Variety (January 1954)

Wednesday? JunwT 20j 1954 LEGITIMATE 67 BAhert Lewis* director of “Teaho5i of the August Mwn,; sails next* Saturday (23) on tte Queen Jrv for production huddles and iSin* of the London edition of fw ?omedy. vrUch he will stage 1 Walter Starcke, co-producer iWith Gertrude /lacy) ot “I Am a Camera/' sailed to London over the weekend for prebminary preparatrons for the West End edition nf the show . . . Jimmy HammerSein. director-stage manager son '< (Hear Hammeretein 2d, is in line to produce a late-spring series „t musical revivals at the N. Y. City Center. Richard Yorke, who plays John Kerr’s athletic' roommate in “Tea and Svmpathy,” was tested last week for a role in “Bringing Up the Brass,” to be filmed by John Ford at West Point soon, for. Columbia release . . . With Ruth White as femme lead, succeeding Lenore Ulric, “Mardi Gras” will lav off for restaging and rehearsal for a postponed Broadway, opening Feb. 4 . . . Margaret Lockwood, returning to legit after a threevear absence, will star in a new Aratha Christie meller, “The Spider’s Web,” to be produced in London next fall by Peter Saunders. ' Whatever became of that pert little "Lend an Eair” dancer, Dorothy Babb? . . .Sylvia Siegler, formerly president of the Show-ofthe-Month Club, has joined Don Herbert in opening a ticket information centre in the Showshopper$ Centre, N.Y. ;. . > Dick Horner has quit as company manager of "Twin Beds” on the road to take a similar assignment with Ague* de Mille’s touring troupe. . .Manning Gurian, company manager of John Murray Anderson'* “Almanac,” has authored a comedy, "Wav of a Woman;” which Margo Jones will try out March 29 at her Theatre '54 in Dallas, where he was formerly genex^tl manager, Kathleen Winsor, author of "Forever Amber” and other novels. has written. a play, “America, with Love,” which will be produced next season by Mary K. Frank, co-producer with the Playwrights Co. of ‘‘Tea and Sympathy" Robert L. Joseph and Jay Julien, producers of “Mile. Coiombe.” plans a production next season of “Double Double,” a comedy by actor Frank Cotsaro. Joan Donovan, who plays one of Tom Ewell's daydream girls in "Seven Year Itch,” will be married Jan. 31 to Lowell Cordier, a nonpro ... . Morrie Efron is house manager of the Longacre, N.Y., succeeding the late Joe Conkle . . -Patricia Morison will take over the femme lead, succeeding Annamary Dickey, when “King and I” goes on tour. Major Crisis Dept.: Mixup resulted in the substitution of a bottle of Haig & Haig for Vat 69 in the stage business opening night of "Hi$ and Hers,” thereby imperiling a free-likker deal for the producers . . . Another critical note: A reviewer’s watchmaker told him that his watch had been kicking up, with the hairspring getting way out of line, because the critic had been applauding at various performances— proving that a break with tradition means a hexed timepiece. Elliot Nugent and director John Gerstad in Chi last week putting their stamp of approval on the road troupe of “Seven Year Itch” fit the Erlanger . . . “Time Out for Ginger” scripter Ron Alexander lectured the Northwestern U. drama at Evanston, 111., last Friday (15). v " endell Corey is due in New "iork this week to discuss the male lead in Paul Yroom's . scheduled production of “Fragile Fox,” to be staged by Archie Mayo . , Lucile Hatson will have a leading role in Burning Glass,” Charles Morgan P'ay to be produced by the Theatre Guild and John C. Wilson, 'Jith Luther Kehnett directing. Ceiv* u Hardwicke, Maria Riva and natter Matthau are already set for *‘le, cast. .John Murray Anderson s “Almanac” has a $32,000 stop limit at the