Variety (November 1954)

76 WGITIMATB v Wedneiday, November 17 , 1954 Shows Abroad Continued from page 74 Pay the Piper rhyme and featuring Miss Welch as Miss Muffet, the part originally done by Betty Hutton on Broad- way. Notable that some of the better parts of the show are by Miss Ham- ilton, such as her w.k. “Story of the Opera.” The shoe-shop com- edy scene, “Shoe on the Other Foot” has a suave Walter-Ellis as the salesman and Miss Olrich as TIE PAJAMA GAME By GEORGE ABBOTT 4 RICHARD BISSELL TBE SOLID BOLE CADILLAC By GEORGE S. KAUFMAN & HOWARD TEICHMANN KISMET By CHARLES LEDERER & LUTHER DAVIS TEA AND SYMPATHY By ROBERT ANDERSON By JEROME CHODOROV A JOSEPH FIELDS CominQ tie nnm nur By MAX SHULMAN * ROBERT PAUL SMITH TIE UlMUin By N. RICHARD NA$H $2.50.each at oll bookstores RANDOM H0USI, N.Y. the customer passing five minutes without wanting to buy. There is fun in the pre-interval sketch, “Bing Up the Iron. Cur- tain,” by Michael Flanders, about a company of Russian artists as they might look performing in Britain-, Miss Welch is standout, especially in her “Chinese Jig” parody of the. recent British par- liamentary : trek to China, . and , its criticism in political spheres. She also sings the pop “Oh, What a Night” and scores further in Nancy Hamilton’s “Yoo - Hoo Blues.” Comedy business: in “Cold Water Flat," sketch about a bad dream and a toilet water-tank that.comes adrift, is top drawer. Ian Wallace, Scot-born operatic singer, turns with. extreme versatility to gay chouses and comic tunes, and is best iii “The Elephant Song." Show winds with colorful dress scene titled “Midnight in Trafal- gar Square,” to music by Jack Straeliey., S Robert Probst wields a skillful baton, arid the settings throughout show imaginative touch, Gord. ‘ITCH’ 20G FIRST WEEK, ‘HUT’ $12,000 IN ST. LOO St. Louis, Nov.. 16. Touring edition of “Seven Year Itch,” With Eddie Bracken as star, got away to a $20,000 gross last week in the first stanza of a three- week engagement at the Ariierican. Comedy us playing at a $3.92.top. It drew favorable reviews and apr pears, liekly to do hold up for the 'entire run, the longest for any straight play here in some years. At the Empress, a stock produc- tion of “Little Hut,” with Marie Wilson as star, drew a $12,000 gross on its second arid final week. Don- ald Woods in “Dial M for Murder” opens a two-week stand . tonight,, with “My 3 Angels” due Nov. 30. Rap ‘Natalie’ in Cleve; Slim $7,000 First Week Cleveland, Noy. 16. ‘‘Naughty Natalie;'.’ blistered by the critics, grossed a so-so $7,600 on the first folio of a two-week stand at Hanna at $3.75 top, but with two-fbr-ories. Current lap looks slightly better. “Caine Mutiny Court Martial” landed a strong $24,400 week be- fore last at the Hanria. ‘Ginger’ Thin $14,000 In Full Week, Seattle Seattle, Nov* Ifi. “Time Out for Ginger,” starring Melvin Douglas, scratched out a gross of $14,000 last week at the 1,500-seat Metropolitan, at a $4 top. Show drew excellent reviews. House is currently dark* Current Road Shows (Nov, 15-27) Curtain Calls Continued front: page 2 gether last season. The cops had to be called out for one bash. The ‘ order, addressed “To All Principal Artists,” reads: “I have given careful considera- tion to the problem of Curtain Calls after scenes, acts and at the *erid of performances and have come to the conclusion that the Metropoli- tan