Variety (December 1954)

Wednesday, December 8, 1954 hilly Ajam; "Stockings "Flowers 33G, ‘Lovers’ 19G, ‘Susan 9G Philadelphia, Dec. 7. Philly is still hitting on all five theatrical cylinders, with every lo- cal marquee lighted for the third straight week. “Silk Stockings’’ continues to run away from the pack and has extended its run an extra week through Jan. 1. It then goes to Boston to continue pre- Broadway doctoring. With every legit house tenanted, the Academy of Music is offering “The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial’’ next Thursday-Saturday (9-11) for three performances and Agnes Moorehead in another Paul Greg- ory production, “The Fabulous Redhead” tonight (Tues.). “Anas- tasia.” fourth play in the Guild- American Theatre Society sub- scription series, arrived last night (Mon.), replacing “Lunatics and Lovers” at the Walnut. Estimates for Last Week House of Flowers, Erlanger, (M) (2d wk) ($5.40; 1,880) (Pearl Bailey) Truman Capote-Harold Aden mu- sical getting big newspaper and radio campaign; about $33,000 on the holdover. South Pacific, Forrest, (MD) (10th wk) ($4.80; 1,760) (Iva With- ers, Allen Gerrard). Sagged under $17,000; continues through Jan. 1. Black-Eyed Susan, Locust <C) (1st wk) ($4.20; 1,580) (Vincent Price). Farce got poor notices and mixed word of mouth; pulled $9,- 000; extending through Dec. 18 for expensive revisions. Silk Stockings, Shubert <MD) ($6, 1.870) (Don Ameche, Hilde- garde Neff). Advance sale put this one in runaway class, although audience reception varies; new lo- cal gross record at $54,806; con- tinues through Jan. 1. Lunatics and Lovers, Walnut (C) ($4.20; 1,340) (Dennis King). Sid- ney Kingsley excursion into farce has found a following; over $19,000. Jennifer $25,(00, ‘Peach’ $7,700, D.C. Washington, Dec. 7. Business continued poor last week for the second and final stan- za of Clifford Odets’ new Broad- way-bound “Flowering Peach” at the Shubert Theatre. Take ran $7,700, just a shade above the preceding u'eek. “Getting Gertie’s Garter,” the farce of a generation ago, moved into the Shubert last night (6) for a fortnight stand on twofers. Despite generally mediocre re- views, Jennifer Jones in “Portrait of a Lady” continued to draw them into the National Theatre last week, its second and final D. C. stanza. Gate was a fine $25,600, up nearly $3,000 over the initial week. The National is dark this W’eek, but reopens next Monday (13) with three weeks of "Wonder- ful Town.” Tonight’ $13,500 for 5, ‘Angels’ Fair 10G, St. L St. Louis, Dec. 7. Illness of Marge Champion, co- star with her husband Gower Champion, and Harry Belafonte in the pre-Broadway “Three For To- night,” forced the cancellation of the last three preformances of the show last Friday-Saturday (3-4) at the American Theatre. After re- funds of about $15,000, the gross for the five remaining perform- ances was $13,500. at $4.48 top. Re- views for the show were good. The American is dark for the next fortnight, but relights Dec. 20 with a two-week frame of “Teahouse of the August Moon,” which is scaled to $4.48, with a $5.60 top New Years’ Eve. Fair business greeted “My 3 An- gels’’ fjor the first semester of a fortnight’s stand at the Empress theatre. Gross was almost $10,000 for the stock bill. Touring version of the comedy was presented at the American theatre last ApriL ‘Oh Men’ 17G, Cincy Cincinnati, Dec. 7. Halph Bellamy in “Oh Men, Oh Women” grossed a fair $17,000 last week at the 1,300-seat