Variety (December 1943)

Vedncsda?, December 1, 1943 JsfiltlETY MUSIC 87 Nets Cutting Down on Band Remotes In Face of Petrillo's Strike Threat Though they seemingly have* "noliiinB more than rumors oil which {o base conclusions, the broadcast- ing, companies expect AFM head James C. Pe.tril.lo to call a strike after the first of the year, at least .against remote pickups. To avoid being caught-without fill-in material, as they have been in the past, each net. "ith the exception of WOR- Miiiual. has been decreasing band re- gion's lately to devote more lime to sliidi orchestra broadcasts, yoca.1 shows by studio singers and occa- sional variety productions. _ As - a 'result of the remote restric- tions, band broadcast time is now at a premium. No new periods are be- ing distributed and the only way a bandleader can hope to get on the air from a location is to move into a spot from which his predecessor had a wire. Even that's not always a guarantee. Remote condition, if it continues to grow worse, may effect booking of bands in N. Y. spots, most of which are financial loss dates. NBC hasn't used orchestra remotes /or some time. CBS and the Blue have, but each has gradually cut down until there is only one spot on cither chain getting, more than two shots weekly. That's Benny Good- man's orchestra from the New Yorker hotel, N. Y. Tommy Dorsey has two on the Blue and two on CBS. Frank.. Dai ley's Terrace Room has only two on CBS. whereas it once had many more, but- it also has a number of Mutual shots. Mulual's methods of picking up re- motes are disliked by most leaders, but they continue to lake them be- cause there's nothing else available. Few full half-hour periods are al- lotted by Mutual (there was one in- stance recently of a live-minute broadcast by Ted Lewis) in an en-" deavor to carry as many bands as possible. Music Notes Mack Gordon and James Monaco writing ditties for 'Moment For Music' at 20lli-Fox. From Strings to Bodies Philadelphia, Nov. 30. Dr. Israel A. Siekerka resigned as first violinist in the Philadelphia Orchestra to devote his full lime as ail osteopath, a profession he studied while -playing..in the orchestra. Dr. Siekerka said that he took the step because of a critical shortage of physicians in ihis area.. He said he had asked for a leave of absence from the orcheslra, but had - been turned down, which makes his resig- nation-. Mnal. Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne are clefling numbers for the next Kay Kyscr starrer, still untitled, lo be produced by. Sam BischolV at Coluni- bia. Frank Skinner and Irving Bibo cleffcd title song for 'Gung'Ho' at Universal. Mark Gordon and James Monaco collaborating on the score for 'Kit- ten On the Keys,' 20lh-Fox musical lo be produced by George Jessel. . Miklos Ro/.sa composing Ihe score for 'At Night We Dream' at Colum- bia. • , ' ' Irving Mills publishing the score of Columbia's Mae West-er, 'The Heat's On,' Roy Webb writing background music for 'Dangerous Journey' at RKO. ' '■" Harold Ailamson and Jimmy McHugh collaborating on ditties for 'Bring On the Girls' at Paramount. tarry Hart's Estate Goes Mostly to Bro. Teddy, Friend Kron Bulk of estate Ml by Lorenz Hart, songwriter who died of pneumonia in.N. Y. last week, goes to his broth- er, Theodore (Teddy) Hart, current in 'One Touch of Venus,' Imperial, N.Y., and William H. Kron, a friend. Will, dated June 17 of this year, was filed Monday (29) in the Surrogate's court, N. Y. Amount of estate was not made 'public. Hart named Kron and his collabo- rator. Richard Rodgers. as executors and trustees, and directed them to form two trusts, one to consist of 70% of his residuary estate lor the benefit of his brother, and the other 30% for the benefit of Kron. Teddy Hart-was bequeathed $5,000 outright, and his wife. Dorothy L. Hart, $2,500. Oh the death of her husband she receives the -.income from his trust for life, and on her death the prin- cipal is payable