Variety (November 1963)

J 0 ee cotati aae Me. 4 re af. o 8% we Be yo Penny Singieton, . her » 10-year suspension . from American. Guild of Variety ‘Artists lifted ‘as one. of the first acts of new national board. Oct, 24,. will now try -to. settle her | $75,000 damage. suit against union | by asking only that she be reim-. ‘Los Angeles, 2 Nov: 19. ‘bursed for actual out-of-pocket ex-|]| penses incurréd in fighting action |= of: the AGVA trial board last : June 6.. : Such expenses amounted ~to/ slightly in excess:.of $10,000, ‘according to her attorney, William E. Ferriter,: who said the actress would work directly with the AGVA national. board, in a meeting now scheduled ‘at: its next session in February, in settlement | of her.damage suit at the suggestion of Federal Judge William C. | Mathes. Ferriter “and . Edgar..-R: Bardin, AGVA attorney,. appeared before Judge Mathes Nov..7 and stipulated. that the suit be. dis| Inissed without prejudice... — Judge: ‘Mathes, at. the Nov. 7 hearing, suggested. that’ the ‘national beard of AGVA be afforded an. opportunity to make redress, in|. asmuch. Singleton. through having volun-| tarily Testored . her. to full membership. Such settlement of the suit; he: sald, " ‘would eliminate costly court ‘action Should no settlement be effected GI: _at.the February meeting, Ferriter| Law: said, the case then would go. back |+7,; ‘on court calendar and Miss Single‘ton,: past prexy of AGVA, would Actress: originally filed two ‘suite. In addition to the $75,000. damage action, another asked declaratory relief against’ her suspension by . as it seemed to favor Miss | her suspension: and | Kay: Stevens has switched ; from | 4 ‘General ‘Artists. Corp. to Creative Management Associates . Lanin Orch resumes. ‘at the Amer-| -leana.. Dee. 2on. bill’ topped’ by} Patachou eee . Little. Singers of]. Tokyo to start. ‘a tour with William | ‘Mofris. : Agency booking during}. “March: and April clove, ‘ante pacted” for the -Elmwood Casino, ‘Windsor, ‘Ont., Feb. a Roy. Castle. to. ‘the Nugget, ‘Sparks, . Nev.,; Nov. 29°........-The Kingston ‘Trio. set for a “one-nighter at: :‘the ‘Towa’ State:U. Armory ‘April 3 ‘at $6,000 as against 60% of the: gate. ‘Bandleader Ben © Cutler named. function: booker’ ‘for the Pierre: Hotel : | tie ‘Brun. booked for the. Coli| seum. €NLY,) starting. Dec.. 21 to 31... Josie ‘O'Donnell. took. off for: a ‘tour rot “N ew v York os Lester ‘Jimmy. Dur . Flying Artons and Lot Christmas Circus the full: $75,000. By DON: HEARN “A couple crazy_ thin ‘hap|} pened to The’ shadoee ‘this week... “Jerry. Stiller ‘and Anne Meara. | some “They: just happen to. be the funniest, freshest folks .to _in __-vade: the cafe circuit since Mike Nichols.-and. Elaine May... “Their ‘material, most of which | they pen themselves, is: bright, e at times boisterous, hip and. -hilarious ae “Both are. Brooklyn natives and former Shakespearean’ (1) actors. Also, | Mr, and Mrs. ° “rm thoroly convinced they are than true artists, nothing less: and it’s fairly unusual to run artistryin the helterskelter. world of off-beat. com across. true John ‘Reliseh to. “the Steak Pit, ‘Paramus,. N.J.; Nov. 27 ee. e Ruth: | Claire. booked. ‘at-the Office, Minneapolis, Dec. 16; ... Pageant,. Ste. Petersburg, ‘April 2 to 1l.. Marcel Cerdan, “Together “they” fake ‘you on flights br fahcy. on “ :“Each excursion is an experience. 