Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

October 4, 1941 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW Page 19 Coast Variety Inaugural Is Gala Affair Top center, National Chief Barker John H. Harris addressing the inaugural dinner of Tent No. 25, Variety Club of Southern California. Upper left, Harris gives the Chief Barker's jewel to Charles P. Skouras, chief barker of the new tent. Upper right, Jean Hersholt, Chief Barker Skouras and Edward Arnold. Lower left, Harris, Rev. Donald Tippet of the M. E. Church of Los Angeles, Father John J. Devlin of St. Victor Church and Rabbi Sidney Goldstein of UCLA. Lower right, Spyros Skouras, Duke Clark, assistant chief barker, and "Chick" Lewis. (Continued from page 6) Rabbi Sidney Goldstein of UCLA ; Rev. Donald Tippet of the M. E. Church of Los Angeles ; and Father John J. Devlin of St. Victor Church. Following the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Sussanna Foster of Paramount, Duke Clark greeted the guests and members and introduced Gen. McCraw who came from Dallas especially for this event. McCraw said in part: "Variety is truly the heart of show business. So much has been done in all the Tents for humanity. Too much cannot be said in tribute to the unfailing kindness of showmen, but let me call your attention to the head of show business. Our President so aptly called the world's attention to the fact that within a generation, within the memory of all present, the motion picture business has grown from infancy, from a questionable experiment in the entertainment field, to the greatest force for public good in all the world. Roosevelt spoke so truly. I can recall with you the time when the 'hill-billie' at the crossroads represented ignorance of the world and its affairs. Within a generation you and your associates have given to all Americans everywhere a fine and intimate knowledge of the physical world and its problems. There are but few Americans today who are not acquainted with the best of the pens and minds of the masters of novel and history. Dickens, Shakespeare, Thackery, Hemingway are a part of the knowledge of all through the motion picture. "You have educated America. This has not been without the criticism of envious hearts, selfish and misunderstanding minds and cruel political ambitions. With respect for their offices I cannot refrain from taking pride that the warped vision of Clark-Nye and their ilk have but served to intmre our people that the motion picture industry in these stormy times is AllAmerican. If they have sinned it has been in the cause of free-speech. If they have erred it has been in behalf of religious freedom. If they have been devoted it has been an almost consecrated love for American institutions. The clear white light of public inspection of the motion picture industry has added to the sense of security of Americans everywhere. There is no fifth column in your army. "Let me emphasize again your relation to the public. As much as the free press is a necessity for a free America, so an aggressively conscious motion picture industry is a part of our insurance of American freedom. Every show house, whether at the cross roads or in the busy city, is an important part in the set-up. Producers, distributors and exhibitors alike bear a public responsibility that discharged properly means a thousand tomorrows of finer achievements for America and Americanism." The special two reel film of the club activities especially made by National Screen Service for the recent national convention in Atlantic City, was shown and Tent 25 added two hundred feet conveying its own pledge to make the tent the outstanding unit in the national organization. The reel was followed by an address by Harris who told the story of the Variety Clubs from its inception down to the present time. Balmer then inducted the members and officers and this was followed by the presentation of the charter and jewel by Harris to Chief Barker Skouras. Immediately after the serious part of the affair, Gen. McCraw introduced Red Skelton who acted as Ringmaster for the fifty minutes show which included Ted Fio-Rito's orchestra, Ann Miller, The Merry Macs and Virginia O'Brien. After the banquet the directors (canvassmen) of the new tent met with the national representatives in a conclave at which the club's activities were discussed and preliminary plans were taken up for the handling of the next annual convention of the clubs, scheduled for this city next May. Among the many notables seen around the banquet hall were : Bill Rodgers, Fred Quimby, Col. Schiller of MGM, Sol Lesser and Joseph I. Breen of RKO ; Harry Cohn of Columbia ; Edward Arnold, Nat Holt, Sid Grauman, Mervyn Leroy, Oscar Oldknow, Hugh Braly, Bill Hendricks, Ben Wallenstein, Cliff Lewis, John Leroy Johnston, Rodney Pantages, George Weeks, Dean Hyskell, Virgin Jackson, Jesse Lasky, Harry Sherman, Dick Dickson, Bob Taplinger, Jack Warner, Bob Poole, and about four hundred others. Tent No. 24— Charlotte {Continued from preceding page) Mitchell, put on a grand show for the boys at the last luncheon. Approximately 70 attended. Barkers Harry Hardy and Dick Pitts, were named as co-kings for the next affair to be held Monday, Oct. 13. The barkers welcomed a new member in T. D. Kemp, Jr., manager of Southern Attractions in this city and also a columnist for the Charlotte Observer. Scott Lett has been appointed general chair man of the first annual banquet committee. With an attendance prize awarded each Friday night, this is becoming one of the biggest nights of the week in the club rooms. Barker Harry Hardy, who was hospitalized with an appendectomy, is again about smiling as usual. Recent visitors have been Mr. and Mrs. Sammy Stevenson of Henderson, as guests of Ben Strozier ; Miss Millie Cate of Greensboro and Froggy Merreson of Raleigh as guests of Barker Bill Sharpe ; Maurice Abrams of Georgetown, S. C, who wasintroduced to the club by Benn Rosenwald. Jack Goldsmith of Atlanta Tent No. 21 also dropped in.