to the Federation for the Support 6t Jewish Philan- thropic Societies. There were other bequests, including $2,500, to Dr. Milton Bender, Harts agent-dentist. Le'sler Garson sold two comedy songs to Ken Murray for use in 'Blackouts,' vaude revue in Holly- wood. Hart Services on Coast ■ Hollywood. Nov. 30. Memorial services, for Lorenz Hart at Temple Israel Friday <2R) drew around 100 mourners, mostly, i songwriters. Rabbi Max Nussbaum read ihe eulogy and a cantor intoned the Hebrew chant. - Only music was organ rendition of Hart's outstanding songs, played be- fore the service. Pluggers' Prexy Warns Bribery Rife Again; Threatens Punishment 15 Best Song Sellers kdnig Nov. 27) Paper Doll Marks Pistol Pat-kin" Mania'... .Mayfair White Chiislnias. erlin Either Too Yotcia-. ....■ -. Wit mark-. Beautiful Moi ning..... Crawford Sun.. Moil, or Always.. .Mayfair Victory Polka.'. ..... . .. .C'happe!'.' People Will Say ... . .. .Crawford,' S;"iv a Prayer... ..Southern Heart Tells .Me:.. ,BVC Be Home for Xmas.. . .Melrose. Put Your Amis. Honey... . B'way How Sweet You Are...'.Remick For First Time. .Shapiro If You Please. ......... Famous ASCAP'S LA. CONCERTS FOR OVERSEAS RECORDS Los Angeles, Nov; . Dual sponsorship by ASCAP and L. A. Times of two concerts in Shrine auditorium Jan. 29-30 to raise funds for Overseas Master Records, Inc., has been arranged by Robert L. Mur- ray, public relations head of the So- ciety. Alfred Wallenslein conducts both musicals, one devoted to the classics and other more in the popu- lar vein. Hollywood Canteen will be cut in for 25% of the proceeds, with remainder of the receipts to be used for buying records to. be shipped to the armed forces overseas. Concerts are to be similar to that presented in Carnegie Hall: New York, for Master Records, and also commemorate ASCAP's 30th.Anni- versary. Jule S'.yhe and Sammy Cahn cleffcd 'When You Love,' 'You Never Know Where You're Going,' 'There Goes That Song Again' and the title song for 'Cinderella Jones' at Warn- ers. Johnny O'Connor, recently re- elected president of ihe' .Contact Men's Association, pupped' the payola question again to members o[ the union Monday night i29i in mrelin at the Abbey hotel, N. Y. O'Connor, warned that she bribery'problem is again gelling nut-of hand, thai lie is aware of who is guilty, and thai if Ihe 'practice diH'Mi't stop ihe uni will again lake steps lo c: trend. Numerous other items of varied import were covered. Amoiigoliem was discussion of respective elVorls of pluggers and counter boys. Com- plaints have been received by the union re the use of $20 minimum counter boys to plug songs. 11 is felt that this class of worker should be in one or the other category. Con- tact men draw a minimum of $35 weekly for such work. Union also decided that the $10 to which publishers were restricted last year for Christmas presents for bandleaders, etc.,. was not enough. Accordingly, the union has raised the maximum that can be spent on in- dividual gifts to $20. Toots Camarata, Out Of Army, to Join Decca Toots Camarata. arranger, joins Decca Records Monday (.6) as a re- cording director for bolh Decca and World Broadcasting Co., transcrip- tion affiliate. Camarata was released from the Army Air Forces about three weeks ago on a medical dis- charge. , • For years with Jimmy Dorsey's or- chestra, Camarata was arranging for Glen Gray before going into.service. His deal with Decca was signed be- fore going into service, but that fact was generally unknown. Harry Sosnik, longtime Decca staff maestro! is also back, now that re- cording is active again. We have just acquired from Regent Music Corp. a ballad which we believe will be THE COUNTRY'S NEXT BIG HIT! by Alec Wilder EDWIN H. 1619 Broadway Decca-Recorded by Mills Bros. (backed with "Paper Doll") C o I urn b i a - Rec o r d e d by C a b C a I Iowa y Columbia (forthcoming release) Red Norvo and Mildred Bailey MORRIS and COM PA N Y, Inc. New York 19, N. Y.