Evening star., 1938-09-05
Group Ideas
Not Always
A Success
Contracts Have a
Way of Luring
Stars Away.
NEW YORK,

NEW 1Ofth.
~ the Associated Press.
-HE cooperative or group idea
in theatrical productions con.
tinues to bounce into botl
L snarls and triumphs as Broad.
ways several show shop units prepare
to begin this week their most ambi.
tiouS season.
The Theater Guild has long beer
the most successful Of the group ideas
but despite its successes it has failed
to hold together continuous nom
changing acting company. Even its
actress director. Helen Wesley, now
spends most Of her time appearing
in Hollywood movies, while Alfred
Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, its mos
brilliant stars, alternate between ap-
pearing for the guild and under their
own management.
Two other stars Of the permanent
group, Dudley Digges and Henry Tray
ers, have gone to other managements
More and more, in recent seasons, the
guild has been forced to go to Holly
wood and recruit movie stars to head
its productions.
The group theater was first formed
by a board Of youngsters who gradu-
ated from the guild ranks, and al
though it has been eminently success
full it, too, has found it difficult to
hold its ranks closed when individuals
make outstanding hits and are lured
away by more tempting offers.
Franchot Tone left the group to go
to Hollywood, but he is returning in
January to play the lead in the groups
production of Gentle People," com
edy about Coney Island by Irwin
Shaw, author of Bury the Dead"
The groups first effort of the new
season, however, will be a revival Of
its hit, Golden Boy" with Frances
Farmer returning to her original role
This will open in Chicago September
IL and play east while the troupe re.
hearses its new plays for Broadway
opening, which include both Gentle
People" and Rocket to the Moon," q
love story by Clifford Odets. Morris
Carnovsky will play the lead in this
latter, and there is possibility that
Sylvia Sidney may play the feminine
lead, Miss Sidney recently having
merged with the group by marrying
one of its stars, Luther Adler. But
the group has lost one Of its stars
Jules (now "John") Garfield to the
movies, where he is fast winning gold
and fame.
The Mercury Players, who were most
successful last season, plan to be Just
as active again this winter, with Orson
Welles and John Houseman directing
Their first productions will include
William Gillette's farce, TOO Much
Johnson" and the revolutionary Dan
tons Death"
But despite their success the Mer-
curry Players are having their troubles
in holding some Of their more able
players. Max Gordon has signed sew
eral Of them to appear in his new
musical show. Sing Out the News
and other managers are dangling
tempting contracts within the grasr
Of others.
The explanation seems to be that
the one-for-all and all-for-one spiri,
OF these groups flies out the window
when the individuals begin to stand
out as individuals and have personal
fame and fortune offered them.
Some stars Of the theater are avidly
opposed to the group idea of acting
For instance, there is Cornelia Otis
Skinner, who is abandoning her sole
performances this season to play the
leads in several revivals.
Actors are individuals" Miss Skin
ner says. "All this cooperative pool
ing Of artistry, beyond certain limit
Is so much nonsense to me. haven't
the Moscow Art Theater attitude abou
working for the good of the group ~