Opera should follow the exam- ple of La Scala In Milan and the Vienna State Opera-—no doubt the two leading opera houses in Eu- rope. As you are of course aware, at neither of these two institutions are solo calls ever permitted. “I have found the solo calls that have now for some years been the practice at the Metropolitan to be most unsatisfactory and undignified. Arias give ample opportunity for the public to reward artists with individual applause. The practice of solo calls is widely used In European, provincial theatres and there are, of course, good reasons why, as I said above, La Scala, Vienna and other leading opera houses will hot permit solo, calls at the end of acts or performances. “I feel sure that you will agree and Collaborate with me by accept- ing the abolition of solo calls. We will make careful arrangements for group calls at the end of each act and performance, and I am cer- tain that the individual success of otir distinguished artists will by no means suffer through that' proce- dure, while the general level of the house*will be raised. “I wont to exclude from, this ar- rangement the opening night. This is a very special occasion in many ways arid vve will have soio. calls for the opening night, but from then on no solo calls will be per- mitted. Your cooperation is most learnestly requested. 1 Rudolf Bing. Bad Seed (Nancy Kelly), (tryout) —-Shubert, Wash. (15-20); Ford’s, Balto (22-27) (Reviewed in Variety this week). Black-Eyed Susan (Vincent Price) (tryout)—Plymouth, Boston (15-27) (Reviewed in Variety this week), Caine Mutiny Court Martial (Paul Douglas, Wendell Corey, SteVe Brodie)— Her Majesty’s, Montreal (15-20); Aud., Burlington, Vt. (22); Field House, Troy, N, Y. (23); State, Portland, Me. (24r25); Aud;, Worcester; Mass. (26); Court Square, Springfield (27). Dark Is Light Enough (Kather- ine Cornell, Tyrone Power) (try- out)—Erlanger, Buffalo (24-27). Face to Face (Jessica Tandy, Hume Cronyn) (tryout)—-Florida U., Gainesville (15); Dave County Arid , Miami-(17); Municipal Aud., Shreveport. (18); Cabell Hall, Charlottesville (19); N. Carolina U. ( 20 )., Fifth Season (Chester Morris, Joseph.Buloffi—Erlanger, Chi (15- 27). Flowering Peach (Menasha Skul- nik) • (tryout)—Ford’s, BaltO (15-20); Shubert, Wash. (22-27) (Reviewed in Variety this week). Getting Gerties’ Garter — Lo- cust; Phila. (15-20); Royal Alex- andra, Toronto (22-27). Hello Paree (Charles Trenet, June Richmond) (thyout) — Play- house, Wilmington (24-27). House of Flowers (Pearl Bailey) (tryout)—Erlanger, Phila. (25-27)., King 1 arid I. (Leonard Graves, Patricia Morison.) — Hartman, Co- lumbus. (15-20); Shubert; Chi (22- 27). Lunatics and Lovers (Dennis King) (tryout) — Shubert. New Haven (17-20); Walnut, Phila, (22- 27). ' Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rob- ert Helpmanri, Moira Shearer, Stanley. Holloway) V- Shrine Aud., L. A. (15-21); Civic Opera House, Chi (25-27). Moon Is Blue (Jerome Cowan)— Shubert, Detroit (15-27). Mrs, Patterson (Eartha Kitt) (tryout)—Harris, Chi (15-27) (Re- viewed in Variety, Sept. 29, ’54). Naughty Natalie—Hanria, Cleve (15-20). • « . Oh Men, Oh Women (Ralph Bel- lamy)—Cass, Detroit (15727). Oklahoma — Royal.. Alexandra, Toronto (15-20); Shea’s, James- town. N. Y. (22); Aud., Akron (23- 24); Hartman, Columbus (25-27). . On with the Show (Irra Petina) tryout) — Plymouth, Boston (15- 20); Shubert, Boston (22-27). (Re- viewed in Variety,. Nov. 10, ’54). One Eye Closed (Tom Helmore, Constance Ford, John Baragrey) (tryout) Wilbur, Boston (15-20). (Reviewed in Variety this week). Pajama Tops (Diana Barrymore) —Cox, Cincy (15-20); Pabst, Mil- waukee (22-27) (Reviewed in Variety this week). Portrait of a Lady (Jennifer Jones) (tryout)—Colonial, Boston (15-20);.. National, Wash,. (22-27) (Reviewed in Variety this week). Sailor’s Delight (Eva Gabor) (tryout) —r Huntington Hartford, L.A. (22-27) (Original stock pro- duction reviewed in Variety; July 1, ’53). School for Brides Parsons, Hartford (15-20); Her Majesty’s, Montreal (22-27). Seven Year: Itcli (Eddie Bracken) —American, St. L. (15-27). - Silk Stockings (Hildegarde Neff, Don Ameche)—Shubert, Phila. (22- 27). ' South Pacific (Iva Withers, Webb Tilton)—Forrest, Phila; (15- 27). Tea arid Sympathy (Deborah Kerr)—National. Wash. (15-20); Hanna, Cleve (22-27). Time Out for Ginger (Melvyn Douglas) —- Yakima, Wash. (15); Washington, D. C. (16); Portland, Ore, (17-18); Sacramento (20); Bilt- more, L. A. (22-27). What Every Woman Knows (Helen Hayes)—Curran, S. F. (15- 20); Aud., Portland, Ore, (23-25); Metropolitan, Seattle (26-27) (Re- viewed in Variety, Sept. 29, *54). Witness for the Prosecution ktry- out)—Shubert, New Hayen (25-27). Wonderful. Town (Carol Chan- nirigi-^-Shuberti Chi (15-20); Nixon, Pitt (22-27). World of Sholom Aleichem— Walnut St., Phila, (15-20). ’ | Gropper Loses Continued from page 11 or promises had been made to in- duce the settlement and that he was. fully advised by his counsel. His counsel put a note on this affi- davit that plaintiff had read each of the papers included in . the set- tlement and that counsel had ap- proved them.” In connection with the stipula- tion that Gropper could not use Hammerstein’s name in , peddling the two other scripts, the judge continued,' “the plaintiff claims he made a mistake.. The Contention is that when plaintiff sought 'to ex- ploit the two plays lie discovered that no producer would have any- thing to ,do with them wh'en this clause became known to them. His inistake, so he alleges, was in the belief that. he. was.receiving a valu- able license and instead had a worthless piece of paper, “What he sets out,” ;Judge Steuer continued, “is not a mistake in legal contemplation. It is con- clusively established that he knew what he was getting, What he claims is that he did not appre- ciate that the effect - , yf the restric- tion would be to render the license unmarketable. A failure to fore- see the reaction of possible entre- preneurs is not a mistake war- ranting recisibn. “Lastly, plaintiff claims that to enforce the agreement would be so harsh as to contravene public policy* As regards a competent adult;.-' assisted by able, counsel, and dealing at arms length, there just is not any such 'public policy.” Current Stock Bills (Nov. 15-28) Goodbye, My Fancy (Conrad Nagel,. Katherine Meskill) -— Paper Mill Playhouse^. Millburn, N. J. (16-28); Open House, by Francis Swann and Victor Clement (tryout) (Reg- inald Owen) — Hilltop Theatre- Parkway, Baltimore (16-21). Current London Shows 'King* $36,900, Dayton Dayton, Nov. 16. “King and I,” costarring Patricia Morison and Leonard Graves, grossed $36,900 last week In eight performances ait the Keith’s. Audi- torium here, Musical took it! $36,000 the