Variety (February 1953)

Wednesday, February 4, 1953 LEGITIMATE 57 St. Paul Papers Deride City Censor Plan Started Over Rapped ‘Camera’ St. Paul, Feb. 3. 4- Mayor John Daubney (compara- tively new in office and only 31 years old) and city council mem- bers who assailed “I Am a Camera” as a “filthy, vile and indecent play” and “New York gutter culture,” are more or less in the doghouse now. They not only failed in their efforts to stop the play’s per- formances here last .week, but also took an editorial spanking from the Dispatch, city’s sole evening daily, and a verbal scolding from Julie Harris, the play’s star. They’ve abandoned a plan to im- pose stage and screen censorship on the community, but the furore which they stirred up at their meeting following the play’s open- ing last Monday (26), it’s believed, may put the city further- behind the eight ball as far as obtaining Broadway offerings after this sea- son is concerned. Another effect was to cause an llth-hour boxoffice. rush for the final performance. Show came to St. Paul for two nights and a matinee after playing a full week to ncar T capacity busi- ness pi Minneapolis, the other Twin City, and the mayor attended the opening-night performance. At the council meeting the next morn- ing he anil council members an* grily ripped into the show. They wanted to halt the final two per- formances, but the city attorney (Continued on page 60) Controller Georger Out At Met in Policy Clash Alfred Georger, controller of the Metropolitan Opera for. almost two seasoris, has resigned. It’s re- ported that differences with’man- agement over artistic policies as they affected the financial end brought about bis withdrawal. Georger was formerly with United Artists Theatre Circuit, .as ac- countant and assistant treasurer, for 20 years, and came out of semi- retirement two years ago to join the new Met management. He’s been succeeded by Robert Kearns, j 'Picnic’ Rapped by St. Loo Medico Journal on Line That ‘Sabotages’ Legit ‘Shrike’ London Bow Due; Wanamaker Preps ‘Dust’ London, Jan. 27. Joseph Kramm’s “The Shrike” goes into the Princes Feb. 13. Play,, currently touring the sticks, is pre- sented by Jack Hylton in associa* tion with Sam Wanamaker. Latter also staged, as well as being star, Wanamaker, as soon as he is set- tled at the Princes, will start stag- ing Sean O’Casey’s "“Purple Dust” foi; the West End. Davis Wins Fight on Show Investing; N.Y. footers Local Rapped by Petrillo Wayne Garry Davis Okayed For London‘Stalag 17’; Four U.S. Actors in Lead Roles • c London, Feb. 3. Garry Davis signed yesterday (2) for “Stalag 17,” 30 minutes after producer Sam Byrd received home- office authorization for replace- ment of a transit visa with a work permit. British Equity Immediately okayed the* application, after being told that 163appilcants were inter- viewed for the Harry Shapiro role, and the Labor Ministry rushed tile work permit to the boat. This arrived after Davis had en- trained for London, and the actor, unaware that he had been signed, told immigration authorities he was enroute to India. It’s understood. Davis is applying for restoration of his U. S. citizenship which he gave up voluntarily a few years ago to become a ‘'Citizen of the World.” British production of “Stalag,” which opens an out-of-town tryout Fob. 23, is being’entirely financed with American coin. Sam Byrd, who is co-presenting with Jack Hylton, has negotiated 100% dol- lar backing. . Rehearsals. started yesterday (Mon.). Three other American ac- tors arrived in London last week to take up their roles. Robert Shawley and Charles Bang came in on the Queen Mary last Wednes- day (28) and Harold J. Stone planed over Saturday. Shawley, who was in the original Broadway production, plays the part of Herb, and Bang was a p.o.w. in the same camp as the authors, Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski. Stone was also in the New York cast and will portray the role. of, Stosh, Buford Armitage, Who was production stage manager on the. Broadway version, is staging the play in Britain. According to present schedules ’Stalag” will open at the Lyceum, Edinburgh, Feb. 23 -and will play Hull the following week. No date has yet been set for its London preem. St. Louis, Feb. 37 “Picnic,” William Inge drama which tried out here' week before last, is attacked in the current is- sue of the-St. Louis County Medi- cal Bulletin. Taking exception to a line in the play, the sheet ac- cused the author of “sabotaging the medium that gives him an au- l.dience.” The local medical group is- affiliated with the American Medical Assn., which opposes any- thing it regards as “socialized med- icine.” Editorial says of the playwright, “He has one of his character's say that in Sweden the- poor peop'e get the same medical service as the rich under Swedish socialized medicine. The inference, here is obvious. The reason for the line is not obvious.. TJhe play is not helped; the plot is not moved for- ward with this bit of political prop- aganda.