Variety (April 1953)

r.Kftitfj'fAi'fi Holy Week, H ‘Madam’ ain Take Chi B.O. Toll; $29,100, “Murder’ $11,530 Chicago, April 7. : The expected Lenten lulls, aid- ed by rain, didn’t- help business here However, all the plays are riding out the final Lenten period on the profit side. “Affairs of Shite” opened Wednesday (1) at the Sclwyn and the first-night critics, who paid for their seats, although denying any rancor, gave the comedy a thumbsdown treat- ment. “Mrs. McThing” settled down for a run at the Erlanger Monday (7) and .Tose Greco came in the next day for. a week at the Opera House. Estimates for Last . Week Affairs of State, Selwyn (1st wk) ($4 40; 1,000). Started Wednesday CD and first six performances hit a light $5,200. Call Me Madam, Shubert (11th wk) ($5; 2,100) (Stritch-Smith). Not too bad with $29,100. . Dial M For Murder, Harris ( 11 th wk) ($4.40; 1,000) (Richard Greene). Above the break-even mark with $11,530. • Male Animal, Blackstone (2d wk) ($4.20; 1,535). Seems well- nourished with $13,400. ‘BANANA’ LIGHT $26,500 IN FIRST MPLS. WEEK Minneapolis, April 7. With the town fairly deluged with a wide assortment of attrac- tions during Holy Week, of all times, there apparently weren’t sufficient entertainment dollars to go around satisfactorily in a num- ber of Instances. One of the suffer- ers was “Top Banana.” Although Its star, Phil Silvers, and the show Itself excited raves, it finished its first of two weeks at the 1,859-seat Lyceum at $4.80. top with a rela- tively light $26,500 for six nights and two matinees. Opposition in- cluded the Shipstad-Johnson" “Ice Follies,” Sportsmen’s Show, Ballet Theatre and the championship Minneapolis Lakers basketball team's playoff semi-finals and finals. First two named attractions are drawing especially well. “Top Banana” is continuing for seven more nights and a matinee. It’s the first time a musical has been spotted here for a fortnight and while this is an exclusive Twin j Cities engagement, St. Paul having | been passed up, indications are that the stay is too lengthy for this town. * Cornell $23,400, Frisco; Straw Hatters Wind. Up San Francisco, April 7. Emlyn Williams opened his Charles Dickens for one stanza, at $3.60 top, last night (6) at the 1-775-seat Curran. Henry - Fonda opens tonight (7) in “Point of No Return” at the 1.550-seat Geaiy, with house scaled to $4;80. Alca- zar relights April 14 with “Gigi.” The Straw Hat Revuers com- pleted the ninth and final week of “One Moment Please!” at the Mar- ines Memorial Theatre, Saturday (4). heading for a tour of nine Coast and valley one and two- night stands. Group drew a nice $30,000 for nine frames, a better- than-cost figure. With promotion and booking head Carole Levene heading east to set the Straw' Hat- ters on a summer east coast stock circuit, it will be the first time In seven years that the Straw Hatters will not play a summer season at the Town Hall in Lafayette, in the East Bay. Estimates for Last Week z^^nstant Wife, Curran (3d wk) (C-J4.20; 1,775) (Katharine Cor- nell, Robert Flemyng, John Emery). A nice $23,400 (previous week, a strong $28,000). One Moment Please!, Marines «Q C nA 0riaI ^atre (9th ‘ wk) (R- JJ.00; 640) five performances up to eo /^ ,cy $ 3 » 2 00 (previous week; $»>, 000 ). i Skinner 7G, Pitt tt i , Pittsburgh, April 7. Holy Week was too much for Cornelia Otis Skinner to buck and Jicspite fine notices and excellent word-of-mouth, “Paris ’90” had to content with just under $7,000 at the Nixon. At that, however, jne one-woman show topped' the two previous attractions here. Con- stance Bennett’s.