Variety (December 1950)

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Wednesday, December 20, 1950 ‘Roberts’ Shuffles Leads on Tour; Fonda Troupe to Close on Coast P^iEfr UBGITIMATE 49 Tod Andrews, who’ll be suc- ceeded by Henry Fonda as star of the second company of ‘Mister Robeils,” Jan. 22 in Pittsburgh, will take over the same assignment ivltli the original edition a week later in Toronto, replacing John Forsvthe. The latter is starring in Ihe play at the Alvin, N. Y., and iroes on tour with it starting Jan. 10 in Schenectady. He has no im- mediate plans for after his with- drawal from^ the ca^t. _ Larry Ely den wiU taken over the part of Ensign Pulver in the origi- iril cast next week, succeeding Dick Van Patten. Robert Ross has al- ready replaced Paul Stewart as Doc and Rustay Lane has suc- ceeded William Harrigan as the Captain. About 10 additional cast changes, all in , supporting parts, fire slated for next week, with co^ aiit i)or and director Joshua Logan holding intensive rehearsals of the troupe in preparation for the tour. With Fonda In the title part which he created originally on Broadway, the second company of the Leland Hayward production is slated to work toward the Coast, winding up about Aug. T In Los Angeles. Oiie of the expected high spots of the tour will be the engagement in Omaha, Fonda’s l)ome town. The show has never played there, having been routed around it several times iii accord Avith the star’s wish to appear there himself. McLerie, Mitchell Will Do Allyn IVicLerie, last on Broadway as lead in "Miss Liberty,” arid James Mitchell, chief dancer in “Brigndoon,” will dance leads in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo,” when Ballet Theatre presents the work in its N. Y. one-night “homecom- ing” performance :.t the Met Opera House, Jan. 9. (John Kriza will take the third lead.) Troupe has just returned from a four-month tour of Europe, in which the twO driheers took part. After the N. Y. perform- ance, troupe goes on a three-month IJ. S. tour, opening in Philly Jan. 10. but duo (w’ho never danced with Ballet Theatre in N. Y. before) is pulling out. Miss McLerie resuming her old lead role in “Where’s Char- ley?” when it opens in Boston Jan. 25. “Rodeo,” which served as basis for the dances in “Oklahoma,” has been in the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo repertoire for many seasons. Miss de Mille took it from Ballet Russe last Summer, and gave It to Ballet Theatre for its repertoire. Latter company has never done “Rodeo” in the U. S. before. In addition to “Rodeo,” the Jan. 9 gala Met performance will also in- clude “Theme arid Valuations,” with Mary Ellen Moylan and Igor You- skevitch; “The Black Swan” pas de deux, with Alicia Alonso and You- skevileh, and “Fall River Legend,” xyith Nora Kaye, Lucia Chase, Ruth Ann Koesun and Mitchell. Top will he $6. Miss Moylan has never ap- peared with the company here be- Miss Alonso is returning to A. Y. after several seasons’ abserice, during which she had her own com- pany in her native Cuba. Alexander bmallens, ex-Radio City Music Hall maestro, who went to Europe With Ballet Theatre as musical director, ydl be conductor for the N, Y. date. Boxoffice Meii Re-Elect Entire Officer Slate Entire officer slate of the Treas- urers Club of America was re- elected Saturday night (16) at the boxoffice men’s organization’s an- nual nieeting and election, at the Astor hotel, N. Y. They include Arthur W. Wright, president; Hugh J. McGauley, vice-prez; Frank Frayer, treasurer; Herman Leins, recording secretary; Murray Lang, financial secretary, and Edward E. Colton, attorney. Newly elected to the board of governors, to serve two years, were John F. McPartland, Louis A. Berge, Abe Bairanoff, Charles P. Murphy, John L, Wallum and Ralph W. Long. Incumbent gov- ernors, whose terms: have another yeat to run, are Walter O’Connor, Irving Morrisori,: George Handy, James Vincent and Harry Lee. <«. Texas Circuit Squawk On Bypass May Pay Off Dallas, Dec. ID. R. J. O’Donnell, veepee and gen- eral manager of the In^rstate The- at re Circuit, has squawked to the N. Y. Theatre Guild for sendirig Katharine Hepburn’s “As You Like It as near as Tulsa and Oklahoma J ny, without dropping down to ' Lrierstate territory. . The Guild now says it may be able to work it out after the Coast dates, which should bring