Variety (August 1950)

August 2, 1950 J^AHIETY LEGITIMATE it nn « Probable agreement between}* Actors Equity and the League of N. V. Theatres was seen yesterday (Tues.) after a day-long renewal of negotiations. The union reported- ly accepted in principle a compro- mise formula for a pension and welfare plan, and there was indi- cation that an agreement would also be reached on the disputed road minimum. Further discus- sions will continue indefinitely, but it’s predicted that a new agree- ment will be reached within the Aug. 15 expiration date of the ex- isting contract. Negotiations Were broken off last week after a pro- longed stalemate. After previously refusing to ac- cept the idea of a pension or wel- fare setup, the League yesterday proposed an alternative plan of a welfare fund financed by benefit performances -of Broadway shows, rather than payroll deductions, percentages of the gross or a share of film sales and other subsidiary rights. It was roughly, estimated that if hits played benefits every 20 weeks* the proceeds might come to around $200,000 a year. It was explained that everyone concerned, including the theatre owner but excluding stagehands and mu- sicians* would not be paid for such performances. An angle of the benefit-perform- ance plan would be that it pre- sumably wouldn’t open the way for the stagehands, musicians and (Continued on page 55) Lane to Write Score For Crawford Toyland’ Hollywood, Aug, 1. Burton Lane, who collaborated with E. Y. Harburg and Fred $aidy in the authorship of “Finian’s Rainbow,” will provide the score for ‘‘Toyland/’ musical comedy for which Harburg and Saidy have written the book. He takes over the assignment from Harold Arlen, who had to bow out because of film commitments. The show is slated for fall Broad/ way production by Cheryl Craw- ford. Franchise of Green’s Theatre Ticket Agency* N. Y., has been sus- pended for six weeks by the ticket code authority of the League of N. Y. Theatres and Actors Equity. Action reportedly resulted from violation of the code, but that could not be verified yesterday (Tues.) as officials of both the League and Equity were tied up all day in negotiations for a new basic contract. Katzell-Golden Seek 178G Insurance On ’Alive’ Costume Fire Producers William H. Katzell and Ray Golden have made a claim for an additional $178,000 insur- ance payment in connection with, a backstage fire that destroyed cos- tumes of their “Alive and Kicking” revue last season at the Winter Garden* N. Y. The insurance com- pany has already made a payment of $ 11,000 covering the cost of the costumes, but Katzell and Golden claim that the fire was responsible for the failure of the show, which involved a production cost of $189,- 000 . In disputing the claim, the in- surance company has pointed out that the revue got generally un- favorable notices and had done little business beyond advance theatre party bookings When the fire occurred, so the loss of the cos- tumes could not have been respon- sible for the failure.. Thus far, the matter is still in negotiation* but Katzell is reportedly threatening suit for the full amount of the claim. " Meanwhile, Katzell, against whom several judgments had al- ready been obtained, has been slapped with still another. This one, against him personally, is for $3,021 and is in favor of the Am- burgo Co., industrial concern in Philadelphia, where “Alive and Kicking” played a tryout engage- ment. The amount represents the unpaid balance of a $6,000 loan to the producer, for which he gave a check , on the show. When the check bounced, Katzell signed a Confession of judgment, paying $3,000 in cash -and promising to pay the balance within a month or else at the rate of $100 a week. When none of the second $3,000 was paid, Amburgo obtained judg- ment for the defaulted amount plus interest. Katzell recently returned from England, where he has announced a forthcoming presentation of the revue, “Lend an Ear,” which he co-produced with Franklin Gilbert and William Eythe. The show is currently in Chicago. Saratoga springs; Aug. 1. “Web and the Rock,” Lester Cohen’s dramatization of the' Thomas Wolfe novel, will be tried out the week of Aug. 14 at John Huntington’s Spa summer theatre here, with Kay Francis starred. The play is booked for tlie follow- ing week at the Grist Mill