Variety (September 1952)

WetlnesJay, September 24^ 1952 pTBRlEff LEGITIMATl! Show Finances "GUYS AND DOLLS” (As oi Aug, 30, ’52) Original investment, including 25% overcail .... $250,000 Total gross last four weeks in N. Y 174,100 Total gross last four weeks in Chicago 181,843 Total profit last four weeks in N. Y 31,988 Total profit last four weeks in Chicago 36,114 Total net profit to date, both companies 1,633,040 Distributed profit 1,118,192 Balance, including bonds and reserve 514,848 Chi Legit Boxoilice Still Variahle; ‘Dolls $36 JO, ‘Camera’ $19.5i Chicago, Sept. 23. 4 Start of the Jewish New Year Friday (19) and the Wednesday telecast of the Graziano-Davey fight hit the local boxoffice here la«t week. However, the total is up with four attractions in town, “Fourposter” having opened at the Blackstone yesterday (22). Mail orders on “Poster” have been heavy. Still, the month of October, and possibly November, don’t promise much in the way of new shows. Ballet Theatre and the N Y. City Opera are set for the Opera House, the former Oct. 2- Nov. 2, the latter Nov. 12-30. “I Am A Camera,” whieh started a run at the Harris Sept. 15, won rave notices for Julie Harris but, with the exception of Seymour Raven of the Chicago Tribune, most of the critics found the play inadequate. Estimates for I^ast Week *‘Guys and Dolls,” Shubert (30th week) ($6; 2,100). Slipped a bit to $36,300^ posted- no<ice- last night.. (Mon.) of last six weeks of run. ‘T Am A Camera,” Harris (1st week) ($4.40; 1,000). Bright $19,- 600 for the first subscription week. “Stalaff 17,” Erlanger (3d week) ($4.20; 1,334). Very neat $22,100 for the third week. $18,500, FRISCO; ‘LADY’ UP TO $17,400 San Francisco, Sept. 23. Town has a two-week booking of the First Drama Quartet, which opened at the Geary last night (22) with “Don Juan in Hell.” Another return, “Moon Is Blue,” with David Niven, Diana Lynn and Murray Hamilton, reopens at the United Nations tonight (Tues.). Show is also set for two frames. Estimate for Last Week “Country Girl,” Geary (2d wk) (D-$4.20; 1,550) (Robert Young, Dane Clark, Nancy Kelly). Okay $18,500 (previous week, $17,500). “Lady’s Not for Burning,” United Nations (3d wk) (D-$3.60; 1,157) (Vincent Price, Marsha Hunt, Beu- lah Bondi). Up to $17,400 (previ- ous week, $16,500). ‘JoDyanna’ 49G, ‘Bell’ $15,100, Ik. It ‘DON JUAN’HOT $25,800 IN FIVE SO. CAL. DATES Los Angeles, Sept. 23. “Don Juan in Hell” launched its fifth tour last week and promptly grabbed a walloping $25,800 in five Southern California performances, hitting virtual capacity at each date. First Drama Quartet presenta- tion by Paul Gregory opened in Santa Barbara Tuesday (16) for two nights, grabbing $7,500 for the stand in a lj090-seat theatre. Thurs- day night, the Charles Boyei*- Charles Laughton-Sir Cedric Hard- wicke-Agnes Moorehead starrer played the 1,000-seat Auditorium in Santa Ana and collected $3,800. Friday and Saturday nights the concert attraction played the 2,400- seat Ru.ss Auditorium in San Diego, exiting with $14,500 for two nights. ‘Roberts’ FairisTi $7,000 For Four in Hartf Hartford, Sept. 2 Kicking off its second se; ^vith “Mister Roberts,” New ! «ons grossed a fair $7,000 for : performances, Thursday thrc Saturday (18-20). Several fac kept attendance down. It was ^cond trip here for the Tho Heggen-Joshua Logan hit. O] house played ags Aalai Stevenson and a one-n riand of “Finian’s Rainbow” in version at the Allyn Theatri lumer. Okay notices and sti ^oi’d-of-mouth buoyed attenda nouse was scaled at $4.20. ^ Second show of the seasoi Jane,” this Thursday thrc Saturday (25-27). It will be lust ot a nine-week subscrip ic?