwin Clark; dances staged by James Starbuck; sce- nery, Howard Bay; costumes, Irene Sha- red: orchestra conductor, Clay Warnick; music for dances arranged by. Mel Pahl; orchestrations, Ken Hopkins, Irwin Kos- tel. Features Lina Romay, Lilly Christine, Clifford Guest, Peiro Bros., Corrine Sc Tito Valdez/. Shannon Dean, JUne^Allen, Chris- tine Sc Moll, Myrtill Sc Pacaud, Linda Bishop, Bozo Snyder, Hi Wilberforce Con- ley. Peanuts Mann, Red Marshall, Spike Hamilton, Dick Gabby Dana. At Winter Garden, N. Y., Jui\e 28, '50; at $7.20 top ($12 opening). Principals: Linda Bishop, Red Marshall; Hi Wllberforice Conley, Peanuts Mann, Bozo Snyder; Dick Gabby Dana, June Alien, Shannon Dean. Lina Romay* Peiro Bros., Christine. Moll, ' Lilly Christine, ■Jesus Moll, .Myrtill gc Pacaud. Art Carroll, . Corrine. & Tito Valdez, Clifford Guest, Mary Donn. Ensemble: Charlotte Bergmeier, Penny Davidson, Glen Grayson. Bucy Hegyi, June Kirby, Barbara Leslie, Rosemarie Lynn, Mickey Miller, Mira Stefen, Gwenna' Lee Smith, Jeanne Tyler, Rosemary Wil- liamson, Jaii Arnold. Lisa Ayres, Wendy . Bartlett. Lynn : Bernay, .Gloria. Danyl, Au- drey. Dearden,; Bettina Edwards, Carol . Hehricks. Christina Frericks,. Frances Hrell, Jill Melford, Leila Martin, Ronny. Oatley,. Elsie Rhodes^ Kaja ' Sundsten, Jackie' Tapp, Mary Thomas, Yalarie' Wal- lace, Ruth Vernon, Fern Whitney, Rofiari York, Hubert Bland, James Brock, Carry Fleming, Edward Garhbos, Vincent Henry, Robert Davis. Ralph Linn, John Juliano, Frank Reynolds. Michael Todd’s “Peep Show” is appropriately titled, even to the inclusion of the producer’s name. For “Peep Show” is just about that; and it has Todd's personality Stamped all over it. Moreover, Todd is one of the few Broadway' producer’s whose name has box- office draw (which may even in- crease after “Peep Show”), so giv- ing himself title billing is appar- ently smart showmanship, though it’s jUst the sort of thing sure to irritate other producers. That goes for “Peep Show” it- self. This loud, brash, vulgar, handsome, risque revue isn’t for theatrical sophisticates, but it looks a natural for the visiting fire- men. Despite the $7.20 top, it seems a likely boxoffice bet for the summer trade, particularly since there’s no new musical opposition in sight before mid-October; The way Todd has it set up, he may be able to get his money back by that time. “Peep Show” is a combination of standard ingredients. Its stunning girls wear no more than legally necessary,, and that as suggestive as possible. Its comedy, virtually all time-tested burlesque sketches, whacked across by veteran burley comics, requires no thought or even imagination on the part of the audience. 'The specialty acts are di- verting, the musical numbers are lavishly produced, the scenery and costumes are stunning, and the emphasis throughout is strictly single entendre, The show is neatly routined. Thus, after the thematic opening with Linda Bishop and the chorus Singing Harold Rome’s “The Model Hasn’t Changed,” there’s a burley sketch played by Red Marshall, Hi Wilberforce Conley, Peanuts Mann, Bozo Snyder and Dick Gabby Dana, then an unmistakably suggestive song, “You’ve Never Been Loved (If You’ve Never Been Loved Below the Border),” by Dan Shapiro and Sammy Stept, sung by Lina Romay, followed by the first spe- cialty act, the superb juggling Pe’ro Bros. Four numbers, explicitly risque enoUgh to cause comment from first-nighters, have since been re- vised at the insistence of N; Y. License Commissioner Edward T. McCaffrey. They were a panto- mime sketch, “Shades of Night;” illustrating an old smoking car story; two burley grind-and-bump dances by Lilly Christine, and “Ballet Burlesque” an amusing spoof of classic terp, with June Alien doing a twirling tassels marii^ inory routine. Other numbers, in most of which the Idea of sex is expressed as clearly and Constantly as pos- sible, include* the song, “GotvWhat It Takes,” by the chorus; Harold Rome’s passable “I Hate a Parade,” climaxed, by the hilarious bass drum-beating bit by Peanuts Mann; Blue Night,” the tUne by Bhumi- bol (the King of Siam) and Chaknfc- band (one of his court officers), which Todd shrewdly gives an or*? nate production; “Stay with the Happy People,” a singable song by Jule Styne and Bob Hilliard, sung by Miss Romay; “Violins from Nowhere,” an over-produced song by Sammy Fain and Herb Magid- son, with a dance by Corrine and Tito Valdez; “Pocketful of Dreams,” a laughable tune (satirizing “Dreamer with a