the show here in mid-spring. Interstate has booked Les Ballets de Paris for the Melba March 2-3, ana road season looks good; “The ■Apple of His Eye,” with Edward Arnold, is set for Feb. 5-6, with 'Mr._Roberts” Inked for March 15- J (. Previou.sly announced is Mae West in “Diamond Lil” Feb. 13-14. Affairs of State,” Louis Verneuil comedy which has just repaid its $50,000 Investment, is earning an operating profit of about $5,500 a week at the Music Box, N. Y., on its capacity grosses of approximate- ly $26,500. The Richard Krakeur- Fred Finklehoffe production cost $38,965, plus a tryout loss of $1,108 and bonds of $11,350. Production expenses Included $7,550 in fees ($3,000 to Verneuil as director, $2,500 to John Haggott as production supervisor, $1,000 to scene and costume designer Paul Morrison, $750 legal, $300 account- ing), $4,072 in salaries, $5,758 for scenery ($4,233 building and paint- ing, $1,122 scrim drop and drapes), $1,307 electrical expense, $1,815 property department expense, $3,- 751 wardrobe, $1,163 hauling and transfer, $6,317 advertising and publicity, $1,421 rehearsal arid $5,- 812 general and administrative. Operating costs Include 30% the- atre rental, an average of about $6,600 for the cast of six, minimum author royalties (5-714-10%), no di- rector royalty, 1% production su- pervisor royalty, $290 for depart- ment heads, about $200 for com- pany stagehands, $'725 for man- agers, stage managers and press- agent, and around $1^000 share of advertising and $250 office expense. Company operating expense (exclu- sive of theatre rental) has been averaging about $13,000. Type Casting? George S. Kaufman and Abe Burrows, respective stager and co-librettist of “Guys and Dolls” (46th Street, N. Y.), have promised to play “run- ons” in the show at some per- formance soon. Stunt would beTor Kaufman and Burrows to join the collec- tion of tinhorns and mobsters scramming the Save-a-Soul mission after using it for their floating crap game, at the Act 1 curtain. Strawhat Operation Woes Show Up m Chicago Suit For Chevy Chase Splitup Chicago, DeCr 19. Suit filed here iri Chi superior court last week by Phil Tyrell, theatrical booker and partner in the Ghevy Chase summer theatre, which asked for a dissolution of the partnership, brought out some significant facts on summer stock operation. Suit charges that pro- ducer Marshall Migatz allegedly withheld $50,000 in net profits from the 17^week season, which had a $100,000 gross, it asks for an ac- counting and examination of the hooks. ■ t . • Migatz told Variety that instead of a profit, there was an $8,000 loss for the seasonr including his own money. One of the greatest loss items was the matter of transporta- tion^ with stars getting over $5,400 in fares for themselves and rest of packages. He said that he would not use packages again, due to ex- cessive transportation. Out of the $100,000 gross, $22,000 went for rent to William Johnson, owner of the strawhat building, in addition to $4,000 spent in seating and re- modeling. In the second week of “Happy Birthday,” with ImOgene Coca. (the biggest grosser, which hit $10,000) Johnson, oil percent- age got $1,000 more than the star, who rated $1,400. Migatz said that it was through Johnson that Tyrell was taken in as a limited partner with a third share. He claimed that the action was brought on due to Tyrell’s wish to operate his own house. Producer said that hi/B lowest weekly operating cost was $4,000. it ran to as much as $9,000 with Burgess Meredith in “Harvey,” sec- ond biggest grosser. Newspaper ads ranked heavy in expenditures, with $10,000 in daily ads alone. Friml-Paskitian’s Musical •"f Clarification of the ticket distri- bution system, as it applies to Of ‘My Dear Children’ Carl Brissori is a possibility to do the John Barrymore role in 1 the musicalization of “My Dear Children,” by Catherin Turney and Jerry Horwin, which Rudolf Friml Will score. Dailey Paskman is do- ing the libretto adaptation, includ- ing the lyrics. The Shuberts, Aldrich & Myers and Jean Dal- rymple have been alternately men- tioned in connection with‘the pro- duction. Horwin, how story editor for the i Columbia Broadcasting System, has I had Miss Turney east on several writing assignments (for “Studio One” and other CBS-TV shows), and also huddling on the musical version. Miss Turney left yesterday (Tues.) for Hollywood but returns east after the holidays. Fay’s Tlease’ Fqldo Involved 83G Nick “If Yoii Please,” Frank Fay re- vue which folded recently in San Francisco while trying out for Broadway, involved a loss of about $83,000, including $58,000 produc- tiori expense, $18,()00 tryout loss arid $7,000 closing expense. Fay, who produced, authored, di- rected and starred in the show, re- pdrtedly put up $60,000 of the coin, the balance being supplied by three non-show biz friends In New York. Riggs Doing Drama Stint For Western Reserve U. Cleveland, Dec. 19. Lynn Riggs* author of “Green Grow the Lilacs,” is writing a new lyric drama, titled “Toward the Westerri Sky,” under a commis- sion from Cleveland’s Western Re- serve U.* which will stage the play next June as part of its 125th an- niversary program. Although the drama deals with colonial history of the WeStem Re- serve territory here' and the uni- versity* from 1825 to 1851, the playwright said the subject mat- ter will have “univers«'<l appeal.” Original music and choreography are to be designed for it, but com* poser and dance director haven’t been appointed yet, Cast of 50-odd roles will be filled by Reserve’s drama students, gradutes and guest-stars, with Nadine Milos di- recting. Riggs expects to have script finished by Februai’y at the latest. Coileding GBS’ Obits London. Editor, Variety: When I sent to Lady Astor, with my Variety obituary of Bernard Shaw, the Medical World’s appre- ciation, which was headed “Good- bye, Old Enemy,” I advised her to collect, in the interests of posterity, all the obituaries she could. . “If you could assemble, say, the comments of the Vegetarian News on his nut-eating, the complaints of the Hairdresser’s journal that he never patronized a shaving saloon, and the opinion of the Tailor & Gutter on his cycling breeches,” I wrote, “it would make a most in- teresting book. “You know he has a first cousin, Mrs. Judy Musters, who is alive,” Nancy Astor replied. “She is col- lecting the obituaries, as many as she can get. In fact, we are doing it together.” Now, to help, will the American dramatic editors, all of whom reaid Variety, send what they wrote, with any strange obituaries they came across, to Lady Astor? Hef address is The Hoe, Plymouth, England. HannenSwdffer, Unusual ticket refund demand, which might have set a costly precedent for legit shows, was tossed out last week in N. Y. small claims courti The repayment bid involved eight $2.40 tickets for “Mister Roberts” Tor the night of the hurricane, Nov. 25, which the holder was unable to attend. Plain- tiff had refused an offer by Warren O’Hara, house manager of the Alvin, N. Y., to exchange the eight seats for any subsequent future performance of the show. When he received a summons in the case, several days after turn- ing down the refund demand, O’Hara notified Herman Bernstein, general manager of the theatre and for Leland Hayward, “Roberts” producer. Both recognized that such a plea, if upheld by the court, might establish a precedent by which anyone “unable’’ to attend a performance for which he held tickets might have the right to refunds. Such a ,situation might have chaotic consequences for shows with large advance sales. Bernstein and O’Hara took t^e matter to James F. Reilly, execu- tive director of the League of N. Y. Theatres, who arranged for last week’s hearing in small claims court, accompanied by Milton Weir, League attorney. At the hearing, when the court had heard both sides, the Case was heaved out and the plaintiff was advised to accept the theatre’s offer of eight seats for future show.' Outside court* after the hearing, O’Hara repeated his offer to ex- change the tickets, agreeing to spread the eight seats over several different performances if that would be more convenient to the various patrons involved. However, the bid has not been accepted thus j far, although “Roberts” is sched- j uled to close Jan. 6, after two more weeks. brokers, party agents and subscrip- tion organization, came a step nearer yesterday afternoon (Tues.), with approval by the League of N. Y. Theatres board of governors of several recommendations of the Committee of Theatrical Producers. The acceptance, subject to ratifica- tion by the Ueague membership, next goes to the Ticket Code Au- thority, in which the League, Ac- tors Equity and the