®j semester the h( IS bed in with the Council of Series^ for its subscrip FAIRFAX burgher The Secretary of State In “Call Me Madam” Sept. 22. Mlnneapolts. MInn< Los Angeles, Sept. 23. Heat hit local boxoffices again last week and the town’s tw’o legit “bfferings, already beset by mild reviews at best, stumbled through the frame with below-expectation grosses. Legit picture brightens next week when Henry Duffy re- sumes operations, relighting the 1,518-seat Carthay Circle with “Af- fairs of State” Tuesday (30). Estimates for Last Week ‘‘Bell, Book and Candle,” Bilt- more (Ist wk) ($4.20; 1,636*) (Joan Bennett, Zachary Scott). Opening- night performance and poor no- tices cued some cancellations of advance reservations; week’s $15,- 100 was around the break-even point; show goes to San Francisco next week. Jollyanna,” Philharmonic Aud (2d wk) ($4.80; 2,670) (Bobby Clark. Mitzi Gaynor). Still running be- hind other Civic Light Opera sea- son offerings, but climbed a bit to almost $49,000. ‘Madam’ Fine $47,900 In Omaha-Des Moines Split Omaha, Sept. 23. “Call Me Madam” opened slowly at the Paramount, but built stead- ily to windup $25,100 total for four performances last Monday-Wed- nesday (15-17). Elaine Strich, in the lead rola, sprained an ankle opening day but was treated by the Omaha Cardi- nals’ baseball trainer and played all shows with a bandage. $22,800 In Des Moines Des Moines, Sept. 23, For the second half of last week, Thursday-Saturday (18-20), “Call Me Madam” pulled $22,800 in four performances at the KRNT Theatre here. That gave the musical a total gross of $47,900 on the eight-per- formance split-week. ^Language’ Okay $8,600 For 4 New Haven Shows New Haven, Sept. 23. Preem of “In Any Language” at the Shubert last week (18-20) pulled almost $6,600, very good. Show was in for four performances at-a $3.60 top. House is beginning to show a little activity after a late start, and has now lined up a fairly substan- tial booking list. Breakin of the Martyn Green Gilbert & Sullivan U’oupe is set for Oct. 1-4. Mar- garet Sullavan in “Deep Blue Sea” gets underway here Oct. 8-11 and the road company of “The Shrike” tees off Oct. 15-18. “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” is set for Oct. 20-25, and Edna Best In “Jane” is due Oct. 30-Nov. Current Road Shows {Sept. 22-Oct 4) “Bell, Book and Candle” (Joan Bennett, Zachary Scptt)—Biltmore, L. A. (22-27); Geary, S. F. (29-4). “Bernadinc’^ — Wilbur, Boston (22-4). “Call Me Madam” — Lyceum, Minn, (22-27); Aud., St. Paul (29-4). “Country Girl” (Robert Young, Nancy Kelly)—Geary, F. (22-27); Biltmore, L. A. (29-4). “Don Juan in Hell” (Charles Boyer, Charles Laughton, Cedric Hardwicke, Agnes Moorehead)— Geary, S. F. (22-27); Curran, S. F. (29-4). “Fourposter (Jessica Tandy, Hum(i Cronyn)—Blackstone, Chi. (122-4). Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”— Royal Alexandra, Toronto (22-27); Grand, Hamilton, Ont. (29-30)—Er- langer, Buffalo (1-4). Gilbert & Sullivan (Martyn Green)—Shubert, N. H. (1-4). “Good Night Ladies”—Erlanger (22-27). “Guys and Dolls”—Shubert, Chi. (22-4). “I Am a Camera” (Julie Harris) —^Harris, Chi. (22-4), “In Any Language” (Uta Hagen) —Plymouth, Boston (22-4). *Jane” (Edna Best)-r-Parsons, Hartford, Conn. (1-4). “Jollyanna” (Bobby Clark, Mitzi Gaynor)—Philharmonic, L. A. (22- 27). “Mister Roberts” (Tod Andrews) —State, Portland, Me. (22-24); Palace, Manchester, N, H. (25); Elm St., Worcester, Mass. (26-27); Broadway, Kingston, N. Y. '29), Majestic, Perth Amboy,-N. J. (30); Lincoln, Trenton (1); St. James, Asbury Park, N. J. (2); Rajah, Reading, Pa., (3); Shrine Mosque, Harrisburg, Pa (4). “Moon Is Blue” (David Niven, Diana Lynn, Murray Hamilton)-^ United Nations, S. F. (22-4). “Oklahoma”—Hanna, Cleve. (22- 271; Nixon, Pitt. (29-4). “Paint Your Wagon” (Burl Tves) —Hartman, Columbus, O. (2-4). “Paris ’90” (Cornelia Otis Skin- ner)—Her Majesty’s, Montreal (22- 27); Royal Alexandra, Toronto (29^ 4). “South Pacific” (Janet Blair, Webb Tilton)—Memorial Aud., Fresno, Cal. (22-27); Metropolitan, Seattle (29-4). “Stalag 17”—Erlanger, Chi. 22- 4). “Time of the Cuckoo” (Shirley Booth—Playhouse, Wilmington (25- -27); Walnut St., Phila. (29-4). ‘MOON’ $18,400 FOR 7 IN FOUR-WAY SPLIT Sacramento, Sept. 23. Touring edition of “’Moon Is Blue” toted up a snappy $18,400 last week an a seven-performance