Variety (Nov 1936)

r VARIETY Wednesday* NqVember ;25, 1936 MAX oit^NDOBF , Max Obgndorf, 62, died Nov. 20 in the Mohtefibrie home, rorix, N; Y. He had been ailing for th*5 PM^fOUr years and entered the Home several months ago. Qbendorf was ' tht ipldest Ldewr frarichised ■ agetit, having isold acts to Loew's when, it was the People's Vaudeville Exchange, Marcus. Loew's first corpdr^tidii. Hfe specialised in I inusic 'circles,. died there N6v. 18 after a long Ulness; With his blather, Leo, he operated the Arlington the- atre. Lieaves. a son anid the. widow, the I former Emma toeillerj and concert singer> DELl REED Dell; Reed, •28, :ether apd orchestra ■singer,, was •kiUeid 'in a: pluJige- from hoveltjf acts, at one ' time ratihjg. ais tht? fourth flbdr of the Miles hotfel in the top salesman of this lyi>e tittn iii La iSaU^^ last Week, vaudeville. Known as the 'Dixi tenor,' Reed A brother. Hying in Ft. Worth, sUr- had ;su^ with such flirchestras as Vives. burial Nov. 24, in Mt Hebron Don Bestor; Pall Russo. and Ted cemetery, Broblplyn. ■ I Rip-Rito, and most recently solo over the Affiliated midwest web, SAM XIVESEr Sam Livesey; w^eU kriown charac^r ter actor, died lix Lomdon Royal Masdhic Hospital^ Novl 7, following v-jsi operatioii. Deceased had;spent all his life'on the stage, .touring his oyrn ARCH BONGE Arch Bonge, former Paramount N. V. doormaii and later manager of Fox Bklyini Trtieatre, died Nov. 21 in _ _ _ Veterans' Hospi; Biloxlv ' Mi^ coinpaities, and appearing in apzens Death due tp sleeping sickness, pf plays on bpth sides pf .the. Atlah-1 wife and soii siiicvivt!. tic. His. most/recehtapp^ were the films 'Private Life: of Heto^ Vin,' 'Jew jSuss* and 'Drake pf'England.' Survived by wife and thre^ sict^^^ isbns. GRACE CANNON 6race' Cannbhj 31, secretary . io, Harry M. Weinberg^ vice presidei^t and gehVrai' inatis^ .. Central . StatM Theat^M au|d(iiDly ;frbm .aii .atjtack pf ^inal ;idebih^)ti£i at Marcy bbspitel, Des vMbibes, Nov. 16» ; Idiss Gaitttpn^ ^tved as ;secretary pf - the NKA Filih Cbde Bbard ii ■Sk^nsas Gity Ibr^ abbUl twP;yeiBUPs, re- xtuhiibsi^tb Des Moines whe^ the pf- •'!flcli¥iw-clbsed. . ' ' ' Iva^Sirti is--^utviv^d; tor ]tet itarent^^ ;fhi^ee si£^i^ %d a: birptheir. 'f^- , 'jfAl^S peprard'.. jaimes (Jimmy )-Pe4f>piM^ 50, px office "irieiaSUrer^ pf tuber- .. ^^iijfpsi^ at Swanac Lake*. NpV^i?.. He x?#a8'' tiiiried';' in - .vNew;- ■ Ifprk "•Friday, Deceased had^ )jieim .w^ : ticket, departtbe^tb^ MaLdi^pn. Sciuare Gwrden.. treafiy ISO niembers of .the FRITZ THIMIG Fritz Thimig, vactbr and sph of .Hugo Thimig, nbted Austrian acting iMUy, died, in V^ last week. Death was attributed jtp an accident .thai bccurred while he .was .but hurit> ing. NQRMANv $?orih ; , Nprnian F. Stbnh, 45, died Nov. 13, in Seattle. Had been advertis- ing mahager^ of Station KQL: for five ye^.-:' ' -x;. wife and four .sons survive. . kNox.ree\i:S' Knbjc Reeves^ 44^ presi Koipx Re e V e s Advertising; specializing in -radio accounts, of beart disease in Minneapolis^ Sun day (l5). of ied WILUAM KVSER William Kiiser, 29, ehief announcer of Station KHJ, Lps;^ Angeles, killed Nov. 23^/1936, in automobile.a^^^ ' Was a tmchelon .v; ERNESTINE SCHUMANNr-HEINK - V i-lii J *!. i Mme. Ernestine* Schumanh-Heihk, Treasu^er^^ internatipiially known ^ grand jbbuhd the Gardeii «s a last gesture oi-resiwct. Pteviow^ to a iiuiiib^r of Elegit .bbxroflii^^ tot :a time 'cbhdiicted bis own agency. opera, 'cbntralto, -died Nov.' 17 in Holljrvtrood^ot .chronic anemia^..Addl tibnal details. Ph . cpncert page; ROBERtP. WESTPN Mi^. ULLLUir STOCKER jjllian . Stpcker, former ^®^*'Jfscenario writer in Hollywood, com *h?:-»»st known song yrr^ suicide in Sacramento Nov land for the pMt gen«atipn pr mpre, jo by mpnoxide poisPning. died at his home ia iT^ ■ lEn^;-Novv ^. Ifc wrote 1 virrlqis A^lehd•^ cashier, daugli ^eds.Pf spngs m cpllalwraU^^^ of J. W. Allender, owiiec and Bert Lee, and they were identified Rex theatire, Spbkane, with musical v comedy / books, , and vljrrics. Ihe tjeami name will be cpn iinU^d as Westbn's pljDUse. in the col labbratibn will be tedken by his som died this week from tojuries suffered in auto collision. " GRETCHEN LYONS Gretcheh iLyons^i ' ih;; later years Mrs. EdWard Cbngdonl'idied at i^IbV lord, Mass., Nov.. .22,:;loUpwing^^ -^bperatibiir. Spine vyetiK('/.ago she was ptomiiient bh thie stage and playtid: leads to Otis Skinner and Richard Manslfield. She also plaiired with janies Hackett, )Kyrle Bel- lei^ and others of that day.