Evening star., 1943-04-06
A Tired Formula
Summoned Forth
For New Remedy
Abboft's Kiss and TeR
Tries Mistaken Identity
To Begef Laughs
BY the Associated Press,
NEW YORK.

NEW YORK.
Wherever you go in the broadway
theatrical district you are likely to
hear, with good reason, praise Of
George Abbott.
AS actor, co-author or producer
he has been associated with shows
which are part of the recent history
of the entertainment business in
New York: "Broadway," Three Men
on Horse" boy Meets Girl"
"Coquette," The Boys From Syra-
cuse" and many others.
It follows, therefore, that anything
that Abbott does calls for antici-
patory- -quivers of pleasure.
Unhappily, Mr.. Abbott doesn't al
ways hit the bulls-eye. He missed
earlier in the season in a raucous
musical called Beat the Band" and
this past Wednesday night he came
to town again with comedy, kiss
and TeH," the title of which kept
reminding me Of the caustic remark
about George Moore that he told
without being kissed.
The new comedy is by F. Hugh
Hubert, an Englishman, unrelated
to the Woo" Hollywood actor,
who seems to have been taken and
to have taken Mr.. Abbott with the
notion that a lot of swiftly delivered
gags and situation, involving the
misunderstanding that girl is
enciente, is cause for riotous laugh
ter.
Laughter Over What?
Whatever the cause, whether it is
a vestige Of some primitive fear or
some deeply ingrained reverence for
the miracle of propagation or merely
a perversity of humor, the fact re-
mains that mistaken identity in the
instance of gravid feminity seems to
demand merriment.
Let the wrong man, an innocent
man, or, as in this case, a boy, be
accused and the roof is lifted. But
the laughter is apt to be nervous.
Kiss and Tell" features Jessie
Royce Lands and Robert Keith but
is plainly minor triumph for Joan
Calufield, who as Corliss Archer,
daughter of these admirable parents,
goes in a big way for an Army pri-
vate whom her father and mother
have brought home for dinner.
Her brother, an Air Corps lieu
tenant, comes home on leave ABOUT
the same time and secretly marries
the neighbors' daughter who hap
pens to be the confldante of Corliss.
The misunderstanding then quick
~ arises: Some one has seen Corliss
coming out of an obstetrician's Office
without seeing her new sister-in-
law. Corliss, sworn to secrecy by her
brother not to disclose the marriage.
accepts the blame and shame of
extra-curricular activities. Papa
ages. mama sorrows. The audience
roars and the neighbors' ed-headed
kid, a boy of Is with a high-pitched
voice. is labeled cad.
Naturally it all turns out we'll
with Brother Lenny decorated for
sinking an aircraft carrier and the
neighooring families reunited and
everybody happy just as they are In
the movies and the comic strips.
Magnificent Back Porch.
Besides Miss Lands and Mr..
Keith the principal participants in
these goings on were Tommy Lewis,
brash kid with squeaky voice
and an intolerably advanced sales
manship manner; Robert White,
John Harvey, Richard Widmark,
Paula Trueman, Calvin Thomas.
Lulu Mae Hubbard, Robert Lynn and
Judith Parrish.
The entire action takes place on
back porch, which curiously con-
tains a telephone, fireplace and a
handy stairway upstairs.
Stars on Ice" the skating ex-
travaganza at the Center Theater,
had its -millionth customer this
week. In something like $50 per-
formances the revue has crossed
81 l,250,O0O and shows no signs of
falling OF in popularity.