Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday, November 10, 1954 ♦HOT UPS* PAGE Oran (Hot Lips) Page, 46, noted iar/ trumpeter and vocalist, died ^ 0 \/ 5 of a heart attack in New York. Bom in Dallas, Tex., he be- gan to play the trumpet at the age of i2, appearing with a children’s brass band for several years. While at Texes College he organs izod several bands,; his first be- ing “The Original Blue Devils,” with Count Basie as pianist. jn, 1927 Page went to Kansas Oiiw where he joined the Benny MoVen and Count Basie orchestras. Alter coming to New York with the. Basi group, tie was subsequently hired as third trumpeter and . vo- calist by Arti Shaw’s, band, thus becoming one of the first Negro •■playera with an all-white orchestra. Kri jnever to play the same World War II. After playing aroUnd. the East for Some time, both with his own orchestra and that of others, he took a two-week booking in Pittsburgh thaF extendr ed into years and had apparently decided to make Pitt his -perma-: nent home at the time of his death. His only known survivor .is a son, Luis, Jr., believed to be in New York! However, several days after Morales’ death, nq .one had been able to contact Luis Jr,, and Luis Sr.’s body lay unclaimed in the Allegheny County morgue. JOY HATHAWAY KENNY Mrs. Joy Hathaway Kenny, radio- tv actress and wife 'of Charles Kenny, assistant radio-tv editor of tlie.N.Y. Daily Mirr , died Nov. 4 in Bridgeport, Conn, after con- Remembering November 7, 1945 Liliion tracting pneumonia. She was hos- pitalized since the death of the couple's infant daughter only three days earlier; A native of Vancouver, B.C., Mrs. Kenny portrayed the title role in “Amanda of Honeymoon Hill,’- a popular radio serial of the 1930s, She was also cast in several other soap operas including “Young Wid- der Brown,” arid ‘‘Stella Dallas:” She appeared in the. Broadway pro- duction of “The Women.” Surviving besides her husband, who is the brother of Mirror radio- tv editor Nick Kenny, are three sons and her.mother. JAAP VAN LAREN Jaap Van Laren (Johannes Jacob NOVEMBER TO. 1945 with proceeds going to Page’s family. His wife and a son survive. CATHERINE WILLARD Catherine Willard, 54,. veteran actress who played leading roles for more than 25 years, died Nov. 4 in New York after a Short illness. Born in Dayton, O., she studied at the Comedie Francaise in Paris before making her debut at the Theatre Roy ale in Exeter, England, bi "The Taming of the Shrew.” Miss Willard, a former wife of actor Ralph Bellamy, subsequently played Shakespearean parts at the Old Vic, London. Returning to the I'.S. in 1921 to appear with the Henry Jewett Co. in Boston, she portrayed some 86 roles in various bsen, Shaw and Galsworthy plays 'resented at the Copley Theatre. Following her Broadway debut n 1924 she was seen in such plays Becker),, retired .vaude and circus pefforirier, died, recently of a heart attack at Plymouth, Eng. Known as . the “Jolly Dutchman' on , the wire,” he. was a native of Hilver- sum, Holland, and was an acrobat and wire-walker in his teens. In J 9.12 Van Laren went from the Continent to. England with his comedy wire act, in which he was assisted by his \vife; Wilhelmina. The couple made their home in Britain and toured the world in Vaude and circuses. In 1938 he re- tired from show biz and opened a bookshop in Plymouth, Eng. CLEO MAYFIELD Cleo Mayfield, 57, former musi- cal comedy actress, died Nov. 8, in New York, after a long illness. In M 912, she first attracted notice in' the role of Miss Understood in “The Military Girl,” at the Zieg- feid Theatre in Chicago. Among (November 9, 1951) !?, VTlie Great Gatsby,” “SitnOn ailed Peter,” “Young Love/’ “To- Ijze" arid “The Deep Mrs. Sykes,” ! l,e la si appeared in the 1951 pro* nction of IT Am a Camera" at the ’^PU’c, N.Y., surviving is- a son, Willard Bel- ! , n lv. ■ Theatre and tv producer °nhirigton Miner is her first HlSl , . LUIS MORALES miis Morales, 58, bandleader who Jit £ een working in and around ‘itsburgh for the last few years, found dead of natural causes, ‘us rooming house in that city. 31. He recently closed an pasi'inent at Pitt’s Carnival where he had worked off c : on since 1950. •Vv nban, Morales was a trumpet j: :• .In the Army Band of his ,'9. land for a couple of decades 01 e coming to the U.S. before HARRY D. SQUIRES her other successes were roles in “No, No, Nanette,” "The Blue Par- adise,” .