Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday, November T 17, tEGrTDlATfe 1 5 Boston, Nov, 16, -4- Plenty of legit action here these days. All leglters, with the excep- tion of the Majestic, were lighted last week. “On With the Show,” in for three tryout weeks at the Shubert; received only sb-So notices,- with biz not too strong. '‘Portrait of a Lady,’’ which bowed Thursday (11> at the Colonial for a pre-Broadway tuneup; fared well at the b.o. and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, in a ingletoh at the Opera House, was b.o. surprise on twofers. Final week of the tryout “Living Room,” at the Plymouth, surged ahead of the initialer. “One Eye Closed,” another pre-Broadwayer, opened fairiy strong Saturday (13) at the Wilbur; Lone newcomer this week is "Black-Eyed Susan,” com- edy, starring Vincent Price; which bowed last night (Mom) at the Plymouth for a two-week tryout. Future bookings include. Nov. 29, “Hello, Pared,” Majestic, two. weeks; ‘-Caine Mutiny Court Mar- tial,” Colonial, one week, and Jose Greco, Shubert, one week. '..Estimates for Last Week Gentlemen Prefer B1 o n d e s, Opera House (one wk) ($3.85; 3,- 000V., Substantial $30,000 ort two- fers; house is dark. Living Room, Plymouth (2d wk) ($3.85; 1,200) (Barbara Bel Geddes), Off the - Subscription list, climbed tq over $24,70.0; moved on to Broadway. On With the Show, Shubert (1st wk) ($4.40-$5.50> 1.700) (Irra. Pe- tina). Fairish $20,000. Portrait of a Lady, Colonial ($4.95-$4.40; 1,500) Jennifer Jones), First four performances pulled $18,500; final week is current. Shows in ,. Keys : G (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy-Drama ), R.(Revue ), MC (Musical Comedy), MD (Musi cal Drama), O. (Operetta),. Anastasia (D) — Elaine Perry, Prod,; Alan Schneider, Dir.; Viveca Lindfors, Eugenie Leonto- vich, stars. . Dafk Is Light Enough (Di- Katharine Cornell, prod.; Guthrie McClintic, dit.; .Miss - Cornell, Ty- rone Power, stars. Hello, Paree (R)—William L. Taub,, prod.; Mervyn Nelson, Dir. House of Flowers (M)—Saint Subber, prod.; Peter Brook, dir.; Pearl Bailey, star. :. Plain & % Fancy (M)—rRichard Kollmar—James W. Gardiner-—. Yvette Schuirier, prod:; Morton Da Costa, dir. Silk Stockings (M)—Cy Feuer & Ernest H. “Martin, prods.; George S. Kaufman, dir.; Hildegarde Neff, Don Ahieche, stars. , , - Witness For the Prosecution (D) —Gilbert Miller, Peter Saunders, prods.; Robert Lewis, dir, Chicago, Nov. 16. Biz at the two Loop legitets im- proved again last week, aided by an influx of oil industry conven- tioneers. There are two openings this week. . Future bookings include Nov, 23, “King and I,” Shubert, subscrip- tion', run; Nov. 29, “Pajama Tops.” Blackstone, tWofer, run; Dec. 6, “Oh Men, Oh Women,” Harris, sub- scription, run. . Estimates for Last Week Mrs. Patterson, Harris (5th wk) ($5; 1,000) (Eartha Kitt). Over $20,000 (previous week, $21,900); tryout exits: Nov. 27 fon Broadway. Wonderful Town, Shubert (19th wk) ($4.60; 2,100) (Carol Chan- ning). Almost $31,700 (previous week, $29,400); resumes tour Nov. 27. "* Opening This Week Fifth Season, Erlanger, ($3.50; 1.300) (Chester Morris, Joseph Buloff). Opened last night (Mon.) with mild advance; received one niiidly favorable review (Murray, American) and three pans (Kogan, Sun-Times; Harris, News; Raven, Tribune). ‘Bad Seed’ $5,000 in 3 “Bad -Seed,” with Nancy Kelly starring, grossed about $5,000 in a three-performance. breakin at the Court Square, Springfield, Mass., List Friday-Saturday (12-13). Playwrights Co. production of tile Maxwell Anderson - William March drama,continuing its try- out tour