Variety (August 1950)

50 UBGITIMATlt PKrieFy Wednesday, August 2, 1950 Strawhat Musical Saratoga Springs, N, Y„ Aug. 1. Fran Warren in, “Finian’s Rain- bow” racked a record estimated gross of $8,100 last week in John Huntington’s 56Q^seat Spa Sum- mer theatre, at $3 top. Combina- tion of strong musical, star with recording and, radio following and excellent production gave Hunt- ington the biggest week he has had in Jour years of operation. Saratogars own Monty Woolley in “The Man Who Came to Dinner, two years ago, and Sar ah Churchill in “The Philadelphia Story,” last season, came closest to Miss Warren’s figure. Tumaways were registered at every performance. Demand for tickets in Saratoga and at the Playhouse in Albany rah twice the available capacity and car parking at the theatre was about double normal. Miss Warren’s draw was particularly strong with younger pah-ons. t ., . _ : . Reporting that business this sea- son is 30.40% better than for the same period of 1949, Huntington attributes it to ‘‘probably a com- bination of plays, stars and Weather.” He, did $4,000 with Diana Barrymore in “Light Up the Sky” opening week, about $4,500 with (Carol Stone, Jack Whiting and Lenore Lonergan in “The Gay Divorce” the next segment and ap- proximately $4,600 With Victor Jory in “The Spider” the third Week, ‘Norway’ 13G at Hyannis . Hyannis, Mass., Aug. 1. The Cape Cod Music Circus, whicYi has steadily built since its opening here four weeks ago, hit its highest gross }hus far with “Song of Norway,” ending Satur- day (29J. The operetta drew about $13,000 in five evening perform- ances and a Saturday matinee, the later having been substituted for the usual capacity Sunday night showing, at the request of a nearby church. Starting with this week’s “Vagabond King,” the Richard Aldrich canvas arena will play a regular Monday-Saturday schedule, with two matinees. Capacity for eight performances . is about $15,- 000 . , • \ Getrude Lawreifce, and Dennis King played . to absolute sellout business last week in the London comedy, “Traveller’s Joy,” at the Falmouth playhouse, Coonamessett. The show was also an advance sell- out for this week at the Cape playhouse, Dennis. Luise Rainer did virtual capacity in “Lady from the Sea” last week at the Cape playhouse, and Eve Ar- den opened last night (Mon.) to a strong advance in “Over 21,” at the Falmouth playhouse. ‘Live Wire’ SRO $6 300 Ogunquit, Me., Aug. 1. Garson Kanin’s “Live Wire,” held over a secon<$ week at the Ogunquit playhouse to virtual ca- pacity ending Saturday night (29). Only the Wednesday night per- formance failed to go clean, with the final gross registering $6,300. The production is playing Fair- haven, Mass., this week' and goes to Marblehead, Mass., for further doctoring next Week, prior to Broadway. Excellent business done by the comedy for its second week here got producer Michael Todd off the hook, as he had to guarantee the theatre $5,000 gross in order to get the booking. He also had to pay $2,650 to John Golden, whose pro- duction of Rosemary Casey’s “Once an Actor,” starring Leo G. Carroll, was scheduled to try out here ]£st week, Latter play pre- mieres this week at Stockbridge, Mass; Todd’s payoff to Golden was in connection with coin latter had to pay out due to the cancellation. ' Evans’Record liV^Gj Olney Olney, Md , Aug. 1. All house records of the Olney were broken last week When Mau- rice Evans in “The Devil’s Dis- ciple” took in $11,500. Not only were extra chairs all takeft up but 50 standee admissions were sold Saturday (29). Army Chief of Staff Gen. Omar Bradley was on hand opening night. Advance sale is good for Luise Rainer in “Lady From the Sea,” opening tonight (Tues.), ‘Prostje* $8,300, Princeton . Princeton, N. J,, Aug, 1. The Princeton Summer theatre last week raked in a gross of more than $8,300 with “The Respectful Prostitute,” starring Margo. Pro- ducer-director Herbet Ken with, opeator of the strawhat, said the operating nut* was “relatively low.” Curtain riser on the saipe. bill was Noel Coward’s “Red peppers.” The show, which had 'a ad- I vance sale, scored a sellout Tues- day night (25) and a near sellout ; Saturday evening (29). I Current bill, “The Gay Divor- j ce<e,” features Jack 'Whiting, Carol Stone and Lenore Lonegan. ZaSu Sock at New Hope New Hope, Pa., Aug. 1. ZaSu Pitts in “Post Road” last week gave Bucks County play- i house a solid gross with SRO the 'rule from second performance to i finish. The Wilbur Daniel Steele ; and Norma Mitchell comedy-drama [featured Ruth White; Henry Jones, Harry Mehaffey, James . Doohan and Carl White in . Theron Bam- berger’s revival. Victory Jory opened last night 1 (Mon.) in .