“Miss 1917,” “Look Who’s Here!” “The Blushing Bride” and “Innocent Eyes.” Miss Mayfield, with her late hus- band, Cecil Lean, had appeared as a comedy team In vaudeville and in legit. Her last Broadway stint was in 1944, in the comedy, “Right Next to Broadway.” She also appeared in. “Big-Hearted Herbert,” “The Milky Way” and “The .Bishop Misbehaves.” Surviving are her mother and a sister. DENIS GREEN Denis Green, 50, actor and writer for radio, television and motion pictures, died Nov. 6 of a heart ailment in New York, Born in London, lie was the son ^of Richard Green, a Gilbert and Sul- livan principal at the Savoy thea- tre there. 1 Before turning to the stage as a career. Green was a pilot In the British RAF in the first World War and for five years, a tea planter in Bengal. In 1931 he came to the. U. S.'after playing leading roles in London. Green supported the late Leslie Howard during the American tour of "Hamlet" in 1936-37 and in 1938 was in “Murder in the Cathe- dral.” He was later with Hie orig- inal company of “Kiss Me, Kate.” The “Sherlock -Holrriies” arid “ure- gory Hood” serials were among his . radio writing, credits. His wife and mother sur PIETRO DEIRO Pietro Deiiro, 65, former vaude performer, accordionist; composer and. music publisher, died Nov. 3 in New York after a brief illness. Born, in Italy,., he studied piano abroad before coming to Uie U.S. in 1907. He started, his vaude career in 1909 in San; Francisco, and later appeared at the- Palace Theatre, N.Y., among, other houses. AS an accordion soloist Deiro performed on the B. F. Keith and Pantages circuits as well as on numerous radio shows.. He was a recording artis^ for RCA . Victor since 1921. He helped popularize the accordion in flip U.S. by im- proving.the instrument's keyboard as well as writing several concertos: for it/ Since 1935 he headed the Accordion Mpsic Publishing Co. / His wife, a son and. a daughter survive, FRANZ STEINER Franz Steiner, 81, baritone li. - der singer and: a close- associate 1 of Richard Strauss, died Nov, 4 in Mexico City. Born in Vienna, he was: for years a professor at the Conservatory for Music there;, and performed at the Royal Opera House in Dresden. . From 1910 to 1928 Steiner was believed to have been the first to sing Strauss’ lieder, and toured with the. composer on many oc- casions, Surviving, are a sister - and a brother. CLEM BERNARD . .Clem Bernard, 49, corriedy pi- anist with the Billy Cotton orcli, died in a London hospital Nov. 1, haying collapsed .in a BBC studio the previous day just before a broadcast/ He was associated with the maestro for 30 years, acting as arranger, scripter and gagman. Bernard was a key personality in the Cotton band show. . He filled, a leading role on stage as a pocket- sized comedian, as well as perform- ing .bn the ivories; Survived by his wife and two .children, HERMAN M. DOL1NSKY Herman M. /-Doli risky. 66, a Loew’s Theatres manager, died NOv. 2 in Brooklyn. Starting with Loew’s in 1911 as an assistant man- ager at Loew’s Delancey Theatre, he subsequently became manager of several Loew theatres in Brook- lyn, He was manager of LoeW’s Coney Island Theatre for' 15 years. At the tiriie of his.death he was a relief, .manager for the cir- cuit. Surviving are three daughters. ALBERT H. HOLZHAUSEN Albert H, Holzhauseri 56, musi- cian and vocal instructor^ died, Nov. 6 in Youngstown, O,. For- merly on the music faculty of Youngstown College, he previously had lived in New York for 19 years, where he was with CBS’ "The Cathedral Hour ” and sang with the N. Y. Oratorio Society, Two sisters, and three brothers., survive. Charles belden Charles Belderi, 50, screen writ- er, died Nov. 3 of acute pancreatitis at the Motion Picture Country Hos- pital on the Coast. Starting his writing career, as a reporter on the Syracuse Post-Standard, he became a .film scripter i 1931. Among his screen credits are “Rornirice