“I Found*April” and Sarnia Gamal’s “White Cargo.” lx °n has Margaret Sullavan in Sea” currently, then fc ts Stalag 17” Monday (13) for : , weeks and may wind up with fJ etu ™ of to the Ozarks” *°r a fortnight;’ Current Road Shows (April 6-18) Affairs of State (Otto Kruger, Haila Stoddard, Irene Hervey, Don- old Woods)—-Selwyn, Chi (6-18). Cali Me -Madam—Shubert, Chi (6-18). Can-Can—Shubert, Philly (6-18). Constant Wife (Katharine Cor- nell, Robert Flemyng, John Emery) —Mayfair, Portland (8-13): Metro- politan, Seattle (l£-20). Deep Blue Sea (Margaret Sulla- van)—Nixon, Pitt. (6-11); Cass, De- troit (13-18), * Dial M for Murder (Richard Greene)—Harris, Chi (6-18). Dickens Readings (Emelyn Wil- liams)—Curran, S.F. (6-11); Great Northern, Chi (13-18). Evening with Shakespeare (Mar- garet Webster, Eva LeGallienne, Faye Emerson, Basil Rathbone, John Lund, Viyeca Lindfors)— Colonial, Boston (6-11); Court Square, Springfield, Mass. (13); Klein Aud., Bridgeport (14); Pick- wick, Greenwich, Conn. (15); Afcad. of Music, Brooklyn (16); Shubert, New Haven (17-18). Fourposter (Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn)—Parsons, Hartford (6-8); Shubert, New Haven (9-11); Aud., Rochester (13-15); Erlanger, Buf- falo (16-8). ; Gigi (Audrey Hepburn)—Metro- politan, Seattle (6-11); Alcazar, S.F. (13-18). Good Nite, Ladies—Erlanger, Buffalo (6-11); Shea’s, Bradford, Pa. (13); Shea’s, Jamestown, N.Y. (14- 15); Erie, Schenectady (16-18). Guys and Dolls—Music Hall, K.C. (6-8); Forum, Wichita (9-12); Mu- nicipal, Oklahoma City (14-18). I Am a Camera (Julie Harris)— Wilbur, Boston (6-18). Maid in the Ozarks—Erlanger, Philly (6-18). Male Animal (Buddy Ebsen, Mar- tha Scott, Charles Lang)—Black- stone, Chi (6-18). % Masquerade — Court Square, Springfield, Mass, (9-11); Walnut, Philly (13-18). " Men of -Distinction — Locust. Philly (9-18). Mrs. McThing (Helen Hayes)— Erlanger, Chi (6-18). New Faces—Shubert, Boston (6- 18). Oklahoma- I -National, Wash, (fi- ll). Paris '99 (Cornelia Otis Skinner) —Shubert, Wash. (6-11). Pink Elephant—Forrest, Pliilly ( 6 - 11 ). Point of No Return (Henry Fon- da)—Geary, S.F. (6-18). School for Brides—Shubert, De- troit (6-18). South Pacific (Janet Blair, Webb Tilton)—Taft Aud., Cincy (6-11); Indiana II., -Bloomington (13-15); Purdue U., Lafayette, Ind. (16-18). Stalag 17—Playhouse, Wilming- ton. (6-11); Nixon, Pitt. (13-18). Tobacco Road—Davidson, Mil- waukee (6-11). Top Banana (Phil Silvers)—Ly- ceum, Minneapolis (6-11); Para- mount, Omaha (13-18); KRNT The- atre, Des Moines (16-18). White Cargo—Majestic, Boston (6-18). ‘PACIFIC’ SETS L’VILLE MARK WITH $54,167 Louisville, April 7. “South Pacific,” with Janet Blair and Webb Tilton costarred, broke house records at the Memorial Aud. last week, pulling a tremendous $54,167, at $4 top. Mark was set for six night shows and two mati- nees, with a number of chairs add- ed to accommodate late patrons. Success of the full-week engage- ment of “South Pacific” was the subject of a Louisville Times, edi- torial, which stated that despite Holy Week, and town’s traditional ‘Dolls’ Neat $42,300 In 4th St. Louis Stanza ' St. Louis, April 7. Guys and Dolls” wound up its fourth and final frame at the American Theatre with an esti- mated $42,300, to bring the total; for the stand to $162,300. House is ffark until Sunday (12), when Myron Cohen heads ihe cast in “Farfel Follies” that tees off a weeks frame with a $4.25 top. Dark during Holy Week, the Em- press relights tonight (Tues.) with a one-week frame of “Come Back, Little Sheba,” with Joan Blondell as the visiting lead. Spotty B’way Beats Holy Week Rap; Town’ Record $55,208, Hazel’ $40,700, ‘Camino’ 19G, Horses’ Fast Flopola MlVmM 1M1M9MI-4 shows, “Pacific” packed them in. Acqpraing to Maurice Settle, Aud. manager, last show sold Out in Louisville for an entire week was “Oklahoma,” also a Rodgers-Ham- mersteln team'effort. • .