Variety (June 1954)

Wednesday, June SO, 1954 *• < Minneapolis, June 20. As a press stunt for “Born Yes- terday,’* which deals With Wash- ington politicos, Phil Gelb, co-man- aging director of the newly-opened Star Playhouse, suburban little theatre, interviewed by telegraph three Minnesota members of" Con- gress and Richard Wilson, chief of the Minneapolis Star; and Tribune' newspapers’ capitol bureau, regard- ing Congressmen’s honesty. The interviewees agreed that “the great majority of Congress members are hpnest.’’ The play concerns, among other things, cor- ruption in the nation’s lawmaking body. ’ . In his telegrams to Sen, H. H. Humphrey, Reps. Eugene Mc- Carthy and Roy W, Wier and Wil- son, Gelb said: “In our play, 'Bom Yesterday,’ alb about Washington politicos, a big money man says ’that’s some fine Senator you bought me. I’d like to trade him in.’ His lawyer answers that ’they’re not all for sale. That’s the trouble with this town—too many honest men in it/ ” Gelb asked for a reply, collect, as to “whether you agree.’’ Senator Humphrey .replied that his respect for public servants’ in- tegrity has increased as his experi- ence with them has become more extensive. Rep^ McCarthy asserted ’’the great majority of the mem- bers of Congress are- honest.*’ In Rep. Wier's opinion there’s more honesty in government than busi- ness, while Wilson asserted that “generally speaking, politicians are honest.’’ The yarn got a good play in the Minneapolis Star. Lombardo Versatile Guy With Sock New Musical Splash at Jones Beach Canadian-born Guy Lombardo is developing into Long Island’s (N.Y.) No. 1 citizen. He operates a popular eatery in Freeport, he races his Speedboat around the Sound and now he’s produced one of the most lavish extravangazas to hit Jones Beach Marine Theatre. Tagged “Arabian Nights,’’ it’s a sure bet to drag the natives and tourists of Bagdad-on-the-Shbway to Bagdad-on-the-Water during the hot summer season. What the production lacks in Script and score, Lombardo has compensated for 10-fold in trap- pings. Who needs a yock when you’ve got a floating whale? And why bother with a . plot when there is a ’’Disappearing Water Ballet?’* Add to this a sailing boat, finale fireworks display, exquisite costuming, intricate and effective lighting, and you have an eye- delight that’ll be hard to beat. You’ve also got a $260,000 produc- tion tab that’ll be hard to retrieve. Production is operating on. a $46,- 000 weekly nut with a grossing capacity of $120,000 a week if it’s all SRO and if there are no rain- checks. George Marion Jr. is ho Sche- herazade. His tale is a jumbled affair that does nothing more than set the locale. He moves from Bag- dad to China to the sea for no ap- parent reason and with the inter- polation of trite little topical jokes. References to Pvt. Schine, (Continued on page 58) _ ■ 0 ‘ WILMINGTON STRAND TO BE BARN THIS SUMMER Strand T h qa t r e , Wilmington, Del., will function as a strawhat- ter this summer under the man- agement of M. Allen Lewis, Martin 5 an< * Day Tuttle. House, P^ sea * er be SCfl l e d at a $1.50 top, providing a capacity of $7,500 per week, Operation will employ a mini- mum of 10 Equity members and wilr not use stars. Among presen- tations to be offered ,at the theatre is a tryout of Justin Sturm’s “Re- union '54,’* which will begin a tour there July 6. Lee Bowman, Tom Helmore, Kyle McDonnell and George Matthews will head the cast. Of the producing trio, Lewis was associated with Hall Shelton the last few summers in the latter’s Theatre, London, Ont. Stambler will handle the financial end of the operation and Tuttle is a Vet stock producer-director* 19th Cent. English Melo In Canadian 1-Niters Ottawa, June 29. A “road tour” of one-niters in small holiday resorts in the Gati- neau Hills opened last Thursday (24) in Aylmer, Que., near the w.k, Gatineau Club. Tryout is an 1863 English melo, “Lady Audley’s Se- cret; or The Wages of Sin,’’ a copy .of which was recently dug up here. The Barnstormers, group hoping to shape up for an Ottawa stand, include three who have acted with Canadian Repertory Theatre. They are Joyce Spencer, Gladys Sproule and Jack McCreath (who wrote, composed and directed a musical, “Stars in Our Eyes,” here last fall). Director is Peter Sturgess, onetime understudy to Robertson Hare of London’s