Penny,” from “Ail for Love”) by Rome, sung by the burley comics, and the eye-catch- ing bubble-bath finale. ^Besides the. drum-beating bit, the funniest sketch combines a lampoon of T. S. Eliot’s “Cocktail Party” with the old slapstick bur- lesque skit about the paper-hang- ers. Other sketches from tne burley files include the one in which the couples in adjacent rooms patch up each others’ quarrels* ahd finally get stewed together, the one in which the long-suffering husband shoots his wife in; the belief he’ll get only 30 days for it, the midway barker one with the gal who tosses a mean baseball at the “boob work- ing as a target, and the one in which the chump prefers chocolate- covered marshmallows to the femme fatale. Besides the Peiro Biros, arid the Valdezes, the spe- cialty acts include Clifford Guest, ventriloquist. Hassard Short’s expert overall staging is eviderit in the smooth pace of the show. Bobby Clark di- rected the sketches, being tongue- in-cheek billed as “Mr. Robert Ed- win Clark, Esq. He fooled the would-be hep first-nighters by riot appearing at the last minute as star. By professional Broadway stand- ards, “Peep Show” is uneven en- tertainment. The comedy is occa- sionally rib-cracking, but - some- times falls flat. There are ho out- standing songs, but Todd has smartly, covered that by visual splash. The girls are gorgeous and Irene Sharaff’s revealing costumes exploit the fact. But the combina- tion of beauty, nudity; risque com- edy and the intangible come-on power of Todd’s name add up to a promising commercial bet. The fact that the King of Siam has pro- vided one of the songs has already been profitable as . publicity, and will continue to be. Moreover, the news of the license Commissioner action seems likely to help, not hurt, the show’s appeal to out-of- towners. Hobe. hade Staff-Legit The Apollo of Bellae and Fortunato Woodstock, N. Y., July 2, Margaret Webster Co. presentation of double-bill, including “The Apollo of Bel- lac," adapted by Pierre Garai from orig- inal of Jean Glradoux, and “Fortunato," adapted by Helen and Harley Granville Barker from, original by Joaquin arid. Scrafln Quintero. Former, stars Miss Web- f ter, Frederick Rolf, Larry Gates, Sylvia arnham; latter stars Eva Le Galllenne; features Dlbn. Allen, Louisa Horton; Ken- dall Clark. Staged by. Miss ^Webster; sce- nery, Richard Harrison Senie. At Wood- stock (N. Y.) Playhouse, July 1, '50; $3 top. ‘ The Apollo of Bellae Clerk .John Straub Man *................... Frederick Rolf Agnes............ .Sylvia Farriham 2d Vice-President ;v... .; .Michael Linethal Mr. Van Kluyden........ . ., . : . Dion Allen Mr. Lepedura.............. . Arthur Lewis Mr, Rebsiri.............. Preston Hanson Mr. Fried.. .GeorgeRoy Hill Mr. Schultz..,,. ,.. .Louis Frederick Mr. President..... .....Larry Gates Miss Bugblrd......... ..Cavada Humphrey Theresa..................Margaret Webster Fortunato Don Vittorio.......,. ,...... Larry Gates Monica....................Darthy Hinkley Alberto .,.;...... Kendall Clark | Constaoza..... .Louisa Horton Fortunato................... Dion. Allen Blind Man..........,.... .,.. Frederick Rolf Gorguera...................Arthur Lewis Conchita. .Janice. Foley Dressmaker’s Assistant..,,..... Jo Rabb Elderly Gentleman.....,.... .John Straub Sister of Mercy......... Vera RUshforth Cripple. George Dupont Inez. . ,........ Cavada Hurnphrey Signora Amaranta...... Eva Le Galllenne Angels Beef' Continued from page 49 as authors of the book, Ethel Mer- man as star, George Abbott as di- rector, Jerome Robbins as choreo- grapher and Hayward as producer, the general feeling in Broadway managerial circles is that RCA has a highly promising deal, even Without the added album, televis- ion and radio angles. Also, it’s pre- dicted that this may be the fore- runner of numerous other more or Jess similar legit financing ven- tures, by RCA or other recording- tele-radio companies, film studios or other big outfits. Although there has been no pub- lic criticism, some backers of pre- vious HayWard (and Berlin and Lindsay-Crouse) shows have pri- vately expressed bitterness at be- ing ignored in the financing of “Madam,” As one frequent angel said, “My money was good enough for ‘Rat Race’ and ‘Miss Liberty,’ but now that thd boys have what they consider a sure thing, they take it to somebody who can give them a radio plug or a television edge.” Another consistent legit backer who has been griping to friends says he’s unimpressed by the