this, week at the Shubert, Washington.' Teach’ Mild $5,400 for 4 In Wilmington Tuneup Wilmington, Nov. 16. ‘Flowering Peach,” new Clifford ets play, drew a mild $5,400 in four tryout performances last Thursday-Saturday at. the 1,223- seat Playhouse.' Show moved from, here to Baltimore. Next Playhouse booking is a try- out of “Hello Paree,” opening Nov. 24 for five performances. Philadelphia, Nov. 16. “South Pacific” kept rolling last week in the seventh inning of its run at the Forrest. Othet current shows were ‘‘Getting Gertie's Gar- ter” at the Locust, and “The World of Sholem Aleichem” at the Wal- nut Next week-Will find all five legit houses lighted here for first time in years. Lineup, will, include "South Pacific” and “Getting Gertie's Garter,” plus Mask and Wig Club’s “Tempest in a Teapot” at the Locust, “Lunatics and Lov- ers,” at the ..Walnut and “House of Flowers,” opening Nov;. 24 at the Erlanger. either scheduled dates Include Nov, 26; .‘‘Silk Stockings,” tryout, ["Shubert; four weeks; Nov; 29 “Blkck-Eyed Susan,” tryout, Lo- cust, two weeks; Dec. 6, “Anas- tasia,” tryout, Walnut, ttyo weeks; Dec.. 25, “Grand Prize,” tryout. Lo- cust, two week?. r Estimates for Last Week South Pacific, Forrest, (MD) (7th wk) ($4.80; 1,760) (Iva Withers, Webb Tilton). Demand , has slack ened a bit, but still plenty profit- able; $37,000. Getting Gertie’s Garter, Locust (C) (2d wk) ($3.60; 1,580). (Comedy revival in on twofers perked to $13,000, previous week was under- quoted; correct gross topped $10,- 000; current week is final. World of Sholom Aleichem, Wal- nut (D) (2d wk) ($4.20; 1,340) (Jacob Ben-Ami, Morris Carnov- sky). Advance sale to parties will keep, this one running through skedded three weeks ending next Saturday (20); got nearly $16,000 last week; previous week’s take was $12,600. ‘Breakfast’ Just Warm; 12^G in Wash. Tryout Washington, Nov. 16. , Second arid final week of “Wed- ding Bfekkfast” brought a sq^so $12,500 at the National Theatre, making; a total of $24,700 for the full two-week run of the Broad-, way-bound play. This week, the National is doing virtually capacity business with a single week Of Deborah Kerr in “Tea and Sympathy,’) which was equally strong in its pre-Broadway tryout here. Shubert Theatre,, dark last - week, has a single week of “Bad Seed,” on its way to New York. Deborah's ‘Tea’ $35,144, New Balto B.O. Record Baltimore, Nov. 16. Deborah Kerr ; in “Tea And Sym- pathy” last week shattered the Ford’s Theatre straight play record formerly held by Henry Fonda in “Point Of No Return.” At a $4.40 top, the Robert Anderson drama grossed a giant $35,144 oh Guild- ATS subscription.. Menasha Skulnik in “The Flow- ering Peach” is current as the first Broadway-bound tryout locally since an item .called “Doctor Social” in 1947, New Clifford Odets comedy is on GuildrATS subscription; as is next week's “The Bad Seed.” ’ 9G, Frisco San Francisco, Nov, 16. Legit’s indian summer in Frisco continued to glow last week with three Bouses open and, plenty of boxoffice action. ;"What Every 1 Woman Know?” continued at a steady pace at the Curran, while “Face To Face,” the program of readings by Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, built on good w.o.m, publicity. “That’s Life,” the revue from L.A. with a group of non-names, opened to mixed notices, but appears likely to see some action. Future bookings: include: Nov, 22, Dublin Players, .Geary, two weeks, and Dec. 6, "Tirive Out for Ginger,” Curran, four; weeks, sub- scription. Estimates for Last Week What Every Woman Knows, Curran (3d wk) ($3.85; 1,758) (Helen Hayes). Good $27,000 after