Imperial, N. Y; ... V?01® Greene, leading man oppod e Iva,*,arine Cornell in “Prescott proposals,” was screentesied last ueek for a role in Columbia’s “josePh and His Brethren.” Stanley Holloway, character comedian, taking over Captain Hook -Mr. Darling role for British tour of “Peter Pan,” with Pat Mrkwood remaining in 'title part. Holloway is set for Bottom role in ni!nv-rgh. Festival production by *d \ ic of “A Midsummer Night’s -S', starring. Moira Shearer and Robert Helpmann. Piu^1?,-20 Payers, currently in vl t co* under the sponsorship of Puerto Rico, to present ai t'naVir ° English-speaking plays er KUmversit-Y Theatre, will ofneir productions fpom Monday' (25) through Feb. 6 .. . Robert Carr has been upped to treasurer of the Shubert Theatre, Boston, replacing the late Arthur Manley. : Frank Gershon has switched from the Hub Opera House boxoffice to the Shubert wicket ... The first in a series of “Show-Trains” for Boston out-of-town theatregoers attending “Guys and Dolls” will be run round-trip from Hyannis, Mass., Jan. 26. Stewart Cruikshank terminating his international revue, “Starlight for You,” as skedded at the Lyceum, Edinburgh, Jan. 23, and using its success as pattern for future shows ; ..Noel Coward operetta, “After the Ball,” based on Oscar Wilde's “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” opening at Liverpool March 1, With Mary Ellis, Vanessa Lee, Peter Graves, Graham Payn and Shamils Locke. Robert Helpmann megging, with Doris Zinkeisen doing decor. . > Scot audiences to see pre^London production of new Christopher Fry play, “The Dark Is Light Enough,” starring Dame Edith Evans, with James Donald and Frances Hyland also in lead parts. Peter Brook directing. ‘Lullaby’ Hits Sour Note In N. Haven With $4,500 • ‘Ainanac’ $40,(00, ‘His’ $21,600, ‘ OK ,900, PhMly Chi With $30,000 Chicago, Jan. 19. Biz lagged again last week at the. five theatres lighted here. With the huge Furniture Mart Windy City, traffic failing to spark legit grosses the past twro weeks, storm signals may break out within the next few frames for some of the current quintet. Estimates for Last Week Evening With Beatrice Lillie, Blackstone (3d wk) ($4.40; 1,358). Bordering $26,000. , Good Nile Ladies, Great North| era (3d wk) ($430; 1,500). Holding at 811,700. Seven Year Itch, Erlanger (17th wk) ($5; 1.334), (Eddie Bracken V Over $21,500. Time Out for Ginger, Harris (1st wk) ($4; 1,000) (Melvyn Douglas). Notching $15,000. Wish Yon Were Here, Shubert (6th wk) ($5; 2,100). Just $30,000. Ballet Theatre $40,800 In Split-Stand Week Ballet Theatre, out on its best tour yet boxofficewise, racked up a healthy $40,800 last week in a series of splits. Sunday matinee (10) in Detroit garnered $7,300. ] Next came four guarantee dates: ! Grand Rapids, $3,900; and Kalamazoo, Highland Park, 111., and Springfield, $3,700 each. Indian j a polls Friday (15) was" a capacity J $7,100 and two in Cincy Sunday, also capacity, hit $11,400. Troupe this week is continuing its split stands. New Haven, Jan. 19. Premiere of “Lullaby” at Shubert last week (14-16) hit the double snag of season’s worst weather and only moderately favorable word-ofmouth. On four shows at $3.60 top, overall take was light at $4,500, Boxoffice draws a. blank this week while “Girl in Pink Tights” stages final rehearsals here. Next. _ . ... < * week gets a full stanza of the ' Despite Inclement weather most t musical. „ : of last w'eek, biz began to move out : ■ I of the post-New Year’s doldrums. ! j B.o. receipts during the past ses' [sion edged towards normal and in (practically all cases grosses were j above previous stanza's takes. Last week’s only opener, “Star-.'' . cross