'Maniac' Threat, $1,000,000 Keep Actress Luce on Toes

Actress Claire Luce, now rehearsing with the Brattle Theater Company, is scared about $5000 and excited about $1,000,000.

Miss Luce claimed last night that a "wild maniac" had called her up and demanded $5000 "or you won't appear on opening night." The actress, who opens Wednesday night in Shaw's. "The Millionairess," said she received the call Thursnight night and was too frightened to attend rehearsal Friday.

At about 3 a.m. her phone at the Commander Hotel allegedly rang and a "voice that sounded like some wild maniac" told her where and when to leave the money. Miss Luce claimed she was too sleepy to remember this data, but that she immediately told the night clerk about it.

No Police Record

She added that the night clerk promised to tell police about the call. As of last night, the Cambridge blotter had no record of the incident, but it was impossible to determine whether the night clerk had failed to call or whether the whole thing was a publicity stunt.

As for the $1,000,000, Miss Luce is rehearsing in a bank vault this morning with the money at her side, "to see what a millionairess would feel like." The actress is due to arrive at the National Shawmut Bank of Boston, 40 Water Street, at 8:45 a.m.

"This has never happened to me before," Miss Luce said last night. "I never carry any money with me--never needed it."