Variety (July 1953)

LEGITIMATE Wednesday, July 8, .1958 52 Weeks, Doubfing 51 run Columbus, July 7The Columbus Citizen, which has an annual winter “theatre I, os, Angelos, July 7. '♦ Touring legit .canrie liack to life oil the Coast this year in an u noxpeolbd reversal of the, . downgrade of' recent seasons, .; and the j Bill more Theatre, ’ local United i Booking OH ice outlet, now looks ! A/i/t/v AAA r I Uambertvilie, N.J., July 7. n\»nt nf Si John Terrell's Lam party” to New York the past two seasons, is scheduling one for autumn and probably another later in the same season. Norman Nadel, sheet S drama editor, was in New York last week, previewing the plays and ; setting up the schedule for the party. Trip ii irheduled for Oct. 11 rid. and in recorded -at' t‘iie'''"lJiji-tn^yo\-'si:nce.;L>i^ .tiiner y lush wartime period. * i Mist so no v one ;; was; in, .. .. ings. A side, trip to Philadelphia:. ■Misha i) forced cancellation of for the Ohio State U.-Penn idP “ bookings-: for ...the, :-.1953^ season. j ^ ^ Uo«s. " and the prospects; are brighter--company 'took■ ' across the river, and catch a, tryout performance of “Celia,” new George Batson play, at the Bucks Countv Playhouse, N<ew Hope, Pa. Paul Strauss wilt make a ip next week in orthe NBC Summer of wind, the weight of the light Symphony on Jutr 18 ing fixtures1 ipight have seriously Strauss has been with Ballet Theain ill red anyone who might have tre on its current tour of Europe, . Manager Peter Ermatingcr's iWA:f .|w,£n. onstage a't. the time. ■«-u«<.«i»*Sncr nnnoarances •fie «ihnvW ihnt In the 31 weeks ali ' ■ ' ■' ■ ' they have been in some time. Billmore currently, has the national company of “Guys and Dolls’’ ending the first week: of a four and onehalf week stand. It Iln Ploitib Pour C es D<ktnoi.sf‘ll4kf* (HOT LEAD FOR HOT BABES) Parte, June 23. Denia and .Maccfil Maurey .production of drama in eight scenes by Frederic Dard; adapted Ifdibrnovel jAiWished by Editions Bleuve Nolr. iUracitad by, Georges Vitaly. Sets by Alwine. At Grand. Gulgi^ot, Paris. from, the serious atmosphere, not always to the play’s advantage, it may attract here on the author’s reputation, and popularity of Michael Denison, better known as a screen actor, but its chances in the U. S. would be thin. The home of a Deah in a cathedral town is the setting for a conflict between the higher and baser instincts in man. Two sons ate poles apart in temperaments one an extrovert, the other introvert. The elder, a stockbroker, is a bom chaser; the younger hopes to follow his father’s career , in the ; church, , , .; The worldly one invites two girls for the weekend, asserting he is in love with both of them. One has | been his mistress .for years, but mar. FOR ™ * |WC/ ^ • Evowtt nesses said that, although Paul Strauss' by a revival of . ^ and technical equipment transatlantic tri] :Ltnd An Ear, •. ■'/;?,? -i •came down slowly in a sudden gust der to conduct one-half, week period -starting Aug. -luk u,a\dht hf the lieht Rvmnhonv on 5. that will take the house, up to the Labor Day deadline. oi’ds show that in the 3 1 weeks al ready completed; the house lias | ; grossed slightly in excess of $650,000, with an even dozen attractions: Wirt uaily every one made money during the local stands,, and a cheek of the figures indicates that road company producers amassed an operating profit of approximately $00,300 for the period. Last season, the house was. alight only . 23' y weeks, playing nine. . attractions which: grossed . $430,820, with a profit to the .producers of $77,200/ \. y."'