Aidwych Theatre. ‘Giant’io Step “Take a Giant Step,” Louis Peterson drama that drew critical attention on Broadway last fall, is scheduled for London production this season. It will be presented by Lynn Gordon, who was asso- ciated with the formation of the Equity Library Theatre and has re- cently been active in legit invest- ment. Deal for the West End presenta- tion had been delayed because of a complication over the film rights to the play.' Barry Hyams, who pressagented the Broadway pro- duction, had an option on the screen rights, but it expired re- cently, so Mrs. Gordon is going ahead with the London plans, working through Kitty Black, of, the Curtis-Brown office in England. Louis Gossett, young Negro ac- tor who made his stage debut In the leading role n “Step” on Broad- way, will play, the same part in London, if necessary arranagments can be made. Lad has a four-year scholarship at N. Y. U., which is being asked to okay an exchange scholarship with the Royal Acad- emy of Dramatic Art, London.. British Equity has indicated tenta- tively that such a setup would be acceptable, and if everything else can be worked out, Gossett’s draft board will be asked to give him a year’s deferment. NOW IT’S JODY EVELYN WHO HAS BARN FESTIVAL This could be another “trend.” Now it’s Judith Evelyn who’s starring in' a “festival” of four strawhat productions. She’s thus following the exampld of Helen Hayes this summer. Miss Evelyn will play the four- week stint (with two single-week in- terruptions) at the Jfvy Tower Play- house, Spring Lake, N. J. She opens next Monday (5) in ‘‘Pygmal-, ion,” then after the spot tries out Elaine Carrington's "Maggie, Pack Your Bags,”-Miss Evelyn plays the week of July 19 in ‘‘The Little Hut.” Ivy TOwer then has another non-Evelyn week, after which the actress comes back the week of Aug. 2 in a tryout of "Magic Morn- ing,’- by Thomas Phipps and Rus- sell Medcraft, and the week of Aug. 9 in “Constant Wife.”. Miss Hayes is doing the four- week cycle at the Falmouth Play- house, Coonamessett, Mass., also opening next Monday. Her vehi- cles will be, “What Every Woman Knows,” “Mrs. McThing,” “Wis- teria Trees” and “Mary of Scot- land,” then repeat the first two at Huntington Hartfords new Holly- wood Theatre and at a San Fran- cisco house. Jose Ferrer had a smash “festi- val” last winter at the N. Y. City Center, starring two-weeks each in revivals of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “The Shrike,” "Charlie’s Aunt” and “Richard III.” Louis Calhern played a number of successive weeks as guest star some seasons ago at the Bucks County Play- house, New Hope, Pa. Rea’s Chi Award Chicago, June 29. Beatrice Lillie today dues.) was given the Sarah Siddons Society statuette award as the outstanding actress of Chi’s 53-54 legit season for her performance in "An Eve- ning With Beatrice Lillie.” Pres- entation was made at the 1 annual award 9 party at the Ambassador East Hotel. James A. Hart, organ- izer of the society* and prez of the hotel, was host. Award last year was won by Helen Hayes for “Mrs. McThing.” n „ in > New Hope, Pa., June 29: “Aboard the Band Wagon,” a re- vival of “The Band Wagon,” with additional material from other Arthur Sch wartz-Ho ward Dietz shows, will try out at the Bucks County Playhouse here for two weeks beginning July 19. Howard Hoyt and Don Walkgr, who are producing the revue, hope to take it to Broadway in the fall. Leads will include Jerome Cow- an, Roddy McDowall, Louise Hoff, Tommy Wonder, Maggie Banks, Peter Conlow, Rain Winslow, An- nette Warren, ~Ray Mason, Lady Washington and Earl Burrows. Mervyn Nelson Is staging. Show will play Aug. 2-14 at the Grist Mill Playhouse, Andover, N. J. Michael Ellis, operating the Bucks County barn this summer, is figuring on continuing his sea- son through Nov, 27, with a four- week “festival” 6T new play, try- outs during October. Special Stage, Screen Dir. For Foreign Press Assn. To Cover Show Biz Held Pitch by foreign correspondents covering the entertainment field to get on- legit press lists, has taken on a new wrinkle. Foreign Press Assn, has set up a special,stage and screen section to represent members working the show biz beat. Formation of the group stemmed from the FPA’s contention that the Stage and Screen Foreign Press Club, organized over two years