year, Ames had incurred a net deficit of $504,372 from the theater's operation, and the corporation operating the theater was dissolved. Craven's Spite Corner opened in September 1922 and stayed at the Little for three months. Two plays by Guy Bolton were staged at the Little in 1923: Polly Preferred with Genevieve Tobin and Chicken Feed with Roberta Arnold. The latter was transferred to another theater when Golden sought to transfer the revue Little Jessie James to the Little. The comedy Pigs opened at the Little in September 1924 and ran for 347 performances. This was followed in 1926 by two shows with over a hundred performances: Marc Connelly's The Wisdom Tooth and Gladys Buchanan Unger's Two Girls Wanted. Another hit was a transfer of the Grand Street Follies in 1927. Additionally, Rachel Crothers's Let Us Be Gay opened in 1929 with Francine Larrimore and Warren William, running for 353 performances. Late 1920s and 1930s Ames announced his retirement from producing in October 1929, but he said he would continue to control the Little Theatre, with Golden, Weber, and Comstock operating the venue. Two months later, the Little Theatre was leased to Chauncey W. Keim of the Harkem Holding Corporation for ten years. Harkem gave up its lease in June 1930, citing an unprofitable season. Later that year, the Little hosted Mr. Samuel with Edward G. Robinson, which was Ames's last show at the theater. This was followed in 1931 by Elmer Rice's The Left Bank. Vincent Astor sold the theater to the New York Times Company that November. According to the Times, the theater would "protect the light and air" of the Times annex at 229 West 43rd Street, as well as provide an additional exit from the annex. Variety magazine reported that the theater would be demolished to make way for the annex exit. Due to Depression-era budget cuts, the Times decided to keep the theater operating for at least a year. Ames's lease on the Little expired in May 1932. The New York Times Company leased the theater to Little Theatre Operating Company for one year starting in September 1932. The new operator planned to host "contemporary light comedies". During this period, the Little hosted many relatively short-lived productions, including "a spate of plays with 'Honeymoon' in their titles". The theater passed to the Frankwyn Corporation, operated by Arch Selwyn and H. B. Franklin. In December 1934,