. Biggest moheymaker of tile season was. the. phenomenal . “Okla* lioina.” . which hit art operating profit of $20,000 for. its three-week stand, despite the fact that it was the mu si ca 1 ’s fourth y is it. to tow n . It's total gross was $86,300. Biggest grosser of the season to date> and certainly the surprise of tlie year, was ‘‘Top Banana,”. alternating conducting appearances; with Joseph Levine. He flies to the U, S. next Monday (13 h fills hip engagements with the . symph, and then returns immediately. to Europe to rejoin Ballet Theatre. Strawhat News Continued from page 65 Nation” and eai-ly Douglas. ADVANCE AGENTS ! COMPANY MANAGERS ! We have been serving theatrical show*: for over 42 year'*,' Our* is the <oldo*t, most reliable and experienced transfer company on the West Coast! • Railroad privileges for handling shows and theatrical luggage . • Cpinpleti warehouse facililas! • A uthoriied in California. Equipped to transfer, and haul anywhere. In U. 5.1 ’’ • RATES ON REQUEST I Atlantic Transfer Company GEORGE CON ANT . 601 East 5th Street Cot Angola* II, Calif. MUtudl 8121 or Oxford 9-4764 Hartford, July 7.. Toh'pho'he reservations of theatre tickets generally regarded as impractical in managerial circles, has worked, out satisfactorily at the NcW; Parsons here. Policy has been in pperation' for (wo seasons; a since the present management took ^ Fairbanks thrillers, y. ....... over and renovated the long-dark Francis Cleveland, son of. the house. , late President Grover Cleveland, DoVlni ohorif nf hhvftiTirf* roe who operated the Tamworth the ic^hi rfni'in? flip 1052 atre as well as being its top actor, ords reveals that dut mg the CviH tzUm/Uimi tin election-vear 53 season the average number of phone reservations per play was 1.350, while the average number of ticket window reservations was 150. In other words, phone reservations outnumbered window reservalions nine .to one. Only 31 phone reservations were hot sub-, sequent ly picked up. , Theatre played 18 shows during tire season. : television, an election-year boxoffice slump and’ the! inroa< made by new barns in the area,, had. combined to sound the Barnstormers’ death knell; . There was optimism, however, at some of the other theatres, as the Granite State’s 53rd year of. summer stock got underway. The 600-scat La k e s Region Playhouse installed .a new air-eondi-. tioning systenV; the Hampton Suih-. mer theatre underwent extensive grade-B gunmen pix, is in the same: pattern as “No prehids for Miss* Blandish” which did, well under the same roof three, years ago. :: : Russel Moore (Robert Hossein) is accused by the police of having murdered his mistress and then amputating her fingers. Moore pro^ tests his innocence and in a seties of flashbacks the audience: is given his alibi. The inspector doubts his story and in another flashback; the true version of crime is shown. It appears that the mistress has stolen some, “top secret”, microfilm of government plans and hidden them Under the polish on her fingernails. Moore, after taking •severe ts f i’oni her so h e ca n sell the m himself, has murdered her and then cut off. her fingers which he tries, to plant on another gangster; Ironic ending .has the. inspector shooting Moore to death after persuading him to : reveal the whereabouts of seefets so he can profit by their sale; , Georges Vitaly, the director; has Staged this script in eight quick scenes, attempting to hypo It into motion picture tempo. \A good. company goes through motions of the implausible assignments but can bring little reality to such an absurd, text; . A short Jarce. “La Delaissee” (The Deserted Pnel; a tale of an actor and act ress . rehearsing a short play; follows, to round out evening. “Lead” might go for a French film since similar stuff often is used for Gallic B-pix. Curt, * ' *. «.