Variety (April 1953)

Wednesday, April IS, 1953 Chi B.O. Fails to Swing Upwards; Madam’ $28,900, ‘McThing’ $23,200 PSkiett lECITDIAfS 73 Chicago, April 14. 4* ' Whether it's the rainy weather, or lack of big conventions, theatre boxoffice here is failing to swing iiDward after the Lenten hiatus. Outside of the Jose Greco week at the Opera House, most of the Loop loeit houses were in poor straits. -'Affairs of State” at the Selwyn breaks up here April 18, and it’s pick up — too hefty for any atracttBn. •'Mrs. McThing” did well critic- wise and with heavy femme trade is " weathering the slump okay. Emlyn Williams started a week of readings Monday (13) at the Great Northern. On the near horizon is “New Faces,” due at the Great Northern April 28, and "Deep Blue Sea” should have no theatre prob- lem on May 4. Estimates for Last Week Affairs of State, Selwyn (2d wk) (§4 20* 1,000) (Otto Kruger, Haila Stoddard, Irene Hervey, Donald Woods*. Weak $6,700; tour ends here Saturday (18). Call Me Madam, Shubert (12th wk' ($5; 2.100). Down a bit but still profitable at $28,900; tour closes here Saturday. Dial M for Murder, Harris (12th wk> ($4.40; 1,000) (Richard Greene'. Just passing with $11,- 600. Jose Greco, Opera House (1st wk> '$4: 3,600). Smash $61,200 for one-week stand. Male Animal, Blackstone (3d wk) ($4.20; 1.535) (Buddy Ebsen, Martha Scott, Charles Lang). Slim $9,500. Mrs. McThing, Erlanger (1st wk) Toster’ Neat $21,300 In New Haven-Htfd. Split Atlantic City, April 14. w J, he s. the Thing” with 9 abor in the lead, grossed 53,700 here at the Quarterdeck i as £ week - Ifc ©>t the 20- vieek, out-of-season legit setup off to a good start. ‘‘Three Men on A Horse” opened last.night (13) at the Quarterdeck as the second play. Directed by Charles Etheridge, it offers Natalie Craveth, Esther Benson. Jan Ward, J °hn Reese and Leon Stevens. the group was host , , v -- —... and visit- formances at $4.20 top, gross hit an ! } n S .celebrities in Hotel Morton fol- approximate $11,300. 110w Thing’ Bows Atlantic City IIV U r< • l* ■ n A n* I stock season with $ 3 , 700 \ d way Has rair Easter 6.0. Pickup; New Haven, April 14. Three-day stand of "Fourposter at the Shubert Saturday healthy moneymaker, “King’ Top at $49,600, “Hazel’ $44,308, Porgy’ Up to $44,100, Picnic’ $27,200 iy stand of "Fourposter” J0 S n R t ese and Leon Si hubert last Thursday-! u a Belk who heads (9-11) proved to be a; bwn S in 6 the plays here, meymaker. On four per-!» a ,£ e .group of local . 1, . lvwl r c * ‘ iria /ta Akt* f ai ‘mg the opening (6). Luminaries business was generally better on the Easter holiday trade last week, but the improvement was not con- sistent'nor as strong as anticipated. Attendance was generally good early in the week, but failed to hit the expected peak at the weekend. The seasonal decline with the Show did $10,000 in Hartford 1 L ncluded Madga’s mother, Jolie; 1 f egular spring dropout of shows, in naiiioia - her si.ctpr ——i has apparently started. John frown’s Body” closed last Satur- day (11) as scheduled, and next Saturday (18) brings the exits of Esther Ralston, who will star in Quarterdeck’s fourth show, "Good- bye My Fancy;" Claire Luce; Irving Strouse, president of Arena Guild of America; producer Richard Aid- rich, and others. Producer Jonathan Dwight will offer John Dali as the star "Hasty Heart” week of April 20. m wiivTi uiu oiu.uuu ill nai l Torn l v vuv t SULLAVAN-‘SEA’ NEAT $18,500 IN PITTSBURGH Pittsburgh, April 14. Although the notices were far from good, Margaret Sullavan’s name and subscription help gave "The Deep Blue Sea” a satisfac- tory $18,500 last week at the Nixon. It was the first time the star had ever played Pittsburgh. I and her debut generated a lot of local interest. Nixon has "Stalag 17” current for two weeks, and then gets "Maid in the Ozarks” back April 27 for one stanza. This apparently new high for the run at over $44,- 100, plus tax (previous week. $43.