- “People in the U. S., hearing this line, may easily be led to the quiok opinion that the Swed- ish socialized medicine plan is bet- ter than our systeirrf of they may be lead (sic) to believe that the rich and poor here do not get the same medical or hospital service. Per dollar spent rich and poor here do not get -the same medical and hospital service. “William Inge takes advantage of his position when he writes an unnecessary and misleading line like that. Using the stage as a springboard for a political ideology is unfair to the theatre and hastens the decline of an art that needs more blood transfusion than boos and catcalls.” 'New Faces Now Running in Black “New Fdces of 1052,” the Leon- ard Sillman revue^now in its 39th week at the Royale, N. Y., is- now in the black. The show recuped the balance of its production and try- out cost and netted a small pi'ofit during December. It is the first moneymaker of the,Sillman revue j series. . For the five-week period ended Jan. 3, the show grossed a total o * $124,707, for a total operating net of $13,924, including a $2,308 deficit for the week ended Dec. 20, when the gross dipped. to $17,700. The total operating profit through Jan. 3 was $135,431. plus $8,664 income from royalty tieups and souvenir program sales. That brought the total profit to ,**144,095. After deducting $117,293 production cost and $15,815 tryout loss, that brought the net profit to $10,984 as* of Jan. 3. The produc- tion was originally financed at $134,000, plus .*>25,400 in production loans, for - which Sillman assigned 8-14/30% Of the producer’s share. In addition, Lee Shubert guaran- teed about $13,000. in theatre de- posits and union bonds: After repayment of the $25,400 j loan and liquidating Shubert’s guarantees, the production had re* turned $87,100 to the investors, plus a $13,400 payment the second week in January. It had assets of $22;790 iff bends and deposits, $2,- 617 in orchestration costs chargable to the authors and $15,000 eash re- serve: That left $4,077 available for ! distribution. ; in British ‘SP’ Till > June; Seeks Pic Stint London, Feb. 3. Fredd Wayne, who plays Luther Billis in the West End production of “South Pacific” at he Drury Lane, will leave the Rodgers-Ham- merstein show June 13. Mean- while, he’s dickering for a film as- signment, which he would make while appearing in the legit musi- cal, and is also being booked to re- peat his cabaret stint of last year. After leaving the musical show, Wayue plans a two-month vacation in France, Italy and Spain before returning to he U. S. THIS‘DQLLS’CHORINE KICKS ONE ‘GUY’ OUT Pittsburgh,’’Feb. 3. One of the high-kicking dolls in Guys and Dolls” at the Nixon knocked her guy right out' of the chords last' Week. The kick of j Gret^ejx^yl^r in the “Havana” number j clippeq. her partner, Carl Erberle; accidentally In the head. He kept, moving;, though groggy, until .the; chorus- articled off stage. ■ Then police . ambulance wlnsked Erberle- off to the Alle- gjieny General Hospital, where six stitches were- put in a deep cut over his left eye. A substitute filled. in for him the rest' of" the performance, and Erberle returned to the company-the following night. BAMBERGER TO HEAD PHILLY ’53 PARK SETUP Theron Bamberger, producer- manager last summer of the Play- house-in- the -Park, Philadelphia, has been reappointed to the post for the coming season by the Fair- mount Park Commission. He is also planning to continue operation this summer of his Bucks County Play- house, New Hope, Pa. However, this will be his final season at the latter spot, as it has been acquired by Broadway producers James Russo and Michael Ellis for ‘ the 1954 semester. ^ Fairfhount officials are reported- ly seeking liquor licenses for vari- ous restaurants in the park. The move is apparently sparked by the heavy dinner trade at the Belmont Mansion, nearby the tent play-- house. It’s figured that business at that and other park eateries would be stimulated if liquor were