• • , • n. i , t )aii,jam liici Liiraiic utiuu wctn, yAtcuoive Pin »p Langnei , Chai les renovations and added two hew and ^ Nancy ^tmm . who operate the wings,, increasing its seating ca Lauda PirttiVIl h 21 1 • 4 tl O f H Pi" mnl.' t lift ' i 'j n; inr: . .t^i .t: reserva l ion . riot Only feasible,; but tive last season, a virtual necessity. They point out . Even the 100-seat Hutchinson;, that the phone, reserva tion . attend Summer Theatre in Raymond, the ance is in addition to the healthy subscription . trade, at the house. state's tiniest establishment, is still carrying on courageously after weathering many financial storms. INCORPORATED 522 Fifth Avenue, N«w York wishes.. Information, rogarding the whereabouts of the hf lr* of James-: P; Judge, author of SQUARE CROOKS, arid Howard Warren Comstock; author of; STEPPI NO; SISTERS/ ONtY 19 MILES FROM TIMES SQUARE LAffCHMpNT, N. V, TEL LA; 2-Q602 . 6 iv Long island Sound: '. . Bathing Beach Q,utd66r, -Sporis' "75 ' Roorris Very Cool Bar-n-Piario Entortalnrnent Future B’way Openings Guys and Dolts (reopening), 46th. Street, Aug. 10. . ..c Hazel Flagg (reopening^ Hellinger, Sept; 1. Anna Russell's. Little Show', Vanderbilt. Sept. 8. Pin to See the Peep Show, Playhouse. Sept. 17. • Carnival in Flanders, . Century, week of Sept.. 28.; , i Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore, : Sept; 30. T-luce Stories High, unspecified theatre. Oct. 1. ■ Little llut, Coronet; Oct, 5. Ladies of the Corridor, unspecified tlieatre,. Oct. 14. Teahouse of the August Moon, Martin Beck, Oct. 15; Oh . Men. Oh Women, unspetified lliealre; Week of Oct. f9. ••-. ■. Gently Does IF;. Playholise; Oct. ;36; V/-’ ; •• Girl Can Tell, Unspeeified theatre;/OK. 2!)v: ; : v Solid Gold Cadillar, unspecified Vtivtfat re!.) N.ov% ’2; /'.• :; > Sherlock lloltnes, unspecified . theatre.;' TN.X'ok ';bf-‘N.6\\ 2. Kind Sir* Alvin. Nov. 4.-' ” : All Suipmer . Loiig, unspecified t heal re. Week of Novi 9r Black Candie, unspecified theatre. week of Nov. , 23. McLean Shifts In Va, McLean, Va., July 7. The •'‘McLean Summer Theatre, operating in McLean the past three years, moves this season to Falls Church; Va., five miles from McLean and seven tniles from Wash? ington, D. C. Group will operate in a tent theatre with a regular proscenium stage. Opening date is set for Monday ( 13 1 with “The Moon Is Blue.”' 1 . . Tommy Brent is producer and Fdwyn Dearborn director. . Tills Ulhor KiliMi Dublin, June 16, . Irish National -Theatre production . of 'coniedy in 3 acts by Louis D’Alton. Produced by: Ria Mooney. Setting, Vera Dudgeon. At the Abbey', Dublin. McRoarty ... . . . ... . . Geoffrey Golden Malre McRoarly . . . . . . Marie. Ot'Donnell Roger Crispin '.,,... C-hcist opher. Casson Canon Moyle Eddie Golden Police Sergeant . . . . . ... Brian. O’Higgins Conor He.aphy' . ; . . . .' . , . . Ronnie Walsh Ciannery Harry . Brogar Grahd GUi'gndl, one of the sights on any Paris ttreatre tour, soon will be celebrartiog its 60th anni, and the horror bouse still does steady, although rarely sensational trade all year round. Best biz comes in the summer when tourists are packing city. Recent revival , of “The Bat“ did a nice three months and now this 260-seater has settled back to greet the dog days with pseudo-American