Variety (July 1953)

Wednesday, July 15, 1953 VJEGITIMATI 59 • .#• » I < M k « i .1 I . • •• • ‘Widow’ Merry $62,000 i o i * GUYS AND DOLLS (As of May 30, '53) Original investment, including 25% overeaU Cost of original production Philly tryout profit :> >. Net cost, opening night in N. Y. Gross for last’ four*1 wooks, N.» Y ♦ ... » * • •* » ..«»■..»»« . v •». * Total gross to date,. Y» ■ .* ♦ « • # « , ..i'*...,..’..'. , » » » , » « * » ».* • profit last. four yyeeks,. Ni Y,. • Total profit to .date, N* Y*. ■* * ,» *■# «■'■«.* • * * * •-* *.< • • Cost of touring company production ... r. ... . . . . . .. . , . . Gross for last four weeks on tour ... . . . . . . ; . , . , Total gross to date on tour ‘ ■. . / ; . ?. • . • • • • >■«>■■ Profit last Tour; weeks on tour ;. ....... . otal profit', to ■ date on tour.'.,.,.,’, . , * » ,.•■•■*»■, » ,\t « . .. « *• •. , *.• , * • • Total gross to date, both companies : Total profit to date, ; both companies. ....... Total distnbuted profit to date .. . . r > . i . ■» ... , . . v .... ponds and. .deposits. ......... < . ■•. . . . ... . . »■ ... ■ . ,. , . .* ■»••.• • .■ Advance for.,filrii rights.: .. . * > ..... .... '■ Cash reserve .. . .... • . . > . . . ... » ■ Balance available .'*•*• .» ... ».«■> •■•'.*.» * * ... . . iNo ts : Cy Fe li er& Ernest H .Mart in p rod uctio n,ba sed on a Damon ■ Runyon story and characters opened Nov, 24, ’50, at the. 46th St reet , N. Y. . ; It exited June 27, for a six-week engagement in Washington;, but resumes at the 46th Street, Aug. 1 0, , arid will: continue there inr definitely. Touring production opened .! une 4; ’51, on the Coast, and recently, returned there for a summer , run. RoyalUes oh the musical total .13%^ including 5% to composerlibrettist Frank Loesse?; 3% ;to stager George S. Kaufman, V^o each ‘ to librettists Jo Sweriing;: and .; Abe . Burrows, if r to choreographer .Michael Kidd and 1 ft? to the estate of Damon Runyon, on whose characters and ‘‘Idyl of Sarah Brown” short story the musical is based, v Theatre termsiriNew York give the house 30% of the first: $25,000 gross and 25% of the balance, and on the road the . usual rental , has been Straight 25%. .Operating expenses; have been running about $6,500 cast payroll in N. Y;, $8,000 on tour; $1,550 crew in N7, Y.,\$l,725 i 250,000 198,279 20,372 177,907 125,000 5,609,101 8.735 898,939 180,317 157,156 4,984,514 25,357 869,649 10,593,615 1,768,589 1,548,192 46.866 30.000 25.000 118,531 Kansas City, J uly 14. Third production of the Starlight Theatre outdoor season, ‘’Merry Widowv” wound up its seven-night run with a surprisingly strong $62,000. "Widow” was expected to provide moderate biz, but had steady play all week and near-capacity 17,600! Saturday to rack tip its f i ne .showing.. Mu steal also .had the first week of. mode rat e weather since the theatre opened June 22. Production of “Widow” showed' some unusually lavish sets, and was musically strong with Joan Ferin, 50(J Take for Three ‘T all Kentuckiaiv’ Run ;Louisville, July lA ■■ o , , „ , ■ , Final figures compiled on the Eileen bchauler, Glenn Burris -and v»h - Ralplr^ ^ Herhcri singing the leading r Which roles, and Billy Gilbert and. Joe E. of thineed »n Marks handling comedy roles. :• . ; V“4 ' . ’‘Bloomer Gii’l” opened as the f jfv’,cD uti'nr. fmii'th 'OrnfliitU irin of: tho si'asun 1 of. ‘‘Tall Ken ended B uni day' i 1 2 >, showed an . attendance of 35,• • ■■■•-' for ony show in the •m . | . i . . . ,| ‘L'-iiv £>' luoiu, y, Tlie ■.■musical'’' r.play fourth-production of the. season, -h “ Ahroh-nh Lincoln \\hicli ;&S* Jim,': Hawthorne, ; Edith King and Avon. Long. ten by. locali t b Bayba ra Aiulersbii . 