play- house, Andover, N. J., and is tentatively slated for Broadway in the fall. - Richard Barr will stage the pro- duction, having taken over the assignment from Robert Perry, who operates the Grist Mill straw- hatter. Minimizing the suspension,^it’s understood, is the fact that, the agency’s allotment of tickets for “South Pacific,” still the most-in- demand show on Broadway, had already been issued by the treas- urer of the Majestic, N. Y., for the entire six-week period. Green’s agency, it’s recalled, was reported during the ticket probe last spring as making “tie-in” sales of “South Pacific” locations. That is, it was selling seats for the Rod- gers-Hammerstein musical only to patrons who also bought tickets for other shows. It was conceded at the time that the practice was not in violation of the code, but N. Y. C. investigation commission- er-John M. Murtagh, who was con- ducting the ticket probe, declared his determination of putting a stop to it. The legit investment pool of the Authors League of America has paid its first profit of approximate- ly 50% on its $16,000 investment. Two-thirds of the divvy went to the League treasury and one-third to the individual members who ad- vanced the coin. Identities-of the latter are not revealed. Shows in which the pool has in- vested include “South Pacific” and “Happy Time,” both Richard Rodgers-Oscar Hammerstein, II, productions, and “Detective Story,” a Howard Lindsay-Russel Crouse presentation. Participants in the project are understood to be re- investing the returns to form a big- ger pool, and are looking for ad- ditional shows in which to invest this season. Want’Kale’ for Dallas . Following State Fair Dallas, Aug. 1. The .State Fair of Texas is in negotiation with Saint Subber and Lemuel Ayres for a road show en-r gagement of “Kiss Me, Kate,” jd the local Auditorium this fall after the annual “State Fair. The en- gagement may be the only one in the state or a large part of the region and would run from five days to a week. The national company of “South Pacific” will play its only south- western engagement at the State Fair auditorium for two weeks dur- ing the annual State Fair, Oct. 7- 22 . Getting ‘Wedding* Chance Robert Mariotti, eight-year-old understudy for Brandon De Wilde, featured ’ moppet in “Member of the Wedding,” at Empire, N. Y., will finally get to play the part starting next Monday night (7). Young De Wilde is taking a two- week vacation. Make B’way Prod. Bow Composer Jule Styne arid legit- film director Otto Preminger may make their bow as producers with the joint presentation on Broad- way this fall of a new play, “A Deep, Seductive Wound,” by Ken Englund and Sidney Field. The project hinges primarily oh script revisions. .. Preminger will direct the show, if and when. Few Actors, Lotsa B.O. Sydney, July 24. Editor. Variety; To a first-time visitor, Australia is surprising and intensely inter- esting. The theatre here isn’t any- thing like it is at home. “Street- car Named Desire” is. apparently a drastic departure from the usual type of entertainmetit in Australia. Vaudeville flourishes here, with musicals next,, straight comedies somewhere down the list and then drama. The productions which preceded “Streetcar” into the Comedy the- atre, Melbourne, where we opened our Down Under tour, included •‘Separate Rooms,” “Born Yester- day,” “John Loves Mary,” an Eng- lish comedy called “Fly Away Peter,” and before that three years of the “Kiwis,” a group of female impersonators, formerly members of the New Zealand and Australian armed forces. Before the war re- vivals of such musicals as “Maid of the Mountains” and “Rio Rita” headed the list. So there was no in-between f a r e, no Eugene O’Neill, Maxwell Anderson, Lillian Heilman and Clifford Odets for playgoers to cut their teeth on. The papers were not ecstatic over “Streetcar,” yet in Melbourne, Which has a little over 1,000,000 population, it ran 14 Weeks, com- pared to Los Angeles, five times as large, where it ran three weeks. We were not acclaimed as . the greatest thing since the koala bear. People were hot wild in their praise. They simply accepted it, some in a slightly,startled manner, others moved to tears when they came backstage to tell us it was their third or fourth time. Aussie Eschews Tryouts One of the elements most lack- ing is the