gangster metier j oeen n^.in^es^ rc^ yean aimed at nleasinff the visitors ' ■' , refuses -his belated offer of aimed of riage . knowing he doesn’t inspirea oy a siuay oi | ]ove herl The younger girl, a Catholic; and the younger son are instantly drawn to each other and. Without premeditation, spend a night together. The boy is horrified at his fall from grace, and. believing clergy should be celibate, leaves home in great distress. Months later the girl confides to the other woman that she is bi bear a child. Unaware of the coini-. sequences of his sin, her lover returns from Rome,, announces he has turned Catholic arid is to enter the priesthood. Knowing the shat. tering blow to the . boy’s future if lie leatns the; truth, his brother insists the gifi marry him instead which T>rhvideS a convenient, but scarcely happy, sdlutiori. Michael Denison is at his best in these breezy, ■ inconsequential roles . and gets full sparkle from every available quip. Ronald Lewis as the repentant sinner lias a harder task, conveying, mainly through manner and expression, the; ^ot tled-rup emotionalism of t he purist. The two girls are well contrasted; the elder ‘ philosophically renouncing the man she loves is effectively played by Heather Standard; the younger, caught in the tolls of her own immaturity, i* movingly portrayed . by Virginia McKenna, Perhaps the most satisfying performance conies from George Relph as the clerical head of a disordered household, arid Jos sie Winter contributes, a , sweet; gentle characterization as his wife. Murray. Macdonald directs the play : with his usual sure touch. CABCALL0WAY .ShgrHn''. , I • “Porgy and Bess" 1 7th Week ZI'CG FSLD. N E W YORK “Cab CsIlowaiy, famousmvestra and fafher of scat, is a smooth, vivid Sportin’ Life. His is A REMARKABL E_PE RP.O.R MAN CE.”. • • ■ ■ : v . Robert Coleman, N. Y. Daily. Mirror, • Mgt.: Bill MjtTLER, 1619 Broadway, New York 4 LONDON . , (Week, eliding July . 4). . AftalrsofState,Cnmbi‘itlge(82I). Airs.: Shoestring/ Royal Cl. 122). • Applecart, '"Hayriiarket ' (5 7k V / 0 • Arms & The Mart., Arts (U-25). : Bad Samaritan, Criterion ..16-24). Dear Charles, New (i2-lBi. Dial M Murder, West (6-liP. Eastward Ho, Royal Exchange (61.0>. Escapade; Strand -'(1-20); For . Better Worse, Comedy ' (12-17-52), Glorious Days, .Pairi'ee (2-28). ; ' . Guys, arid Dolls, C.oili.so.um'-('5-28).‘. . Henry V, Old Vic (6-30>. High Spirits; Hipp (5-13). • ..Julius. Caesar, Westinin.sier (7-29k King: Henry VIM, Old VLc :(5-(i) . Light ' Fingers, Richmond (6-2!)).'' ' Little Hut,. Lyric -.(8-23-SO).Living1 Room,. VVyridlian^s (VG). London Laughs, Adolphi (4-12). ' Love From Judy, S;i\ille (9.25 1;. Macbeth, Royal' \ Exchange ,(7-1). Mousetrap, Ambas. (11-23). Over. the Moon; ..Casino (5-7). Paint Wagon, Her Majesty’s (2-11). Paris to Piccadilly, l‘r, Wales (4-15). ' Private Life of Helen, Globe (6-11). Redheaded Blonde, Vaudeville (4:1). Reluctant Heroes, White (9-12-50). . Ring Out. Bells, Vic. Pal. (11-12). . Seagulls Sorrento, Apollo (6-14-50). Set to Music, Now. Watergate. (6-9). Seven Year Itch, Aldwych (5-14). South Pacific, 'Drury Lane (11-1-51). Two Bouquets, Rlccadilty (5-12). ' Uninvited Guest, St., .lames' (5;27». • Woman Importance/ Savoy (2-12-53). There are so many points in this comedy that remind the audience of shots made by George Bernard Shaw in “John Bull’s Other Island,” almost 50 years ago that observers may. be forgiven for the suggestion; that the piece is Shaw up-to-date. The dialog may lack the brilliance of Shaw’s wit, but the play does not lack