Variety (December 1954)

MISCELLANY Collins, Trinder Take Main Roles At London Water Rats Annual Ball By HARRY REGENSBERG London, Dec. 7. The Water Rats, mainly show hiz people who specialize in run- ning charity functions a *aw times a year, have one annual function which is the most important. This Is its annual ball, generally held at one of the top hotels in the West End. This year it was held at the Dorchester Nov. 28. Several months before the func- tion there Is generally a line of patrons anxious to be present de- spite $7.50 price per ticket, big money these days in London. Committee’s job is to sort out ap- plications and decide on ‘'who is who." Despite the scrutiny, there were well over 700 present. There were the usual speeches and a rather censored comedy be- cause most of the Ratlings (the femme section of the Water Rats) were present. The “Rats Toast” was proposed by Norman Collins, former exec of the BBC who resigned sometime (Continued on page 16) See, {(ear (In English) System at Paris Legit May Boost Business Paris, Nov. 30. The 250-sent Comedie Wagram has introduced English translation via an earphones’ system which may well revise Paris playgoing for U. S.-British visitors whose French is shaky or non-existent. With the bi lingual novelty a cus- tomer (paying an extra 50c) is given a scat fitted with transmit- ting device which enables him to get in English the French dialog of the play. It was first installed at the same house on an experi- mental basis two seasons ago in conjunction with comedy hit, “Zoe ” Experiment proved tourist draw and Wagram now has 30 seats equipped for the novelty. Another Paris theatre, Comedie des Champs-Elysees, since has installed a similar English-translation sys- (Continued on page 12) Using ‘Male’ Mags Putting the accent on “male appeal,” Universal is blanket- ing the men’s mag field in an ad campaign for “Six Bridges to Cross.” Total of 11 publications with a predominantly male reader- ship are being used by U to sell' the pic which is based on the $2,500,000 Boston robbery. Film is also being plugged in ads being placed in general readership mags. As to ‘War and Peace,’ Selznick Doesn’t Doubt Todd Has Read Book Apparently more amused than riled at the disclosure of Mike Todd’s plans to Todd-AO “War and Peace” in Yugoslavia, David O. Selznick—who had announced the Tolstoy project some consider- able time ago—penned the follow- ing statement last week: “I’m amused by the discovery in unexpected quarters of Tolstoy, since my initial announcement con- cerning ‘War and Peace.’ The un- knowing might be led to believe that a deluge of productions of this classic is imminent. I person- ally have no fear of this happen- ing. "I, too, have been contacted bv the Yugoslavian government; how- ever, I doubt that Tito's troops are uniformed and equipped in the manner of the armies of Bonaparte and Alexander in 1812 (which, however, would be valuable in- formation, if true); and to supply 50,000 of them would take an I awful bite out of anybody’s budget. ! I’d be afraid to make pictures on ; that scale. “Mike Todd is quite a showman, , and I don’t question his quaint i boast that he’s read the book ” 12/8 Gilt Subscription Enclosed find check or m.o. for $ Send Variety for one year two years NAME ADDRESS CITY ZONE.... STATE. Indicate if gift card desired □ NAME ....... ADDRESS CITY ZONE.... STATE One Year—$10.00 Two Years—$18.00 Canada and Foreign—$1 Additional per Year VARIETY Inc. 154 West 46th Street New York 36, N. Y. HORACE HEIDT For Swift & Co. Starting Jan. 8th Offices—J. Walter Thompson, Chicago W. German Board’s ‘Waterfront’ Nix Riles Pic Trade Frankfurt. Dec. 7. “On the Waterfront” (Colum- bia), which came to West Germany as a winner of awards (Venice Film Fest. Italian Journalists, etc.) was rejected by the German Film Classification Board, who termed it “a typical Hollywood cliche.” Resulting uproar has brought pro- tests from the newspapers, maga- zines. radio and television through- out W-Germany. Board’s decision meant that the film is ineligible for the 3% re- duction of amusement tax in the nine German states allowed for films the board considers “worthy.” The national press here has been quick to show that the treatment given “Waterfront” is an example of the board’s injustices and oft- times capricious decisions, and that they’re a composite of men who don't know the film