Variety (February 1957)

Vcdncsdayy Feliiruary -57^ 1957 mcmMAm 59 PhiDy Spotty; Tankees’$43,000, Hole’$27m‘Cart’Brutal $liJ0 For Single Week, Cincy iB’way Soars; ‘Millioiiaire’ $25,500, Philadelphia, Feb. 28. 4- Bolstered by an $80,000 advance ‘"Damn Yankees arrived last week for a run. The critics didn’t do handstands, although the- tuner got one good notice from. Murdock (In¬ quirer) and fair appraisals from Gaghan (News) and De Schauen- see (Bulletin). Local regard for the song and dance fare, however, seems certain to give the produc¬ tion three okay weeks, with a pos¬ sibility of a holdover. .’’Apple Cart’? exited Saturday evening (23) after a weak extra stanza at the Locust, without bene¬ fit of subscription. The Shaw comedy had-shifted from Forrest to make room for the Melvyn Douglas starrer, ’’Malden Voyage,” which relights the house Thursday evening (28). “Orpheus Descending,” by Ten¬ nessee Williams, .is due next Mon¬ day (4) at the Walnut. Only other prospect in the Inunedlate future Is the George Kondolf produ<!tion, ’’The Joker,” at the Forrest, March 11 . Estimates for Last Week Apple Cart, Locust (C) (3d. wk) ($4.80, 1,580; $30,000). End of subscription plus absence of a star name cut heavily into boxoffice take of Shaw revival; sad $6,200; previous week, $28,000 at the For¬ rest. Damn Yankees, Shubert (MC) (1st wk) ($5.40; 1,870; $48,000) (Bobby Clark), The touring tuner pulled a big $43,000 for its open¬ ing stanza. . I Hole in the Head, Walnut (CD) (2d wk) ($4.80; 1,340; $28,000) (Paul Douglas). Word-of-mouth, like the crix, was not overly favorable, but subscriptions helped to $27,- 800; previous week, $24,700. ‘GOOD AS GOLD’$22,100 ON 1ST WEEK IN HUB Boston, Feb. 26. Three shows are on the boards this week, putting legit back in ac¬ tion in the Hub after a slow fort¬ night. “Sin of Pat Muldoon” opened at the Colonial last night (Mon.) in a pre-Broadway breakin of two weeks, and the touring “Jan¬ us” opened simultaneously at the Plymouth for a two-weeker. “Good As Gold” is in the last week of its two week pre-Broad¬ way tryout and author John Pat¬ rick has rewritten some of the second act, while pruning and tightening of scenes has been go¬ ing on. Estimate for Last Week Good As Gold, Shubert ,(C) (1st wk) (1,717; $4.40r$3.85; $48,060) (Roddy McDowall, Paul Ford, Zero Mostel). First week was nearly $22,100. Show opened Saturday (16) picking up $4,200 for the one night. Holds through Saturday (2). British Shows (Figures denote opening dates) LONDON At Drop of Hat, Fortune tl-24-57). Boy Friend. Wyndham's (12*1>53). Bride A Bachelor, Duchess (12-19-50). Chalk Carden, Haymarket <4-11-36). Diary Anne Frank, Phoenix (11-29-56). Double Image, St. James (11-14-56). D'Oyly Carte, Prince’s (12-3-56). Dry Ret, Whitehall (6-31-54). Fanny, Drury Lane (11-15-56). For Amusement Only* Apollo (6-5-56). Grab Me a Oondola, Lyric (12-26-66). House by Lake, York's (3-9-56). Member of Wedding- Royal Ct. (2-3-67). Mousetrap, Ambassadors (11-25-52). Mrs. OIbbons' Boys, Westmin (12-11-56). New Craiy Gang, Vlc. Pal. (12-18-56), No Laughing Matter, Arts (1-23-57). No Time Sgts., Her MaJ. (8-23-50). ' Nude With Violin, Globe (11-7-56). Paiama Game, Coliseuip (10-13-36). Plaintiff In Hat, St. Mart. (10-11-50), Plume de ma Tante, Garrick 11-3-55). Reluctant Deb, Cambridge (5-24-55). Repertory, Old Vlc (9-7-55). ^ Romanoff & JuUet, Piccadilly (5-17-50). Sailor Bewart, Strand (2-16-55). Salad Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54). Tow.Ards Zero, St, James's (9-4-56). Under Milk Wood, New (9-20-56). View From Bridge, Comedy (10-11-56). Waltx of Toreadors, Criterion (3-27-56). Zero Hours, St. James’s (9-4-56). Scheduled Openings Subway in Sky, Savoy (2-27). Bwige Feuillere Co., Palace (3-4-57). New Playwrights* New Lindsey (3-0-57). Hatful of Rain* Princess (3-7-57). Wit to Woo, Arts (3-13-57). Iron Duchess* Cambridge (3-14-57). Closed Last Week I Crystal Heart, SavUle (2-19-57). >’ Sprints to 206 In Solo Week in Pitt Pittsburgh, Feb» 20. Tremendous Saturday, when Janus” did almost $7,000 In two performances, permitted the Joan Bennett - Donald Cook - Romney Brent comedy to get nearly $20,r 000 at the 1,700-seat Nixon last week, despite a slow start. Sho\v got $4.20 top weeknights and $4.80 Friday and Saturday eves. The Nixon is dark this, week, but re-llghts Monday (4) with ’’Fanny,’’ then shutters again, and probably winds UP the season with succes¬ sive bookings of “Hatful of Rain” and “Matchmaker.” OMVic$47M Cincinnati, Feb. 26. ’’Matchmaker” grossed a big $27,300 last week in the 2,000-seat Shubert Theatre here. Top was $4.52. Comedy costars Ruth Gor¬ don, Lorlng Smith and Patricia Cutts. House is shuttered until Mar. 18, for a week of “Fanny,” with Italo Tajo and Billy Gilbert, at a $5.09 top. Telia’57G “Sgts.’366, love $33 JO ‘HimtiDg’ $70J0, ‘Holiday’ $23,000 Chicago, Feb. 26. .The Old Vic Co. finished Its two- week stand with a bang Sunday (24) while “No Time for Sergeants” slipped slightly last week. “Matchmaker” opens at the Blackstone next Monday (4) for four weeks, on subscription.“Desk Set” arrives April 1 -at .the Harris and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” is slated for April 29 at the Erlanger for a run and the season’s final subscription entry. Estimates for Last Week No Time for Sergeants, Erlanger (C) (24th wk) ($5; 1,335; $35,495). Nearly $29,800; previous week $31,900. Old Vic Co., Shubert (Repertory) ($4.95; 2,100; $50,844). Almost $47,- 800 for four performances each of 'Romeo & Juliet” and “Trolius & Cressida”; previous week, $46,800; departed Sunday (24). Miscellaneous View From the Bridge, Stude- baker. Current stock production ends March 12. ‘Orphens’ 16G (4), Tollies’$55J!17 For D.C Record Washington, Feb. 26. Biz was mixed here last week. The 123-year-old National Theatre racked up an all-time high for the second and final week of the ’’Ziegfeld Follies” tryout. House went clean for all eight perfor¬ mances, even selling the legal maximum of 30 standees for every performance. “Orpheus Descending,” by Ten¬ nessee Williams, opening at the Shubert last Thursday (28) was only fair for its four performances, and look s no better this week. It drH\r^wo pans, Coe (Post) and O’Neill (News), and one mildly fa¬ vorable review from Carmody (Star). Estimates for Last Week Ziegfeld Follies, National. (R) (2d wk) ($5.50-$6.60; l,650i $55,- 370) (Beatrice Lillie). Tremendous overcapacity $55,817 for the final week, breaking the all-time house mark it had set in its initial stanza. Orpheus Descending, Shubert, (D) (1st wk) ($3.85-$4.4Q; 1,518; $16,500). So-so $10,000 for the half-week, opening Thursday night (28). For this second and final stanza, a full week, indications are that, the play will be lucky .to ap¬ proach $20,000. On'. Tour Aicadians Bed Fol de Rols Hatful of Rain Iron Duchess Kid's Last Fight Look Back In Anger Lovebird Love's a luxury Magnificent Fraud Nude Olive Ogllvie Peter Pan Restless Heart Separate Tables South Sea Bubble Spider's Web Whole Truth LUNTS SMASH $34,100 lNFULLWEffi,ST.l00 St. Louis, Feb. 26. “Great Sebastians,” costarring Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, grossed a big $34,100 at the 1,513- seat American Theatre here last week at a $4.95 top.’ The show ends its tour next Sat¬ urday (2) at Ford’s Theatre, Bal¬ timore. 