Variety (September 1952)

■> *• . W^ueidiiiirt S, 19S!l •A . “yf P'JBiltft ■ • ' Paris, Sept. 2. f Yesterday (Mon.y marked tlie IiegipnlniK pf the Paris legit sea- son, and this year 12 houses are reopening.during first week of Sep- teljiber, all with revivals. The big comedy hit of last season, “Angel’s Cooking” (Cuisine des - Anges), which Paramount bought for the films and which Gilbert Miller will probably produce in N. Y, in the 1952-53 season, reopened at Vieux- Colombier, small, left-bank house, where it opened originally last February. Henri Bernstein has a new play for his own, Arabassa- deurs. His new one is “Evang^ line,” opening Sept. 28. Danielle Darrieux will-have the lead. Jean Sartre’s controversial melo- drama of Protestant Reformration, 'The Devil and God/’ J^eopens for four-week run at the Anotione The- atre. “Devil’s” original run was in- terrupted by the illness of the leading actor, Pierre Brasseur, who was impossible to replace. Bras- seiir, recovered, will be back for. the revival. Dramatization of^Pannie Hurst’s ''Back Street,” twice filmed in Hollywood, is back at Fontaine Theatre with Suzy Prim, “The Heiress,” translation of Broadway hit, is another Paris favorite. Hav- ing opened in the 1950-51 season, it 1« now reopening at Mathurins Theatre where it will apend most of the coming winter. “Gift of Adele” by Jean-Pierre Gredy and Pierre Barillet is an- other returning long-runner. “Gift” opened in. January, 1950, won the Tristan Bernard firize as the best new comedy of that year and ran until last June. It reopens at Wag- ram Theatre this week. Other comebacks now enjoying second runs are “Waltz of the Toreadors,” latest Jean Anouilh ’piece. Started at the Comedie- Champs-Elysees Aug. 25. Also “Seaweed Duchess,” adaptation of Peter Blackmore’s “Miranda,” Andre Roussin’s broad comedy, “When the Child Appears” at the Nouveautes; “Congress of Cler- mont-Ferrand,” light , comedy at Potlniere; and “Three Musketeers” at Porte Saint-Martin. Revival of Tristan Bernard’s “The Little Wife of Loth.”'.reopens Montparnasse- Gaston Baty house while Salle Richelieu, right-bank theatre of Comedle-tFrancaise, relighted Sept. 1 with classic dramas. Marcel Ayme’s “Other People’s Heads,” which Miller has optioned for N, Y., and the religious drama, “On Earth as It Is In Heaven,” which Margaret Webster has bought for Broadway, reopen at Atelier and Athenee theatres re- spectively during the next two weeks. • ‘MADAM’ SETS DALLAS RECORD WITH $60,088 Dallas, Sept. 2. The State Fair Musicals wound up its 11th season Sunday (31) after. a record-breaking 12 weeks which, saw four new high marksi Six summer stagings, with .a. fort- night each, registered a ’ smash $499,300 gross, some 13% greater than last season’s previous Jbigh of $438,800. New high also was tli.e 246,000 paid admissions. “CaU Me Madam,” season’s closer, set two records with a clos- ing week (Aug. 24-31) b.o. of $60,- 088 from 24,400 payees, top week in Musicals’ history,^Coupled with first week’s $55,03», “Madam” showed a record-breaking $115,126 for 14 performances, to top the previous fortnight mark, $93,000, set by ‘Porgy and Bess” this sea- son’s opener. “Madam,” deciding factor in the four new records, starred Joan Blondell, Gene Ray- mond and Russell Nype, supported' by Ellen McCown, Joe E. Marks, Donald Somers, Frank Rogier, Owen Hewitt, William LeMassena and Michael Pollock. Financially, Musicals is definite- ly in the black, 'in spite of an in- creased niit for this season, ac- cording to Charles R. Meeker, Jr., managing