ago to deal with matters relating to legit and pix, is no longer com- posed of a genuine body of foreign correspondents. SSFPC was initially founded by FPA members and has been active in campaigning for the inclusion of foreign correspondents on legit press lists. However, the FPA now claims that non-theatrical corre- spondents have gotten, into the membership of the SSFPC. Former therefore organized its stage and screen section, which operates under the authority of the FPA’s | governing officers. FPA officers recently met with representatives of the Assn, of Theatrical Press Agents & Mana- gers and the League of N. Y. The- atres on various problems and. difficulties connected with cover- age of Broadway shows. A list of FPA members registered with the stage .and screen section has been compiled and broken down into four categories. These classifications include cov- ering regularly, filing by cable, etc.; covering regularly but not as day-to-day reviews; covering fairly regularly but mostly, in the form of columns or surveys; covering less regularly or only on special request from their editors, or in special cases. FPA-list numbers 63. Of 4$ active members ahd six associate members listed in a recently re- leased SSFPC directory, only 16 are included in the FPA roster. lost Colony’s’ 14th Greensboro, N. C., June 29. With a cast that contains many new faces this year, Paul Green’s symphonic drama, “The Lost Col- ony,” America’s longest-lived out- door production, began its 14th season in Waterside Theatre at Fort Raleigh on Roanoke Island Saturday (26). Director is Cliff Britton; super- visor, director Samuel Selden, and choreographer, John Lehman. Per- formances will be held each night i (except Mondays) through Sept. 5. LEGITIMATE 57 a f E. Healey Propping Barn ’Devil’ for Broadway Try “The Other Devil,” by Jacques Finke and Louis Pelletier, will be tried out week Of Aug. 23 at the. Pocono Playhouse, Mountainhome, Pa;, under, sponsorship of producer- onetime dancer Eunice Healey and Rowena Stevens, The latter oper- ates the Pocono barn. John O’Shaughnessy will stage the show, with a cast headed by Patricia Benoit. Miss Healey has until October to decide whether to produce the play on Broadway. Finke and Pelletier "are televi- sion writers, collaborating on "The F. B. I. in Peace and War,” and each has a new series due in the fall. A ‘Live ‘Mutiny Alphabetical ads in the New York dailies for “Caine Mutiny Court Martial” began last week to include a parenthetical statement, “in person,” over the names of the show’s three stars, Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak and Barry Sullivan. Change preceded the opening at the Capitol, N. Y., last Thursday (24) of Columbia’s film “The Caine Mutiny,” in which Humphrey Bo- gart, Jose Ferrer, Van Johnson and Fred MacMurray are top-featured. Both play and picture are adapted from Herman Wouk’s bestselling novel. Former was dramatized by the novelist himself and includes only the courtroom trial sequence, while the screenplay was by Stanley Rob- erts and covers the complete novel. Play is currently in its 23d standee- limit week at the Plymouth, N. Y., and a touring company is about to be sent out by producer Paul Gregory. Similar billing gimmick is being used by Robert Fryer and Law- rence Carr for “By the Beautiful Sea,” currently in its 13th week at the Majestic, N. Y. Situation is that Shirley Booth, star of the mu- sical, is also starred in “About Mrs. Leslie,” which opened last Sunday (27) at the Victoria. BETTY FERRELL TO G.M. CUBA’S A10NS0 BALLET Los Angeles, June 29. Betty Ferrell, exec secretary of the Moss, Haymah & Wilson Con- cert management firm for the last six years, leaves this week for Cuba to take over as general man- ager and public relations director of the Alicia Alonso Ballet Co. She’ll begin work immediately on the troupe’s upcoming five-month tour through^ South America. Before' joining Moss, Hayman Si Wilson, Miss Ferrell was associated with the late" E* H. Behymer. Alonso trek, which starts late next month, will cover seven South American countries. Price’s Coast-to-Coast ’Winslow Boy’ Stints Hollywood, June. 29. Instead of playing "The Win- slow Boy” for a two-week stand at La Jolla Playhouse, Vincent Price opens a one-week stand there to- night (Tues!) and flies to New Hampshire