previous week’s $29,000. Face to Face, Geary (2d, wk) ($3.85; 1,550) (Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn).. Almost $14,9.00 for the closer, after an opening week’s $10,50.0. That’s Life, Alcazar ($4-$3.50; 1,147), . This revue with a non- name cast, opened Tuesday: (9); to mixed notices and got about $9,000. ‘SEASON’ NICE 16G, ’ $16,200 in Roch. Rochester, Nov. 16.. Initial engagement of the tour- in “Pajama Tops,” at the Audi- torium here last week, drew nearly 16.200. Show, operating on two- fers eliminated; matinees in favor of IwO evening performances both Friday (12) and .Saturday (13). Showings were at 7 and 0:30 p.m. Farce, is current at tB Cox, Cincinnati.' ‘Susan’ Healthy $8,400 (4) In Hartford Launching 1 Hartford, Nov. 16. In a four-pprformance tryout, last Thursday-Saturday (11-13) the new A. B. Shiffriri comedy, “Black- Eyed Susan,” garnered an adequate $8,400 gross at the Parsons Thea- tre here at a $3.80 top. Gordon W, Pollock, James Goodman and Everett Hart production, starring Vincent Price, is continuing its tryout in Boston. “School* For Brides” -is current for a full week on twofers. Pittsburgh, Nov.: 16., Relighting the Nixon after a fortnight’s shutdown, “Fifth Sea-; son” gave the local legit house okay biz last week at. $16,000, Broadway comedy hit started off slowly but picked up almost im- mediately pn the set of excellent notices: and hit the: home stretch clgse to capacity. Mid-week mat- inee on the holiday Thursday (11), instead of customary Wednesday, might have helped attendance, as crowds jammed the Golden Tri- angle and the show could perhaps: have practically sold. out. Top for “Fifth Season” was $3.60 ($3 plus 10% Federal and 10% City tax) except; Friday and Saturday nights, when it went to $4.20 ($3.50 plus the levies). House is currently dark, but reopens next Monday (22) with “Wonderful Town” for two weeks, then shutters for another stanza before Deborah Kerr in “Tea and Sympathy” comes ih Dec. 13. ‘Caine’ $13,900, Toronto In Tour’s Worst Week Toronto, Nov. 16. Despite press raves, “Cairte Mu- tiny Court Martial,” starring Paul Douglas, Wendell Corey and Steve Brody, dove to-a bad $13,900 last week for worst stanza, in the com- pany’s 18-weeks’ tour. Royal Alex- andra, 1,525-seater, was. scaled at., a $4 top, tax included., Apart from big press campaign, dip was blamed.on the simultaneous three- weeks’ run of “Caine Mutiny” film. On its 12th local visit. “Okla- homa” opened last night (Mon.) to a $13,000 advance at the Royal Alexandra, at a $3.50 top. ‘Moon’ Wanes to $12,000 For First Week, Detroit Detroit, Nov. 16. “Moon Is Bllie” grossed an in- digo $12,000 last week, in the first semester of a fortnight’s stay at the 2,050-seat Shubert. Top was $3.85 Saturday nights, $3.30 week- nights. . “Oh Men, Oh Women” is in its first of two weeks at the 1,482-seat Cass, at a $3.85 top. Other dates are Nov, 29, "Tea and Sympathy,” Shubert, two Weeks; “Seven Year Itch,” Cass, one Week; Dec. 6, “Dark Is Light. Enough,” tryout, Cass, two weeks. Broadway zoomed last week; Re- ceipts at only one show fell below the previous session’s take, while jumps were as much as $4,500 for a musical and $4,400 for a straight play, ' : Biz is continuing- to. streak ahead of previous years. Last week’s to- tal take for all shows was $706,700; highest tally of the season thus far; As of last Saturday (13) the. total gross for the first 24 weeks of the season was $643,500 ahead of the corresponding period of 1953-54. For the past four weeks total receipts have topped, the $600:000 mark, the only time they have done so: for that period