“The Spider,” ninth pro- ! duction of the T 5-week season, Ogunquit, Me., Aug, 1. Michael Todd, here last week for j the tryout of Garson Kanin’s “Live Wire” indicated he may also, pre- sent on Broadway this season 4 * J ust Around the Corner,” musical com- edy With score by Joe Sherman, lyrics by Langston Hughes and book by Abby Mann and Bernard Drew. Latter show was rehearsing here in preparation for tryout this week at the Ogunquit playhouse. Besides his current Broadway revue, “Peep Show,” Todd is slated to present “Live Wire” at the Play- house, N. Y., Augi 17. He also has tentative plans to go to Europe around Sept. 1 to look over Lon-! don and Paris shows for possible j importation. ‘Goes’ Does at Lambertsville Lambertsville, N. J., Aug. 1. ■j.', St. John Terrell’s Music Circus, although not quite going clean every night in new 1,300-seat tent, did near capacity with “Anything i Goes” last week. Cole Porter musi- cal featuring Elaine Stritch, : George Lipton, Howard Ross [ started hot and received impetus [from excellent Philly notices. [There has been a slight dip in (the take Fridays and Sundays. ; Terrell tilts the Scale weekends from $y to $3.60, which encounters some buyer resistance. Saturday is invariably a turnaway night; “ToWn” Perks Worcester Worcester, Mass., Aug. 1. Business perked at the Theatre-. inrthe-Round here the past week as it presented “On the Town,” the first musical presented in the spot. Leads are Carroll Saint, Rita Duprey, Marjorie Marson and Earl Dossey, Burt Kelsey did the choreography. Town Hall Playhouse, Turbridge, is running ahead of last year, and Fred Murkland, manager, attrib- utes it to his new policy of infor- mality. “Come dreesed as you please” is the advertising motto. Despite increasing studio interest in the film rights to “Where’s Charley?” there will prpbably be no decision about a sale before next November, when co-producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin figure they’ll be able-to tell how long they cab keep the musical on Broadway before sending it on tour. There are various angles to the situation* including the question of who would play the leading part in the screen Version, whether J. Arthur Rank, who owns , the rights to. the original “Charley’s Aunt,” may want to do the picture ip England, and the possibility of Feuer and Martin producing the film themselves, with Ray B.olger repeating his starring role. Tentative deal for H. M. Tennentto present the musical in Londoh, in association with Val Parnell, depends on obtaining a major star; possibly a Hollywood name. Parnell, who hasn’t seen the show, will come to New York in the fall to do so. Bolger probably won’t appear in the' London edition, preferring to. tour in the U; S. Management of the Poche, New Orleans,. has protested to Richard Aldrich and Richard Myers over the booking of “Devil’s Disciple,” starring Maurice Evans, Into the Municipal auditorium there Oct, 23-25. But although /the producers presented the revival ort Broadway last season, they no. longer have it; so they have referred the matter tp Russell Lewis & Howard Young, who have taken over the show for the road. According to the Poche management, the 2,700-seat.Municipal is too large for straight plays, while the 1,400-seat Poche is well suited for the Shaw comedy. Irwin Poche, who formerly operated the Poche theatre, booking through the United Booking Office, is no longer associ- ated With the house, but manages the Municipal spot and; also presents his own local concert season. Treacher $6,700, Chevy Chase Chicago, Aug. 1. Arthur Treacher in “Ghost Train” took in handsome $6,700 for week ending Sunday (30) at the Chevy Chase summer theatre, Wheeling, 111. Tom Drake opens tonight (Tues.) in “Here Comes Mr. Jordan,” with Burgess Mere- dith following in “Harvey” and then Ilka Chase in “Goodbye, My Fancy,” Ted Post, who has been directing the theatre for the past two weeks, returns to New York to take over the reins for Susan Peters’ sub- way tour of “Barretts of Wimpole Street.” Eugene O’Sullivan returns to Chevy to direct the rest of the season. Equity Yanks Member Provincetowii, Mass.', Aug. 1. Actors Equity last week forced one of its members, Robert Carl- son, to quit the Provincetown play- house, local summer repertory group, a non-union outfit. He was replaced by a Rhode Islander here on a visit. According .to Catherine Hunting- ton, co-manager of the spot, Carl- son is ah inactive member of Equity and is exempt from dues, therefore considered himself en- titled to work with a non-Equity troupe. “Houses” $4,900, Stockbridge Stockbridge, Mass., Aug. 1. “Both Your Houses,” Maxwell Anderson’s Pulitzer Prize oldie, took in around $4,900 at the 436- seat Berkshire playhouse here last week. Tickets went at a $2.94 top. Business, as usual, was affected by the opening of the Tanglewood Music