pre- vious week at the Memorial Audi- torium; Louisville. ‘Teahouse* Tour Dates Touring company of “Teahouse of the August Moon,” being pro- duced by Howard Lindsay and Rus- sel Crouse, will open Dec. 16 at the Hartman, Columbus. It plays the American, St. Louis, Week of Deci 20; Orpheum, Kansas City, week of Jan. 3, and starts a run Jan. 11 at the Biltmore, Los An- geles. Burgess Meredith; currently sub- bing for David Wayne in the Broad- way troupe. Will star in the road edition. London, Nov. 16. (Figures denote premiere dates) After the Ball, Globe (6-10-54).- Airs Shoestring, Royal Ct. (4-22-53). All For Mery, Duke York (9*9-54). Bell, Book, Candle, phoenix (10-5-54). Book of Month, Cambridge (10-21-54). Both Ends Meet, Apollo 16 - 9 - 54 ). Boy Friend, Wyndham’s (12-1-53). Can-Can, Coliseum (10-14-54)'* Dark tight Enough, Aldwych (4-30-54). D'Oyly Carte Opera, Savoy (8-13-54). Dry Rot; WhitehaU (8-31-54). t Duenna, Westminster (7-28-54). Folles Bergere, Fr. Wales (9-24-53). Hippo Dancing, Lyric (4-7-54). I Am a Camera, New (3-12-54). Immorallst, Arts (1L3-54). Intimacy At 8:30, Criterion (4-29r54).; Joan .of Arc, Stoll (10-20-54). Joyce Grenfell, St. Mart. (8-2-54). Keep In Cool Place, Seville (8-16-54). King end I, Drury Lane (10-8-53): . Manor of Northstead, Duchess (4*28-54). Matchmaker, Haymarket (11-4-54), Mousetrap, Ambas- (11-25-52). Never. Too Late, Strand (6-3-54). Off The Record, Vic. Pal.- (11-2-54). Old Vic Rep, Old Vic (9-9-54). Party Spirit, Piccadilly (9-23-54). People Wonderful? : Embassy (11-16-54). Relations Apart, Garrick (8-3-54). Sabrina Fair# Palace (8-4-54). Salad Days, Vaudeville: (8-5-54). Separate Tables, St. James’s (9-22-54). Teahouse Aug*.Moon, Her MaJ. (4-22-54). Weddlhg In Paris, Hlpp. (4-3-54). Witness Prosecution, W. Gard. (10-28-53). SCHEDULED OPENINGS Talk of Town, Adelphi (11-17-54). Beatrice Lillie, Gloije (11-24-54). WANTED TO PURCHASE OR LEASE SUMMER THEATRE .Established or potential theatre operation within 100 milos New York City. Responsible parties. ■ox V 211454. Variety, 154 W. 46th St., Now York 34. N.Y. The Company will employ i ts funds in diversified entertainment. enter- prises connected with television,. ictures and the.theatre.. Price SO{( d share •"hoLIYWOOD ANGilS; INC. • 29 West 6Stti St., N.Y. 2B, N. Y. I TRafalger 4-1915 J Send Free Offeri Addreti- -Zone- l cay. —, —— l Stole i . Phone No. ■ ADVANCE AGENTS ! COMPANY MANAGERSi We have been serving theatrical shows for over 42 years. Ours is the oldest, most reliable, anal ex- perienced transfer company on the West Coast) • Railroad privilege! ter handling shows and theatrical luggage. • Complete warehouie facilitieil • Authorized in' Californi Equipped to. tramfer and haul anywhere in 0 . 5 . 1 ' ' • RATES ON REQUEST I Atlantic Transfer Company GEORGE CONANT 1100 East. 5«K Street Los Angeles' 13, Calif. Mutual 8T2I or OXford 9-4764 FOR MUSICAL OR DRAMATIC PRODUCTIONS IN SUMMER OP- ERATION. MUST BE IN GOOD CONDITION. ■OX V 111554. VARIETY, 154 W. 44th STREET, NEW YORK 36 NEW PL AY Seek , oft B'way . production, of new, hilarious mystery-comedy. One set# Motion picture company already In- terested. Wonderful opp'ty for pro- ducer, director end two leads (lunlor Bob Hope end Tallulah Behkhsad types).; JUdson 2-292S Box V-1411, Variety 154 West 44 St., New York, N. 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