2 | “Devastating is hardly. the word for their brand of. nonsense. “Each of: their’ skits — or vi| ni -gnettes, if you prefer’: —. seems more hilarious. than the last. “| Laughs .tumble over Jaughs,“Miss. Meara -has the ‘edge. ‘on ‘the ‘lines, while ‘Mr. Stiller fills’ | the bill—perfectly—as. the. en‘gaging square... “IT might add, ‘Miss “Meara exhibits. a tremendous. talent for. dialect and fantastic ‘faces’. © “Their material runs. the. ‘gamut. Topical: and realistic... It’s per-|-s | | best. practitioners of ‘comedy -F've encountered in months, The | Shadows is. indeed fortunate. . Ls “Besides — they’re just chock. Kelly, | will: be area temporarily. ‘The ‘dismissal. climaxed a stormy | discussion .on Mazzei’s' attitudes. ‘Although costs. of" administration: _ were said to be'the reason, ‘some l| believe that it was Mazzel’s politér | . ),j.cal activity in bebalf. of the cur-|otist | rent and previous: administrations |” which. landed him in trouble with | 7 the. newly elected. executive board. “Miss Meara is.a divine: crea jture. Tall, angular,: with a Washiegten Dally News: (Oct, 24) | str ; . : the pudgy ‘side, “remindful. me find any personal associa: | | 0 olynesian pu rites; I. did feel in ‘tune. ert | BLUE. ‘ANGEL, N._Y.. ‘moments .of.| '| truth” behind TV commercials. TONY CONWAY t have written enother of their ‘the: ‘union. wath casés were to’ have : been ‘tried simultaneously, but fol‘lowing the national board restor|| ing her to full ‘membership at its |]. initial October.:meeting the. latter’ a suit was s dropped. sawdust circus epics, : Heir. to Circus ; “Wonder. and Glory” nother interestiog, featere in the upcoming “58th Anniversary N Number a pf | . Phas other statistical ond dete-filled if ‘charts and articles. AGVA Exec teil Fires Irv Mazzeil Irvin “Mazzei was: dismissed: as. Coast -Pegional ‘director : of the . American Guild of Variety Artists:} | by the ‘union's ‘executive board at | a. meeting’: held yesterday (Tues.) } ‘in: New ‘York. ‘Economy — “wast ascribed ‘for the. dismissal. ‘No. ‘successor. has ‘been ‘deemed likely’ ‘his assistant, J; ames. in charge ‘of the |. . Meeting was still in p: -}| presstime -yesterday. However, its 9 | believed that. the. exec. board’s | ‘| scrutiny was directed at other high | . echelon employees of. the. ‘union. "| ' ceptive comedy. There are tinies | al one. feels it’s ‘Dappened. before.” | To mer | “While I couldn't; tor the life of their .tumultous | “The show-stopping moments: were many. “For instance, the lady Ty ‘rove ing reporter’ touring: a maternity hospital. (it’s not fair to pass. .on the. punch lines); ‘a ‘satire on | ‘Open End’: (Jerry and Anne ‘prefer. ‘to call it ‘Vacant -Mind’);. think-typeshows like a beautiful bit of eavesdropping ina Greenwich Village coffee house;. and a. stunning: sketch about calling a wrong telephone num “T? say sey Stiller” and Meara. are full of culture. My kind of: culture. “There is a message in the ‘mad _T ness, E Stiller” and Meara: That, STILLE Currently HEADLINING — = ANGEL. NEW YORK” ‘appointed | ‘butt. house is indeed not. ahome: “And —_ where are xou going |’ tonight?” ” vad scathing OF as a 15 ” . . } oe. % -you all, ‘and tell a competitor. for most” ‘married couples, : a £. fy JACK THOMPSON: WN. Y.. Journal. -American. (Nov. | 6} ; “Comedy ig the keynote of the: . {new Blue Angel. show. All three | act: garner their share of laughs, but it is the stars—the hilarious. man and. wife team of. Stiller and Meara — that: Teally. break up the.place.’ | It’s-.Miss Meara that’s: the. big ‘laugh-getter. One reason for her great success is that she doésn’t look at. all like most: ‘comedi ennes. She is a tall, slender; 4 lovely,. innocent-looking .blonde, | But what a punch. she’ ‘has. with Ja laugh line! |. | “Whether. she isa girl suffering from a date whereon her beau took. her to an. ‘Ingmar’ Bergman. | film and then to a: Village. cof fee house to hear folk-singing; | giggly spinster.-who is. | an: alleged authority on sex. be| ing. interviewed on. a TV pro+ 1 gram called ‘The Vacant Mind,” or as NBC's Pauline. Frederick | TOTP WESTER SUS Ra ee Oe ES ey ee 4 |-interviewing. a. demented doctor in .