Story,” closed after its ini f ( tial performance Wednesday ( 13>, ; Other departures were the longrun 1 “South Pacific” and “End as a Philadelphia, Jan. 19. Beth shous closed S,lur-; Billy Rose’s experimental $2 top | aa^ ... . . lor the tryout run of "The Itn , Opening this week are Conomoralist” at the Forrest succeeded ’ lanus and “Caine Mutiny Court in attracting an audience for the * Martial.” Former offering bowed new Play, although local staffers ' yesterday /TuesJ, w hile latter don’t, figure show to pull its weight | precnis tonight ‘• ♦» edJ. ( financially, even with a sellout. Estimates, for Last Week “Immoralist” received an okay Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), press reception, with subject mat CD c Comedy-Drama ), R (Revue), , ter ^id pop scale proving strong \ MC (Musical Comedy), MD (Musi! b°5°?Ce ,lure* ... feat Drama), O (Open). Bad notices and poor public ret ~eption hurt “Mardi Gras” at the l parenthetic designations Locust. Show is braving a second 1 rel*T> respectively, .o top prices; week, however. Walnut relights ? number of seats, capacit y gross and tonight (Tuesj with “Lullaby ” I rior*. Price includes 20' b amusehew comedy by Don Appell which * ment tax, but grosses are net; i.e., stars Mary * Boland. i exclusive of tax. Estimates for Last Week Can-Can, Shubert »37th wk* The Immoralist, Forrest »lst wk) I iMC-57.20; 061; S50.160): Almost (D-l. 760; $2.60) 'Louis Jourdan, f $50,400 (previous week, $50 700). Geraldine Page). 'Ruth and AUgus1 Dial M for Murder, Booth t63rd tus Goetz adaptation of Andre j wk; >D-$4X0; 766; $20,801 / iXIauGide’s study of the home life of a nee Evans). Cher $11,700 fprevitalented homo. Critics didn't play Dus week, $14,700*, closes Feb, 27 down the touchy subject matter, | to tour; and heavy ad campaign and gen-rl erall press, reception showed results, with $17^00. World-Telegram ; McClain. JournalAmerican) and five negative reviews (Atkinson. Times; Chapman, News; Coleman, Mirror; Kerr, Herald Tribune; Watts, Post); Grossed around $4,000 for single performance and closed at a loss of about $26,000; Tea and .Sympathy, Barrymore (16th wki (D-$6-$4.80; 1.060; $28300) (Deborah Kerr*. Almost $28,* 600 (previous week, $28,700*. Teahouse -ot the August Moon, Beck (14th wk» ‘C-SC-S4.80; 1.214; $31,681) (David Wayne, John Forsythe). Nearly $31,800. with gross held down by two theatre parties (previous week, $32,000 >. Wonderful Tows, Winter Garden «46th wki |MC-|7.20; 1.510; $54.173» 'Rosalind Russell). Over $47,200 (previous week. $45,000). Owning this Week Corioianos. Phoenix < D-S3; 1.1 50; $15,Q00>. T. Edward Hambleton & Norris Houghton (Phoenix Theatre) production of drama by Shaker speare: opened last night (Tues. ». Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Plymouth tD-$6-$4.80; 1,062; $29,815) ‘Henry Fonda, John Hodiak, Lloyd Nolan L Paul Gregory production of a dramatization ; by Herman Wouk of a sequence from his own bestsellier; ojpens tonight iWed.1. End as a Man, Lyceum fHth wk' I (D-$4.80; 995; $22345" (Ben Gaz„ .. r t-TL. (aara».‘ Around $5,000 ‘previous 1 VWi* k nSt ! closed Ssuirdij > 16, down uniformly. Under $5,000. IN 2 ‘Moon’ $18,500, St. Louis; ‘Ramshackle’ $9,D00 St. Louis, Jan. 19. “The Moon is Blue” wound up at the American Theatre Saturday 1 16), scaled to $3.66, for a good gross of $18,500. "Twin Beds” comes in Sunday (24) for a week and “Porgy and Bess” is due Feb. «• ZaSu Pitts in “Ramshackle Inn” closed a one-week frame, a new policy, at the Empress Theatre Sunday (17) with an estimated gross. Of $9,000. “Arsenic and Old Lace.” with Bela Lugosi, tees off a week's stand tonight (Tues.), with