avail- able. Bamberger, who has been getting treatment in North Carolina for an ailment, was in New York on busi- ness last week, but returned-Mon- day (2) to the south,- ‘Lady Bt Good* Leads Set for Albany Stock Albany, Feb. 3. Barbara Cook and Don Llberto will play the lead roles in Malcolm Atterbury’a production of “Lady Be Good” at the Colonial Playhouse for * three-week period, beginning Feb. 26. Sandra Lee, who was in “High Button Shoes” on Broadway will do the choreography and; dance iff'tlie local presentation. Fourth prin- cipal will be- Dave La Grant. At- terbuiy will direct; Fleischmann Dickering Return of Ballet Russe To Origi^ll Monaco Home Julius Fleischmann, legit backer- producer and for years the angel and co-director of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, is reported dicker- ing with Monaco authorities for reestablishment of the dance troupe as resident organization in Monte Carlo’. Troupe originated there in the ’30s; It has been tour- ing the U. S., under Serge I. Den- ham’s direction, every year since 1938, but this year has laid off com- pletely. A smaller offshoot, under name of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo Concert Co., has been touring the Community Concerts circuit this season for Columbia Artists Mgt. While the Monaco talks have been progressing, Fleischmann has also been dickering with Sol Hu- rok for a U. S. tour of the troupe in 1954.’ Hurok booked the. Ballet Russe from 1938-39 through the ’41-’42 season. He’s beeAtousy pre- senting the Sadler’s Wells Ballet and Sadler's Wells "Theatre Ballet the. past few seasons, and has'the former company coming to the U. S. next season. Downing Drama to Get Houston Arena Preem "Around We Go,” romantic eom- edy-drama written by author-stage manager Robert Downing especial- ly for arena production, will be tried out during Aprihajt the Hous- ton Playhouse.. Lattcrikpot Is oper- ated by Joanna Albus and William Rozan. The Downing play, although written specifically for .circular production, could also be trans- ferred to regular proicpniuin stages. The script Includes* 14 .char- acters and involves special music and 1 lighting: Miss- Albus will di- rect and Downing* will go to Hous- ton to attend rehearsals and the opening. Downing-- and Miss AlbUs for- merly were* associated, in the*' Broadway production of “Streetcar Named Desire?” for whieh he was stage manager and Ah* assistant. B’way ‘Guys’ to Lose All Original Leads; Principal Males Set for Brit Sfeowi- *\ •' • < Sam Levene, Stubby Kaye, Tom Pedi and Johnny Silver, who play lour of the principal gamblers in “Guys and Dolls,” may have the same roles' in the London produc- tion of the Frank-Loesser-Jo Swcr- ling-Abe Burrows musical. Since Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine and Isabel Bigley have left ,or are about to leave the show, that would clean out all the original leads in the Broadway company. Levene, currently on leave from the Cy Fcuer-Emest H. Martin production for a picture assign- ment in Hollywood, probably won’t return to the Nathan De- troit ro'c on Broadway„but will go directly to London for the same j part. Julie Oshins, -who has been playing it on the road and is now sobbing on Broadway, will prob- ably remain here, with Sammy Schwartz continuing in liis replace- ment spot in the; touring company. Norwood Smith recently suc- ceeded Alda as Sky Masterson in the Broadway company. Iva With- ers mil step in Feb. 16 for Miss Biaine, who vacates her original role as Miss Adelaide to return to Ihe Coast. Miss Bigley leaves Feb. 28 to take a leading role in “Me and Juliet,” the new Richard Rodger s-Oscar Hammerstein 2d show, but her successor as Sarah Brown, the Salvation Arniy doll, isn’t set.' Replacements also have not been selected for Kaye, Pedi .and Silver in the respective parts of Nicety-Nicely Johnson, Harry the Horse imd Benny Southstreet. The London edition ■ of “Guys and Dolls” will be presented' 'by Prince Littler, with the silent partnership of Louis Dreyfus, rep- resenting Chappell Music. Rodgers ’.and Hammerstein will supply half the financing, using blocked profits from their London production of “South Pacific.” They're also put- ting up half the money for the West End edition of "“Seven Year Itch,” being presented by II. M. Tcnnent, Ltd. ♦ Resolution passed last fall by N. Y.. Local 802, affectug invest- ment by its members in legit attrac- tions, was found unconstitutional by James C. Petrillo and the inter- national executive