> ^ ii i i i Ballet Theatre $37,700 For Five in Split Week Ballet Theatre pulled in a 2 |pck $37,700 for five performances, in a split stanza last week. Troupe rack- ed up $25,700 for three perform- ances in Chicago Sunday and’Mon- day (29-30). In two performances in Minneapolis (31-1), the company played* against guarantees with an estimated $12,000 take. Troupe continues spilt stands this week. ‘Girl’ 14G, My Philadelphia, April 7/ “Can-Can,” with most phenom- enal advance ever racked up here, broke the house record at the Shu- bert for the second straight week. Musical hurt “Country Girl” at the Locust, although the drama got “Hr en °ugh draw for Holy Week. Maid in the Ozarks,” back on twofer policy, suffered most from combination Passover and week- before-Easter slough. Stage season perked up with two new entrants this week/ “The Pink Elephant,” with Steve Allen in lead, opens tonight (7) at the For- rest, “Men of Distinction,” another new comedy with Hollywood’s Rob- ert Preston in starring spot, is slated for the Locust Thursday night (9). Estimates for Last Week Ah, Wilderness, Academy Foyer (350; $3.25), Circle in Square group to call it a season Saturday night (11). Poor $1,700. Maid in Ozarks, Erlanger (1st wk) (1,880; $3.90). Heavy adver- tising budget, and town plastered with .twofers, failed to overcome Holy Week. Slow $5,500. The Country Girl, Locust (2d wk) (1,580; $4.55) (Nancy Kelly, Sidney * Blackmer, Dane Clark). Clifford Odets drama just about equalled first week’s draw with so-so $14,000. Can-Can, Shubert (2d wk) (1,870; $6.50) (Lilo, Peter Cookspn). Cole Porter-Abe Burrows collaboration scoring phenomenal boxoffice Suc- cess, despite mixed reception. Smash $50,250 for second stanza. ‘OKLA.’SOCK $29,600; ‘PINK’ POOR $6,400, D.C. Washington, April 7. “Oklahoma,” still ; riding high after 10 years, grossed a fat $29,- 600 for the second week of its four-week booking at the National Theatre, bettering the first stanza take by about $200. .Business con- tinues strong for the third week. In order to promote the show. Ed Plohn, theatre manager, advertised that the. boxoftice would be opened last Sunday to se.ll ducats. Sur- prisingly, the stunt sold $1,000 wojrth of pasteboards between noon and 9 p.m. The Shubert Theatre hit another blooper in the single week run of' “Pink Elephant,” which hopes to make the grade in New York; The play, panned by local critics, drew only $6,400 through the wickets. ‘McThing’ Breaks Detroit House Record With 27G Detroit, April 7. Helen Hayes in “Mrs. McThing” broke the house record at the Cass for Holy Week by grossing $27,- 000. Current attraction is Victor Borge, in for a*week. The Shubert turned on the lights again with “School for Brides” in for two weeks. Emlyn Williams $6,400; Schwartz $1,400 in 3, L.A. Los Angeles, April 7. Only one house is alight this week, Civic Playhouse, where Maurice Schwartz is presenting his second offering, “Hard To Be a Jew.” Holy Week and Passover cut into last week’s take. Estimates for Last Week Emlyn Williams, Biltmore (1st wk) ($3.60; 1,636). Way below hopes. With only $6,400 for the one- week stand. * Hkrd To Be a Jew, Civic Play- house (1st wk) ($3; 376). Off to a good start with near capacity $1,- 40Q for the first ’three nights. 