split between four towns. F. Hugh Herbert comedy started the string with a $2,800 gross Monday night (15) • at the Auditorium, Long Beach; added $3,500 for a single performance Tuesday night (16) at the Fox, San Bernardino; picked up $5,000 more in two shows Wed- nesday-Thursday (17-18) at Russ Auditorium, San Diego; pulled $3,100 in one showing Friday night (19) at the Memorial Auditorium, Fresno, and found up with $4,000 in two times Saturday (20) at the Memorial Auditorium here. Play, co-starring David Niven, Diana Lynn and Murray Hamilton, started a two-week run last night (Mon.) at the United Nations, ‘San Francisco. 'Ladies’ Socko $16,500, Philly’s Sole Entry Philadelphia, Sept. 23. Philadelphia stage season con- tinued to limp along with “Good Night, Ladies,” two-for-one titilla- tor at the Erlanger as the only en- try. “Ladies” garnered $16,500 for second stanza and seems certain to go at least four weeks. Season ;nakes its official '^ebut next Monday (29) with Shirley Booth's “The Time of the Cuckoo,” at the Walnut. Equity Library Theatre Reactivating in Chi Chicago, Sept, 23. Equity Library Theati'e, which had a short but successful spring season, reactivates Oct. 1 under guidance of Mrs. Frank Dare, local Equity representative. Without any subsidy, group, composed mainly of radio and and television actors, gave three plays last season. Without aid from New York, the new organization raised $70 and paid all expenses; at the end of the spring it had $34 left. B’way Edges Up;‘Wish’Hits $51,800, ‘Guy’ $44,400, ‘Joey $39,700, Seflouts, ‘AuhnaT 17G, Tichwick’$9,100 m 5 Business was uneven, but gen- erally up a trifle on Broadway last week. Attendance ran a bit ahead of the previous week until the Jewish holiday supplied a slight damper Friday and Saturday (19- 20). In most cases musical shows improved slightly over the .week before, while straight plays *were off a shade. The total gross for all 14 shows last week was S396,900. or 81% of capacity. Week be- fore last the total for all 13 of- ferings was $382,300, or 82% of capacity, compared with the previous week’s $342,000, or 80% of capacity for 11 entries. A year ago last week the total for all 14 shows was $427,900, or 86%, a dip of 1% from the week before. Of the new shows, “Mr. Pick- wick” drew an evenly split press and started moderately, while the previous week’s arrival, “Seagulls Over Sorrento,” folded in its sec- ond frame. Nothing is opening this week, but “An Evening with Bea- trice Lillie” is due next week. “Wish You Were Here” was the gross leader last week for the regu- lar eight-performance span, regis- tering another new high for the run and only about $200 from po- tential capacity. However, other shows with lower capacity, notably “Guys and Dolls” and “Pal Joey.” went clean. Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), MC (Musical Comedy), MD (Musi- cal Drama),0 (Operetta). Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to top prices; number of seats, capacity gross and stars. Price includes 20% amuse- ment tax, but grosses are net: i.e,, exclusive of tax. “Fourposter,” Barrymore (48th wk) (C-$4.80; 1,060; $24,996) (Betty Field, Burgess Meredith). Hit $15,- 200 (previous week, $15,600). “Guys and Dolls,” 46th St. r96th wk) (MC-$6,60; 1,319; $43,904). Rolling along again at .$44,000, the standee limit, having eased below capacity for only five weeks during summer, slump. “King and I,” St. James (78th wk) (MC-$7J20; 1,571; $51,717). Nearly $51,600 (previous week, $44,500 for seven performances). “Male Animal,” Music Box (21st wk) (C-$4.80; 1,012; $25,903V (El- liott Nugent, Martha Scott, Robert Preston). Almost $17,000 (previous week. $18,600). “Moon Is Blue,” Miller (81st wk) (C-$4.80; 920; $21,586) (Donald Cook, Barry Nelson, Janet Riley). Nearly $10,800 (previous week, $11,300). “Mr. Pickwick,” Plymouth (1st wk) (CD-$4.80; 1,063; $29,019). Opened Wednesday night (17) to an even critical split of four fav- orable notices (Atkinson, Times; Chapman, News; McClain, Journal- American; Pollock, Compass) and four unfavorable (Coleman, Mir- ror; Hawkins, World-Telegram & Sun; Kerr, Herald Tribune; W«tts, Post); first five performances drew $9,100, “Mrs. McThing,” Morosco (24ih wk) (C-$4.80; 912; $26,800) (Helen Hayes). Over $20,100 (previous week, $21,300). “New Faces,” Royale (19th wk) (R-$6; 1,035; $30,600). Over $29,- 300 (previous week, $29,600). “Pal Joey,” Broadhurst (38th wk) (MC-$6.60; 1,160; $39,602) (Vivi- enne Segal, Harold Lang), Back to capacity at nearly $39,700 (pre- vious week, $39,000). “Point of No Return,” Alvin (36th wk) (D-$4.80-$6; 1,331; $37,- 924) (Henry Fonda). Almost $22,- 700 (previous week, $23,500). “Seagulls Over Sorrento,” Gold- en (2d wk) (O$4.80; 776; $19,195). Under $4,000 for first full week (previous week, first four perform- ances got around $4,500); closed Saturday night (20) after 12 per- formances, at a loss of about $25,000. “South Pacific,” Majestic (179th wk) (MC-$6; 1,659; $50,186) (Martha Wright, George Britton). Over $45,800 (previous week, $44,500). “Top Banana,” Winter Garden (43d wk) (MC-$6 60-$7.?0; 1,519; $51,881) (Phil Silvers). Over $35,- 800 (previous week, $34,400). “Wish You Were Here,” ’im- perial (13th wk) (MC-$7.20; 1,400; $51,881). Again went to a new high for the run, leading the gross list af $51,800 (previous week, $51,300). ‘PACIFIC’ SOCK $57,000 IN PASADENA WEEK Pasadena, Sept. 23. “South Pacific,” turning this one-night town into a full-week * stand, piled up a whacking $57,- 000 gross for eight performances ending Saturday night (20) in the 3,000-seat City Auditorium. The Rodgers-Hammersteln-Logan musical is playing the current week at the Memorial Auditorium, Fresno, after which it goes to Seattle. ‘Fourposter’ Sock $26,000 For Six in Minneapolis Minneapolis, Sept. 23. “The Fourposter,” with Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, turned ’em away at every one of its four nights and two matinees at a $4,20 top at the 1,859-seat Lyceum, wind- ing up to nearly $26,()00. First of the New York Theatre Guild sub- scription season offerings (scaled at a discount for subscribers) but the theatre’s second attraction (the first, “Bell, Book and Candle” pulled $22,300 for six nights and two matinees during the August heat), it undoubtedly could have run anywhere from a week to 10 days or two weeks in order to sat- isfy the demand. The Black Hills Passion Play is opening a two-week engagement here Sept. 28 under Knights of (Ilolumbus sponsorship. ‘Bagels’ Soggy $18,000 In Its Second Boston Week Bbston, Sept. 23. “Bagels and Yox,” in its second week at the 1,700-seat Shubert, pulled a not too good $18,000, due to cancellation of two performances to observe Jewish holidays. Extra matinee tossed in Wednesday (17) failed to help much. House is scaled to $3.60 top, with final week current “Bernardine”preemed at the Wil- bur last night (22), with “In Any Language” also bowing in at the Plymouth, both here •for tw’o weeks. Opening next Monday (6) are “Jane,” a Theatre Guild presenta- tion, at the Colonial for two weeks; Cornelia Otis Skinner’s “Paris ’90,” in for two weeks at the Majestic, and the newlyrorganized Gilbert & Sullivan Co., bowing into the Shu- bert for a fortnight. ‘Gents’ $18,700, Mont’l Montreal, Sept. 23. Starting a new season’s tour, “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” ran into a lethargic legit pub!ie here last week, pulling only $18/700 at a $4.50 top in the 1,704-seat Her Majesty’s. Musical, with Iva Withers as suc- cessor to Carol Channing In the lead role of Lorelei Lee, is at the Royal Alexandra, Toronto, this week. ‘Okla,’ $25,400, Toronto Toronto, Sept. 23. On its ninth annual visit last week, “Oklahoma” grossed a healthy $25,400 at the Royal Alex- andra. The 1,525-seater was scaled at $3.90 plus tax, or $4 top. CAB CALLOWAY Sportin' Life "PORGIE AND BESS" Now —Titanio Palast. Bierlin, Gtrmany "ACCLAIMED*WN«w York Tim<»s Msit.] IlLl, MITTLIR, Ulf Rroodwor. New York