business. Since the Board’s rejection, “Waterfront” has received several of the top German awards. The Catholic Film Commission of Ger- many sent a letter to its European headquarters in Brussels stating that the film is “outstanding,” and the German Catholic Film League picked it. along with another Co- lumbia film, “Father Brown,” as the two best pictures for Novem- ber. The Protestant Church Guild of Germany picked it as the top pic for December, giving it preference over the usual Decem- ber pic, choice of a film theme for Christmas. “Der Spiegel,” the Time-like magazine of West Germany, wrote a two-page pan at the Board’s un- fair findings, and the local news- papers and film trade papers have been playing the story high, press- IContinued on page 61) Moore-Gaxton Retie for Cafes Hollywood, Dec. 7. Billy Gaxton and Victor Moore, oldtime Broadway comedy team, are getting together again. This time, they’re planning an invasion of top niteries as a probable prelude to a return to Broadway in a new show. Pair starred in such Broadway hits as “Leave It To Me,” “Let ’Em Eat Cake,” “Of Thee I Sing,” "Any- thing Goes” and “Louisiana Pur- chase.” They haven’t worked to- gether since the short-lived “Nelly Bly” in 1947. Team has signed a personal man- agement deal with Lee Kerry, who initiated the reunion. MCA will handle bookings. Nitery act now being built will be a package which covers highlights of their careers in shows written bv such names as George S. Kaufman, Morrie Rys- kind, Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse and composed by George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. Deals now are being nego- tiated for Las Vegas, Miami and London dates. Wednesday, December 8,' 1954 Sweeping Attack on All Amusements Catholic Paper Quotes ‘Teach Me Tonight’ Song Lyrics As Depth of Ed Sullivan to Coast Ed Sullivan left N. Y. for the Coast this week with his agenda including a visit on the set of Stanley Kramer’s “Not As a Stranger.” Sullivan plans a filmed account of his studio onceover Tor inclu- sion on his “Toast of the Town” tv show Dec. 19. Johnston Feted But His Tbkyo Theme Not Liked; Speech Goes Unreported By RICHARD LARSH Tokyo, Dec. 3. Eric A. Johnston, MPEA presi- dent, will leave Tokyo this Sun- day (5) for the U. S. on the last leg of his swing around Asia and Australia. His week stay in Japan has been highlighted by an audi- ence with Emperor Hirohito and appearances at many luncheons, dinners and receptions. Most out- standing was a luncheon sponsored jointly by the U. S. Chamber af Commerce in Japan and the Ame* ican-Japan Society at which the honored guests included U. S. Am- bassador John M. Allison, FEC and UN Commander General John E. Hull and members of the Japanese cabinet. At the luncheon Johnston de- livered a speech which did not sit well with the Japanese vernacular press in that he called the Japa- nese belief that trade with Red 'China would solve their economic problems "as mythical as the rain- bow’s pot of gold.” Two of the nation’s top newspapers completely ignored the speech before their top financial and governmental leaders and the third simply re- ported that Johnston delivered an address the topic of which was "Challenge of the Future.” Eng- lish language press, including two run by the Japanese language papers which ignored the speech, reported the story faithfully, how- ever. At a press conference held dur- ing the week, Johnston said he hoped that the Japanese govern- ment would relax its hold on some of the yen accumulated by the U. S. film distributors in Japan. He said he had no concrete sug- gestions as to how the yen would be used if unfrozen but that it should be utilized to aid Japan’s economy. One suggestion was of- fered that the money could be used to build ships in Japan which could be resold for dollars to other nations. Meanwhile, specific plans for the use of the frozen yen have been advanced to the Japanese Finance Ministry by the Foreign Film Im- porters Association. The FFIA suggests that the money be divided into two sums, the first to include the $5,833,000 to be accumulated during fiscal year 1954 plus ap- proximately $3,000,000 to be ac- cumulated during and after the 1955 fiscal year by importers whose take of receipts !s less than 50%. The second group of de- posits would include the yen ac- cumulated in\ 1953 fiscal year, about $2,800,00(1 plus an equal