brokers are represented. Lee Shubert, whose acceptance Would be essential to general appli- cation of the proposals* since he and his brother, J., J. Shubert, con- trol approximately half of the avail- able legit theatres in New York, re-, portedly okayed the portibris of the CTP plan relating to allocations to brokers, party agents arid sub- scription groups. But, he refused to go along with recommended reduction of “house seats” and a compulsory arbitration clause; Un- less the CTP succeeds in having its suggested revisidns incorporation in theatre booking contracts, the entire setup would be on a volun- tary basis. Accepted unanimously^w by the League board were the following principal proposals: Iri advance of a show’s opening the allocation of 75% of a show’s tickets, to mail or- ders, party agerits, subscription or- ganizations and the bdxdffice; after the opening, 50% of the tickets to the brokers and the rest to the ! boxoffice; however, bona fide or- ders could be filled by the brokers prior to the opening* The CTP recommendation nixed by Shubert would limit the number of “house seats” for a straight play to 24 and I for a musical to 48, to be divided two-to-one between the producer and theatre owner (in some cases more than 100 “house seats” per performance are ndw held out). The arbitration proposal turned j down by Shubert would apply to disputes between producers and theatreowners over “mutual” con- i trol of tickets. Both recommenda- tions were passed over his opposi- tion. A proposal by the brokers, that the League endorse .their applica- tion to Albany for an increase in the ticket markup fee from 75c to $1 (excluding federal tax) was voted down. That means the League will take no action on the brokers’ bid one way or the other, but one League border member re- portedly declared he would per- sonally fight it. Lily Pons •nffert « pleo for Better IJ. S. Concert Facilities ' ♦ ★ one of Iht many byline ftotiirot In fht 45th Anniversary Number off UBIETY Out Soon 20G in Till on’51 L’ville A1 Fresco;’50 Red $2,600 Louisville, Dec. 19. Louisville Park ’Theatrical Assn., producer of sumiri'er musicals at Iroquois Amphitheatre, reports that $20,000 in advance season ticket reservations has been received for next sea.son’s summer productions, largest advance ever at such an early date. Season will open with, a 10-day run of “Annie Get Your Gun,” ; July 6, and close with the final I performance of a Rodgers-Hammer- stein Musical Festival Aug. 19. As- sociation had its first loss in sev^ eral years in the 1950 season. Sum- mer operetta producers went in the red for a small $2,600. Dimitri Mitropoulos, who had a one-year contract With the N. Y. Philharmonic * Symphony as con- ductor this season, has been re- pacted for two years, and giVen the title and office of music director as well. This year was his first as regular conductor, previous season being shared as co-conductor with Leopold Stokowski, B’way Sbare on London Non-Comni’l Shows Must Go Into Regular Kitty London, Dec, 19. The Loridon managements* share of the profits from the Broadway engagements or possible film sales’ j of “Cocktail Party” or “Lady’s Not for Burning” must go into the regular production pool, the same as the net from any other show presented in association with the British Arts Council. Thus, the success of the two plays in the U. S. will be used for future West End productions. That was explained last week by Hugh Beaumont, production fiead of H. M. Tennerit, Ltd.* top British legit producing firm, and its Arts Council affiliate, Tennent Produc- tions, Ltd. Since “Ltady’s” was presented here by Tennent Pro- ductions, in association with the Arts Council, It was a rion-com- mercial venture, and its profits go into the fund Tor future shows. Same applies to Tenrtent’s share of the returns from the Broadway engagement or from a possible film sale.- However, the American manage- ments’ (John C. Wilsori and the Theatre Guild) share of the re-, turns from the U. S. production go to them In the usual manner. Same applies to Gilbert Miller’s slice of the net from the Amer- ican production of “Cocktail Party,” in which he is partnered with Henry Sherek. The latter’s take will go Into his own non-profit production pbol, as he presented the comb’dy und«r his Sherek Play- ers, setup, in association with the Arts Council*