state- ment that “Madam” wouldn’t of- fer a suitable venture for individ- ual investors. “If that’s true,” he argued, “I’d like Jto have had a chance to decide so for myself. After all, nobody else made up my mind that ‘Miss Liberty’ wasn’t suitable for me. The least they might have done was to offer their regular backers a choice, or maybe held out a token amount for us to buy.” Such comment is expressed strictly off-the-record, however. And even the more vehement beef- ers have avoided saying they would refuse to invest in future Hay- ward, Berlin or Lindsay-Crouse shows; On the contrary, it's gen- erally conceded that as long as the members of group are hot pros- pects,, there will be plenty of back- ers/ (including those who Rre^pro-' testing most bitterly) eager to put money in their shows. Any time they cease to be hot prospects, people will no longer be, willing to back them. Whether everyone has been included in former invest- ments is unlikely to be a factor. “Madam” is being financed at $200,000, with provision for $25,000 overcall. The royalty setup calls for. Berliirto get 4% instead of his usual 5%, Lindsay and Crouse to share 4% instead of 5%, Abbott 2% instead of 3% and Miss Mer- man 8% instead of her customary 10%, Then, after the investment has been earned back, Berlin will also get 10% of the net, Lindsay arid Crouse will share a similar slice, Abbott will get V/2% and Miss Merman 10%, The summer theatregoer looking for something different Will find it in duplicate this week at the Wood- stock playhouse. Offered is a twin^ bill featuring Jean Giraudoux’s “The Apollo of Bellae,” a new play adapted by Pierre Garai, and an- other play being shown on an American stage for the first time, “Fortunate” by the Quinteros and adapted by Helen and Harley Gran- ville Barker. . “Fortunato," starring Eva Le Gallienne, caps the evening’s enteiv tainment. But “Apollo” provides a worthy preliminary piece as mem- bers of the Margaret Webster com- pany turn in a brace of expert per- formances. Both brief ana for the most part fast-moving, the two plays make a good combination. “Apollo” sets forth the premise that a girl can achieve any goal she desires merely by telling men they | are “beautiful.” Sylvia Farnham, as Agnes, proves it to the satisfac- tion of all concerned on the Wood- stock stage. “Fortunato” is a more weighty E iece, dealing with a hero who has eeri a failure and a coward all his life, but courageously risks his life to earn enough to buy food for his five children. Miss Le Gallienne gives a sparkling performance in the part of a champion marksman and Dion Allen is excellent in the title role. Too honest to obtain money by false pretenses, Fortunato is driven to despair at the thought that his children are hungry, He steals from a blind man, but gives the money back when he learns that the blind man' also has children to feed and Clothe, Conquering his terror, he finally takes a job hold- ing a lighted match for the femme marksman to shoot out of his hand/ Although the role of Signora Amaranta is hardly worthy of Miss Le Gallienne, she plays it With en- thusiasm. Also outstanding in ad- dition to Allen are Larry Gates as a conniving beggar, Louis Horton and Kendall Clark as a well-to-do Couple who seek to help the down- trodden. Apollo” takes place in the office of Major & Minor Inventions- Inc., in Paris. Priiriarily responsible for getting this piece off to an interest- ing start is Frederick Rolf, as a would-be inventor, who takes time out from his efforts to perfect the “univesal vegetable” to coach the job-seeking Agnes with such suc- cess that she not only obtains em- ployment, but also gets a diamond from the pesident of the firm, . Miss Webster does a bang-up job as Theresa, the gal the president of the company intends to marry before he meets Agnes. Good work is done also by Michael Linenthal, the managing director of the Play- house,' as the second vice-presi- dent; John*Straub as the clerk, and Cavada Humphrey as Miss Bug- bird. - The Margaret Webster troupe is at Woodstock for the? summer, which is a break for Playhouse pa- trons.. Medo. Although she recently completed featured parts in three films Jane Cowl was destitute when she died June 22 in Hollywood. All the actress’ earnings from the screen stints had gone to pay debts, so her hospital bills and funeral expenses were paid by an anonymous former associate in legit. Former stage star had no near relatives, so in the absence of any legal