board of the American Federation of Musicians, which met in executive se sion in N. Y. last week. The-full board of 11 members subjected local officers to ong, sharp questioning, while Petrillo declared that 802 investors in legit ought to be praised instead cen- sured. Legit and tooters lvj.d inter- ests in common, he said, und any-; thing that increased employment for musicians should be encour- aged. Resolution, which made it a vj- o’alion for a member to play in a show in which an 802 member in- vested, and which had the effect of forbidding members to invest in legiter/, was declared null and void and ordered stricken from the by- laws of 802. The local’s ruling, passed last (September;'was a'diflittddly''a'hned'^r at "Moyer ’barfs, w.'fc. bandleader *» a ! id bvg legit investor, on claim that such investment gave him pre- ferred standing in dickering for pit orchestras in Broadway musicals. But it could affect other 802 mem- bers who were also producers or backers, such, as Richard Rodgers, Cy Feuer, Milton-Berle, etc. Davis 1 had appealed the ruling promptly to Petrillo, who referred the matter to the next internation- al board meeting, which was last week. Davis handled his appeal personally and singly (in a rare instance of an 802 member taking a local move to the international, (Continued en page 60) OFFBEAT 0NE-N1GHTERS FOR TARIS’ IN ’53-’54 Cornelia Otis Skinner, currently touring in her one-woman musical show, “Paris ’90,” may .go on ,Jhe- road. with it again next season,; following appearances this spring in London, Paris and Switzerland., The idea would be for the star to travel toy car, shipping the com- paratively heavy production by truck, playing mostly -one-nighters •off the regular railroad routes. The show, currently playing'the northwest after mopping up in a •series of -Coast engagements, is booked to open March 2 at the Blackstone, Chicago, for an in- definite run, probably three, or four weeks. MoBteux, Russi-Lemeni ‘Faust’ to Bow Next Met Year; ‘Fledermaus’ Flits Although the Met Opera likes to keep its -Season's opener a delayed secret, it's reliably reported that ihe ’53-’54 -season’s first opera, next November, will be "Faust.” Opener will mark the return of vet maestro Pierre Monteux to the pit, after-a 35-year absence from the house, during most of which time he’s been specializing in symphonic conducting. “Faust” will also mark the long- awaited Met debut of basso Nicola Rossi-Lemenl, in. the role of Meph- istopheles. Italian singer, son-in-law of maestro Tullio 1 Serafln, made a big hit in appearances with the San Francisco Opera last season, and Is regarded by many as tffe hottest basso of the -day. Also of Interest in next season’s repertoire is- elimination of '“Fle- dermaus,” which was the Met’s biggest draw three seasons ago, when it was done 32 times (in N. Y. and on tour), for the record number of performances of any opus in the Metts 68-year history. “Fledermaus” is skedded for only five performances the current (’52- ’53 ) season, Ml of them 'non-sub- scription, Theory behind small number of showings this- year, and none -next season, is the teaser -of '“keeping ’em wanting it” by with- holding it a while. St. Loo’»-35th Muny Opera Season to Tee With ‘Park’ St. Louis, Feb. 3. “Up in Central Park” will tee off the- 33th. consecutive season of tlie Municipal Theatv* Assn., with an 11-night stand. In al fresco For- est • Park Playhouse, starting June 4r: . . Season will wind up with, a Iwo- weOk frame of. “Kiss M« y Kate,” starting Aug* * 17. Latter hasn’t previously been presented. In this theatre. SEEK CO AST TOUA FOR W WITH A. HEPBURN’ San Francisco., Feb. 3. “Gigi,” the Anita Loos adapta- tion of a. Colette novel, is being sought by Randolph Hale, who o Derates the Alcazar here, for a Coast tour, with? Audrey Hepburn continuing as star. Deal may hinge on the actress’ availability, .as there is some question of her - contractual status if the comedy switches to .a different manage- ment. —Halo has announced that the [play, currently at the National, Washington, will- oppn March 12, •at- the Biltmore, Los Angeles, then come to the Alcazar on a-projected (summer, subscription series. How- tever; Miss Hepburn is under corn- tract. to Paramount, which is un- derstood to have her slated for a- •[picture this summer. The actress’- ■contract for “Gigi” js with Gilbert Miller, who produced the play -on 'Broadway and is presenting it on tour, with Edward Ohoate in charge, of the business manage-; raent.