director. Scliang^« Bali Looksee Frederick C. Schang president, of Columbia Artists ° Mgt., planed to London Friday (29) to see the Is- land of Ball Dancers. Indonesian dance troupe, for which Schang went to Bali in May to sign, arrives in New York next week for an engagement opening at the Fulton Theatre, Sept. 16. Kay Francis Fine $6,000 ln-5t]i Saratoga Visit * Saratoga, N. Y., Sept, 2. Kay Francis, playing her fifth engagement at the Spa Summer Theatre, grossed a satisfactory $6,000 in “Theatre’? for the 678- seater’s final week, at a $3 top. She had appeared earlier this sea- son in the area, at the Sacandaga Park Summer Theatre, 30 miles from ■ Saratoga, and at William Miles’ Berkshire Playhouse, Stock- bridge, Mass. Miss Francis, who did the Som- erset Maugham-Guy Bolton opus for John Huntington In Florida last winter and later for single weeks in Bermuda and Richmond, Va., ha's a fortnight to go on the straw- hat circuit, in Bucks County and York, Pa. There is talk that the tour may be resumed, in Obtober, for four more weeks, in theatres to be op- erated by Bob Perry ih St. Louis, Kansas City, Cincinnati and Cleve- land. Dennis Allen and Howard Bailey support Miss Francis. Denver Set Wlh Hefty Legit, Longhair Dates; ‘Stalag’ $7,V00 in Three Denver, Sept, 2. “Stalag 17” was the opener for the fall and winter season in the city auditorium, booked in by A, M. Oberfelder. • The show did a' good $7,700 in the 3,300-seat theatre, with a $3.60 top, for tWo nights and a matinee. ' Other hookings set by Obe'rfeld- er include “Call Me Madam,” with Elaine Siritch and .Kent l^mith, Sept. 11-13; Jose Greco and his Spanish Ballet, Oct. 17-18; “Bell, Book and Candle,” with Joan Ben- nett and Zachary Scott, Oct. 24-25; return engagement of “South Pacific,” witfi Janet Blair and Webb Tilton, Nov. 5-12; “John Brown’s Body,” with Tyrone Power and Raymond Massey, Nov. 16-17; Cornelia Otis Skinner in “Paris- ’90,” Dec. 13; “Skating Vanities,” with OlsenJohnson, Dec. 26-Jan. 2; “Gei^tlemen Prefer Blondes,” Jan. 17-24; “Jane,” with BasH Rath- bone, Feb. 6; Charles Laughton in readings, March ,-12; “St. Joan,” with Uta Hagen, March 20,-21; Em- lyn Williams in Dickens readings, March 28; with dates to be set for ‘‘Moon Is Blue” and the Slavenska— Franklin halle’t company. Ol^erfelder, also is hooking a con- cert series of nine eventsj offering Ferruccio Tslgliavini, Bise Stevens, Ana Maria Spanish ’Ballet, Frank Guarrera,’ Artur Rubinstein, James Melton, Marian Anderson, Vienna Choir Boys and Gershwin Concert Orchestra. Seat prices on the series run from $l,80-$4.20, with eight of the events for $8.40 to $24. Concert ticket holders get first choice of seats for the other attrac- tions. Ol^rfelder is organizing a Denver Playgoers Club, at $2 a sea- son. These members get next choice for seats after concert tick- et holders, with advance notice of dates. Ohio State U. Stadium Winds Up 26 in Black Columbus, O., Sept 2. Ohio State U.'s Stadium The- atre, a community - university arena-style summer theatre rpn by OSU, came out of an eight-play season with $2,090 profit, double that of last year’s, when six pro- ductions were presented. Gross for the season was $16,00(). Total attendance was 17,509; with an average of 425 per per- formance in the 480 seat area im- der the stadium tiers. Each play was presented five nights, with the final, production, “The Ad- mirable (Jrichton,” gettihg an extra performance and attracting the most customers—^2,650. Tops at the boxoffice was “Elizabeth the Queen,” which played to capacity. It starred