1 (Opened Thurs.L • ' Business was spotty, but gener- ally better on Broadway last week than the preceding stanza. That was an unexpected variation on the traditional Holy Week slump and was especially surprising, aS Passover' coincided this year and was figured to hold attendance to a minimum the first two days of the week. Receipts followed th'e antici- pated downbeat trend early in the week, but began perking at the midweek matinees, reached bullish proportions on the traditionally' dire Good Friday (3) performances ahd repeated at both shows Satur- day (4). The delayed spurt took most shows comfortably over the previous week, but a few entries took sharp dips. Last week’s only" opening, “Horses in Midstream,” was also the only closing. Other sched- uled shutterings include “John Brown's Body,” due to exit Satur- day (11); “Pal Joey,” leaving for tour April 18; “South Pacific,” go- ing i on the road May 23 but return- ing in four weeks, and “Guys and Dolls,” departing for the road June 27, but returning in six .weeks., Estimates foi* Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), MC (Musical Comedy), MD. (Musi- cal Drama), O (Opera). 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. Camino Real, National (3d wk) (D-$4.80-$6; 1,172; $30,000). Almost $19,000 on Theatre Guild sub- scription (previous’week, $17,800). Children's Hour, Coronet (16th wk) (D-$4.80; 1,027; $28,378). Nearly $15,100 on twofers (previous week, $15,000). Crucible, Beck (11th wk) (D-$6- $4.80; 1,214; $31,000). Over $22,300 (previous week, $21,800). Dial M for Murder, Plymouth (23d Iwk) (D-$4.80; 1,062; $30,377) (Maurice Evans). Over $30,400 (previous week, $30,200). Evening with Beatrice Lillie, Booth (27th wk) (R-$6; 739; $24,184) (Beatrice Lillie). Nearly $19,300 (previous week, $17,600 for seven performances). Fifth Season, Cort (11th Wk) (C-$4.80; 1,056; $25,639) Menasha Skulnik, Richard Whorf). Almost $24,900 (previous week, $25,100). Fourposter, Golden (76th wk) (C- $4.80; 769; $19,195) (Sylvia Sidney, Romney Brent). About $7,100 on twofers (previous week, $8,000). Guys and Dolls, 46th St. (124th wk) (MC-$6.60; 1,319; $43,904). Reached $34,400 (previous week, $32,700); closing June 27 for a six- week engagement in Washington, but will resuihe here Aug. 10. Hazel Flagg, Hellinger (8th wk) MC-$7.20; 1,527; $53,000) (Helen, Gallagher, Thomas Mitchell, Benay Venuta, John Howard). Over $40.- 700 without theatre parties (previ- ous week, $47,700 with parties). Horses in Midstream, Royale (1st wk) (CD-$4.80; 1,035; $27,100) (Ced- ric Hardwicke, Diana Lynn, Lili Dkrvas). Opened Thursday , night (2) to six pans (Chapman, News; Coleman, Mirror; Funke, Times; Kerr, Herald Tribune; McClain. Journal-American; Watts, Post) and one no-opinion (Hawkins, World- Telegram & Sun)j first four per- formances and two matinees drew nearly $8,100; closed Saturday . night (4) at a loss of around $80,- 000 , John Brown's Body, Century (7th wk) (D-$6-$4.80; 1,645; $43,000) (Tyrone Power, Judith Anderson, Raymond Massey). Just topped $27,900 (previous week, $26,300); closing Saturday night (11); will tour again next fall. King and I, St. James (106th wk) (MD-$7.20; 1,571: $51,717) (Yul Brynner), Over $46,600 (previous week, $43,900); Alfred Drake took Over as star. Monday night (6) and continues until Brynner returns June 22. Love of Fotir Colonels, Shubert (12th wk (C-$6-$4.80; 1,361; $39.