1 wi t li music by Nomiaii Del I p J oio; aii.d was presented at Iroquois Am-, phitheatrei Royal DahO and Louisa liorton headed a large;. cast, with Kiift Richards, Ciiarles Tate and Freda Schell in featured foies. Cost of the play was $98,760 * I $64,953 in production , costs and $33,807 in Operating expenses. Ticket sales brought In $50,796.92. Sponsors of University .. Festival two straight plays in small-seatei’S continued to do well. Biggest dis-; appointment was ‘‘Carnival in lip a new. Light Opera iiidow sale expense around $1,200 in N. Y., $650 on tour; office expense, $350 f* itoi each for N. Y. and tour; British production pf the. musical, presented rarnival in Flanders -Phil h •» iby Prince Littler and Williamson Music, opened May 28, *53, at the monit. Aud ( 1st wk) ($4.80; 2,670). Coliseum,; London. Rights to. the "Sarah BroWn” story were recently poor $38,700. Represents a loss purchased from Paramount for $30,000 so the film rights to the show 0f Ciyic . Light ()pef a ■ Which had are now Uriencumberedr . guaranteed operating expenses and needed about another $10^)00 for . its own costs. . vs and Dolls, Biltinbre (2d Wk) ($4.20; .1.636), Way below Los Angeles. July 14, Ine;., a. noii-pr()fit organization eni-; Heal wilted t he town s two musK Polled iii tlie Louisville Fund,: comedy offerings last week, but contributed $50,000 lor the play. Washington' July 7.:"Guys and Dolls,” which started in high fof its first week at the National Theatre, did even heller for its. second stanza with a flat $41,000 at the hoxbffice, one of Jack Whiting and probably Au; a contract release from Slate Fair 500. hopes, and below operating, costs, the best. ‘.ever for this theatre, at a for first full week. Tally hit $20, $4.80 top. "Dolls” continues with der.v Christie will play the leads in "To Charlie, with Love,” comedy by Peggy Phillips, to be produced by Peter Glenn, with Morton Da Costa directing and Jack Landau designing scenery arid costunies V ’ . . Bert McCord this week resumed his daily column of drama notes in the . N:Y;.. Herald Tribune after, a month's, vacation, during which he married actress Patricia John Canty . "The Small Shepherd and the Small Angel,” new drama by Richard G. Hubler, will be produced at Christmas time on the Coast, but a problem involves the use of two nineyear-olds for one-night stands. Thornton ? Wilder reportedly is hopelessly stalled on ‘ ‘.Emporium,” the new play he’s been writing for the last year or more, v.*i h Jed Harris: the designated producer . . , E. P. Conkle is still working on script revisions of "So Big,” with the finished version, subject to approval by Edna Ferber, author of the original novel, before it can he produced by Robert Fryer arid Thomas Whyte, Jr., as a. starrer for Shirley Booth . . ^ Plans for a second company of "Wonderful Town” are reportedly postponed indefinitely. Howard Erskine . will be associated 'with Michael Abbott in the production of "Late Love,” Rosemary Casey comedy to star Arlerte Francis . . , . "Sabrina Fair,” the PlaywTights Co; production of Samuel Taylor’s new comedy, is being financed at $50,000, with provision for 50% overcall. "Tea and Sympathy,^ Robert Anderson di‘ama being produced by the Playwrights Co. and Mary K. Frank, is being financed at $60,000, with provision for : 20% overcall, Inr cidentally.