Hollywood actress Renie Riano and TV actress Sara Harte, the only professionals to appear during the season. “Dancers of Bali,” opening a five-week run at the Fulton The- atre, N, Y., Sept. 16, will have a 7 p.m, curtain Monday nights, similar to new legit practice. ‘OkUMma’ Hefty $10,700 For Three in New Haven N6W Haven, Sept, S. Shubert season got off on the right foot with a two-out-of-tliree- pertormance sellout on the na- tional company’s' teeoff of “Okla- homa.” At a $4,2Q top, the Friday- Saturday stand (29-30) puUed a hefty approximate $10;700 despite brutal humidity. Fall lineup is still in the tenta- tive stage, with preem of “Deep Blue Sea” (Margaret Suilavan) (Oct. 9-11) the only definite book- ing hevond “In Any Language,” which 13 slated to how here Sept. 18-20. Others awaiting signing of con- tracts are the Gilbert & Sullivan operettas (Martyn Green), Oct. 1-4; “The Shrike” (Van Heflin, tenta- tive), Oct. 16-18, and “(gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” Oct. 20-25," ‘DoW Lush 47^20 As Chicago Single Chicago, Sept. 2. The fall season gets underway tonight (Tues.) with the first Thea- tre Guild subscription offering of “Stalag 17” at the Erlanger. Sub series follows with “I Am a Cam- era” at the Harris, Sept. 15, and “Fourposter” at the EJackstone, Sept. 22. “Guys and Dolls,” which has been the lone entry here the past two weeks, sold out its Wednesday matinee again, which helped mark up a' hefty take last week. Estimate for Last Week “Guy# and Dolls,” Shubert (27th week) ($6; 2,1*00). Doing lush $47,- 900, .with onail orders coming in strong for September. ‘SHOW BOAT’ SOCK 90G IN HRST KAYCEE WEEK Kansas City, Sept, 2. Record attendance was rung up last week by “Show Boat” as the finale of the 10-show season of 'Starlight Theatre. During the week’s seven/ performances the 7,600-seat theatre . in Swope Park played to practically SRO nightly. 'With a top of $3,60 and average admission Of better than $1.50, e.^- timate gross was $90,000 for the week, far in advance of any show this season or last, the inaugural year. Musical goes a second week, winding its run Saturday (6). Indi- cations are it will keep up virtual capacity for-balance of the nm. It’s the first production to be given a two-week- run at the Starlight. Current Road-Shows (/Sept. 143) “Bell, Book and Candle’^ (Joan Bennett, Zachary Scott)—^Met, Seat- tle (1-6); Mayfair, Portland (8-12). “Call Me Madam”—Aud., Port- land (1-6); Capitol, Salt Lake City (8-9); Aud., Denver (11-13). “Country Girl” (Robert Young, Nancy Kelly)—^Lobera, Santa Bar- bara (1-2); Aud., Pasadiena (3); Aud,, Fresno (4); Colley of Pacific, Stockton (5); Aud., Richmond, Cal. (6); Geary, S.F. (8-13). “Fourposter” (Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn)—Geary, S.F. (1-6); Met. Seattle (9-13). “Good Nifht Ladles”—Erlanger, Phil (8-13). “Guys and Dolls”—Shubert, Chi (1-13). “1 Am a Camera” (Julie Harris) —Cass, Detroit (1-13). “Jollyaua” (Bobby Clark, Mitzi Gaynor)—Curran, S.F. (1-6); Phil- harmonic, L.A. (8-13). “Moon is Blue” (David Niven, Diana Lynn, Scott Brady)—Bilt- more.'L.A, (1-13). “Oklahoma”—^Broadway, King- ston, N.Y. (1-2); Paramount, As- bury Park, N.J. (3-6); Lincoln, Trenton, N.J. (8-9); Majestic, Perth Amboy, N.J. (10-11); Court Square, Springfield, Mass. (12-13). “South Pacific” (Janet Blair, Webb Tilton)—Philharmonic Aud., L.A. (1-6); Russ Aud., San Diego (8-13). ' “Stalag 17”—Erlanger, Chi (1- 13). ‘Porgy’ 40G in D.C. Finale Washington, Sept. 2. “Porgy and Bess” wound up its four-week stand at the National with