| on radio, she. ia a master’ per an former. oe nee “Stiller plays more or: Jess: the. | straight man, but with such flaws" | less. timing. his. wife is made ‘to. | ‘shimmer. ‘throughout the act. ": Crescendo, Le Al : Los Angeles, ‘Sept. 20. ‘igeinter &. Meara’s: material :is bright, hip, new’. and. -hilarious,: ° ‘Miss:Meara is ‘a lankyBae ten ‘YT with. long, stringy ‘red oe She: uses. to. advantage in skits." ‘She’s dressed.in midwestern velvet. jumper. and: white . silk. . blouse. “Stiller is shorter, slightly pudgy and plastic-faced; the combina-:. tionis perfect in. skits from tv |.commercials, an hilarious: news ‘interview with the cleaning. _ ‘woman -for the astronaut’s capSules,; film bits. tagged. ‘Scenes ‘on :'the -.Cutting Room. Floor’. _ and’ a beautiful boss-seeretary ~~ ‘ date sketch: ‘Chief comic is Miss... -~-Méara, while Stiller is-more of — a straight. man. Both are. excel.. lent. actors, an asset in their delivery.” oe Da . Anne MEAR’ _ ‘November 24th _ ED. SULLIVAN SHOW CBS-TV "Press Relations: DAVID RUSH ASSOC.~ : Wea’ Nevin 20, 1963. 63 This self-protile by. ‘agent Joe Glaser, per. Ralph 3. Gleason’ . Frisco Chronicle. column, ‘speaks for ‘itself. | = t “You -don’t know me, but you know two. things: about me: I have || . a terrible temper and I always keep my. word,” said Joe.Glaser the . first time we.met. Glaser is president of Associated. Bookirig Corp., | ‘which is to the entertainment business. what U. S. Steel is to heavy Hk -With the exception of Joe Glaser, whose: eyes are still steel. blue | .. and ‘whose. look ‘is piercing as he s “very ‘few of the: actors in the. comedy of show business are giants. Joe Glaser is not a tall man but he is a giant and he would have. “been. rich and famous in any field he entered, even the: selling of icecream ‘to Eskimos: Instead, he : shook hands: with Louis’ Arm. strong 40 years ago-and fought them both to fame and-riches and along the way founded the biggest booking agency. short: of MCA.. {William Morris, Ashley-Steiner-Famots Artists: and. GAC, ‘course, will dispute Gleason this—Ed.] Joe Glaser keeps his word and,:in-my experience he does not. lie. “Not that he will always tell. you what. you want. to know. Some‘times. he tells ‘you he won't tell you and sometimes, he. doesn’t. tell, his“ seventh decade, very of. But managers’ and agents and booking agencies. and: record companies behave just..like governments. and other big organizations “which, as I..F, Stone told the students. at ‘the. UC Journalism De-. ‘partment | ‘the other day,’ ‘always: lie. I don’t suppose they ‘start out wanting. ‘to, it just ‘becoities con| venient. Record companies. lie .about ‘sales, booking | agents. and” Managers lie about the success. their. ‘artists are having. _ If-the show: you catch. is a bad‘one, you should have ‘been there : ‘the: night. before. ‘If the-concert lays.an. egg, you: should have seen the one in San Jose. If the performer is unemployed. and with: lite . tle future, he fractured-them in Puyallup::* Its the same the whole world over..Sign ‘with ‘a: record® coinpany and: they promise the: sky and. deliver ‘the sales, minus the: réturns.An sgent isto sell and a manager is. to collect and the. maximum financial advantage is what-each-one is after.. It’s no. wonder performers are paranoid. They. live: among: ‘and _commminicate only to their audience’ and the. world ‘of show busimess; ‘Managers and: agents: And they all lie to each other. So.a Billie: Holliday could look at .a half: empty. ‘theatre. in New ‘York. the producer “See my. people came.” ‘If you want.to' know ‘what a ‘show grosses, ‘ienock down. the. ‘pub-.. ished figures by 10% or more. If you want to: know ‘how ‘an act is. ; * doing in‘a night club,.ask the waitress how the tips were the night. _ before. And if. you. want. ‘to. know how weil. a record ds. selling, ask We're moving more. and more toa show ‘business ‘world: in. every. way, The writers, a3: Nelson Algren Says, do everything but write. Tickets for Madame Nhu's-talks ‘are ‘audience ratings on: TV shows that present the President. No won-. der Lenny Briee started'a career by remarking that the. religious “ads. are _ the aight club. ads in-volume. — being scalped. and they rua” Exciting Critical Acclaim for America’ Ss: Ne west Com edy Sensa tions: THE SHADOWS, Wash:, D. 1 air which ~~.