the usual $2.50 top prevailing. Shows in Rehearsal Keys: C (Comedy) g D (Drama), CD ( Comedy-Drama ), R (Revue), MC ( Musical Comedy), MD (Musical Drama), O (Operetta) 4 Burning Glass (D) Theatre Guild & John C. Wilson, prods.; Luther Kennett, dir.; Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Lucille Watson, stars. By the Beautiful Sea (M) — Robert Fryer & Lawrence Carr, prods.; Charles Walters, dir.; Shirley Booth, star. Mv 3 Angels (Road) (C)— Leland Harvard, prod.; Ben Kranz, dir.; Walter Slezak, star. Ondlne (CD)— Playwrights’ Co.. ! prod.; Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontaine, i dirs ; Audrey Hepburn, Mel Ferrer, ! stars. I Winner (C> Plaj^vrights* Co., prod.; Elmer Rice, dir.; Joan Tetze!, , Tom Helmore, stars. \ : \ derstood to have lost its Entire in; vestment of about $45,000. ; Fifth Season. Cort »52nd wk) ‘C j 1 $4.80; 1,056; $25,227) Menasha i Skulnik, Richard Wborf . Ov er ; $22,600 (previous week. $21,600 '. i His and Hers, 45th Street 2nd _ . „ ; . j , ! wk* ‘C-S4.80; 925: $22327/ Celeste Daytona Beach, Jan. 19. . Holm. Robert Preston). Almost “Oklahoma” took in almost $31.; $21,600 ‘previous week $14300 for 400 last week, splitting perform : first four performances and . two ances between the War Memorial { previews). Auditorium. Ft. Lauderdale, and [ In the Sommer Honse. Playthe Peabody Auditorium here. : house '3rd wk) »D-$6-$4.80: 999: Take at former in four perform; S23300) «Judith Anderson*. Neariy ances MondayWednesday 1 1 1 -1 3) $13 .000 • previous week. Sll.OOOi was over $11,800. Musical pulled \ John Murray Anderson's Almain almost $19,600 in its four shows *nae. Imperial ‘6th wk; R-*$7.20: 1.here Thursday-Saturday k14-16‘. ' 400; $50300). Over $40,600 pre Tuner is currently at the Na: vious week, S3" 300". tional, Washington. I Kind Sir, Alvin tilth wk1 C-SS* ^ $4.80; 1.331; $39,460) » Mary Mar 9 eoi TAA P!_._ tin. Charles Boyer . Almost S29. fOOO /previous week. $28,400). n i m ’.1 King and I. St. James ‘147th wk) Desoite Bad Weather ijy: »i.?i7.» nui vau T* “t“v1 j Brynner*. Over $25,500 (previous Cincinnati, Jan. 19. | week. $25,200% Closes April 10; “South Pacific” grossed $31.700 : Kismet, Ziegfeld 7th •■wk) ‘MDlast week in the 2.500-seat Taft at ( $7^o; 1.628; $57308) (Alfred $4.31 top. a pleasing figure in face * Drake). Topped $57,100 'previous of terrible weather for two nights. 1 week. $57,100). It was the musical's fourth week * Mile. Colombe. Longacre 2nd and third trip here in less than ; wk» (CD-$6-$4.80; 1.048: $26,817) two years. * ‘Julie JHarris. Edna Best'. Ao . "Moon Is Blue” is current in the proached $23 200 ‘previous week. 1 .3CM>-seat Cox and will stay on . §17.600 for first five performances next week. Top is $3.69. 'and one preview*. — — ~ ; Me and JnHet, Majestic '34th RAftlciiur Pirkq Un wk* fMC-S730; 1.510: $5S 000*. BOOKing OKea riCKS ip .Over $34,000 previous week. Sharply for Pitt Nixon i $3i;ooo). r J Oh, Men: Oh. Women. Miller Boston. Jan. 19. In spite of last week's heavy snowstorms, both Hub legits fared very strong at the boxoffice. "Confidential Clerk” opened Monday IL at. the Colonial to favorable notices and wound Week with a very* satisfactory gross. Estimates for Last Week Confidential Clerk, Colonial (1st wk* '$4.80; 1300» ina Claire, Claude Rains, Joan Greenwood). Picked up dnrisg the week to a healthy $26300. Final Week Is current. Gays and Dolls, Shubert "1.700; $6. Frl-Sai,; $430 other nights) 3d wki. Continues at sellout $43,600. ■ ‘PORGY’ WINDS 4-WEEK Pittsburgh. Jan. t i5*h _ 4 . l9_.. ! wk* fC-$6-$4.80; 920; $23,000) Nixon Theater, where Jfgit ; ,Franch0t Tone’. Nearly $22,000 prospects looked pretty dark a : (previous week, $20,700*. short time ago. is gradually filling 1 Picnic, Music Box »47th wk* sCDup with reviv als and returns and | $£$4. 