kind of excitement one feels in New York as to what the new season will bring. Nothing is ever “tried out” here. The plays produced are only those which have survived a long season in New York or London. In Melbourne there are five the- atres, including the Comedy- (usually for straight shows), His Majesty’s (large—used for mu- sicals), the Tivoli (vaudeville), the King’s (also vaudeville) and the Princess (old bedroom farces, and (Continued on page 53> GUILD SCHEDULES 5 SHOWS FDR COLUMBUS Columbus, Aug. 1. Despite its past failure to deliver all the plays it has announced for here, the Theatre Guild is beating/ the drums for the 1950*51 season With the promise of four produc- tions for the Hartman. Last year the Guild delivered all but one of its plays and had to refund money to its subscription list. It also handed out refunds the year before. “The Mad Woman of Chaillot” was scheduled for the Hartman late last spring, but it never made it. The Guild series announced for this season includes “I Know My Love,” “Come Back, Little Sheba,” “Devil’s Disciple” and “Arms and the Girl,” A fifth play “will fie selected from current New York successes,” the statement adds. ‘Peter Pan’ at Minn. U. Kids’ Theatre, Ai)g. IQ Minneapolis, Aug. 1. Minnesota U, theatre launches a special summer children's theatre festival Aug. 10 with “Peter Pan/’ This will be the only off-Broadway production permitted during the Barrie play’s New York run/ “Peter Pan” will be followed by “Arthur and the Magic Sword.” Two-play festival celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Young Peo- ple’s University Theatre. “Peter Pan” was selected because of its special significance in the history of this branch of the theatre. In Shubert Trust Suit Detroit, Aug. 1. The Dept, of Justice is report- edly taking depositions here this week in connection with its anti- trust, suit against the Shuberts and United Booking Office. Various local showmen are understood be- ing questioned, With testimony > in some cases going back many years. The Government prosecution, started last spring, is awaiting an- swer by the defendants to the orig- inal complaint. The court has already granted one delay. I With Helen Hayes reportedly re- luctant to tour, fall plans for “Wis- teria Trees” are , uncertain. The Leland Hayward - Joshua Logan production, slated' to reopen Aug, 14 at the Martin Beck, N. Y.„ after a four-week layoff, had been play- ing to slim business, and the man- agement is understood figuring ‘on sending it on the road after a few weeks more in New York. Miss Hayes is Understood to have promised to take the show on. tour in the fall if she were given a vacation this summer. However, there may be a limit to the tour. And in any case, the extent of a road trip, as . well as the future stay in New York, would be de- pendent on business. Even with Logan Waiving his royalties and other cuts in effect, the show Was not figured to be making expenses the last few weeks before it laid off. It is a long way from getting back its $100,000 investment. ‘OKLA.,’‘ROBERTS’NEED FOR NEW MON, NTT Pittsburgh, Aug. 1. Couple of returnees in a row will launch the newly-named Nixon (formerly the Senator) as a legit house in the fall. “Oklahoma” comes back Sept. 4 for the fourth time, although it hasn’t played here in two seasons, for a fortnight It will be followed by “Mister Rob- erts,” which had a Tecord-breaking three-week stand at the old Nixon last fall, It’s also in for two weeks. Only other booking defi- nitely set after that is “Lost in the Stars,” week of Dec. 11. Remodeling job on the old Sen- ator, long a movie house, has been going on for the last month, but the originally estimated outlay of $75,- 000 may be almost double that be- fore the work is completed. House will be operated by Astor Corp., a local syndicate headed by . Gabe Rubin, owrtir of Art Cinema, local foreign film spot. Shirley Booth Rests, Will Tour in ‘Sheba’ Shirley Booth, currently in Post Graduate hospital, N> Y., for a checkup, will go to Nantucket in a few days for an extended rest. Actress, who closed Saturday night (29) in “Come Back, Little Sheba,” kt the Booth, N. Y., has been ill re- cently, and was unable to complete her performance last Thursday night < 27), Her understudy, Florida Friebiis, played the balance of the performance. Miss