- 100). ’ Room Service. Playhouse (1st wk) (C-$4.80; 999; $21,500). First week (eight performances) drew almost $4,600; closing Saturday night (18). Seven Year Itch, Fulton (21st \vk) (C-$6-$4.80; 1,063; $24,400) (Tom Ewell). New house record for a regular week, $24,734 (previous week, $24,700). South Pacific, Majestic (208th "Pal Joey” "Room Service” and\ vk nMc. $ 6 li 59 . nSm S "On RnrrnvvpH Timo ” OtW I 5?’ 1.659, $50,186) (Martha ‘Can-Can’ “Men’ $6,600, Philly On Borrowed Time.” Other sched- uled closings at the moment in- clude 'South Pacific” (temporary). May 23; "Time of the Cuckoo,” May 30, and "Guys and Dolls” (tem- porary), June 27. Wright, George Britton). Nearly $42,600 (previous week, $36,200); exiting May 23 for short tour, but resumes June 22 at the Broadway. Time of the Cuckoo, Empire sol ' e openin6 ' u ‘ ,Date 1 fti;: > 11 April. 1800 (nrevinnn wooir Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD < Comedy-Drama), R (Revue), MC (Musical Comedy ), MD (Mu- i sica l Drama ), O ( Opera ). Other parenthetic designations refer, respectively, to top prices; Philadelphia, April 14 ! number of seats , capacity gross "Can-Can” continued to romp off and stars-* Price includes 20Tb will ring the curtain down on legit. with all the business in town for a! amusement tax, but grosses are until fall. *u._j . __ . Current Road Shows (April 13-25) ing through May ). after selling out five skedded weeks for a phenome- nal $250,000 gross. Two newcomers last week. ’'The Affairs of State (Otto Kruger, * Bi ? k E1 ®P bar } t '” at the Forrest, and i /xt i rr ....... Haila Stoddard, Irene Hervev, Don- ’ „ : en °t Distinction,” at the Locust, ($4.40; 1,353) (Helen Hayes). Neat j ald Woods)—Selwvn, Chi (13-25). i got a mild reception. AAA AAA I ► * I _ • m third straight session. Musical j net: i.e., exclusive of tax. added a sixth week here (continu- j Caroino Real, National (4th wk) $23,200. FONDA-'RETURN’ $24,100 FOR SEVEN IN FRISCO San Francisco, April 14. Emlyn Williams rated crix raves for his one-week stanza of Charles Dickens readings at the Curran, which concluded Saturday (11). "Rodgers & Hammerstein Night,” with the Roger Wagner Chorale and Edward Arnold as narrator, followed Williams into the Curran Sunday night (12). Show, with $4.20 top, is set for one frame. “Gigi,” with Audrey Hepburn, opens at the Alcazar tonight <Tues.) under aegis of Randolph Hale. "Point of No Return,” with Henry Fonda, which opened at the Geary Tuesday (7), rated mostly warm crix reviews. Estimates for Last Week Point of No Return, Geary (1st wk) (D-$4.80; '1,550). A strong $24,100 for seven performances. Emlyn Williams, Curran (1 wk) ($3.60; 1.775). Under $7,000. ‘Banana’ Slides to 18G In 2d Minneapolis Week Call Me Madam—Shubert, Chi (13-25). Estimates for Last Week Ah, Wilderness, Academy Foyer Can-Can — Shubert, Philly (13-, (350; $3.25) (4th Vk) Circle-in- i 25). ! Square Theatre’s local branch Constant Wife (Katharine Cor- ; ended season here (11) with O’Neill nell, Robert Flemvng, John Emery): play as third offering of year. —Mayfair, Portland (13); Metro-: $6,000. politan, Seattle (15-21); Aud., St. Maid in Ozarks, Erlanger (2d wk) Paul (24-25). (1.880; $3.90). End of Lenten sea- Deep Blue Sea (Margaret Sulla-. son and flood of twofers picked up van)—Cass, Detroit (13-18); Cox,; some trade. $8,000. Cincy (20-25). j The Pink Elephant, Forrest (1st Dial M