The Washington herald., 1922-05-07
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NEW YORK, May s.--''sally." the
gay Cinderella play with Cinder-
ella star. has moved on to Boston
after seventy weeks in the largest
theater in town-the New Amster-
dam. The total receipts were far
in excess OF 100000 and in point
Of attendance 1t surpassed Light
nin.' which ran for three. years and
one day.
In theater OF ordinary size it
would have taken sally" more
than three years to have completed
its phenomenal run. The standees
numbered more than $4,000. 1t was
completely recostumed and refur-
nished scenically three times, The
east. with one. single exception, re-
nained the same from opening
night until the closing.
The run took place during the
dullest months in : the history OF
the New York thester-which goes
to prove several things. Chiefest
of which is the fact a play with
clean lines. good music, beautiful
scenery-kept at top speed-will
survive the dullest days.
sally" was one of those plays
that grew somewhat like Topsy.
In the original plans F. Ziegfeld.
ir I-ta 20 ato 70
whom he picked from vaudeville a
number of years ago and placed in
the Follies. She is a member of an
old vaudeville family-known as
the Four Millers. Msrilyn had
nimble feet. set property smile and
certain beauty.
She became one OF the highest
priced stage stars the world has
ever seen. She was wise enough
to make her contract for a certain
sum and then to share. in the
gross. She drew salary amounting
to something like 100000 during
the run of the play.
While Sally" was in rehearsal
George NJ. Cohan decided to quit
producing. He was then making
ready to star Leon Enrol. a fin-
ished. clever comedian. Ziegfeld
took over the contract. The lines
for Enrol were written in and his
name went up in electric lights as
star along with Marilyn Miller.
1t was the happy combination
that perhaps did much for the sue
cess of the play. Enrol is always
funny. His humor is sparkling and
clean. He does funny falls, but he.
does not resort to horse-play to
get the laugh. He works hard
Like all experienced show men.
Enrol was not so optimistic about
the future of sally" He decided
on straight salary-which in the
long run is the best policy. But
the play happened to be the notable
exception to the rule. But he did
not resort to outbursts of tempera-
ment.
When Sally" opened at Atlantic
City only one speculator saw in it
buy" that is, chance for a
long run. That speculator became
rich. When 1t opened in New York
its success was instantaneous. 1t
was urged that. like "Lightnin.'" II"
when it moved from New York it
would not meet with such success.
the theory being that nearly every
body who would pay the price to
see Sally" would in the course of
seventy weeks visit New York and
see it.
Yet in Boston 1t has duplicated
In the first three weeks its New
York receipts for the same period.
Indeed one theatrical weekly states
that statistics will show that it
will run there a year. After Bos-
ton 1t goes to Chicago, and then
Will make a tour of the principal
cities. 1t has paid the government
100000 in tax and has a weekly
pay roll running into the thirty
thousands.
The closest second to Sally" in
point of attendance was a Cinder-
ella play called Irene" 1t ran for
Two years at the Vanderbilt. a very
small theater.