next weekend to do the play for'another fortnight. And all because he didn’t understand that in New England, discussions are tantamount to contracts. Price had had what he consid- ered informal discussions with Al- ton Wilkes of the Lakes Region Playhouse,. Laconia, N. H., regard- ing a two-week stand in “Winslow” beginning July 5. After the talks, he heard no more and okayed the La Jolla deal. Then Wilkes noti- fied Price that he considered the talks constituted a formal commit- ment and would hold the actor to the deal. So Price made arrangements for Edward Ashley to replace him at La Jolla next week and will fly east Sunday night at the conclu- sion of a one-week stint. Amount of agents’ commissions on film sales of legit plays is again an issue in producer and author circles. Matter hks been a hitch in the negotiations between the Dramatists Guild ahd the League of N. Y. Theatres. It has also been a key factor, in at least one recent producer-author contractual situa- tion. Issue is whether the author’s agdnt should collect a commission on the entire proceeds of a film sale of a play. Agents and a num- ber of authors believe the per- center should participate in the entire purchase price. Producers, however, argue that the agent should get a slice, off only the author’s end Of the sale, not on the producer’s portion. Herman Levin and .the firm of Cy Feuer and Ernest H, Martin are the produ0rs most strongly opposing the right of agents to get a commission on the entire sale. Their attitude is primarily related to musical shows, in which there’s apt to be a multiple authorship setup and the producer frequently has a major creative function. However, it also applies to straight plays. In the case of "Champagne Com- plex,” a three-character, single-set light comedy by Leslie Stevens, the agent’s commission clause was an important factor in the refusal of Levin to option the script. As a consequence, the William Morris agency submitted the play to Alex- ander H. Cohen, who signed the contract immediately and will pro- duce the show in association with Gayle Stine, who was partnered in the off-Broadway presentation of Stevens* “Bullfight” last season. On the question of an agent’s (Continued on page 60) Hebrew Actors Union’s Bronx House to Hypo Doddering Yiddish Legit The Elsmere Theatre, Bronx, N. Y., has been leased by the He- brew Actors Union, to become one in a chain of three local play- houses to be devoted to Yiddish stage productions beginning this fall. Lessee under the long-term lease is the Elsmere Theatrical Corp., headed by Israel Rosenberg. Deal for the 1,600-seat house was consummated through Berk & , Krumgold, brokers. Group has appointed Israel Ro- senberg and Vera Rosanko as co- directors of the Elsmere, a former Loew house, where they will pro- duce a series of dramas, comedies and musicals, each with a differ- ent cooperative troupe of Jewish stars, sponsored by the union, in a drive to reactivate the Yiddish- language theatre and also to create employment for its members. A new policy to be established there calls for a complete change of programs, casts and directors every other week, instead of the. usual stock companies; CAN. BARN FESTIVAL HITS $120,000 FUND GOAL Stratford, Ont., June 29. The Stratford Shakespearean Festival, which last night (Mon.) opened its second season of classic revival repertory, has just success- fully concluded a fund drive for $120,000. By raising $80,000 from Canadian sources, the project ob- tained a. $40,000 grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. Festival campaign chairman John Anderson revealed that $38.- 656 of the coin was raised .in. Strat- ford itself, with other contribu- tions from Toronto, -Montreal, Hamilton. L o n d o n, Kitchener, Woodstock, Owen Sound and other Canadian towns and-donations of $10,000 from the Atkinson Founda- tion and $3,000 from T. Eaton Co. Altogether, including the Rocke- feller grant, the campaign has raised $121,980, and is continuing. James Mason, Frances Hyland and- Douglas Campbell are the leads in “Measure for Measure,’ which opened the season last night: “Taming of the Shrew” preems tonight (Tues.), with “Oedipus Rex” being added to the repertory July 15. Alec Guinness and Irene Worth costarred last season in “Richard III” ahd “All’s Well That Ends Well.”