for Murder (Richard; wk) (1,760; $4.55) (Steve Allen, Greene)—Harris, Chi (13-25). j Howard Smith). Crix nixed the new Dickens Readings (Emlyn Wil- j comedy work of local author John liams)—Great Northern, Chi (13-; G. Fuller. So-so $10,300 for eight 18). j performances, with show running Evening with Shakespeare (Mar- • extra matinee to make up for Tues- i. ttt-l A A T A _ 1 1 • * ! <4 A«* ^ garet Webster, Eva LaGallienne, Faye Emerson. Basil Rathbone, John Lund, Viveca Lindfors)— day night opener. Men of Distinction, Locust (1st wk) (1,580; $4.55) (Robert Preston). (D-$6-$4.80; 1,172; $30,000). Near- lv $19,600 (previous week, $19.- 000); Theatre Guild subscription is now completed. Children’s Hour, Coronet (17th wk» (D-$4.80; 1,027; $28,378). Al- most $14,500 on twofers (previous week, $15,100). Crucible, Beck (12th wk) (D-$6- $4.80; 1,214; $31,000). Over $22,- 800 (previous week, $22,300). Dial M for Murder, Plymouth (24th wk) (D-$4.80; 1,062; $30,377) (Maurice Evans). Nearly $30,100 (previous week, $30,400). Evening with Beatrice Lillie, Booth .(28th wk) <R-$6; 739; $24,- 184) (Beatrice Lillie). Over $20,100 (previous week, $19,300). Fifth Season, Cort (12th wk) (C- $4.80; 1,056; $25,639) (Menasha Skulnik, Richard Whorf). Almost $25,800 (previous week, $24,900). Fourposter, Golden (77th wk) (C-$4.80; 769; $19,195) (Sylvia Syd- ney. Romney Brent). Over $8,i00 on twofers (previous week, $7,100). Guys and Dolls, 46th St. (125th wk) (MC-$6.60; 1,319; $43,904). 800 (previous week, $16,200); clos- ! ing May 30. Time Out for Ginger, Lvceum (19th wk) (C-$4.80; 995; $22,845) <Melvyn Qouglas). Nearly $18,000 (previous week, $13,000). Wish You Were Here, Imperial (42d wk) <MC-$7.20; 1.400; $52,080), Almost $45,600 (previous week, $42,500). Wonderful Town, Winter Garden (7th wk) (MC-$7.20; 1,510; $54,173) iRosalind Russell). Nearly $48,000 for seven performances, with the Wednesday night (8) show can- celled (previous week, $55,208). OPENING THIS WEEK Date with April, Royale (C-$4.80; 1.035; $27,000) (Constance Bennett). Kenneth Banghart-Diana Green production of play by George Bat- son; opens tonight (Wed.). Court Square, Springfield, Mass. | Big premiere helped new Richard Drew lust $38 400 (mvious week’ MR\- triain &urf M/iw i fnnHnn rnmpriv with nntinoc 7 J U51, 'previous neeK, (13); Klein Aud., Bridgeport (14); Pickwick, Greenwich, Conn. (15); Acad, .of Music. Brooklyn (16); Shubert, N. H. (17-18); Playhouse, Wilmington (20-21); Ford’s, Balto (23-25). Fourposter (Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn)—Aud., Rochester (13-15*; Erlanger. Buffalo <16-18); Para- mount, Toledo (20); Hartman, Co- lumbus <21-25). Gigi (Audrey Hepburn)—Alca- zar, S. F. (13-25). Good Nite, Ladies—Shea’s, Brad- ford, Pa. (13); Shea’s, Jamestown. N. Y. (14-15); Erie, Schenectady (16-18); Her Majesty’s, Montreal (20-25). Guys and Dolls — Municipal, Oklahoma City (14-18); Auditorium, Denver (20-25). I Am a Camera (Julie Harris)— Condon comedy, with notices mixed. Fair $6,600 for four per-.| formances. Opened Thursday night! Jq (9). $34,400); exits June 27 for six- week tour, but resumes here Aug. Minneapolis, April 14. Against heavy competition from counter attractions, "Ton Banana” experienced a second disappoint- ing week. The final seven nights and one matinee in the 1,859-seat Lyceum at $4.80 top yielded a brutal $18,000. Show has been overquoted recently. That take meant $43,000 for the {andra. Toronto (20-25). Minneapolis fortnight, which com-’ prised 13 nights and three mati- nees. The total left the musical far in the red, although it and its star. Phil Silvers, had won the town s acclaim. v ^ l ' n ' en t is the