a boff $40,000, biggest take of the run. Entire run was sock, with complete Sellouts after the initial •vt'eek National goes dark for the next three or four weeks, with no firm bookings in offing. ‘ • Y LilOlTlMAllEe n B way in Sfight Pre-Boliilay Dip: <1 'Animal’ $16,500, 'Fourposter Busy Sept. Sked Boosts San Diego Legit Setup San Diego, Sept. 2, « This growing city, bloated by de- fense workers at air plants, may be experiencing a revival as a theatre town, Ware-Hazelton is re- sponsible for the rebirth, with three attractions booked for Sep- tember, and a, fourth having opened its road tour over Labor Day weekend. With Robert Young, Dane Clark and Nancy Kelly starring, road company of Clifford Odets' “The Country Girl” broke in at Russ Auditorium Aug. 29-30. Touring ‘‘South Pacific,” with Janet Blair and Webb Tilton, opens a week’s run at the Russ next Tuesday (9). “The Moon Is Blue,” with David Nivem Diana Lynn and Scott Brady — same production that played.La Jolla Playhouse in June — follows Sept. 17-18, The First Drama Quartet’s “Don Juan in Hell” follows Sept. 19-20. ‘Seen’ lOi/jG. Sf. ' San Francisco, 2, Curran and’ Geary are drawing heavily,* with “Fourposter” virtual capacity, “Remains To Be Seen/’ with Boddy McPpwall, Sally For- rest and .Alien Jenkins, shuttered Saturday (30) after a thin third frame at the United Nations-Alca- zar.- “Lady’s Not For Burning,” with Vincent Price, Marsha Hunt and Beulah Bondi, opened last night (Mon.) at the United Nations- Alcazar, Following final- performance of “Jollyanna” Saturday (6), Danny Kaye opens at the Curran for 21 performances. Top for the Kaye show, which is under aegis of Civic Light Opera, is set at $4.80. EsUmates for Last Week " “Jollyanna,” Curran (3d wk) (MC-$4.80; 1,758; $43,600) (Bobby Clark, Mitzi Gaynor, John Beal). A big $35,500 (previous week, $35,- 000 ). “Fourposter,” Geary (3d wk) (C- $4.20: 1,550; $26,000) (Jessica Tan- dy, Hume Cronyn). A hefty $28,- 800 (previous .week, $25,000). “Remains To Be Seen,” United Nations-Alcazar (3d wk) (C-$3.60; 1,157;. $22,380) (Roddy McDowall, Sally Forrest, Allen Jenkins), A thin $10,500 (previous week, $11,- 000 ). TACinC’ FINE $55,500, ‘MOON’FAIR $19,000, LA. Los Angeles, Sept. 2. Heatwave had only a minor ef- fect last week, wilting “Moon Is Blue” slightly but falling to dent “South Pacific’s” steady virtual capacity business. Musical finales this Saturday (6), but “Moon” has still another frame to go at the Biltmore, before departing Sept. 13 to make way for “Bell, Book ind Candle,” Sept. 15, with Joan Ben- nett starring. Both offerings were off their rer spective season-sale tickets last week. “Moon” slipped to $19,000 in its first session away from the regular Theatre Guild season. “Pacific,” free of the regular Civic Light Opera cutrates, jumped to $55,500 for its fifth frame. - Old Vic Season Opens With ‘Juliet’ Sept. 15 London, Sept. 2. The Old Vic’s new* season begins Sept. 15 with the production of “Romeo and Juliet.” It will be fol- lowed by the French period farce, “The Italian Straw Hat.” Third production on the roster will be “Merchant of Venice.” Instead of the normal policy of predetermined length of runs, it is intended to introduce some, degree of elasticity in the new season’s program. “Juliet” will stay at least five weeks and the opening date of “Italian Straw Hat” will not be announced until the former play has begun its run. f Broadway took the traditional pre-Labor Day setback last week. 