of the Rancho,” “The Great Mystic” and “The Strange Mr. Gregory.” A. son survives. ARTHUR 0. MAY Arthur O. Donaldson, 75;. actor known professionally; as Arthur O. May,: died Nov. 4 in Chicago. He ! retired from the stage in 1949 after ; nearly 50 years during which time he played most of the major vaude circuits. Survived by a sister. BUD CRAWFORD Bii.d Crawford, 50, prexy arid chief engineer of Custer County Broadcasting Co., at Broken Bow, Neb., died Oct, 26 in a Loup City hospital after a three-month ill- ness. The company owned and i operated KCNI, Broken Bow. p His wife and daughter survvi WARREN~ >1. GRAHAM ! Warren M/Graham, who.became widely known during World War I entertaining American troops over- seas with . his ventriloquist act, died Nov. 4 in, Philadelphia. Graham, who gave up show busi- ness to become a plasterer, in later years,, entertained at veterans’ hos- pitals around Philadelphia. His 'wife survives, MINNA COOK Minh;4 Coo’k /Mrs, M. A. Gam- ble', 87, died at Leicester, .Em;,. 'Oct.. 24 v She began her stage .career ; at the age of five.at Leicester, and acted in such plays as “Caste.” “Barnes of New York,” and “Uncle Tom’s. Cabin;’.’ Surviving is. a', son, Archie. Gam- ble, fromer stage, manager at the Pavilion Theatre, Leicester., HELEN HARTLEY Mrs. Echo Yoshida,. 61, vet. cir- cus performer, died in Denison, Tex. Oct. 30 following, a'-' brief i!. r - ,nes. ..Known professionally, as Helen Hartley, she was appearing in Denison with Hagen Bros. Circus when she was taken ill. -.M'rS:- Yoshida had been: a big top. performer for more than a quarter of a. century. Alice Sniycke, 44, died NOv, 6 .at her home in Banstead; Surrey,. England. She was the,wife of the famous Derby winning jockey. Charles Snrirke, arid belonged to the family of Marie and Alice Lloyd, oldtime headliners in Brit- ish riiusic halls. Harry McNauch- tpri. the American comedian.: ' eousi .-. Frank D. Byler. 93. organizer of Seven brass bands during his 65- year music career, died . Novi 4 in Reading, Pa. He was- awarded a silver cup from. John Philip Sousa in recognition of his : skill as a march composer. Surviving are a daughter arid two sons. ; Dennis J. McNerriey, 70/ for 25 years a partner , in Bltiriierithal Theatres, died Nov/7 in. San. Fra, - cisco. He previously was.Coast dis- trict Manager for .United Artists/ Surviving are' his wife, two sons! and a daughter. . Wife, 58, of Louis Rosenfeld, president and general manager of Columbia Pictures of Canada, died of a cerebral hemorrhage recently iri, Toronto. Surviving besides her husband are a son. a daughter and . a ister and a brother. Theodore Rand, 47, member of the vaudeville troupe known as Uie; Dancing Theodores, died.of cancer Nov. 4 at the Motiori Picture Coun- try, HOirie in California. He lost- a" leg. last June because of the same ailment. Mrs. Elsie Riesenfeld Mark, 69 Widow.' of Moe Mark, pioneer film exhib and original co-owner with his brother, Mitchell Mark; of the. Strand Theatre/N. ,Y.. died Nov. 8. in New York, after a ^long-illness, Harry S. Godfrey, 71, New York newspaperman arid publicist, who worked, on motion pictures for $outh America while On the staff of the Inter-American- Affairs Assn! during World War II, died in Adamant, Vt.. Oct. 27; Vincenzo Battoni, 73, who sang basso for years at La Scala and other top opera houses throughout . the world, died ..of a heart attack NoV, 4 ’ Milan. Italy, Job T. Everitt, 47, radio-lv script writer, died Nov; 2 in Hunt-, ington, -L.I., after a short illness. Surviving are ,his wife, a son, a daughter arid his mother. Cecil H. Taylor, 83, dance direc- . tbiY died at Manchester. Eng... Oct. 27; He went to. Africa .and Austra- il a five years ago to reyiy inter-, est in oldtime dancing. Harold Long,. 49, chief .account- ant /for Telemeter; a : Paramount subsidiary;- died Nov. 4 in Molly- wood. He joined Paramount 1939. -. Mother of Sam Gardner, Metro branch manager in Sari Franci.se died Oct, 31/ in Philadelphia. Ray Mainella, 42, member of Metro’s-, construction department, died Oct. 31 in Venice; Cal. His wife and two children survive, K, Roller Whittredge, 50. former RKO sound editor, died. Oet, 29 in Ventura, Cal, Constantine Klein, 48, Pa-ra- mourit grip for 25 years, died Nov. . 