'Fanny' Gets Big $48,200 First Week in Detroit Detroit, Feb. 26. First stanza of “Fanny” grossed a smash $48,200 at the 2,050-seat Shubert Theatre here last week. Musical holds, over this week with ^top of $5 and a potential capac¬ ity of $53,000. The long dark Cass relights March 11, with Shaw’s “The Ap¬ ple Cart” for a two-week engage¬ ment starring Maurice Evans. Touring Shows (Feb. 25-Marcb 10) Appl 9 Cart (Maurice Evans)—National. Wash. (25-9). Canadian Players (Peer Gynt, Hamlet) —St. Johns U. Aud.. Collegevllle, Minn. (4) ; North Dakota State U. Aud., Fargo (5) : St. Olaf College Aud., Northfleld, Minn. (7). Canadian Players (Othello* Man and Superman)—Eastern Wash. College Aud., Cheney (26); Civic Aud., St. Jose (l)i U. of Utah Aud., Salt Lake City (4-9). Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Marjorie Steele, Thomas Gomez, Alex Nicol)—Geary, S. " (25-9). Damn Yankees (2d Co.) (Bobby Clark)— Shubert. Philly (25-9). Fartny (Ital Tajo, Billy Gilbert)—Shu¬ bert, Det. (25-2)5 Nixon. Pitt (4-9). Good as Gold (tryout) (Roddy McDowall, Paul Ford, Zero MostcD—Shubert, Bos¬ ton (25-2) (Reviewed in VARIETY, Feb. 20, '57). Great Sebastians (Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne)—Ford's, Balto (25-2, closing). Hatful of Rain (Vivian Blaine, Ben Gaz- zara) — Orpheum, Madison, Wis. (25); Pabst, M'wkee (26-3); Palace, South Bend (4); College Aud., East Lansing (5-6); Paramount, Toledo (7-9). , ^ Janus (Joan Bennett* Donald Cooki Romney Brent)—Plymouth. Boston (23-9). Joker (tryout)—Shubert, New Haven (6-9). Malden Voyage (tryout) (Melvyn Doug¬ las, Mildred Dunnock, Walter Matthau)— Forrest, Philly (28-9). Matchmaker (Ruth aordon, Lorlng Smith; Patricia Cults)—American, St. L. (25-2); Blackstone, Chi (4-9). No Time for Sergeants (2d Co.) — Erlanger, Chi (25-9). ^ Orpheus Descending (tryout)-Shubert, Wash. (25-2); Walnut, Philly (4-9). Praise House (tryout)—Alcazar, 8. F. (24-9). Sin of Pat Muldoon (tryout) (James Bar¬ ton)—Plymouth, Boston (23-2), PLAN ARENA THEATRE ACROSS BAY FROM S.F. San Francisco, Feb. 26. Frisco investors are being sought for a new year-round thea¬ tre planned for ^e heavily popu- lateci area on the eastern side of the bay. The 1,800-seat arena play¬ house will be situated on a lO-acre site in "Walnut Cteek, according to promoter David H, Huenergardt. Initial budget is $196,000 to build an aluminum geodesic dome, on Buckminster Fuller’s, prin¬ ciples, and start operation; Dome, to be 45 feet high, will have a basement under the seats for dressing rooms, sunken stage, etc. 'Rain' Fairish $19,500 Despite Mpls. Weather Minneapolis^ Feb. 26. Hit by snowstorms and sub-zei*o temperatures, “Hatful of Rain,” starring Vivian Blaine, managed to garner a satisfactory $19,500 last week, at $4.40 top in the 1,850-seat Lyceum Theatre here, with a po¬ tential of about $40,000. It was the fourth of the Tlieatre Guild’s five promised subscription season offerings, the next of which will be “Cat on a. Hot Tin Roof,” April 21-28. ‘Muldoon’ $12,200 for 5 In New Haven Breakin New Haven, Feb. 26. Premiere bi “Sin of Pat Mul¬ doon” at the Shubert here last Wednesday-Saturday (20-23) drew only $12,200 in .five performances, with little help from controversial word-of-mouth. Top was $4.50. House is dark this week, then the breakin of “The Joker” un¬ folds Mar. 6-9, after which the list includes tryouts of “Liza,” Mar. 13- 16; “First Gentleman,” Mar. 20-23 and “New Girl in Town;” April 6- 13. 'Cat' $26,300 (6), Frisco San Francisco, Fiiib. 26. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” did a fine $26,300 in six performances at the Curran last week. The tburiiig drama opened Wednesday (20). “Praise House” opened a tryout at the Alcazar last Sunday (24) night for a week. J. Lee Friedman, Atlanta (Ga.) promoter,, will represent that city’s Tower Theatre in hookings made through the Legitimate Independ¬ ent Theatres of North America. Broadway rocketed last week. Business w'as generally so-so the earlier part of the frame, but hit peak stride over the holiday week¬ end. “Happy Hunting” returned, to the capacity lineup as the town’s top-grosser. Others in the sellout category w’cre “Auntie Marne,” “Bells are Ringing,” “Li’l Abner,” “My Fair Lady ” “Tunnel of Love” and “Visit to a Small Planet.” 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¬ eretta). Other parenthetic designations 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 are net; i.e., exclusive of taxes. Auntie Marne, Broadhurst (C) (17th wk; 133; $6.90-$5.75; 1,182; $43,000) (Rosalind Russell). As al¬ ways, $43,600. Bells Are Ringing, Shubert (MC) (13th wk; 100; $7.50; 1,453; $55,- 039) (Judy Holliday). As always, $55,600, Damn Yankees, 46th St. (MC) (95th wk; 756; $8.05; 1,297; $50,- 573). Has to vacate theatre April 27. Previous week, $34,000; last week, over $44,000. Diary of Anne Frank, Cort (D) (73d wk; 581; $5.75; 1,036; $28,854) (Joseph Schildkraut). Moves Feb. 26 to the Ambassador Theatre. Previous week, $14,000; last week, nearly $21,600. Happiest Millionaire, Lyceum (C) (14th wk; 111; $5.75; 995; $26,- 000) (Walter Pidgeon). Previous week, $23,100; last week, over $25,- 500. Happy Hunting, Majestic (MC) (12th wk; 92;-$8.05; 1,625; $69,939) (Ethel Merman). Previo^is week, $68,000; last week, just $70,300. Hidden River, Playhouse (5th wk; 37; $5.75; 994; $30,033) (Robert Preston, Dennis King, Lilli Dar-i vas). Previous week, $18,800; last we^, nearly $20,200. Holiday for Lovers, Longacre (C) (2d wk; 12; $5.75; 1,101; $29,378) (Don Ameche). Previous week, $19,000 for first four performances and two previews; last week, near¬ ly $23,000. Inherit the Wind, National (D) (84th wk; 670; $5.75-$4.60; 1,162; $32,003) (Paul Muni). Previous' week, $22,600; last week, nearly $27,700. Li’l Abner, St. James (MC) (15th wk; 116; $8.05; 1,028; $58,100). As always, $58,200.' Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Helen Hayes (D) (16th wk; 96; $6.90; 1,039; $30,000) (Fredric March, Florence Eldridge). Previ¬ ous week, $27,000; last week, al¬ most $28,000. Major Barbara, Morosco (C) (17th wk; 135; $6.90; 946; $37,500) (Charles Laughton, Burgess Mere¬ dith, Glynis Johns, Eli Wallach, Cornelia Otis Skinner). Anne Jack- son (Wallach’s wife) joins the cast next Monday (4), succeeding Miss Johns. Previous week, $28,000; last week, nearly $31,900. Middle of the Night, ANTA (D) (47th wk; 373; $5.75; 1,185; $39,- 116) (Edward G. Robinson). Previ¬ ous week, $26,900; last week, over $33,100. Most Happy FellA,' Imperial (MD) (43d wk; 340; $7.50; 1,427; $57,875). .Previous week, $48,500; last week, nearly $57,000. My Fair Lady, Hellinger (MC) (50th wk; 395; $8.05; 1.551; $67,696) (Edward Mulhare, Julie Andrews). As always, $68,700. Rex Harrison resumes as Miss Andrews’ costar next Monday (4). No Time for Sergeants, Alvin (C) (71st wk; 564; $5.75-$4.60; 1 331; $38,500). Previous week. $30,- 400; last week, almost $36,000. Potting Shed; Bijou (D) (4th wk; 31; $5.75-$5.25; 603; $20,400) (Sybil Thorndijice, Robert Flemying, Leu- een McGrath), Previous week, $18,600; last week, over $19’.500. Separate Tables, Music Box (D) (18th wk; 140; $5.75; 1,010; $31,021) (Eric Portman, Margaret Leigh¬ ton), Previous week, $26,300; last week, almost $28,200. Tunnel of Love, Royale (O (2d wk; 13; $5.75; 994; $34,200) (Tom Ewell), Previous week, $25,200 for first five performances and one preview; last week, almost $33,200, with subscription rate limiting the Uncle Willie, Golden fC) dOth wk; 76; $5.75; 800; $24,000) (Men- asha Skulnik). Previou.s week, $15,000; last week, over $19,000. Visit to a Small Planet, Booth (C) (3d wk;^20; $6.60-$5.75; .766; $27,300) (Cyril Ritchard). Previous week, $27,500; last week, almost $27,800. Waltz of the Toreadors. Coronet (CD) (6th wk; 44; $6.90; 1,001; $35.