Slavenska-Frank- lm Ballet, for three nights and a matinee, and then Katharine Cor- nell is due in "The Constant Wife,” probably winding up the season. Can-Can, Shubert (3d wk) (1,870; $6.50) (Lilo, Peter Cookson). Top prices and inability to get any kind of tickets still keeping this one in the stratosphere. Terrific $50,100. <P 9 races Hazel Flagg, Hellinger (9th wk) (MC-$7.20; 1,527; $53,000) (Helen Gallagher, Thomas Mitchell, Ben- ay Venuta, John Howard, Jack Whiting). Over $44,300 (previous week, $40,700). John Brown’s Body, Century ‘Oklahoma’ Off to $24,900 * j 000) (Tyrone Power, Judith Ander- ’ T 7 71 son, Raymond Massey). Over $29,- 300 (previous week, $27,900 1 ; closed last Saturday night (11) after 65 performances; grossed ap- proximately $241,000 on its eight- week engagement; lays off . this summer, but tours again next sea- son. King.and I, St. James (107th wk) Skinner Fair $13,500, D.C. Washington, April 14. Heavy crowds jampacked Wash- ington last weekend for the Cherry Blossom Festival, but did nothing for show biz. At the National The- atre, "Oklahoma” fell off to $24,-1 Ballet Theatre $32,100 For Seven in Split Week c ^9 inn 1 T* 1 ® 3 * 1 * racked up a neat 0 * n a seven-performance, u 1 i e ? k last week. Stands included South Bend, Fort Wayne, Youngstown, Pittsburgh, Wheeling «nd (‘iiKinneti, with two shows in the last-named. Troupe winds up its season’s mur this week with another series v„ 5p l i ts * c I° sin ? Saturday (18) in ^.f. vvark \ It will have played 101 t J7 t th “ Jear » ^ or biggest tour Stalag* 10G, Wilmington .. “Wilmington. April 14, rmn'» n tke faster holiday failed to pun much business for "Stalag 17” h<mJ V l ek at the M80-seat Play- i' t - e , b 5 re ’ and tlle show grossed IHTformanccs. 10 ’ 000 f ° r the eight X«on e S'f PJ<*>uction is at the x on, Pittsburgh, this week. (previous week. r ,? n AH1 D a VT— f 900 for its third week, with Sat- j 'MD-$7.20; 1,571; $51,717) (Alfred \v llbur, Boston (13-18); Royal Alex- j urda y‘ s biz definitely subnormal. I Drake). Top grosser last week at t»Jni a ,r d MO ! good draw in Washington, pulled ^ ^ Theatre,« on iy $13,500 through the wickets ltfii!? 1 * FWn ! °f the Shubert Theatre for her M?. 1 ! “ <Buddy _ Ebsem ( one _ week stand in - Taris » 90 » a S Lang ! considerable decline from the busi- fl 3 VValni»f Phillv I D ess she did h ° re 3 yeaT earlier - " a l nu i* Philly | The si lu hert is dark this week, u tut t„i wor.no ri«rn ' but relights on Monday (20) with la^d (20?25) * i two weeks of "Pal Joey.” Locust, Men of Distinction Philly (13-25). Mrs. McThing (Helen Hayes)— Erlanger. Chi (13-25). New Faces — Shubert, Boston (13-25), ‘Pacific’ 50|G, Cincy Bard 20 G, Hub .. Boston, April 14. Newcomer, "New Faces of 1952;' pulled fairly strong biz during its witialer at the Shubert last week, with "I Am a Camera,” in its third stanza at the Wilbur, also in the chips. "An Evening with Will i akespe a re,” in a one-week stint at the Colonial, was satisfactory. 'Oklahoma” is slated to make its umpteenth visit to the Hub, re- turning to' the Colonial April 20. Estimates for Last Week Evening With Shakespeare, Col- oniM (single week). ($4.20; 1,500) (Basil Rathbone, Faye Emerson, Eva LaGallienne, Viveca Lindfors, John Lund, Margaret Webster.) Pulled nice $20,000 for one-week stand. I Am A Camera, Wilbur (3d wk) ($4.20; 1,200) (Julie Harris). Sagged .to $11,300, worst week of the tour to date; current stanza is the final here, but the tour has been ex- tended two w r eeks, with dates in Toronto and Montreal. New Faces of 1952, Shubert (1st wk) ($4.80; 1,700). Nearly $26,200 for initial stanza, with sock re- views. ‘DOLLS’OK $41,300 IN KAYCEE-WICH1TA WEEK Kansas City, April 14. ‘Guys and Dolls,” in its second nearly $49,600 $46,600). Love of Four Colonels, Shubert (13th wk) (C-$6-$4.80; 1.361; $39,- 000) (Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer). Over $23,200 (previous week. $24.