in the eight | years, that Variety has been, tabu- lating the totals. Biggest boxoffice booster last week , was “Fanny,” which in Its first full week pulled in a capacity $65,927; a new high for a regular Broadway show. • “Quadrille,” also in its first full week- Was: sellout: Other, entries that went clean were “Boy -Friend,” “Pajama Game” and “Teahouse of the August Moon,”, ; There Were no openings last week.. Two shows,: “All Summer Long” arid “Oh Men, Oh Women” closed,, with lattey currently tour- ing. Preeming this week are “The Living Room” tonight (Wed.), “Abie'S Irish Rose” toinorrow night (Thurs.) and “Wedding Breakfast” Saturday night (20); “.Traveling Lady” is slated to close next Satur- day (20), with “Fragile Fox” tenta- tively scheduled to wind up on that date also. Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy); D (Drama) i CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue),. MC (Musical-COmedy) , MD (MV si-; cal-Drama)O (Opera), OP (Op- eretta); Other parenthetic : designations refer, respectively, to weeks played, number of performances through last Saturday, top prices, number, of seats, capacity gross and sfrirs. Price includes 10% Federal and 5% City tax, but' grosses are. net:-. i.e., exclusive of tax. All Summer Lone, Booth (D) (8th wk; 60; $5;75-$4.60; 766; $22,- 000), Nearly $8,600 (previous Week. $7,000); closed last Saturday (13 > at an approximate loss of its full. $65,000; investment. Anniversary Waltz, Broadhurst (C) (32d Wk; 251; $4.60; 998; $28.- 000) (Macdonald Carey, Kitty Carl- isle), Almost $22,800 (previous week, $18,900); moves Dec. 6 to the. Booth. Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (7th wk; 52; $6.90; 1,172; . $38,200). Over capacity again, $38,300. By the Beautiful Sea, Imperial (MC) (32d wk; 252; $6.98; 1,400; $50,000) .(Shirley Booth), Almost $25,000 (previous week, $20,500); closes Dec, 18. Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Plymouth (D) (43d .wk; 340; $5.75- $4.60- $33,331) (Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiakr, Barry Sullivan). Over $29,900 (previous week, $28,900); Can-Can, Shubert (MC) (80t.h wk; 636; $690; 1,361; $50,160). Just $49,000 (previous week, $46,- 600)., Dear Charles. Morosco (C) (9th \yk; 69; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60: $29,850) (Tallulah Bankhead). Over $28,- 600 (previous week, $26,600). Fanny, Majestic (MD). (2d wk; 12; $7.50; 1,510; $65,300) (Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezakh .Drew the legal. limit of 30 standees at all performances arid set a new gross record, for a regular Broadway, show at $65,927: already huge ad- vance sale ' building -(previous week, oyer capacity $50,300 for the first four performances and two previews). Fragile Fox, Belasco (D) (5th wk; 39; $5.75;-$4,60: 1,077; $28,300) (Dane Clark, Don Taylor). Nearly $13,500 (previous week, $10,200); tentatively scheduled to close next Saturday (20), with “Flowering Peach” due to. come in either Dec. 21 or Dec. 28. King of Hearts, National (Cv (33d wk; 258; $5.75-$4.60; 1,172; $31,300) (Donald Cook, Jackie Cooper). Almost $14,000 on two- fers (previous week, $13,600). Closes Nov-. 27. Kismet, Zipgfeld (OP) (50th wk; 396; $6.90; 1,528; $57,908) (Alfred Drake), Nearly $56,700 (previous week, $53,200). Oh Men, Oh Women, Milter (C) (48th wk; 390; $5.75-$4.60; 920: $23,248) (Lloyd Bridges). Over $10,900 (previous ’cpk, $8,900); closed last.Saturday (13) at an ap- 1 proximate profit of $36,000 on a $70,000 investment; began touring Monday (15) with Ralph Bellamy as star. On Your Toes, 46th St. (MC) (5th Wk; : 40; $8.05-$6.90; 1.319; $48(547) (Vera Zorina, Bobby Van). Almost $34,300 .