- 040) (Ralph Richardson). Previous week, $27,300; last week, over $26,- 000. Richardson was out for three performances, ^vith Chris Gamplc subbing. Miscellaneous Taming of the Shrew. Phoenix (C) (1st wk; 7; $3.85; 1,150; $25,- 000). Opened last Wednesday (JJO) to four favorable reviews (Chap¬ man, News; Coleman. Mirror; Mc¬ Clain, Journal-American; Watts. Post) and three unfavorable (At¬ kinson, Times; Donnelly, World- Telegram; Kerr, Herald Tribune); over $9,900 for first seven per¬ formances and two previews. Closed Last Week Mr. Wonderful, Broadway (MC) (49th wk; 383; $7.50-$6.90; 1,900; $71,000). Previous week, $34,700: last week, nearly $52,800. Closed last Saturday (23), at a loss of about $20,000 on its $225,000 in¬ vestment Renaud - Barrault Co., Winter Garden (Repertory) (4th wk; 30; $5.75; 1,494; $45,000). Previous week, $39,500 for eight perform¬ ances evenly split between the double-bill, “Nights of Fury” & “Dear Departed Mother-in-Law,” and “Intermezzo”; last week, al¬ most $37,700 for dual-bill, “The Gardener’s Dog” and “Les Adieux.” Ended limited engagement last Saturday (23). . Opening This Week Hole in the Head, Plymouth (CD) ($6.25-$5.75); 1,062; $36,625) (Paul Douglas). Play by Arnold Schul- man. presented by Producers The¬ atre; production capitalized at $85,- 000,. cost about $60,000 to bring in and can break even at around $18,- 000 gross. Opens tomorrow (Thurs.) night. Ziegfeld Follies. Winter Garden (R) ($8.05; 1,404; $63,000) (Beatrice Lillie). Revue presented by Mark Kroll & Charles Conaway; produc¬ tion caoitalized at $300,000, cost about $250,000 to bring in and can break even at around .‘•>40.000 gross. Opens next'Friday (1) night. OFF-BROADWAY SHOWS A God Slept Here & Enemies Don’t Send Flowers, Provincetown (2-19-57). American Savoyards, St. Ignati¬ us Church (2-26-57). Anatomist, Royal (2-26-57). Box of Water Colors, B’way Cong. Church (2-17-57); closes April 21. Dr. Faustus & Parade at the I.Devil’s Bridge. Blackfriars’ (2-18- ' 57). Iceman Cometh, Circle-in-Square (5-8-56). In Good King Charles Golden Days, Downtown (1-24-57). Lady’s Not For Burning, Car¬ negie Hall Playhouse (2-21-57). Me Candido, Greenwich Mews (10-15-56); closes March 3, Mrs. Patterson, Davenport (2-5- 57). Purple Dust, Cherry Lane (12- 27-56). Take a Giant Step, Jan Hus (9- 22-56). Threepenny Opera, de Lys (9- 20-55). Volpone, Rooftop (1-7-57). Closed Last Week House Remembered, Actors’ Playhouse (2-6-57). O’Flaherty, V. C., & Press Cut¬ tings, Tempo (2-18-57). There.Is No End, Covenant Play¬ house (2-8-57). Tajama Tops’ Fair $9,000, ‘Season’ Good $5,600, L.A. Los Angeles, Feb. 26. Local legit continued on the fair side generally last week, ,with “An¬ niversary Waltz” getting .$9,500 in its ninth and closing stanza at the Ritz. “Pajama Tops” showed a profitable $9,000 for its 18th week at the Forum, and “Fifth Season” had a gooff initial stanza of $5,600 at Civic Playhouse. For the first four days of “Time Limit” at the Ivar, the take was a thin $2,600. ELT Shows (Feb. 25- March 9) Annie Get Your Gun—Louox Hill Play* . house (27-3h Clinton H. S., Bronx (8-9). Idiot's Delight—Bryant II. S., Queen* I (1-3).