-1 . 600); moves next Monday (20) to! time around here, did itself proud the 1,160-seat Broadhurst, with a ' in a four-day stand in the Music potential gross capacity of $29,-- Hall last Sunday-Wednesday (5- 500). ’ } 8). Musical played at a $4.88 top Mid-Summer, Vanderbilt (12th; in the 2.562-seat hall for a four- wk) (D-$4.80; 720; $18,500) (Mark j performance total of $20,200, big Stevens, Geraldine Page). Almost j money’. For the final half of the $10,400 (previous week, $9,000). {week it drew $21,100 in four per- Cincinnati, April 14. | Misalliance, Barrymore (8th wk>; formances Thursday-Saturday (9- ‘South Pacific” racked up a , 'C-$3; 1.060; $24,996). Nearly $12.--ID at the Forum. Wichita. . smash $50,500 last week in the 100 (previous week. $12,900). I "Borscht-Capades of ’53.” with Oklahoma—Colonial. Boston (20-! 9 c ftn _o Pa t Taft Theatre at a $4.92 I Moon is Blue, Miller (110th wk), Myron Cohen and Mickey Katz, 25). ‘ ?' t on House which had the show I (C-$ 4 -80; 920; $21,586) (Donald played Thursday through Saturday Pal Joey— Shubert, Wash. <20-25).: a vear aeo was ' Cook ‘ Biff McGuire. Janet Riley).; <9-11 Mn the Music Hall. Four per- Point of No Return (Henry Fon-* ^ a a a j g ^Y’ , Q as j Almost $10,400 on twofers <previ- ( formances. with a $4.27 top, hit .\ c v iiwai ; sola out tiom weanesaay nigni on. i ous weeJc $9,800). ' C7 nno ^ School for Brides—Shubert, De- | Janet Blair and Webb Tilton, co- } My 3 Angels, Morosco (5th wk) troit (13-18). ? stars of the musical « and Harold i (C-$6-$4.80; 912; $26,000). Over South Pacific (Janet Blair, Webb ! Goldberg, company manager, were j §22,300 (previous week, $19,100). Tilton) Indiana U., Bloomington j commissioned Kentucky Colonels | On Borrowed Time, 48th St. <9th during the engagement. ? wk) (CD-$4.80; 925; $22,297) (Vic- Victor Borge is in the 1,300-seat S tor Moore, Leo G. Carroll, Beulah (13-15); Purdue U. f Lafayette, Ind. j G6-18); Keil Aud., St. Louis (20- 25). Stalag 17—Nixon. Pitt. (13-25). White Cargo—Majestic, Boston (13-18). 'BRIDES' $5,500, DETROIT nptrnif Anril 14 1 umy one leguer au&iu neic waij (i nc»iuuo ncca, i T, - , . "CAtinni nf Rrldec ” which re- week, Maurice Schwartz’s "Hard to \ closing Saturday night (18), to tour, with $9,800 for the final eight per- adverse reviews did a ven-Be a Jew.” It racked up okay Picnic, Music Box (7th wk) (CD- formances after $6,500 for the in- ooor 500 St^ the Shubert lart : $2,700 at the 376-seat Civic Play- j $6-$4.80; 1,012; $27,000). Nearly itial four times. . SHav TfSmsSnafnr another week.! house. $27,200 (previous week, $25,800). Opening tomorrow (Wed.) is ^ ain s S i°” is current at i Show continues as the only local' Porgy and Bess, Ziegfeld (5th Katharine Cornell in "Constant thecSs/ 1 1 lcgi t offering. * Wk) (0-$6; 1,628; $48,244). Another \ Wife.’ Cox Theatre this week at a $4.31 top. Schwartz $2,700, L.A, Los Angeles. April 14. , Bondi). Nearly $8,900 (previous week, $8,000); closing Saturday night (18). Pal Joey, Broadhurst (67th wk) <MC-$6.60; 1,160; $39,602) (Vivien- ne Segal, Harold Lang). Almost $7,000, a slow pace. ‘Gigi’$9,800, Seattle Seattle, April 14. Disappointing biz was garnered by "Gigi" in its 10-day run at the Metropolitan. the engagement winding up Saturday (11*. Audrey Hepburn was rated "terrific” and the show was liked. But the b.o., with the scale at this 1.500-seater from $4.50, was on the slim side.