1 in Hollywood. Father, 92/of Max Shulgold. in- die distributor ...on Pittsburgh’s : Film Row, died Oct. 30 in that city; j . Leslie. Sloman, 35, writer, died' l,Nov. 3 in Pacific Palisades. Her parents survive. ? Conti l I. , separation of Equity and its chorus , affiliate was coniained in a letter ' to council members./In discussing Chorus objections to. merger, the message suggested that the oppo- sition steins from a small segment of the Chorus lriemborsh: with- out the knowledge or approval .of the majority. Asserting that the verwhelm- ing bulk of both Equity arid Chorus Equity favors merger-, Bellamy .pro-! posed that the question of a show- down n the -que.sti , with tli'e Chorus,.me mb e r.sh ip nriilci ng up its : .iriind eithe' to accept merger or be prepared to "go, it alone;” He >xpve.ssed,“amazement'’ at: person- al attacks made upon him on the issue'. i The merger roposak endorsed ! recently by t.h Equity council, with -.Chorus- repT.ercntali.vcs • ent, was (o have been submitted to referendum of the riieinberships ,of the two. affiliates wiih' a month, \vi ii actual amalgamati be- ! conie effective about Jan. RKO Abroad Conlirincd front pa^c 4 This is the main feature of the Tushinsky lens, Now. RKO films \vi 1) be available in standard formal plus anamoiphic for ihe Tushinsky present at ion. Develop- ment of. the Tushinsky lens -lias readied, the point where theatres equipped for Cinemascope can now show iri a ratio of/up to lw i to one the anamorphfc prints proc- essed by Tushi sky. “Underwater,” Jane Russell starr is to be the /first RKO film to be made available j iri bbtli the conventional and ana- | morphie prints. MARRIAGES i Elsa Latzko to Jano Endrst, New .York, Sept. 18: BoUi bifide, and. •’ groom- are with Radio Free Europe. Peggy Caldera to Dan Love, Aus- | tin. Tex. Oet; 16. He’s a KTBC, AM-TV, staffer. Joanna Donat to Christopher R,. Wellington, Great 11 a m p d e n, Bucks.. .Eng.,; Oet. 30. Bride is ; sin ger-daughter• of actor Robert •j Donat; lie’s-..a.,yipla-Ji>la?er, j Billie Webster .. .to. Jay Troin- ; peter, Chicago. Oct; 13.' lie's a 1 Windy City disk jockey on stall ! WIND. | ; Esther B. Oeslsehlaeger. to Ken- I neth Peters. Laconia. N. H., re- cently. Bride is a station WLNH { staff'er in that city. Joan Seralirii to Joe Negri, Pitts- ’ burgh, Nbv. 6; He’s a musician, i ".Rae Harrison to .Jerry Rofey, I Pittsburgh, Oet. 24. Bride’s with the WB exchange, I Connie Bull* to John Bartolotta, "Pittsburgh. Oet. 3-1. Bride’s IWDTV staff; j Darlene Sharp to Ken Fiske, Chi- : cago. Oct. 23. Bride is a former ! NBC-TV script girl in Chicago; he’s. . the network’s farm consultant there. , Jane Powell to Patrick W. Ner- i riev, Hollywood, Nov. 8. Bride’s ; a film actress. Tj’oin- Ile's a BIRTHS Mr, and Mrs. Jack Moffett. Pittsburgh, Oct. 3l. Mother’s the daughter of. Byron F. /Dinty) Moore, Stanley-Warner district manager in Pitt zone. Mr. arid Mrs. Jack/Moon. son, Pittsburgh, Oct. 26. Mother’s Shir- ley. Kinder, of radio’s .singing Kinder. Sister,, formerly; with “Ice Capaclcs.” Mr., and Mr.; Gwilyin Price Ji’., son, Pittsburgh.. Qel. 28, Mother’s on Pitt Playhouse executive board. /" Mr, and Mrs; : Harrison Mueller, son. Bethel, Gonn., Oct 28. Father and mother are dancers. Mr. and Mrs. David Van Devcer, son, PiU.shurgh, Nbv, 2, Mother’' Shirley Summerville. ex-WDTV ; ' aff; Mr., and: Mrs. TI. Robert Gluck, •Sant . Monica. Cal,. Nov, 1, Child f : the grandson, of. Mrs.. Florence Tlralhciinei-,-educational television producer. . ; Ml’: and. Mrs: Peter Graves, .daughter.-Santa. .Monica. CaI./i T \ 1 .Father is a screen actor/ Mr; and Mrs. .A. Alan Friedbcrg. daughter. New York. Nov. 1, Child is granddaughter. Of Milton E. Cofien, United Artists eastern divi- sion manager. . Mr, and Mrs. Alan Carloun. son, New York, Nov. 5. Father is pro- duoer of CBS Radio’® “Lon gin os Symphoneltc” and “The Choral- iers.” Mr. and Mrs. Ritdoll' Petrak. son. Port-,Chester; N.Y.. Nov. 7. Mother iSedora .Kalencik) is..former Czech icefkating chainp.; father i«f tenor lead with N.Y. City Opera Co.