-Mrs. Frank is riot biingi rig-: in any Of the coin . . Dick Musicals, Dallas, .where the baritone was set for the Ben Rumsori role in "Paint Your Wagon,” Aug; 17-30 . . Kathryn Grayson has been pacted for a Npv. 2 concert at State: Fail* Auditorium, Dallas, Tlarald Bromley has budgeted his scheduled production of Leonard Kantor’s “Dead Pigeon” for $45,000, with provision for 20% . overcall. The producer will also direct, with Lloyd Bridges as male lead. ... Arlene Francis will star in Hard to Be a Jew, Civic Playhouse (2d wk) ($3.60; 376), Finaled Sunday ( 12) with $1 ,700, house closing for the summer,. Mister Roberts, T^as: Palmas (3d wk.) ($3,60; 4001. Up t(i fine $5,300 arid holds. < N. Y. City Ballet, Greek Theati c (1st wk) ($3:50; 4.400). Linder hopes at $3 9 ,000 Cut rates a 1 re ad y in circulation, with three full weeks left, to go. “ ‘Late Love’ Eddie Bracken * will play the Tom Ewell role in the touring .edition of "Seven Year 1 tell ” . Robert Whitehead pi a ns a fall production of "Stars in a Person’s Backyard,” by (Miss) Jay. Pressoii . . . Nancy Davids; already busy with plans to produce ‘ ‘A pin to See the Peep Show,” has also optioned "A gamemnon,” adapted by William. Alfred from the Greek classic * . . First dramatic writers conference opens next Monday (20) at the ■■-.American Theatre Wing,, N. Y.y conducted by Ted Apsteln. Future B’way Openings Guys and Dolls (reopening), 46th St., Aug. 10. Hazel Flagg (reopening), Hellinger, Sept. J. . I Anna Russell’s Little Show, VanI derbilt. Sept. 8. Pin to See the Peep Show, Playhou.sei Sept. 17. Carnival in Flanders, Century, week of Sept. 2$; • ' ■ Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore, Sept. 30. Three Stories High, Unspecified theatre, Oct. 1. ;v. Little Hut, Coronet* Oct. 5. Ladies of the Corridor^ uri specl ‘Kiss Me Kate, Dallas,. July 14 third show of State Fair Musicals’ summer season, tallied a good. $35, 200 gross . for , its first frame, through. Sunday (12) matinee, at State Fair .Auditori-Unu Jose .Ferrer and Lisa Kirk costar in ; the Porter-Spewack ';■ ^ .reyival, supported by Patricia Jiright, Paiii God kin, Wally Brown, Mort Mar a fine $70,000 adva nee; as large a n advance as w hen it first opened, Second and last week of. "School For Scandal” at ; the Olriey (Md.) strawhatier drew $3,000 through the Wickets, an increase over tne initial chunker for the classic comedy. "New. Motm*” last week’s musical oifering of the Washington Festival . at tlie Carter . Barron Amphitheatre; brought $14,00.0 into .the till;. same as the previous week’s "Of Thee 1 Sing.”; "Annie Get Yolir Gun," only attraction hooked for. . t wo weeks by Washington Festival, opened last ( Mon.) witli the prospect oT considerably better business than that of the past fortnight. ‘WALTZ’ $41,000, Sari Francisco, July J4; Legit continues relatively active shall, Rosetta Lenoir arid Atkins: here for the summer period, prin&c Coles. BbfT reviews, by two d pally on the strength of the local dailies^ Critics greeted "Kate” op.eij civic. Light' Opera season. Ttcturns ing Monday <6>. are generally running a trifle bc Jaek Carson and Margaret Whit low previous years, hut are still ing started rehearsals yesterday hefty. "Giri Crazy, ^ George . Gershwin revival due a fortnight’s Broadway made; at least a U’ecovery last Week, partly as a re? act Ion from the . brutal J uly 4 -week . end drop of the preeeding stanza. : ‘ Virtually all show's wrere up a -bit nst . week and with the Shrlners convention in town this semester,: attendance . . may perk soirievvhat more. . ■■■•.■ ■...