sum to be made by importers for whom the share to th/e foreign party is more than 50%. This second fund, the FFIA pro- poses, would be strictly frozen for ten years except in the case of studio construction for co-produc- tions between Japanese and for- eign companies and other business on an internationally cooperative iscale. The first sum, according to the FFIA proposal could, with approval of the Japanese government, be used for expenses of the depositors in Japan; location expenses here; donation, loan and investment in the Japanese film industry; pur- chase of ships and other items designated by the Japanese govern- ment and not including those which would obstruct the development of Japan’s economy; purchase and operation of hotels to encourage the tourist industry in Japan, and temporary investment in Japanese public bonds and other securities. Current Corruption Chicago, Dec. 7. A general boycott of all show biz until it cleans out its “evil shows” is being urged by the New World, Catholic newspaper which reaches 170,000 families in Chicago and Joliet. This is a newspaper to be reckoned with; all summer long it had blasted the local film industry and press into submitting to its clean-up campaign. Now it’s ramifying to the whole show—legi- timate stage, pix, cabarets, radio, tv, and what it calls “an irre- sponsible, soulless, avaricio.us daily press.” A lengthy frontpage editorial charges all means of communica- tion with aiding and abetting the spread of evil, either for economic reasons or from “sheer craven perversity.” It accuses the en- tertainment industry of prostitut- ing all art and culture and calls the daily press “their willing slaves.” Legit and vaude are dealt a slap for their preoccupation with profanity, adultery, and violence; pictures for these same reasons and for rape, marital infidelity, suicide and divorce as well; televi- sion for many of the same rea- sons. The New World attack this time, however, aims mostly at the mu- sic industry, which it denounces with a vengeance because of its proximity to teenagers. “Here is what you are letting evil men sell your imaginative, emotional and impressionable teenagers,” the editorial reads, and it quotes passages like these from tunes riding high on the record lists; “Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me baby, that’s what I like. Hold me, hug me, pet me baby, that’s what I like.” “Starting with the ABC of it, right down to the XYZ of it. Help me solve the mystery of it. Teach me tonight . . . One thing isn’t very clear, my love, should the teacher stand so near, my love? Graduation’s almost here, my love, teach me tonight.” Songs such as these, the New World declares, are profiting from the temptations of youth and are poisoning the teenage mind. To combat the alleged degener- acy in the amusement industry, the New World proposes a cold shoulder by the vast Catholic population in this area until the producers yield up “morally fine entertainment.” Television and radio producers will be responsive to pleas for cleaner shows, the newspaper points out, and it urges its readership to put on the pressure. With such strategy, the NW forsees the stoppage of all spicy advertising in newspapers and on marquees, and the exalta- tion of the “feminine body to the position of honor Christianity en- dowed it with.” D.J.’S ANTI-McCARTHY PLACARD STIRS STORM Boston, Dec. 7. Sherm Feller, WVDA disk jockey here who is normally expected to chatter about flatters, has stirred up a storm by criticizing Sen. Joe McCarthy on his airshow. Feller got involved in the McCarthy dis- pute when a “Citizens for Mc- Carthy” sign was hung nearby his studio. The jockey countered by hanging a “Citizens Against Mc- Carthy” placard on the door. Drew Pearson, nationally syndi- cated columnist, spotlighted the Feller action in a recent piece on McCarthy supporters. Feller, inci- dentally, is also a songwriter and a graduate of Suffolk Univ. Law School. Sammy Davis Jr. Resumes Work at Ciro s in H’wood Sammy Davis Jr. will resume work at Ciro’s, Hollywood, Dec. 11. Entertainer, mainstay of the Will Mastin Trio, will pick up the schedule from that point on. Davis lost an eye recently as a result of an auto accidept. Last week, he filed a $150,060 damage suit against the driver of the car which collided with his while he was on his way from Las Vegas to Hollywood to keep a recording date.