Variety (April 1953)

TPVdnenday, April 8, 1953 Pim&Fr LEGITIMATE 5 1 Equity ‘Tories’ Midi Independent Met Vs. ‘Liberal’ Council Slate Equity Delinquents May Be Able to Attend Confabs Although the regular'slate Jhas* reportedly not yet been definitely Elected by the nominating com- mittee there's already rumor of D lans *for an independent ticket to be run by the conservative inrces in the annual Actors Equity Move to permit members to at election June 5. c ; M0ve apparently tend meetings and speak, even ctems from the assumption that the though they may be in arrears on predominately liberal nominating dues, is underway in Actors Equity, rommittee will pick a strongly Under the proposed setup, delin- liberal slate of coundil candidates, quent members would not be al- Makeuo of the nominating com- ^vted ^ vote, however. , mUtee has changed slightly since Idea, presented by Frank Max- ^ ltt last ^ tt’mrtlriv membership well and approved at the union’ 1<iaL quarterly membership ^eu ana approvea at tne union's Appling George Britton, who with- recent quarterly membership ■?®wone of'the three council meeting requires council endorse- or ■ Pfi nn the committee, ment and,- unless some legal forr _ were to be worked out to ap- Both areregarded”as"Wdcrate con- pl y it informally, would necessl- servatfves.' Continuing as the other ‘ate a change In the bylaws. How- council representatives are Fred- ever, it s figured an effort will eric Tozere, chairman, and Wynne Probably be made by the Equity nihson both considered ultra council to adopt the proposal. •orhHqts Suggestion that Equity should The six membership represents- Provide an expense account for its lives allRegarded as liberals and President, who Is unpaid and has all elected at the recent quarterly to spend a considerable amount in meeting, are Ruth McDevitt, Bea- connection with his official duties, trice Straight, Neva Patterson, was advanced at the quarterly Melvyn Douglas, John Marriott and meeting by Alan Hewitt, a former George Keane. Thus, the liberals ““Cil member. Idea has been have a three-to-one voting edge offered various times In recent over the ultra conservatives, with Fears, but has never been adopted Ewell figured likely to take a mod- by i he council, erate conservative stand. Regular ticket to be selected by the nominating committee will in- clude 10 council candidates to serve five years, five to fill the unexpired terms of council members who have resigned (including William Prince, whose exit has not * been announced), but a second vice- president to fill the unexpired term of Raymond Massey, who has re- opened recently at the Morosco, signed. ^ N. Y„ needs to earn back about It’s figured there may be a tus- $50,000 to pay off, as of last Satur- sle in the nominating committee day night (4). The Saint-Subber, over the question of renominating Rita Allen & Archie Thompson five incumbent council members production is making around $3,- who were appointed by the council 500 operating profit a week at its to replace resignees. They include current b.o. pace. Whltner Bissel, considered a libi* play, adapted by Sam and Bella eral; Vicky Cummings, regarded as Spewack from Albert Husson’s conservative; Arnold Moss, said to Paris original titled “La Cuisine (Continued on page 60) des Anges,” involved a production cost of $55,859 and had a tryout A1TT1 n m •• 1* Jf loss of $815. It had an operating ANlA u6DS Kevitalizefl .net of $7,500 for its first three n a 1 n tn k ■ weeks on Broadway, less $2,686 for Summer Stock, o Shows At °^^L s i ng to connecU011 7 with the opening. HArrfnril A SllV‘ill(mfdfl Undistrlbutable assets include IkUUVIU 01 OpiHIgllCIU $15 520 ln bonds and dep osits and $2,000 advance royalty to Husson, to be applied against future profits. As of March 28, there was $5,620 balance available for cash reserve. Angels’ Needs 50G To Pay Off Nut “My 3 Angels," comedy which ‘Can-Can* Overflow? Philadelphia, April 7. Sudden booking jam here next week has legit circles in a tizzy. With “Gan-Can,” the new Cole Porter-Abe Burrows musical, doing record-smash- ing business in its tryout at the Shubert, the town also has a tryout of “Pink Elephant” at the Forrest s nil the hokum comedy tourer Maid in the Ozarks” at the Erlanger. Join- ing the list next week are the tryouts, “Men of Distinction” at the Locust and “Masquer- ade” at the Walnut. Explaining the unseasonal influx, one local manager suggested, “The v o t h e r pro- ducers must be trying to cash in on the overflow from ‘Can-Can.’ ” Early Curtain OK In Chi Comeback Chicago, April 7. While New York theatres have abandoned the early-evening cur- tain, Chicago has been having success with the media. “Dial M For Murder,” at the Harris, has had a 7:30 riser Tuesday nights for more than 11 weeks, with the house, the majority of the time, going clean. Also the plaint about the cheaper seats going last doesn’t apply here, as there is a special emphasis made to sell the balcony and gallery pews. Tues- day, too, is usually a weak night here except for the smash hits. Now “Male Animal,” in its third week at the Blackstone, is insti- tuting the early show, but instead of Tuesdays is taking over the Wednesday night slot. Rest of the plays, at this time, are retaining the regular starting schedule throughout the week. Broadway Theatres to Get English Trahslater for Foreign Patrons Janet Blair Bowing Out of Touring ‘SP’ Janet Blair, costar with Webb Tilton in the touring company of “South Pacific,” leaves the show June 27. Producer-authors Rich- ard Rodgers and Oscar Hammer- stein 2d have not yet selected a sucessor. Rest of the company is expected' to continue with the show. No changes are in the^ards ft; the Broadway company. Miss Blair apparently has no other assignment, but jp reported- ly tired after more than three years on the road with “South Pacific,” She’s understood plan- ning to take a vacation on the Translating device, for the use of patrons unfamiliar with the Eng- lish language, will be made avail- able soon in.xnost Broadway houses. The gimmick, similar to that in use at the United Nations sessions in N.Y., will probably be limited to translations Into French and Ital- ian at first, most likely limited to only a few seats in each house. Setup is being readied by pro- ducer-publicist Alexander H. Cohen, through a company he ha* formed, Theatrical Subsidiaries, Ltd. On a 'recent European trip, Cohen obtained the U. S. rights for the use of the translate!’ in legit and film theatres. He also engaged representatives for the firm in Lon- don and Paris, where he hopes to arrange various other subsidiary setups. The traslater, now available for Coast this summer, meanwhile considering future film and legit English-speaidng-oniy patrons at prospects. the French play, “Zoe,” at the Comedie Wagram, Paris, involves a sound room and wiring system, with headphones which can be in- stalled in certain seats in the thea- tre. An individual merely reads a colloquial translation as the play’s action proceeds, and the non- French-speaking treatregoers can thus follow the play without diffi- culty, e ki Cohen figures that such a setup r ? e Y£ ral carloads , of . an< ? would be a natural for certain hits Juliet scenery and vanguard of tbat p resuma bly draw non-English- production technicians rolled into spea king patronage, either resident town Sunday (5) to begin prep- ali(ms or v f s iti n£ * fnraiffnerfi. He be Cleve. as Romeo To R.&H. Juliet’ Hartford, April 7. New Parsons here concludes its second legit season tomorrow night (Wed.) following the last performances of “The Four Post- The production was capitalized at er.” House, under management $75,000. pf Charles Bowden, Phil Langner Operating costs of the show An- and Nancy Stern, ‘ will reopen elude about $4,800 company payroll Sept. 17. (including an apparent 5% of the However, an announcement gross,* presumably to Walter from Springfield, Mass., says the Slezak, male lead), customary mini- house will be used for six mu* mum author royalties of 5-7V<2-10%, sleals during the summer months, plus 3% director royalty to Jose commencing the latter part of Ferrer and $125 weekly to design- this month. Current house oper- ers Boris Aronson and Lucinda Bal- ators disclaim any ties with the lard. In addition, Ferrer got a $5,-'] proposed useage. 