Festival. With Ralph Bellamy unable to go on tour because of his ‘‘Man Against Crime” television series, “Detective Story” will probably close after; its Broadway run. Pre- vious plans had beep to send the Sidney Kingsley melodrama" on the road, opening in Boston early in the fall. On the outside chance that another star is signed for the part, that may still be done. How- ever, a previous road edition, star- ring Chester Morris, lost $50,000 last season. The original production which has been playing to modest grosses recently, is uncertain to continue at the Broadhurst, N.. Y., beyond Aug. 12. Falmouth Hit Sparks In Cape Cod Season Coonamessett, Mass., Aug. 1. On the strength of the sellout last Week of Gertrude Lawrence and Dennis King in “Traveller’s Joy” and the Indicated capacity this week on Eve Arden in “Over 21,” the Falmouth playhouse here will probably climb to the level of its opening season, 1949. Under the circumstances, that’s impressive, since the strawhatter got away to a great start last season with a $14,000 opening week on “Private Lives,” with Tallulah Bankhead. Subscriptions and other advance interest indicate that the rest of the season should be bullish.. Starting out as a white elephant after it was first built, the Coona- messett layout has become a real click in recent seasons. The the- atre is one of the handsomest (Continued on page 53) Program note in the playbill for “Post Road’’ last week at theJBucks County playhouse, New Hope, Pa., was a “Cinderella Story” by^pro- ducer Theron Bamberger about an incident of nearly 20 years, ago, when he operated a strawhat at White Plains, N; Y. It related how, in order to save an actor’s salary, he had decided to play a small part in a revival of Shaw’s “Captain Brassboiind’s Conversion.” Blit after one. rehearsal, the director objected and offered to get~a real actor tor play the role. He said he knew one he could get for $15. According to the story, the actor was a young fellow named Lionel Stander, who’s starring at Bucks County this week in “Born Yesterday.” Bulk of the $30,000 financing for Festival Theatre,, which is present- ing. “Parisienne” as the first or four bills at the Fulton, N. Y., is listed in the partnership agreement as having been supplied by the three general partners, Harriett Ames, $11,400; Terese Hayden, $9,000, and Sam Wanamaker, $2,750. Other backers, all limited partners, include producer T. Edward Hambleton, $300; playwright Lynn Riggs, attorney Bertram A. Mayers and accountant J. S. Seidman, $600 each; producer Julius Fleischmann, $700; agent William Morris, $1,200, and actor An- thony Quinn, $1,500. The agreement provides for 20% overcall. Everybody’s Playhouse, Inc., has been chartered at Albany to conduct a theatrical business in New York, with capital stock of 200 shares; no par value. Directors are James L. Berry and Bernadette M. Berry of New York, and Edward A. Kole, of Hewlett, L. I. ’ Theatre For Freedom Inc. has been chartered as a non-profit mem- bership corporation. Paul S. Gareen, of New York, was filing, attorney. 134C SELLOUT SURE FOR ‘PACIFIC IN ST. L St. Louis, Aug. 1. The 10-day, : 14-performance stand of “South Pacific” in the opera house of the Henry W. Kiel (Municipal) auditorium, teeing off Sept. 25, will be assured of a gross of $134,000 from slightly more than 50,000 payees, . More than 5,000 who sought ducats have been turned away. The opera house seats 3,563. Members of the Playgoers of St. Louis, Who had first priority, took 10,000 pasteboards. Demand for ducats exceeded the supply by 5-1. Tone $7,000, Grist Mill Andover, N. J., Aug. 1. Franchot Tone in, “The Second Man” drew about $7,000 in seven performances at the Grist Mill playhouse here last week. Take es- tablished a house record for this new strawhatter. About 30 extra seats were set up Saturday night | (29) tq accommodate the heavy pa- j tronage. House also sold standing room for the first 1 time Saturday night* Shelton-Amos Opens London, Ont,, Aug.. 1. Shelton-Amos Players open an 11-week summer stock season next Monday (7) at the Grand theatre here. The company will include Mary Stewart, John Compton, Vickie Marsden, Howard Blaine* Bruce Brighton and Laura Lee. Hall i '(Continued ‘ od page*. 