instructions from next of kin, her New York attor- ney wired Coast authorities that her known wish had been to be cre- mated. However, no reply to the message was received*and the lawyer 1 hasn’t learned whether or not his suggestion was followed. Miss Cowl Is understood not to have been aware that she had cancer until a day or two before her death, when she underwent surgery She had been sought for the femme lead in the current R. I/. Stevens re- vival of Shaw’s “Getting Married” and was enthusiastically planning to appear in the comedy, but then had to pass up the assignment when she became ill. Mady Christians subsequently was engaged for the part. • 'A striking, Charming personality as well as a noted beauty, Miss Cowl was the subject of the usual star anecdotes during her long career in legit, She always professed not to read reviews of her shows but refused to speak to Alexander Woollcott for many years, after he had written a caustic pan of her performance in “The Road to Rome ” Feud was finally patched up when Woollcott, knowing his health Was failing, visited her during one of her strawhat guest engagements at death. She never admitted tlad. The Gurtam Falls, Joseph Vemer Reed’s book in which she is the subject of a bitter, though admiring chapter. * S Having previously established the American stage record for number of Broadway performances of “Romeo and Juliet,” Miss Cowl was in- vited by Katharine Cornell to see the latter’s revival of the play some years ago. Her wire refusing the bid explained, “I can’t do it; Jf voti were better than I it would make me sad, and if I were better than you it would still make me sad.” A Gene Mann’s Coast production of “Miss Liberty” marks the debut of several Irving Berlin tunes tossed out of the Broadway production r1ri aU T« e nan™ f UCh n ? aterial - "Ditty is “Business for a Good ph-L " S l B c d »V K WhlC t' al ? ng With “Mr. Monotony” and “The Pulitzer nS ibeen ^iieard on Broadway. “Business” takes the place of What Do L Have To Do To Get My Picture Took With You.” tossed thP ^hnw r fn Ct M r rs h e y with the blessing of Moss Hart, who steged N ® w . Yo ^ k * , Hershey was Hart’s assistant in the New York «nwf t ?» ni U u d * rstood remaining three unused Berlin tunes from Liberty will be incorporated by the tunesmith into a future musicaL Getting Married Los Angeles, June 27’ American National Theatre Sc Academy presentation of R. L,. Stevens production of "conversation" in one act (three scenes) by Bernard Shaw. Features Cedric Hardwicke, Mady Christians, Den- 5 1 v n ^ Judith Evelyn, Atthur Treacher» R a |Ph Y Forbes, John Buckriiaster, Colin KeithrJohnston, Margaret Bannerman. Di- rected by Cedric Hardwicke; scenery arid costumes, Paul Morrison. At BUtmore* L. A.. June 27, '50; $3.60 top. Mrs. A. Bridgenorth. Margaret Bannerman Greengrocer........... .Cedric Hardwicke Gen. Bridgenorth . Ralph Forbes Lesbia ^Grantham ...... Judith Evelyn Reginald Bridgenorth. . .Arthur Treacher Leo Bridgenorth..... ..... Mary Scott Bishop . .Dennis King St. John Hotchkiss. . John Buckmaster Cecil Sykes................ John Merivale Edith Rridgenorth.. .Dora Sayers Father Soarnes. Colin Kelth-Johnston Beadie. . ;........, Ronald Telfer Mrs. George.. .Mady Christians Ian Keith, $4>600, Chevy Chase Chicago, July 4. Ian Keith in “The Play’s the Thing” racked up moderate $4,600 last week at the Chevy Chase sum- mer theatre for stanza ending .Sun- day ( 2 ),. Martha Scott Opens to- night (Tues.) in “Another Lan- guage,” v to be followed by two- weeker of Imogene Coco in “Happy Birthday." ■ Dan Levin returns to take over the director’s reins from Eugene Sullivan. As its first touring production- contribution to the American the?* atre, ANTA has extended its spon- sorship to a revival of what is one of the weakest efforts to come from the prolific pen of that acerbic Irishman, George Bernard Shaw. The result is highly Interesting and even commendable from the standpoint of arty theatre, but it is an uricertain commercial risk and of dubious value in creating a newer or bigger theatre audience. Even Shaw doesn’t call this a play, preferring to tag it a “con- versation.” It was written as a con- tinuous thing, but it has been arbi- trarily divided into three parts to give it some semblance of conven- tional theatre, it remains, however, little more. than a debate, with Shaw—as usual—taking both sides at once and aiming his shafts at the institution of marriage and, more specifically, the