000 advance fee and will get 15% Springfield announcement, sent of the profits. Original author Hus- out by Paul G, Anglim, managing son gets 4Vfc% of the profits director of the Court Square Theatre, says the Hartford and Springfield houses have been booked under a big stage revital- ization plan. The series, consist- ing of “Annie Get Your Gun,” “N^uehtv 1 e M«rSfy»» chael Ellis are lookin S for ‘ a suit ' ton *££ aUe theatre ’ Preferably in a _ city way,” will RUSSO-ELUS MAPPING WINTER STOCK SETUP Producers James Russo* and Mi- and “Song of Nor- be produced with within reasonable distance from ” a n ’ pruauceu wua New Yorkf to establish * perma- nf P amt A n l^ a< ;ll € nent stock company. They've of ANTA and the New England J “Theatre Conference. ^ Each musical, according to An- glim, starting with “Annie,” will open Tuesday nights in, Spring- field and play three nights through Thursday. The show will then move to Hartford for looked at houses in Albany, .Schenectady, Rochester and Syra- cuse, and are also considering other towns in New York State, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Partners 'figure on the* stock . ,, , i . > an venture as a winter operation, al- Fpfdiv fi th 5! e c dayB beglnning ternatlng-with summer seasons at F * the Bucks County Playhouse, New Anrit* oi ls . sk f, dd ? d i°,, ge V w ? y Hope, Pa., which they take oyer April 21 in Springfield. Tenta- ln J u ’ ne 195 . wh en Xheron Bam- pJLdi^l C SJ or , in ^ uslon . o£ berger's lonf tenure is scheduled New d Bedfofd rtI ^d 'pittsf^' to termtaaW - They plsm to use * — st Blif*" 1 director of Hie ^timate that they can open the win spot for about $15,000. p. dlb * , S m ie L dlrec l <ir ; Russo and Ellis, who recently will be musical director, prea< , nted the Bette Davit revue, nTlfl A nolltvi Itll 11 Alt * a. • 4 , and Anglim will serve' as produc tion supervisor. Featured In “Annie" will' be Sandra Deel. She was In road company role of Annie Oakley. Stephen Douglas will star in Carousel,” while Rosemarie “Two’s Company,” previously pro- duced “Courtin’ Time” and a re- vival of “The Play’s the Thing.” Gaston Bell* former Broadway leading man, has donated his col- ^ lection of theatre programs, some Brancato will appear in “Naughty going, back to J868, to the N. Y Marietta.” I Public Library. GOVT. BRUSHES BEEFS, OK’S D.C. SILO THEATRE Washington, April 7. Use of the Carter Barron Amhi- heatres this summer for profes- sional theatrical entertainment was okayed last week by Sec/of Interior Douglas McKay, thus overriding he protests of residential the area of the 4,000-seat openair theatre. McKay awarded use of the am- phitheatre to Washington Festival, nc., new corporation headed by actress Constance Bennett, who is now a D. C. resident. Among those in the group are Martha. Rountree, producer of the “Meet he Press” TV show, and Garvin Tankersley, husband . of Bazie Miller, niece of Col. Robert Mc- Cormick, publisher of Chicago Tribune and Washingtqn Times fterald. Syndicate said it planned to of-’ er 12 pop music productions fea- turing Broadway and Hollywood productions. However, lateness of McKay’s decision will make It dif- cult for the producers- to line up attractions. Bids have been In since last December. Washington Festival, Inc., will pay the Government a*rental of $50 per day, plus a percentage of gross ranging from 1% to 15%, and will also foot all expenses for operating the amphitheatre. Conn. Solons Prep Bill To Bar Theatre Bans Hartford, April 7. The Joint Judiciary Committee of the Legislature has drafted bill to prohibit theatres, music halls or circuses from barring any on€ unless that person commits a nuisance or breach of peace. The bill will be given a public hearing April 15. Proposed legislation follows the barring of T. H. Parker, drama critic of the Hartford Courant, by 'the Hartford New Parsons Thea- tre. Scribbler was barred for his alleged “savage;* criticisms and columning. In the absence of any specific statutory law, common law practice of refusing a person to one’s home or business was utilized. Proposed legislation would revoke common law for usage In such cases and would require spe- cific complaint for the banning of critics or others. arations for the premiere of the new Rodgers-Hammerstein tune- show at the Hanna April 20. Over a score of stagehands had o pitch into the work of laying out sets for hanging. Jo Mielziner, aliens or visiting foreigners, also thinks the idea might equally adaptable for U. £>• audi- ences at foreign-language films. Another prospect, the producer^ publicist feels, is that such a. setup would increase attendance for for- scemc designer, is expected here e jg n loupes playing Broadway, this week to aee if certain tech- sucb as