Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1937-02-18

OIlOW business is nara W guess.
Even the most astute producers
sometimes pass by scripts that la
ter turn out to be smash hits-or
stage what looks like a smash hit
only to have it lay an egg, as the
saying goes. For instance, George
Monks, Jr, and Fred Finkelhoff, two
young graduates of the Virginia Mil
itary institute, sent play around
and around until it had reached Il
managers. They were about ready
to call it a day when George Abbott
notified them that he would pro-
duce it. The play is Brother Rat"
a hit from the take-off. AS this is
being written, the playwrights are
in Nassau enjoying vacation which
they can now well afford. On their
return, it is their intent, according
to their announcement, to throw a
party. Their guests will be the 81
producers who couldn't see any
merit = or "box office" - in their
opus.
Then there was ''White Horse
Inn." A continental success, num-
Der, of producers considered bring
ing it over here. Claiming Pollock
all but did so. The Shuberts are
said to have had their eyes on it
for some time and Max Gordon is
said to have given it consideration.
But it is huge and costly pro-
duction with a plot of little less con-
sistency than the old Cinderella yarn
which has been reworked in the
theater so many times. Rowland
Stebbins, in association with Warner
Brothers, took the plunge. The Cen
ter theater was turned into Tyro-
lean village at cost of about $780,
900, and thousands more went for
costumes and other expenses. Three
weeks ago "White Horse Inn passed
the half million dollar mark and is
still going ahead at high speed.
Examples might be continued al
most indefinitely. Cables Irish
Rose" as you may remember, was
turned down until Anne Nichols,
the author, brought it out herself.
And it ran for five years. On the
other hand, this season has wit
messed fops of productions, one of
which at least cost quarter of a
million dollars. AS said in the be-
ginning, show business is hard to
guess.
Many of those productions that
make critics sick of their jobs and
last only few nights aren't brought
out for Broadway at all. Their final
destination is Hollywood - or at
least the producers and hackers
hope they will hit Hollywood. Many
of them do. Several fops this season
have travelled west after leaving
behind as much as $25, 1000 for the
rights.
Some actors, particularly ingenues
and juveniles, consider Broadway
merely a stepping stone to Holly
wood. Every motion picture COM
pany of Importance is represented
on opening nights. The next morn
ing, casting offices and scenario de-
partments receive complete reports
on the work of the actors as well
as the suitability of their vehicle
for screening. Scouts also visit sum-
mer theaters, night clubs and the
few houses where there is still
vaudeville.
Amateur nights, which had such
a tremendous vogue just a short
time ago, are experiencing waning
popularity. They are not nearly so
numerous as in the past and fail to
attract the old following. One of
the reasons given by friend who
knows his entertainment is that
there is a scarcity of legitimate
amateurs. Another is that the pub
lie prefers professionals.
Subway housekeeping: ''Talk
about your raw breaks = his wife
beats him to the window and draws
his two weeks pay. And what'n she
do with. it? Just frivol it away on
their four kids"
g Bell Syndicate.--WNU Service.