marriage and di- vorce laws of early 20th century England. Save for a “second act” in which the principals attempt to draw up a new marriage contract along legalistic lines, the verbiage is mildly humorous at best. Just what ANTA hoped to accom- plish with this Sponsorship remains vague. Inasmuch as the best run “Getting Married” ever had in the U., S. was 114 performances—-and ■that with a 1916 company that in- cluded such names as William Fa- versham, Hilda Spong, Charles Cherry and Henrietta Crosman—it couldn’t Jiave expected a. long-run A°d with the present. state of. the entertainment market, it’s only about even-money that the present production will equal the 48 performances on Broadway by a Theatre Guild company in 1931 with Margaret Wycherly, Dorothy Gish and Henry Travers, among others. But. there may be that many people interested in seeing this many names on a stage at one time, despite the handicap of a heavy script. Hardwicke’s direction is good ana there are moments when the cast delivers some tremendous ex- amples of ensemble acting, It Would have been better, however, to expand these talents on a more worthy vehicle—^one that would appeal to salesmen as well as stu- dents and thus assure ANTA not only a profit but a theatre evening that would have launched this pro- duction sponsorship more auspi- ciously. Production by R L. Stevens is fine and Paul Morrison’s scenery and costumes are top drawer. , Kap. Hose Mario San Francisco, July 4. . San Francisco Civic Light. Opera Assn, presentation of Edwin Lester production - of musical - In two Sets (efght scenes). Book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II; music, Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart; additional songs composed by Friml with lyrics by Harbach and Forman Brown. Stars Pa- trice Munsel; features Walter Cassel. Jack Goode, Clanssa; directed by Jose Ruben; dances staged by Aida Broadbent; sets. George Jenkins; costumes, Adele Palmer; costume direction, Walter J. Israel; music direction, Robert, Zeller; vocal nUiribers staged by George Cunningham; special dance arrangements, Edward Ward; spe- cial orchestral arrangements, Heinz Roemheld and Arthur Kay. At Curran, San Francisco. July 3. '50; at $4.80 top. Sergeant Malone George Britton Lady Jane.*...........,.... oilie Franks Black La^le............ Robert Lawrence Emile .., ;.Richard Atkinson Hawley... ..Lester Matthews Wanda Clarissa Hard-boiled Herman........ .Tack Goode Jim Kenyon ........... Waiter Cassel S?»? e . .Patrice Munsel pecile .... Donna Phillips Indian^Chief.. .........Toni Charlesworth His Interpreter. Dominic Tripoli Singers, dancers: Dalors Bennett. Betty Bi usher, Hilda Correa,. Dorothy Coulter, Thelma Dare, Sharon Hennagln, Jeanne Marie Jorgensen. Jeannette LeVere. Donna Phillips, Peggy Pulliam. Joanne Spiller, Nltza Satmar, Joan Trangsrud, Fran Yahnke, Frank Bouley, Gerald Car- doni, Tom Charlesworth, Kenneth Chap- J? av Daniels. Maurice De Soto, Roland Hughston, Robert La- m°nt, John MacAdam, John Marshall. My- ron iS** son, Richard Scott, Robert Searles, Dom'- c Tripoli, Robert Vanselow, Rich- ard Vine, Bresee Westmoreland, Estelle Aza, Barbara Bailey, Lyso Baugher, Joyce Florence Brundage. Joan CoUe- nette Elaine Dahle. Terese McGeein. Svetlana McLee, Donna Pouget, Patricia Simms, Lois Smith. Doris Walcott,. David Adams, Herman Boderi, Buddy Bryan, George Foster. Raymond Moller, George Reeder. Marc Wilder. The $100,000 or so which Edwin Lester and the Civic Light Opera Assri. have pitched at “Rose Marie,” plus heaping portions of rewrite, has Contrived a new addition and new interpretation of the quarter- century-old musical. VaUde and ballet have been added, likewise opera, boogie, new tunes, excellent costuming and staging. But the major punch which qualifies the opus for audience oya- ttonis the singing and personality of Patrice Munsel, who gives the production impact. Ably aided by Walter Cassel, Miss Munsel turns in an evening of singing that lifts the sometime pleasing but often, jaded vehicle to brilliant peaks, making justifiable the valiant di- rection by Jose Ruben (stage) and Robert Zeller (musical), scenic de- signing by George Jenkins, supe- rior costumes by Adele Palmer and top choreography by Aida Broad- hurst. Miss Munsel takes the sing- ing chores in easy stride. She has looks, warmth, charm arid she wears her costumes with dramatic effect, Supporting talent headed by Jack Goode, Oilie Franks And". Clarissa, are superior. Ted,