Barrault-Rertaud and nical problems worked out satis- paxinou-Minotls companies last factonly. fall, and might thus enable more One of the most complex props such outfits to visit the U. S. Cost in. the musical about backstage 0 f installing and operating the life in a Broadway troupe is a translater would be relatively mod- huge suspended light bridge, on est> Cohen believes, which actors play the roles of elec- Translater device itself is pat- tricians and stagehands. Glamor- ented, and the world rights to its ized. bridge weighs so much, ac- US o i n theatres and places of cording to Milton Krantz, the amusement are held by Maxine Hanna’s manager, that bolts are Fabert, owner-manager * of the being set into 18 inches of con- Comedie Wagram. Cohen has sub- crete floor to holcl the supporting leased the theatre rights in the beams. western hemisphere. With George Abbott cracking the directorial whip, troupe will check m JJ iff Ml P into Cleveland April 15'for four KOdfl WHY iu&K6 UMTCCIT daj's of dress rehearsals under «• A n Abbott choreographer Hebert Al- ()f YanCOUVCr COlff! RunSJ ton and writers Richard Rodgers 7 and Oscar Hammerstein 2d. Krantz opened the Hanna’s ad- vance mail-order sale fop the two- week run of “Me and Juliet’* March 29 and, according toTeports, N. ENGLAND REGIONAL THEATRE PLAN TO BOW Gov’t Appeals Court Nix Vancouver, April 7. Local production of “Tobacco Road” may make some sort of rec- is nearly sold out already. Deluge 0 rd here, by playing courtrooms of mail was comparable to the instead of a theatre, and with ticket stampede registered here by judges for the audience. “South Pacific.” “Road” loomed as a definite long- run courtroom possibility with the announcement last week (1) that •the Attorney General of British Columbia is appealing the success- ful appeal of the Everyman Repcr- Sprlngfield, Mass., April 7. tory Co. An attempt to establish the first Police Court conviction of Rep- regional theatre in New England ertory’s seven-member cast for .will get underway at the Court putting on an indecent show was Square Theatre here Tuesday, quashed two weeks ago in County April 21, with, the opening of Court by Judge J. A. McGeer, on Annie Get Your Gun/’ one of six the grounds that defense witrfesses musicals in the spring music fes- outnumbered Crown witnesses five tival which kicks off. the project, to one. The Attorney General’s Eventually it Is intended to bring appeal charges that the judge made half a dozen or more cities into the his decision on the wrong basis, plan,, with Spring£eld serving as City Prosecutor Gordon Scott, production headquarters for build- acting for the A-G, says there is ing and rehearsing the shows. no connection between the Crown’s On the success of the initial appeal and the theatre company’s spring musical season, also depends decision to restage the play start- the fate of the Court Square .The- ing April 11, atre. The owners of the building He said the appeal is taken mere- which houses the theatre, only legit ly so that police officers will have outlet in the city,'will tear down some precedent to govern future the building and turn it into a raids on alleged Indecent shows, parking lot next year, unless the At present “Tobacco Road” is le- theatre can pay its . own way. It gal, and can run without fear of has been ldsing money steadily for pjrosecution. the past few years. - Equity Ups Paul Jones To Asst. Exec-Sec Post t£3 Paul Jones, a member of the Actors Equity gtaff, has been ap pointed an assistant executive sec- retary of the union, on recommen- dation of executive secretary An- gus Duncan, Before going to work with Equity in 1950, he was an actor, and then with USO Camp Shows. y Meanwhile, past members said ’they are only restaging the drama to make money. Otherwise the theatre will close for lack of funds. Lawrence & Lee’s Musicals Robert Lee (Lawrence It) is in New York to confer with on the team’s newly completed musical for Broadway. Writer is accom- panied by his wife, Janet Waldo, radio’s Corliss Archer. He will also confer with Walter Craig of Benton k Bowles regard- ing the Lawrence It Lee original Willard Swire is also an assistant, ; - . As written, the bill would not I exec-sec of the union, with Alfred I musical for the summer Railroad apply to motion picture theatres. * Eltlng as administrative exec-sec.) Hour.