laughs as it j ibes pleasantly at the foibles of the Irish. The characters a re stock figures which wander through this story of Baillymorgan and its project for a Memorial Hall to a patriot. The parish priest is the strongest character of the lot, while the Englishman is shown as the man who tried to. be objective about Ireland, a j. man with a long way to go before ! reali zing tli at .theory and; pract ice ' in the Irish are far apart. Louis i D’Alton saw his fellow-countrymen > clearly When lie. drew the characters for this play; even to appreciat ion of the fact that pat riots can , be human Such bitterness .as the •; author has observed arid passed ! along here has been., carefully.; wrapped in wit and humor. Rial Mooney produces Witlv a: lively •speed.-. . Acting is. ; good, ' with Eddie Golden ; as Ganori Moyle; the .parish priest, and Clii'iiitbpher Gass.on . ( making his first -appearance’ with Abbey. Players) , as th e En gl is h.m an,, taking the lauiels. : Mac. • . Londori, June 25; . ‘ E. P, Clift. Li unit & Durifee prrisenta tion of drama hi two arts by william 1 Dougins . Home. Stars . Michael . -Denison, ! Directed by Murray. Macdonald.. At Criterion Theatre/ London, June 24, 53f$2.20 top. . Brian . . , .' . . ; . . . Michael Denison Jaite ; . ... , ; . . . . 'Heather. Slannard The Dean . .... . ; . . . . ... . .George Relph •Mrs. Foster . , . . . . . .'. . i \ Jessie Winter Veronica Virginia M'cKenn* • Alan . , ; . . ... . . ... . ... Ronald Lewis POUND RIDGE .near Stamford; Conn; a thoroughly modern, attractive Colonial; house with a lake for swimming and fishing. Secluded 10 aRret of land with more available. . ..Con-' . ; tains, On first floor: large . living room, library, ' bar,; .dining Yoo.m* ; guest suite with .. bath, screened .porch, servant's room, kifehen, •..etc., on second floor: Jarge master suite with 2 dressing rooms, both : and study as well as 3 other bedrooms arid 2 baths. Bath house and tool house, screened picnic house and outside grill on lakeOwner, moved West, offers bargain, and immediate occupancy. KENNETH IVES & CO 14 East 55th St. MU 8-1900 or Stamford 4-1414 PRODU CER WAN E D A civic organization' has a wonderful proposition for the 'right, man. 50 in advanced subscription memberships air ready. Write to John G.atenby, Mo-, rerigo,' III., for interview . in Chicago; Give professional'' background in your .letter. SCHEDULED OPENINGS H«JTTr=TI5'fF5T'r! As Long As Hippy, Gan-v-k. (7-8'. Henry V, Wrisimin.'.UM' ■ ci/n. Henry VI,. Old .V-<' Moon Is Blue, Duke York (7-7). Breaking unusual ground, this latest Douglas Home play has a strong religious flavor. Woven \ r o u n om e s ti c a nd s pir i t tt a'f prob; leihs. Its tendency to solve them ' through .the over-flippaiit Planner , of the chief charaeter detracts' THEATER COLLECTION FOR SALE Abqut ,5.000 different old tlieatra progr'imj .from 1032 to 1900. Mounted, on' one. »lde -o| page only, in laroe. Army loose scrap books. Sizi 2Hx28. ,300. pages to inch book. All programs hlnped In, nothing pasted. Full page* or single programs oan bo removed and easuv replaced. Also rare old books, window bids, tiektls. passes, photos, etc. Also. . old^ N>w York Clippars from 1864 to I90Q. 7? different excellent 5x7 showboat photos. . Must sell gulek. 73 years old and slipping. Th(i time and nfolley spent Jn this eoUection doesn't mean a thing. WJI1 ' unload for b-’sf offer.; Hai/e somo one in Chicago taka' A I'))' _at^t MLcol leet (on„ and _pass_Judgment. HENRY LOFGREN 2306 Florence Streot Blue Island, Illinois . , V