( revious week, $40,200). Pajama .Game, St. James (MC) (27th Wk; 212;. $6.90; 1.571; $51,717) (John Raitt, Janis Paige, Eddie Foy, Jr, Capacity again, over $52, 100 , Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) (4lh wk; 29; $6.90; 1,510; $57,500) (Mary Martin). Over $55,300 (pre- vious week, $51,000). Quadrille, Coronet (C) (2d wk;. 14; $6,90-$5.75-$4.60; 1*027; $30,- 000) (Alfred Lunt; Lynn Fontarine, Edna Best. Brian Aherne). Capacity at over $29,700, with Theatre Guild subscription cutting into take (pre-. vious week, $27,700; for first performances.and one preview). . Rainmaker, Cort (D) (3rd wk; 20; $5.75-$4.60; 1,056; $29,000) (GeraL dine Page). Over $18,200 (previous week, $18*000),. Reclining Figure, Lyceum <C) (6ih. wk; 44; $5.75-$4.60; 995; $23,- 389), Almost:' $17,400 (previous week; $16,100)., Seven Year Itch, Fulton (C) (104th wk: 829; $5.75-$4.60; 1,063; $24,000) iElliott Nugent). Nearly $21,600 (previous wdek, $18,800). Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box (C) (54th wk; 429; $5.75-$4,60; 1.077; $27,811). Almost $22,200 (previous week, $17,800). Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore (D) (59lli wk; 469; $5.75-$4.60; 1.214: $28,300) (Joan Fontaine). Nearly $21,200 (previous. Week, $18,600),. Teahouse of the August Moon, Beck (,C) 1 57 th wk; 460; $6.22- $460; 1,214; $33,608) (Burgess Meredith, Scott McKay). Capacity again, over $34,000. Tender Trap, Longacre (C) (5th wk; 37; $5.75-$4.60; 1,048; $26^317) (Robert. Preston, Kim Hunter, Ronny Graham),. Just $24,900 (previous week, $23,200), Traveling Lady, Playhouse (D) (3rd Wk; 22; $5.75-$4.60; 999; $23,- 500): (Kim Stanley). Almost $12,- .600 (previous week, $11,600); closes, next Saturday (20); OPENING THIS WEEK Living. Room, Milier (D) ($5.75- 34.60;. 920; $23,248) (Barbara Bel Geddes), Play by : Graham Greene, presented by Gilbert ‘Miller & Donald Albery; production financed , solely by Miller and cost about $30,000 to bring in, including ap-. proxlmately $4,000 tryout profit ,^no bonds required for Miller) and can break even at around $14,500 gross; opens tonight (Wed.). Abie’s Irish Rose, Holiday (C) ($5.75-$4.60; 900; $28,000). Play by Anne Nichols, revived by Michael Rose; production financed at around $60,000, cost approximately that amount to produce, including bonds, with no out-Of-town tryout, arid can break even at about $14,- 000 gross; opens tomorrow night (.Thurs.).. Wedding Breakfast, 48th St. (D) (35.75-$4.60; 925; $23,720). Play by Theodore Reeves, presented by Kermit Bloomgarden; production financed at $70,000 cost about $50,- 000 to bring in, including approx- imately $8,000 tryout loss, but ex- cluding bonds, arid can break even at around $13,000 gross; opens Saturday night (20). OFF-BROAD WAY SHOWS (Figures denote opening, dates) Doll’s House,: Finch. Coll. (11-12). Dybbuk, 4th St.’ (10-26-54). I Feel Wonderful, de Lys (10- 18-54)., In Splendid Error, Greenwich Mews (10-26-54). Sands of the Negev, President (10-25-54). Slight Delinquent, Blackf riars (10-25-54), Stone For Danny Fisher* Down- town National. (10-21-54). Twelfth Niffbt» Jan. Hus (11-9-54). Way of the World, Cherry Lane i (1.0-2-54). ' ‘Okla’$31,700 in Split Buffalo, Nov. 16. “Oklahoma” pulled in over $3l> 700 at a $3 top in a three-way, eight performance split last week; Musical was at the Grand- London, Ont., Monday-Tuesday (8-9); the Memorial Auditorium, Kitchener, Ont., Wednesday (10) and the Erlanger here Thursday-Saturday (11-13). Bus-and-truck company is at the Royal Alexandra, Toronto, this week.