Cox. Top was $3.96 and Guild subscription was helpful. House is dark this week prior a fortnight of “Moon Is Blue” *t $3.96 top, with twofers. ‘Ginger’ Modest $17,000, Gabor Tame $8,500, L. A. Los Angeles, Dec. 7. Legit’s in the doldrums again this week with only one house alight in the wake of the departure of “Time Out for Ginger" after an unprofitable two-week stand. In- cumbent is “Sailor’s Delight,” still undergoing revisions in its tryout run. Estimates for Last Week Sailor’s Delight, Huntington Hartford (C) (2d wk) ($3.85; 1,036) (Eva Gabor). Down to $8,500; in the red. Time Out for Ginger, Biltmore (C) (2d wk) ($3.85; 1,636) (Melvyn Douglas). Climbed to $17,000 on the finale, after a $13,000 opener. ‘WitnessllgJ), Caine’ 21 ^G, Hub Boston, Dec. 7. Although biz reflected the start of the pre-Christmas boxoffice de- cline, the Hub’s three legit entries did fairly well last week. Lone newcomer this week is "The Flow- ering Peach,” which bowed at the Colonial last night (Mon.) for a two-week stand. Production is the fourth entry in the current Thea- tre Guild-American Theatre So- ciety subscription series. Future bookings include: Dec. 13, Ballets Espagnols, Shubert, one week; Dec. 20, “Plain and Fancy,” Shubert, two weeks, and “Anas- tasia.” Plymouth, two weeks; Dec. 25, "Festival,” Colonial, 17 per- formances. Estimates for Last Week Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Colonial (single week) <$4.95-$4.40; 1.590) (Paul Douglas, Wendell Corey, Steve Brodien Over $21,500 for the stanza. Jose Greco, Shubert (single week) ($3.30; 1.700). Okay $16,500; house is dark this week. Witness for the Prosecution, Plymouth (1st wk) ($3.85; 1,200). Tryout got a fairly good $16,200; final week is current. ‘Gertie’ NG 6G, Columbus; ‘Teahouse’ Advance SRO Columbus, Dec. 7. “Getting Gertie’s Garter” grossed under $6,000 last week at the Hartman her.e at a $3.45 top, but with a flood of twofers out. For the first time in 44 years, the theatre took a newspaper ad yesterday (Mon.) to announce that all reserved seats have been sold on mail order before the boxoffice opening for “Teahouse of the August Moon,” due in Dec. 16-18. Hartman management is trying to arrange an extra matinee for Fri- day, Dec. 17. B’way Perks; Kitt $27,300 First 7, Fanny $65,900 Leads, ‘Pan' $52,300, Lunts SRO $30,600, Waltz $23,300 ‘King Big $51, ‘Season' $19, ‘Dream' 82G, Chi Chicago, Dee. 7. With “King and I” setting the pace. Loop biz was generally strong last week. The Rogers Sc Hammer- stein musical looks set for a long stay on the basis of advance orders, despite its mixed reviews, and! crettaT Broadway is reversing its tradi- tional pre-Christmas slump pattern again. For the second straight year biz for the first week of December was on the upswing, instead of starting the usual decline until the Christmas-New Year’s week pick- up. Slide is expected to begin this week, however. Nearly all shows, excluding the smashes, registered increases last week. Another four shows closed last Saturday <4>, repeating the previous frame’s casualty figure. Folds “Abie’s Irish Rose.” “Living Room,” “On Your Toes’’ and “Hit j t he Trail.” Latter show and “Mrs. Patterson” were the week’s open- ; ers. Sole newcomer this week is “Bad jSeed,” bowing tonight (Wed.). Estimates for Last Week Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama), CD (Comedy Drama), R (Revue), MC (Musical-Comedy), MD (Musi- cal-Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op- ‘TOWN’ BRUTAL $17,300 ON HOLDOVER IN PITT. Pittsburgh, Dec. 7. “Wonderful Town” took a fur- ther slugging in its second and final chapter at the Nixon last week with a dire $17,300 gross, a drop of more than $2,000 from the costly opening stanza. Top was $4.80. Show lost an estimated $25,000 on the fortnight. Nixon is currently dark, but re- lights next Monday (13) with Deb- orah Kerr in “Tea and Sympathy,” which should challenge the strike- plagued town's boxoffice blight. The theatre’s other scheduled bookings are a two-week stand of Eddie Bracken in “Seven Year Itch,” starting Dec. 27, and Katha- rine Cornell and Tyrone Power in "Dark Is Light Enough,” due Jan. 10. ?ar«e’ $3,900, Hartford; It Takes French leave Hartford. Dec. 7. “Hello. Paree” grossed a starva- tion $3,900 last week at the Par- sons Theatre. It was a record low for a musical here. William L. Taub revue tryout folded here. It j drew a miserable $5,300 in a five'] performance breakin at Wilming- ton the week before. Parsons will be dark until Dec. 23 when it relights for a three-day tryout of Ronald Alexander’s com- edy, “Grand Prize,” with June Lockhart, John Ncwland and Betsy Palmer featured. Fifth Season” appears to be set- tling down for a run. "Oh Men. Oh Women”opened last night (Mon.) at the Harris. Estimates for Last Week Fifth Season, Erlanger (3d wk) ($4; 1.300) (Chester Morris, Joseph Buloff). Topped $19,600 (previous week, $19,900). Other parenthetic designations j refer, respectively, to weeks played, number of performances through last Saturday, top prices, number of seats, capacity gross and stars. Price includes 10% Federal and 5% City tax, but grosses arc net: i.e., exclusive of tax. Abie’s Irish Rose, Holiday (C) King and I, Shubert (2d wk> ($5; ! ( 3d wk; 20; $5.75-$4.60; 900; $28,- 2,100) <Yul Brynner, Patricia Mori- j 000). About $4,000 (previous week, ■ _ _ . - ! »*» \ 1 V % A d _ A _ 1 i 4 V A. son)'. Nearly $51,400 for first full week (previous week, $42,400). Midsummer Night’s Dream, Civic Opera (2d wk) ($5.50; 3,600) (Rob- ert Helpmann, Moira Shearer, Stanley Holloway). Almost $82,000 for final 10 performances, bringing the total to $127,000 for the 14- performance stand; resumed tour Sunday (5). Pajama Tops, Blackstone (1st wk) ($4.40; 1,358) (Dianna Barry- more). Nearly $15,200 on twofers. OPENING THIS WEEK Oh Men, Oh Women, Harris ($5; 1,000) (Ralph Bellamy). Opened last night (Mon.) for indefinite run, drew unanimously enthusias- tic reviews. $6,000); closed last Saturday <4) at a loss of about it’s full $60,000 in- vestment. Anniversary Waltz, Broadhurst (C) (35th wk; 275: $4.60; 998; $28,- 000) (Macdonald Cafc?y, Kitty Car- lisle). Over $23,300 (previous week, $21,100); moved Monday (6) to the 766-seat Booth, where the gross capacity will be about $20,000. Boy Friend, Royale (MC) (10th wk; 76; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). Over (Vera Zorina, Bobby Van). Over $27,100 (previous week. $29,800); closed last Saturday (4) at a loss of approximately $130,000 on a $175,- 000 investment. Pajama Game, St. James (MC) (30th wk; 236; $6.90; 1.571; $51,717) • John Raitt, Janis Paige, Eddie Foy Jr.). Capacity as always; over $52,100. Peter Pan, Winter Garden (MD) (7th wk; 53; $6.90; 1,510; $57,500) (Mary Martin). Nearly $52,300 (previous week, $51,100). Quadrille, Coronet <C) (5th wk,; 38; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; 1,027; $30,- 000) (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, Edna Best, Brian Aheme).’ Over capacity, at almost $30,600 (pre- vious week, $29,600). Rainmaker, Cort (C) (6th wk; 44; $5.75-$4.60; 1,056; $29,000) (Geral- dine Page). Nearly $19,300 (pre- vious week, $19,100). Reclining Figure, Lyceum (C) <9lh wk; 68; $5.75-$4.60; 995; $23.- 389). Almost $16,000 (previous week, $15,000); must vacate the theatre Jan. 8 to make way for the incoming “Grand Prize.” Seven Year Itch, Fulton <C) (107th wk; 853; $5.75-$4.60; 1.063; $24,000) (Elliott Nugent). Over $19,200 (previous week, $19,200); Nugent exiled the cast last Thurs- day (2), with. George Keane re- placing until Tom Ewell returns as star Dec. 27. Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box (C> (57th wk; 453; $5.75-$4.60; 1,077; $27,811). Almost $20,100 (previous week, $18,600). Tea and Sympathy, Barrymore (D) (62d wk; 493; $5.75-$4.60; 1,214; $28,300) (Joan Fontaine). Nearly $17,900 (previous week, $19,200),. Teahouse of the August Moon, Beck <C) (60th wk; 484; $6.22- $38,300) Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Plymouth (D) (46th wk; 364; $5.75- $4.60; $33,331) (Lloyd Nolan, John Hodiak, Barry Sullivan). Almost $26,000 (previous week, $27,100). Can-Can, Shubert (MC) (83d wk; 660; $6.90; 1,361; $50,160). Almost $48,100 (previous week, $46,000). Dear Charles, Morosco (C> (12th wk; 93; $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; $29,850) (Tallulah Bankhead). Over $23,800 (previous week, $22,700). Fanny, Majestic (MD) (5th wk;36; $7.50; 1,510; $65,300) (Ezio Pinza, Walter Slezak). Over capacity again, topped $65,900. Hit the Trail, Hellinger (MC) (1st wk; 4; $6,090; 1,527; $55,916) (lrra Petlna). Opened last Thurs- day (2) to unanimous pans, gross- ing $7,100 for first four perform- ances; closed last Saturday (4) at a loss of around $170,000 on a $225,000 investment. Kismet, Ziegfeld (OP) (53d wk; 420; $6.90; 1,528; $57,908) (Allred Drake). Over $53,000 (previous week, $51,100). Living Room, Miller (D) (3d wk; 22; $5.75-$4.60; 920; $23,248) (Bar- bara Bel Geddes). Almost $21,500 (previous week, $14,000); closed last Saturday (4) at an approximate S28.000 loss, with producer Gilbert Miller footing the entire bill. Mrs. Patterson, National <D) (1st wk; 6; $6.90-$5.75); 1,172; $37,000) (Eartha Kitt). Opened last Wed- nesday (1) to one favorable notice (Chapman, News) and six modified negatives (Atkinson, Times; Cole- man, Mirror; Hawkins, World-Tel- in with a preview next Saturday j egram; Kerr, Herald Tribune; night (11), then continues all next McClain. JournalAmerican; Watts, week (13-18). Three more pre-j Post); grossed nearly $27,300 for mieres follow. “Southwest Corner.”, first six performances and one pre- Dec. 23-25; “Put Them All Togeth- view. er,” Dec. 30-Jan. 1, and “Desperate j On Your Toes, 46th St. (MC) (8th Hours,” Jan. 6-8. wk; 64; $8.05-$6.90; 1,319; $48,547) capacity, $38,400 (previous week,! $4.60; 1,214; $33,608) (David ‘SEED’ NOT GOOD $8,500 ON 2D WEEK IN BALTO Baltimore, Dec. 7. Second stanza of “The Bad Seed" grossed a drab $8,500 here at Ford’s last week, not too bad con- sidering the last-minute addition ,of the second round after the New York preem was delayed. Jennifer Jones in “Portrait Of A Lady” starts two-week tryout engagement tonight (Tues ). Future schedule includes Dec. 31, “Caine Mutiny Court-Martial,” Lyric, two performances; Jan. 3, “South Pacific,” Ford’s, two weeks; Jan. 17, “Dark Is Light Enough,” Ford’s, single week, tryout, on sub- scription. ‘Anastasia’ $8,200 in 