52) < Corio-Tereonal’ Hold 3d Wk. in Cleve Ring Cleveland, Aug. 1. Successful run of Ann Corio in “Personal Appearance” is prompt- ing the new Ring theatre to plan a third week for the show, plus an extended season for the theatre-in- the-round at the Hotel Allerton. The peeler packed them in for two weeks after the Ring’s slow open- ing; Miss Corio herself visited radio and television stations for personal appearances to boost show. Producer Ray Boyle, in planning a third week, is also faced with the problem of finding a replacement for Helmut Dantine, who cancelled out “Candlelight” for the Aug. 28- Sept. 9 stint. Producer is now in New York bound for a substitute show, and hopes to line up possible shows to e’xtdnd Ring 'aeaftort. . The Leland Haywards and Joshua Logans due back next Monday (7) from London, aifter the successful launching of “Mister Roberts” in the West End .. . Com- pany manager Morton Gottlieb plans to make his producer bow With the presentation of “Mad Money,” musical with book by Lee Rogow and Max Wilk, music by Richard Lewine and lyrics by Rogow and Ted Fetter . . . Prod- ucer Alfred de Liagre, Jr., planed to London last week to powwow with HenrySherek and Bernard Delfont about a West End presen- tation of “Madwoman of Chaillot.” He'll also visit Robert E. Sherwood at the latter’s summer home in Surrey to discuss Sherwood’s adap- tation of Philip Barry’s posthumous “Second Threshhold,” which is slated for fall production on Broad- way . . Anthony Brady Farrell will team with Eddie Dowling in the Broadway presentation this fall of A. B. Shiffrin’s “Angel in the Pawnshop,” in which the actor and . Joan McCracken have been co- | starring on a strawhat tour. The new Ole Olsen-Chic John- son revue, “Pardon Our French,” is slated to open on Broadway the week of Oct. 2, after a tryout tour opening Sept. 4 at the Boston Opera House. This is the show Which broke in on the Coast last spring under the title; “Tsk, Tsk. Paree” . . . Actor Richard Bengali wais erroneously; referred to as Richard McGibbdn in a review, of “Happy Man” at the White Barn, Westport, in last week’s issue. . . . Adelaide Klein, who plays a lead- ing part in a tryout next Sunday, night (6) of “Dark Corridor,” at the White Barn, goes to the Coast in two weeks to appear in “The Enforcer,” with Humphrey Bogart, at Warners. She’ll have the same part she played in the original Broadway version* titled “Brook- lyn, U. S. A.” . . , Mrs. Martin Beck is vacationing on the Coast. Stage manager John Effratt will make his acting “comeback” in the Sam Levene part in “Light Up the Sky” at the Cape playhouse, Dennis, Mass., the week of Aug. 14 . . . Co-producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin are booking abotit 50 theatre parties for the upcom- ing “Guys and Dolls” „ . . Jerry Whyte, musical production man- ager for the Theatre Guild, planed Friday (28) to London to sit in with H. M. Tennent representatives on the selection of a successor to Iva Withers in the West End 5 edition’ of “Carousel.” He’ll • also assist in readying the London production of “Oklahoma” for a provincial tour. On his return to New York, about Aug. 15, he will . get the touring edition of “Oklahoma” set for another season . . . Paul Kelly and Uta Hagen will co-star in Dwight Deere Wiman’s production of the new Clifford Odets drama, “Country Girl,” with; the author directing. Wiman, meanwhile, has gone to Bermuda for a month’s vacation. Producer-pressagent Jean Dal- rymple joined Actors Equity last month . . . Ernest Thesiger, who came to the U. S. to i>lay Jaques in' the Katharine Hepburn revival of “As You Like It” last season, has a leading part in the new London play, “Always Afternoon,” so ap- parently he won’t return for the tour of the Theatre Guild produc- tion . , . Joan Tetzel, Broadway actress last seen here in “Red Gloves,” has the femme lead in “The Little Hut,” British adapta- tion. of the Paris hit, which is currently playing a pre-West End tryout with Robert Morley starred . . . Elisabeth Bergner, also in Eng- land, will co-star with A. E. Mat- thews in an adaptation of Moliere’s “Imaginary Invalid,” to be pre- sented in London after a Man- chester break-in . . . With Lucille Ball unable to take the assignment because of approaching mother- hood. Jean Parker is being sought by Grace and Paul Hartman to co- star with Hank Ladd in Walter De Leone’s comedy-melodrama, “Red Beard.” Meanwhile, the Hartmans are Co-starring in the revue, “Tickets, Please,’’ at the Coronet, N. Y. . . Vera Ferguson staying on with Boston strawhatter. Monroe B. Hack and Billy Sands producing a series of new revues with an all-professional company this summer at the Tamiment (Pa.) playhouse . . „ Eddie Cantor re- elected last week as president of tlie Jewish Theatrical Guild, with George Jessel, Jack Benny and William Morris, Jr., vicepresidents . . . After taking a motor vacation trip to Florida, actor Alan Hewitt planed last week to Cuba and Jamaica . . . The West Side Tennis club, Forest Hills, N. Y., will hold the first of an annual Pimm’s Cup Celebrity tournament, opening Aug. 23 coincidentally with the start of the national men’s and women’s championship. T h e Pimm's competition Will be open to mixed doubles teams from show business, the arts and professibns.