Evening star., 1947-01-12
Broadway:
Margaret O'Brien
Wanted for Play
on Broadway
BY the Assoeioted Press

Margaret O'Brien, M-G-M's Won
der moppet. is wanted for the lead
in the new A. B. Shriffrin play,
Eleven Lives of Leo" which would
go into production whenever the
youngster could shake loose from
Hollywood.
| Not the least discouraged by the
swift demise of their production OF
Love Goes to Press" which became
the years first flop when it closed
after four days, Producers Warren
P. Munseil and Herman Bernstein
promptly announced their next try
will be with Grand National Night. !"
by Dorothy and Campbell Christie.
i. Like their early-year attempt,
the Christies' comedy has been run
ming successfully in London for al
most a year.
Jesse Lasky is here to cast the film
version of Miracle of the Bells" for
which ne wants several prominent
Broadway actors. ."Craig's Wife"
is in rehearsal and will arrive here
late in February. Jane Kean
has the toughest act to follow of the
season, replacing Betty Garrett, who
scored the years most notable tri-
umph in Call Me Mister" >. To
note a coincidence, James sister
Betty is the star of the touring
Mister" troupe.
Ed Archie" Gardner will attend
to the definite details for his musical
comedy, Meet Me at Duffy's" dur
ing his current New York visit. :.
He's writing the book with the help
of his battery of gag guys and
Hoagy ("Stardust," "Buttermilk
Sky'D Carmichael is writing the
score.
The Carson Kanins-the Missus
is Ruth Gordon, actress-playwright
are this seasons busiest Mr.. and
Mrs. team, theatrical division. :.
Not only mas each play running on
Broadway-Kanin's Born Yester-
day" still being one of the towns
major smashes and Miss Gordon's
Years Ago. doing nicely too-but
their other theatrical endeavor has
them looking good deal like a
marital dervish team.
They have sold an original film
script to Universal-International
which they will produce on their
own as part of two-picture deal
are also preparing to become mem
bers of the Playwright's company,
iotx cfn1Jor lro O tin fnlR
as Elmer Rice, Robert Sherwood.
Maxwell Anderson, Kurt WE'LL and
others. =. Meanwhile, both husband
and wife have new play ideas in
mind for. the imminent future.
/ Add 1.-THE Playboy of the Western
World" to the plays abandoning
Broadway. {. 1t ran 10 weeks, two
more than had been planned for
this limited revival. Its star,
Burgess Meredith, returns to Hol-
lywood to make "a Miracle Can
Happen" a film in which he has
all sorts of fingers, being co-author,
co-director, co-producer and co-star.
"The Greatest of These" Max
Wylie's play about present-day In
dia, said to contain some highly
controversial dramatic discussion,
has caused good many managerial
changes since it first was announced
as an Eddie Bowling presentation.
Bowling dropped it and later
Richard Kollmar announced that
he and Frank Satenstein would pro-
duce. . Then Kollmar took a
powder, Satenstein continuing his
production interest in association
with Edgar Luckenbach. jr., 81
year-old millionaire, heir to his
fathers shipping fortune, and Rich
ard Krakeur. Eddie Bowling will
stage the show, however. retaining
that much of an official interest.
:. Meanwhile. Kollmar and Saten-
stein haven't busted up as a pro-
ducing partnership for good as they
have announced an untitled musical
for the fall.