- 000 Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer). Almost $24,600 (previous week, $24,600); moves April 20 to the Broadhurst. , Mid-Summer, Vanderbilt (11th wk> (I>$4.80; 720; $18,500) (Mark Stevens, Geraldine Page). About i.OOO (previous week, $9,000). Misalliance, Barrymore* (7th wk) (C-$3; 1,060; $24,996). Nearly $12,-, 900 (previous week, $11,100). Moon Is B*ue, Miller (109th wk) <C-$4.80; 920; $21,586) (Donald 1 Cook/ Biff McGuire, Janet Riley). Over $9,800 (previous week, $9,- 900). My 3 Angels, Morosco (4th wk) (C-$6-$4.80; 912; $26,000). Almost $19,100 without parties (previous week, $21,800 with parties). On Borrowed Time, 48th St. (8th wk) (CD-$4.80; 925; $22,297) (Vic- tor Moore, Leo G. Carroll, Beulah Bondi). Just topped $8,000 (pre- vious week, $9,100). Pal Joey, Broadhurst (66th wk) (MC-$6.60; 1.160; $39,602) (Vivi- enne Segal, Harold Lang),’ Over $25,800 (previous week, $24,300); closing April 18, to tour. Picnic, Music Box (6th wk) (CD- $6-$4.80; 1,01-2; $27,000). Over $25,800 (previous week, $25,500). Porgy and Bess, Ziegfeld (4th wk) (0-$6; 1,628; $48,244). Over $43,100, excluding tax (previous week, $39,900). Seven Year Itch, Fulton (20th wk) (C-$6-$4.80: 1,063: $24,400) (Tom Ewell). Over $24,700 (pre- vious week, $24,700). South Pacific, Majestic (207th wk) (MC-$6;* 1,659; $50,186) * (Martha Wright, George Britton). Nearly $36,200 (previous week, $32,300); closes May 23, to tour, but returns June 22 to the Broadway, Time of the Cuckoo, Empire (25th wk) (CD-$6-$4.8Q; 1,082; $25,- 056) (Shirley Booth). Almost $16,- 200 (previous week, $14,700). Time Out for Ginger, Lyceum (18th wk) (C-$4.80; 995; $22,845) (Melvyn Douglas). Over $13,000 (previous week, $12,000). Wish You Were Here, Imperial (41st wk) (MC-$7.20; 1,400; $52,- 080). Nearly $42,500 (previous week, $40,500). Wonderful Town, Winter Gar- den (6th wk) (MC-$7.20; 1,510; $54,173) (Rosalind Russell). NeW high for the run and a new house record at $55,208 (previous week, $54,100). OPENING. THIS WEEK Room Service, Playhouse (C- $4.80; 999; $21,500). Bernard Hart & Don Hershey revival, In associ- ation with John Murray, of the Murray-Alien Boretz 1936-37 hit; opened Monday night (6) to four favorably reviews (Chapman, News; Coleman, Mirror; Funke, Times; Hawkins, World-Telegram & Sun) and three pans (Kerr, Herald Trib- une; McClain, Journal-American; Watts, Post). ‘Camera’ $19,209, ‘Stalag’ $8,800, Hub Boston, April 7. “I Am a Camera,” in second frame at the Wilbur, held up nice- ly, despite the traditional Holy Week slump. “Stalag 17,” In -fifth and final week at the Colonial, picked up slightly over the pre- vious week. “An Evening With Will Shake- speare” • bowed into the Colonial Monday (6) for one week, with a healthy advance, sale reported. “New Faces” teed off a three-week engagement at the Shubert same night. . Estimates Tor Last Week I Am * Camera, Wilbur (2d wk) ($4.20; 1,200) (Julie Harris). Held up nicely with slick $19,200. Stalag 17, Colonial ..<5th wk) ($4.20; 1,500). Final week built over previous one to $8,800. * • FONDA-TOINT’ $24,900 IN KAYCEE FULL-WEEK Kansas City, April 7,- First legit here in several weeks, “Point of No Return” played a full week in Music Hall. Henry Fonda and company drew hearty acclaim from the critics and take for eight shows, including matinees Thurs- day and Saturday, was $24,900, with prices scaled from $1.83 to $4.88. “Guys and Dolls,” in town for. its second time, opened Sunday (5) and plays a four-day stand in Music Hall. ‘Gigi’ 6V Z G in 4, Seattle Seattle, April 7. “Gigi,” with Audrey Hepburn as star, grossed a mild $6,500 in four performances ppening last Thurs- day night (2) at.the Metropolitan here. . Anita Loos adaptation, of the Colette shortstory is continuing all this week here, and goes to the Alcazar, San FrahCisco, next week.