Hollywood Motion Picture Review (1944)

Jimmie Tarantino O.K. FRIENDS, LET’S GO HOLLYWOOD! Recently in Washington before the committee on un-American Activi¬ ties Gerald L. K. Smith, the self-styled Number 1 Fascist directly hinted that Frank Sinatra was a red and that he also thought the famous crooner was an Eleanor Roosevelt walking around in pants. Needless to say no American in his right mind pays any attention to silly imbecilic statements that come from a man as low as Smith. And furthermore, it’s a pity to think that this subversive thinking Fascist is allowed to breathe, the name of good clean Americans, let alone try to smear them or discuss them. And don’t regard this as a joke. Anyhow, I asked Mr. Sinatra how he felt about Smith’s remarks and he said, quote: “If believing in what Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lin¬ coln, Tom Payne, and Franklin D. Roosevelt stood for and worked for, means being a red or a Mrs. Roosevelt in pants, that’s perfectly okay with me.” The crooner went on to say, and we quote again: “I wish I had time to talk to every American on what a Fascist menace Smith actually is, I would also like to tell everyone not to hold him too lightly, and here are a few suggestions, tell all your neighbors about Smith and warn them why they should not donate money to his un-American cause or attend any of his riot-like meetings.” End of quote. It’s young American men of Sinatra’s high type that make us realize how wrong and low are Smiths’ type. For the past few months my editorial policy has been one of antiSmith and anti-Fascism, and believe me it will continue until I feel that L. A. has ridden itself of that menace. Since then there has been an unsolved kidnaping, more attempted kidnapings, my home has been ransacked, the home of one of my em¬ ployees was ransacked, a girl employed as a maid in my home was picked off the street a few blocks from my home, forced into an auto¬ mobile, and although they didn’t hurt her, warned her to quit her job and to mind her business. All this sounds fantastic, doesn’t it, but be¬ lieve me friends this and more is a matter of police records, and for further proof of my statements check with Lt. Beason, Chief of the Hollywood detective bureau, who incidentally is spending every possible moment to apprehend the cheap, filthy thugs responsible for these crimes. There are also a few people and believe me, I mean just a few, in the past few weeks who have phoned me and a few others who have talked to me in various clubs wishing to know why I have included District Attorney Fred Howser and Mayor Fletcher Bowron in my re¬ cent attacks. 3 Men Who Speak the Same Language HITLER GERALD L. K. SMITH MEADE McCLANAHAN duction, “Without Reservations” . . . Bee Walker, musical arranger of the Eddie Cantor show seems to have another Hit Parader ready for the racks, titled “Who Told You That Lie.” Which reminds me, is Miss Walker also writing love songs to that man, Maurie Suess. . . Ray Bauduc and his new sensational swing band will open at the Suzie Q Nite Club on February 22. HOLD YOUR HATS — Here is my personal top best pictures of the year: “Anchors Aweigh,” “A Bell for Adano,” “The Bells of St. Mary’s,” “The Lost Weekend,” “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” “Mildred Pierce,” “National Velvet” and a “Song to Remember.” To Whom It May Concern: My Cavalcade of Stars program over K-H-J-Mutual has a new time again. 4:45 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. every Sat¬ urday, my guest stars next Saturday, Feb. 16, will be Bert Gordon (the Mad Russian) and Harry Von Zell, famous announcer and movie actor. Michael Meyers, chief wardrobe man at P.R.C. Studios is in bed with a broken leg. . . . Gene Blakeley, parking lot operator at the Cross Roads of the World will soon produce a cartoon short called “Siegfried.” Mickey Gibbs, popular studio and checkroom girl kissed her favorite photographer, Norman Winter goodbye at the airport when he flew to the big town for the debut of this magazine on the N. Y. newsstands — Harry Jameson flew to N. Y. this week and dancer Johnny Coy is due back in Hollywood from a Broadway vacation. Ex-fighter Lou Nova is taking singing lessons for his new nite club routine. . . . Barney An¬ thony, owner of Barney’s Beanery years ago managed several great fiters. Clark Gable’s welcome back by his fans is costing Metro-GoldwynMayer money. Advertising cards in connection with his first post-war picture, “Adventure” were posted in all the New York subways, but within two hours, two-thirds were torn down for souvenirs. To date an extra 50,000 have been printed. Isn’t it a pity that so-called intelligent people who went to free American schools ask questions of that type after hearing on the radio, reading in newspapers and magazines the real true condition that exists in Los Angeles. Previous to these events, this reporter often praised D. A. Fred Howser and Mayor Bowron, but I’m not sorry to say that I have attacked them and here’s why. Mr. Howser and Mr. Bowron, for some mysterious reason have seen fit not to lift one single finger to combat Fascism in L. A. Imagine such a condition, the number one and number two citizens of Los Angeles have refused to make one public press state¬ ment for or against Fascism, Gerald L. K. Smith, and their fanatic fol¬ lowers. It doesn’t seem possible, does it? But you know as well as I, this is true. And so I repeat once more, Mr. Howser and Mayor Bowron, where do you stand on the Fascist subject and what are you going to do about Gerald L. K. Smith and his un-American activities ? The death of Mrs. Sara Lasky, 87 mother of one of Hollywood’s most popular figures, producer Jesse L. Lasky was a sad one. Anne Triola has been signed for a role in the Mervin LeRoy pro Marshall Thompson spending a week in Palm Springs following the completion of his lead role in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s “Star from Heaven”. . . Jean Porter off on a desert vacation for the next three weeks . . . William Powell and wife vacationing in Palm Springs for balance of the month . . . Wally Cassell back from a hunting trip on the Mojave desert. Lina Romay has discovered an accent that tops her blend of English and Spanish; her cousin, Ramon, after five years with the RCAF, now speaks Spanish with an Oxford accent. Listen to Braven Dyer, L. A. Times sports columnist, who opened a new sport series of broadcasts every Wednesday night over KECA. In his first air shot, Braven really went to town with lively sport gossip. As George Fisher would say, “Dyer Got It!” From Hollywood To Broadway — Attention Advertisers: As of this week, this magazine is now sold on all Broadway and important New York City newsstands. In two weeks we will also run Broadway news and copy. * * * (LISTEN TO JIMMIE TARANTINO ON “THE CAVALCADE OF STARS”— KHJ-MUTUAL, EVERY SATURDAY, 4:45-5:00 P.M. Friday, February 8, 1946 Page Three