Booth is being sought by George Abbott for a leading part in. his production of a musical edi- tion of “A Tree Grows in Brook- lyn,” with songs by Irving Berlin. However, she probably won’t be available in time, as she will tour for the Theatre Guild in “Sheba,” in which her performance was voted the best of' last season by the New York critics. Wallace Ford, who recently suc- ceeded Sidney Blackmer as male lead, won’t continue With the Wil- liam Inge drama, so another actor will have to be signed, Sinless Blackmer completes his current film commitment and is available in time. The “Sheba” tour opens Sept. 25 in Philadelphia. ' Moves to. organize the strawhat field have been started by the In- ternational Alliance of Theatrical Stage Empoyees. However, little progress appears to have been made thus far and in at least some spots the effort has been abandon- ed for the present. Meanwhile, Actors Equity is reportedly making a survey of the situation so as to be ready to discuss it on an informed basis in case the stagehands’ union asks to have casts honor, IATSE picket lines. Stagehand pickets appeared early in the season at the Pocono playhouse, Mountainhoihe, Fa., but were routed W police. The union’s representatives also picketed the season’s opening at the Chapel playhouse, Guilford, Conn., al- though producer Lewis Harmon previously had only one pre- liminary meeting With them and was not warned of any picketing plans. In that case, Equity inter- vened in the situation and ar- ranged for the renewal of nego- tiations. At several Massachusetts spots, local stagehand officials contacted cowbarn. operators at the start of the season/ but reportedly agreed that their members were not qua- lified to handle the assignments in- volved. In all such instances, nothing further has been heard from the local unionists. The, stjrawhats are consequently using non-union crews, mostly recruited from college drkma schools. One' prominent silo operator ex- plained that, in'general, strawhat- ters would be willing to hire IATSE members, if qualified men were available. But he explains that most local memberships work only picture houses and are not ex- perienced in legit. ’And with tele- vision using most of the available men in larger towns, there’s little prospect of the legit-trained mem- bers* of big locals transferring to the resorts for ,lummer employ- ment. Equity officials confirm that, their representatives have been in- cluding data about stagehand em- ployment in their survey of the citronella circuit; However, they discount the idea that this is in preparation for a possible IATSE bid for cooperation.' It’s explained that, in line with its present policy of. gathering all possib’e informa- tion on all aspects of the theatre, the actor union is surveying the en- tire economic setup of strawhats as well .as Broadway and the road. Map 2 Arena Circuits; Tent-Show Musicals And Indoor Play Loop Deals are in the works for two arena theatre circuits. One is be- ing negotiated by St. John Terrell, operator of the Music Circus, Lam- bertville, N. J., and a similar oper- ation in association with Lawrence Schwab last winter at Miami. The other is being miilled by Derrick Lynn-Thomas and David Heilweil, producers of the Arena, in the Edi- son Hotel, N. Y. The Terrell project, to be done in cooperation with Richard dod- gers and Oscar Hammerstein, II, would involve under-canvas tours of “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Show Boat” and possibly oilier musicals. It may be more or less a part of the same group’s contemplated package-production setup for the musical properties they own. Lynn-Thomas and Heilweil are considering locations in about 20* cjties for the in-the-round opera- tions similar to their Arena, N. Y. They figure on selecting eight such spots, as a circuit to play package shows sent out from Broadway. The shows might or might not have previously played the Arena. There haye been reports of a circus management trying to ar- range with Rodgers & Hammer- stein for a tent-show tour of their national company of “Sputh Paci- fic” through the south, this winter. However, the present tour is all booked through next spring and probably beyond, and the author- producers may not be able to get around to putting on a third com- pany for many more months.