'As usual, the drop wasn't serious and a recovery is due this week. Grosses eased off a bit at virtually all shows, a$ the season tourist in- flux fapered off a bit and there was the customary exodus of local residents. The total gross for all 10 shows last wek was $303,900» or 80% of oanaoiiy. Week be- fore last the corrected total for the same 10 shows was $313,200, or 82%, a rise of 1% over the previous.'week, A year ago last week the to- tal for- all 12 shows was $$8N,- 300, or 81% of capacity,* a drop of 1% front the Week before. The expected attendance spurt this week opened per scheduled Monday (1), with lively trade at the five shows playing holiday matinees and receipts only a trifle off that night. Advance fdr the rest of the week is promising and the ensuing few weeks should ‘con- tinue the climb. “Tpp Banana” reopened Monday (1) at the Winter Garden and “Mrs. McThlng” is due next Monday (8) at the Morosco. The new season lineup starts arriving next week, with ‘ Seagulls Over Sorrento,” at the Golden, listed as the first pre- miere, to be followed *the next week by “Mr. Pickwick,” at the Plymouth, and then probably “An Evening with Beatrice LilUe,” at a theatre to be selected. EstlqiaieK for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (R^vue), MC '(Musical Comedy), MD (Musi- cal Drama), O (Operetta), Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to top prices; (indicates using two-for-ones), number of seats, capacity gross ana stars. Price includes 20% amuse* ment tax, but grosses are net: i.c.„ eajclusivc of tax. “Fourposter,” Barrymore (45th wk). (C-$4.80; 1,060; $24,996) .(Betty Field, Burgess Meredith). Ovef $13,60() (previous week, $15,000). “Guys sitd Dolls/’ 46th St. (93d wk) (MC-*$6.60; 1,319; $43,904). Going along at the . attendance limit; $44,000. “King and I,” St. James (75th wk) (MC-$7.20; 1.571; $51,717) (Gertrude Lawrence). Over $51,- 700 (previous week, $51,700); star, still out because of illness. “Male Animal,” Music Box (18lh wk) (C-$4.80; 1,012; $25,903) (Elliott Nugent, Martha Scott, Robert Pres- ton). Almost $16,500 (previous week, $1'7,400). “Moon la Blue,” Miller (78th wk) (CJ-$4.80; 920; $21,586) (Donald Cook, Barry Nelson, Janet RileyL Over $10,000 (previous week, $10,300). . “New Faces,” Royale (16th* wk) (R-$6; 1,035; $30,600). About $19,- 000, previous week, $20,000); has been overquoted recently. “Pal Joey," Broadhurst (35th wk) (MC-$6.60; 1,160; $39,602) (Holly Harris, Harold Lang). Just under $38,000 (previous week, $39,400); Miss Segal returned Monday night (1) as femme lead. “Point of No Return,” Alvin (33d wk) (D-$4.80-$6; 1,331; $37,- 924) (Henry Fonda). Almost $21.- 000 (previous week, $21,800; now slated to close Nov. 29 to go on tour. “South’Pacific,” Majestic (176th wk) (MO$6; 1,659; $50,186) (IJIartha Wright, George Britton). Over $44,- 100 (previous week, $46,100). “Wish You Were Here,” Imperial (10th wk) (MC-$7.20; 1,400; $51,- 847). Nearly $46,000 (previous week, $47,500). Reopehed This Week t “Top Banana,” Winter Garden (41st wk) (MC-$6.60-$7.20; 1,519; $51,881) (Phil Silvers). The Paula Stone-Mike Sloane production re- opened Monday (1) after a four- week layoff; after four more weeks on Broadway it will go on tour. ‘Madam’ Okay $40,000 In Five-Day Seattle Stand Seattle, Sept. 2. In a five-day engagement of “Call Me Madam,” which ended Satur- day night (30) at the Civic Audi- torium, show grossed a good $40,«* 000. House, with 5.600 seats, was scaled from' $4.50. Opening night grossed around $7,100, with steady take.throughout the \/eek, and fair biz at Wednes- day matinee (around $3,000), Sat- urdai matinee was slow.