80; 997; $27,534*. Over $17.may now make a pretty respectable r300 tprevious week, $15,900). Washington. Jan. 19. “Pdrgy and Bess*’ wound up a four-week stand at the National Theatre last week with a big $29.500 ‘including tax) for the final stanza. Final three performances saw every seat and the limit of standing room sold, with turnaways from the boxoffice. . “Oklahoma” moved into the National last night «Mon,« for a single v.eek with good advance. House manager Ed Plohn reported a strong advance for *• Confidential Clerk/’ new play opening next Monday. ' The Shubert Theatre continues dark, due to a shortage of available attractions. The holiday i Prescott Proposals, Broadhurst . with a two * (5th wk) (CD-$6-$4.80; 1.160: $29.“Tvvin Beds” 1 500* 1 Katherine Cornell). Almost $21,600 ‘previous week, $21,000*. , Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker, ! (3d wk) *C-$7.80; 1.027; season of it at that, season was bridged week engagement of at twofers. .1 The Leonard Altobell production \ " V.tawp 1 fnr »h i ‘Burgess Meredith. Martha played here for a fortnight last , Soott), Nearly $20,500 * previous spring, came in Monday. (18). 1 Next is "Porgy and Bess.” before heading for Europe. George ‘Moon Is Blue” comes week. $17300). Sabrina Fair, National (9th wk) (C-S6-S4.80; 1.172: $31 300* Margaret Sullavan, Joseph Cotten*. Brandt’s , . back Feb. 1. followed by the pre | Over $30,800 (previous week, Broadway tryout of Elmer Rice’s | $30,600). new’ one, "The Winner.” After that i Seven Year Itch; Fulton (61st it’ll be “Oklahoma” for a week be • wk) (C-$6-$4.80; 1.063; $24,400* ginning Feb. 15, vvith possibility of ; (Tom Ewell*. Nearly $23,l()0 (pre"My 3 Angels” on its heels. Only | vious week. $21,100). “Dial M for Murder” is set so far in March, but “South Patific" and "Guys and Dolls” will be back to virtually take up month of April. ‘Misalliance’ 14G, Del Detroit, Jan. 19. The long-dark Shubert relighted last week for "Misalliance,” starring Martyn Grten, and grossed Si 4.000. Comedy stays this week. Top scale is $3.60 in the 1,050-seat house, Thp 1.482-seat Cass closed. Solid Gold Cadillac, Belasco (11th wk) <C-$6-$4.80; 1 077: $28,300) (Josephine Hull*. Topped $28,200 (previous week, $28300). South Pacific, Broadway (242nd Wk) (MC-$6-$4.80: 1390; $44,000' (Martha Wright. George Britton*. Oyer $40,700 (previous week, $28,000); closed Saturday ' (.16 > after 1,925 performances at a profit of over $1,600,000 on a $225,000 investment. Starcross Stor>', Royale (1st wk,* (D-S6-S430; 1.035; $31,000) <Eva I Le Gallienne, Mary Astor*. Opened remains j and closed lari Wedhesd«iy ti3* to I two favorable notices (Hawkins, ‘Faces’ Good $32,000, LA4 ‘Alive’ Moves Up to $4,300 Los . Angeles. Jan. 19. Local legit biz picked up steam last week, both of the current offerings reporting better grosses. “Alive,” which liad been slated to close Saturday '16* after a pallid 17-day run, moved up to $4300 at Las Palmas. Theatre and stays another week. “Npw Faces” notched a very good $32,000 at the 1.636-seat Biltmore in its second frame. Current ‘final) stanza should jump, since tix are free of the Theatre Guild cutrate subscription setup. O&J ‘Nite’ $14,000; ‘Hanre^’ $8,000, Frisco San Francisco, Jan. 19. Post-holiday slump plus rain dampened legit biz. Estimates for Last Week Oh, Wotta Nile, Curran *2d wk) $4.20; 1.758) (Olsen & Johnson'. Still fair $14,000;. previous week, same. . Harvey, Geary (3d wk) *$3.60; 1,550* 'Frank Fay). Under $9,000; previous week, same.