4, For New Haven Tryout New Haven, Dec. 7. Preem of “Anastasia” at Shubert last Thursday-Saturday (2-4) drew favorable comment but only so-so biz. Scaled at $4.00 top, four per- formances pulled a modest $8,200. “Plain and Fancy” has its break- Wayne fc John Forsythe). Over ca- pacity again, topped $34,000. Tender Trap, Longacre «C) (8th wk; 61; $5.75-$4.fl0; 1,048; $26,317) (Robert Preston, Kim Hunter, Ronny Graham). Almost $23,900 (previous week, $21,500). Wedding Breakfast, 48th St. (C) (3d wk; 17; $5.75-$4.60; 925; $23,- 720). Nearly $13,200 again. Miscellaneous Sandhog, Phoenix <M) (2d wk; 16; $4.60-53.45; 1,150; $24,067). Nearly $15,000 (previous week, $19,400 for first eight perform- ances and three previews). OPENING THIS WEEK Bad Seed, 46th St. <D) ($5.75- $4.60; 1,319; $37,000). (Nancy Kelly). Maxwell Anderson drama- tization of William March novel, presented by the Playwrights Co.; production financed at $65,000, cost about $55,000 to bring in, in- cluding anproximately $7,500 try- out loss, \ it excluding bonds, and can break even at around $16,000 gross; opens tonight (Wed.). OFF BROADWAY SHOWS (Figures denote opening dates) Doll’s House, Finch Coll. (11-12). Dybbuk, 4th St. (10-26-54). Importance Being Earnest, Prov- incetown (11-9). Sands of the Negev, President (10-25-54); closes next Sunday (12). Stone For Danny Fisher, Down- town National (10-21-54). Twelfth Night, Jan Hus (11-9-54). Way of the World, Cherry Lane (9-29-54). CLOSED LAST WEEK In Splendid Error, Greenwich News (10-26-54). Dubliners 17G, Frisco San Francisco, Dec. 7. With critical reaction and w.o.m. both better for the Dublin Players! last two offerings, “Juno and the Paycock” and “The Far Off Hills,” the gross last week jumped up to $17,000. Visiting repertory group was the only le- giter In town. “Time Out for Ginger” opened last night (Mon.) at the Curran for four weeks on subscription. Estimate for Last Week Dublin Players, Geary ($3.85; 1.500). Good $17,000 after the $11,000 opening week. Total Legit Grosses Following are the comparative figures based on V/ arBTv’s box- office reports for last week (the 27th week of the season) and the corresponding week of last season: BROADWAY This 1953-54 Season Season Number of shows current 24 23 Total weeks played so far by all shows. 501 470 Total gross for all shows last week.... $678,100 $646,500 Season’s total gross so far $13,779,000 $13,194,800 Number of new productions 23 27 ROAD Excluding stock Number of current shows reported.... 26 19 Total weeks played so far by all shows. 410 360 Total gross for all shows last week.... $558,300 $396,500 Season’s total gross so far $10,065,700 $8,243,900 CORNELL-POWER ‘DARK’ $29,786, TORONTO MARK Toronto, Dec. 7. With turnaway biz at every per- formance, new straight play house record was set for the 46-year-okl Royal Alexandra Theatre last week by Katharine Cornell and Tyrone Power in Christopher Fry’s "The Dark Is Light Enough.” Gross was $29,786, with the 1,525 -seater scaled at $4 top with tax. Former house record of $29,771 was set by ‘the Lunts in “I Know My Love” in 1951 at the same scale. Cornell-Power success also broke the attendance jinx which has plagued the Royal Alexandra since Hurricane Hazel swept across the western part of the city six weeks ago, washing out most bridges and highways leading into the city. Theatre is now dark for three weeks, but opens Dec. 27 with Bal- lets Espagnols and has steady bookings into the first week in April. ^