■ ■ ' "The; Crucible’’ foided last Sat-;, urday night d U, redueirig the list of current show;s to 12 and the number of prospective ; summer spanners.'' to 1 1 , T>\:o reoperiings . aie due during August,, and . the . lineup of new' shows is listed to v start early in : Septeinher. : Estimates ifor Last: Week , . kci/s; C ( Comedy) D ( Dr(ima ) , f7) vvCofrtcd.vHDnniio ). , H i /levin.’ ), . MC j Musical Cnmoxly.) ; M D ( Mu\ siciil Draviil ) , Q ( Opern ) . OrfKT parenthetic designations: refer,, respectively, to top prices; number of seats, capacity gross. d Stars,: price includes: 20% an liisemejit., tax, but. f/rosses are net: i.e., exclusive of tax. . Can-Can, Shubert (10th. ’ \v:k) ( M ( '-$7.20; 1,361 ; $50,160.). Ca paeijy again, $50,800. . Crucible, Heck ( 25th w k) (D$4.80; 1,214; . $28,000). : Nearly ' $!2;400 on t wofci-s (previous week, $6,700); closed; last,' Saturday night i 11). after 197 performances, having recouped about; half its $75,000 ; invest iri <‘n l ; will; tour in the fall.. Dial M for Murder, Plymouth (37th W'k) (D-$4 80; i ;062; $20,015) ( M aitrieC ICvans), . Over $18,000 (previous week, $15,900). . Fifth Season, fort (25th wk) (C$4.80; 1 ,056; $25.277) : (Menasha . Skulriik, . Rielrind : Wlvorf).; Under $21,700 iprevious Week, $19,600). King and I, St. James (120th w k) |Mr)-$7.20; 1,571 ; $51 ,717) ( Y.ul : B.rynner Nearly $34,100 (previa ous week, $30,300). Me and; Juliet, Majestic (7th Wk). (MC-$7.20; 1,510; “58,000). Oyer $58,000 (previous Week, $50,300. : My 3 Angels,' Morocco G8th wk) (C-$4.80; 935; $24,252), Almost $12400 (previous week, $10,900.) Picnic, Music Box <20th wk) fD$6-$4.80; 997;,.. $27, 534), Nearly $24,700 ( previous week, $24,400). Porgy . and Bess, '/iegfeld (18th wk) (<)r$6; 1.628; $48,244). Oyer $20,100. excludiiig tax (previous . wei‘k. $20,300). .. ' ' •; Seven Year Itch, Fulton (34th wk) •C-$6,$4;80; 1,063; $24,400). Almost $24,600 (previous, weekj $24,20.0 ).: Soiith Parliie, Broadway (216th .Wk) ( M C-$6-$4 .80 ; 1,900; $44,000) (Mai’Hia Wright./ George Britton). Over $27,900 (previous week,. $26,60(u. " ■■ Wish You Were Here, Imperial '55th wk) (MC-$7,20;. 1.400; $52,080).. Nearly $32,800 (previous week, $28,600),. . , , b Wonderful Town,: Winter Garden < 20th wk) ( M (’-$7.20 ; 1 .5 1.0; .$54 1 73 1 . . ( I ibsa 1 ind » liusse 1 1 ),, Se 1 1 o ut again at almost. $55,200. . run, July 20-Aug. 2,. Current Road Shows in« m any ui uic com . . • ! fi„fi Dfif " U ^vthe I: TeaUuse^o? Hi«^ August .Mobil, A Malt in Beek, Oct. 15. nnd^dance f inele’ in nfterfes and ! Men, Oh Women, unspecified yaude. He recently signed with the • j Hiealre. Week of _ Oct. 19. ( July .13-25 ) Carnival in Flanders (Dolores Gray, John Rail (I < ti’youU— -Phi l harmonic Arid,, L A. (13-25) .( Rer viewed in. Vauiet.y, J line. 10, • ’53 ) . Good Nite, Ladies— Geary, S.F; (13-25). • Guys and Dolls (B’way Co.)— National v Wash. (13-25.)/ Guys arid polls '2d Co.J^Biltmore, L. A. ( 1 3-25), Maid in the Ozarks— Selwyri, Clii 1/13-25). EKtimales for Last Week Great Waltz, Curran <Jst wk) $4.80; 1.775). San, Francisco CLO. production, starring Dorothy. Kirsten and John Charles Thomas, drew healthy $41,000 for its; initial stanza. Good Nite, Ladies, Geary ' 1st wk) ($3.60; 1,550). Profitable $13,000 on two-for-ones. ‘Mikado’ Moderate 326 In Pitt Stadium Stanza Pittsburgh,. Jpjy ^14. . Although it ‘Faces 22G, Chi Chicago, July 14. r 25,000 Lions noisemaking here, Iasi week did little io help the sagging Loop legit, although conventioneers chiefly amount for lire “light upbeat at th e/' ^wiekeLSi "New Fares” must do better to stick, around, but. “Pal Joey” and "Maid in .the Ozarks.” intend.. to , Tn rharlip wtth i ove iiri^ncci Ncw Faces^Gieat Northern, notices of the season so tar, the William Morris agency, eek oLOet V? pocl Chi (13.-25). ' Mikado,” starring Martyn (Been.. Theatrical attorney L. Arnold Got ,J T — ' £,u“ ^ f u''' •*”*'*“■ ‘‘ Weissberger planed last week from | Gentle Docs It, Playhouse, Oct. is Jb;.s, out the W-frtom Estimates; forLast Week Maid In the Ozarks, BHwVn < 1 01. li London to Holland and is motor i ] ri g up th e , Rhine valley ; to Sal z■ burg and Viehna. He’s sailing back July 29 on the Queen Elizabeth. for . N. Y J. Pat O’Malley; took oyer the role Monday night (13). of tlie police inspector in "Dial; M for Murder,” succeeding John:. Williams, who goes to the Coast: to ; repeat, his characterizatiori in the Warner screen; version. . F . Brooks is subbing as femme . during. Gusli Huber's two ca'ion. . . . wat Johnson and Doirothy Love joined cast of "Pal Joey” in Chi ist week' af , Pitt !,W;k) .($4:20; 1 ,00()). . Making, a .Profit • bert, Chi (13^251. ^ ; .| Stadium, but picked up speed by 1 via twof^rs at $9,000. ' • ‘air .$32,000. CTjx | NeW FaeeScGreat. Northern d lth . . Picked up Girl Can Tell, tre, Oct. 29. i vSolid Gold Cadillac, unspecified theatre,. Nov.' 2. Sherlock Holmes, unspecified thoatre. week oi Nov. 2, Kind Sir, Alvin, Nov. 4. All Siiriimer Long, unspecified Pal Joey (Harold Langl-Tr-Shu* stalled; poorly . last *ert, Chi (13^251; ; ■ , ' ' ; . Stadium, but picket South Pacificr i Jeanne Bal, Webb weekend f or a fair; ;-lv ecstasies about . the.: w.k) .($5.00; 1,600); I Sullivan production1 and Ulightly; to oyer $22,000; rformarice', -but it wasn’t ; pal Jocy, Shubci t ($5:00; 2. 1 0.0) until, the. tag end of the engage1 (7th wk) .'Harold Lang): Over $23, «'ihrivta Filir ■ im«sri»*ei-fi^d''vlhea• ' ' ratine 'ovaiint dui, vn-uu. ,wcwiju :,iu %7F uv p . n a ^ a Tilton)— Shubert, Detroit <13-25). went into unspecified thea ; -u/ .'lo.A' ' ‘Roie Marie' 31 G Vancouver; July 1.4/ ment that any. ’ b.o. . mtcrest.; dc 800. Aided..by.',arn'VkLoL)ong-’dglayed'-.yjeiopgd.:'v s u in m e r, .Varicouver’s ' . outdoor : •Current attraction,, .'fifth of tiie . * n. t • Theatre Under the Stars grossed a season, is ’’Louisiana Purchase, 0IOSSO1VI ' Dili St LOUIS sock; $31,000 for six . performances with Robert Alda/ -Zero Mostel. . Faith 1 , AU Summer Long, unspccincu of “Rose Marie" last week.. , Hebert Pitkin, Holly Harris. Viola ! • SI. Louis, tme lead : theatre, week of Ney. 8. .. . Near-5.000 capaeity house was Essen , and dahe-e team' of . Fisher ' "Blossom Time" woi ■week-va" i B ack Candle, unspecified thea sellout on all but two nights of the & Hoss. J seven frame at the tre, week, of Nov. 23. . ... production, whieh followed, two: ^ V : : ^^.rimV/resJpIrkS lest week as replacements Lois Marshall, soprano, dnd Wil Astor ■ makes first-. Chi stage i ) oists . : Ham Warfield, baritone, w’ill be sch starizas of "Kiss Me Kate/’; . Betty Phillips scored in the title role and Barney Potts and Doris the Brahms Requiem | Buckingham took the comedy, spots: -Ma jor^^ping^chbiifi^ a s hand led i ' .1 » i ■ t'i ' n ..L, .v D ina Barbara -Ba* ley'. Holly wooii’s ' Aida ith choreography. July 1.4. . ound up a A! Fresco theat ie in Forest Park Sunday < 12) Met Opera baritone Robert Meiv with a sWell. gross of approximately rill ’wiil * sing ’with ijUie' Opem'^TOttO lroh; 64«Q0.|>fy«-.»vS«v««2 Nacional, Mexico City, July 18 to 1 cool nights lured, customers to th« Aue . 4. -'He1 will sing two perform new playhouse. each " or^ThF^MJcF^oTT^Rohtrrtr Rou^^ Seville” and "Rigolelto” during fiis ; rters, Edwin Steffe and Irra Petint 1 twcp^’cck stoy* ■ were, .stcin.dputd In * lend roles*