-. Her hiisband. and two sons suryive. Mareelle Hbhtabat Carroll; wife pf Earl Cartoll, died in New York, Nbv. 18; the stage. But a conqilititoiy letter frpni her hoy friend, with the prom- iise of" A leading part in a new piay, carries her baick to the old life, the metropolis .and-the theatre. An ^hpreteritiously amusing play, which aims neither at being . very profouG.lribr very trUe to lif& .How- ever, malicious sidelights, thrpwn upon babkstage intrigues are always diverting bri the stage. Unsophisti- cated audiences here like it, and; since the same type of audience e^c- ists everywhere, 'Stop by Request may pSss muster elsewhere. King iihd Mistress iShore London, Nov: 12. HIstbrJcal. play !n three acts by CHf- fbrd Bax, presented by Peoples' NnUpnBl Theatre-at litttle theatre, t.(»nd6h, .No.v. 0, 'M, Production, Waricy PrlcoV Art; indifferent; weak, arid histori- cally incorrect narration of the. life of Jane Shore, Studiously, written, but devoid of imagination; Story commences with her first meeting with King Edward IV, whose mistress she becomes; continu- ing UhtiLher faU frpm grace through the . hunchback brother of the King, Duke of Gloucester. He persecutes her fbllowing the death of her royal lover, aifad cbmpels her to walk in penance through the streets of Lon- dbn, barefoot, to St. Palid's Cathedral. Despite the talents bf .Jpan Maude, Gyles Isham and Esmond Knight in the major roles, the characters do hot give one the illusion of being alive and human^mere pupipets. ABRAKMyUNtA .; Vieima, Nov. , .Comedy In' three acta- by )<H'llz 'Kbaelka priisented -by. Academy tbeatreh , Vienna, Di^ektoi; HaIden..:....wr.'..;.Wllhe1iii Helm bl^ektor Marsyn.^;,......Finnic. IldebbUns FYau Haiaeii....v....«....,..HUd.e Warner Actress•;>:'i. >... ^..'.f«.t'.ii:...Maria' Kranier A<ctresa«;.., y.; .Maria 'Mtiyer Ne^ , author has an idea here Which, thpugh not quite new to. the leigitimate stajge; is presented ' a new fashion. . Fritz Koselka wants to teli the audience here that it is wrong to Write . a play ahd theh produce it It is better to first produce^- it-^ahd then Write it down, he feels. Orig inally presented, there ace two t)l&ys in Pne, KoseUca reverses In the first two acts' the entire, procedure pf the stage. Plot, . a simple love story, runs backwards at times, - then fbr ward'again.- <-Direktbr Halden hd.s a$ guest a theatre maniager . whom'he wants to show the. play Vhijch is-to be produced. Theatre ihanager, on the other hand, wishes'to get a nice amount of: money lor the setting •from the finan&e man; They both unWillingly. play .parts * the play .which is to' be iiritten and at the same time they Kave parts iri the play ijipncerning the financing of the theatre. Resultant .mix-up sb>jietimes leads to comparing piece with Pirandello's 'Six Persons in Ses^rch ,of an Author,' but the alert author of thi§ niece quickly disper$es these thoughts of plagiarism; because there is none Actors and actresses of the . Academy theatre are excellent as, Moss. HOUSEMASTER London,, Nov. 13. Comedy In three rictB- by Ian-Hay; pre- (^ented by Firth' Shepherd: at Apollo, liOti- doh, Nov. 12,. '30. Eva Black, sister, of Zizz and Ben Black, died in San .Francisco, Nov. 20. FAT WEBB VALLEB ^Say Webb VaUee, 30, tbriner film ^ ^^^^ | par«Sriy*c^ DECREE NISI (Continued from page 58) prosecuting counsel^ Childhood friend, victim of her husband's spite, is naturally and pleasingly played by Ronald Adam. Acting is generally on a high.level, died Nov. IS; ill.Santa^'^M^ Cat', Jollbwing ah al^dpmihiGil ppera; Ion. ;SHe achieved cp^ldierisible t^fbugh her cbuirt's^ iVaileie rafter their diyojice. Before the. .mattiage .she^ iH^or^^ ipictures ■at,:iletrb.,.. ■ vifer: father Santa Monica. DIXIE CRANE Dixie. Crane (Mrs, Ijehry.. jphh- apn), 48i former yaiudb actt^ess^ Nov. 18 -in •Hblly.\yood. She appeared %ith' the early Jesse Lasky lihits and later toured with Her. husband . (Johnson, and . C:!rairie>> She . was daughter of Sam . Crane, Vortetinie .'.^ast^rn sports writer, •V -^Sutyived by hiisband, on the writ- ing staff at Warners, HORATIO CONNELL Horatio Corinell, bass-baritone , and vocal instructor, of . Nelson' Eddy, Bbse Ba^ipton and: P died Noy. -16 in Hahnemann .hospital, Phil^del- phiii, Pf a lieart attack after several 4aiys'inbesfl. He W^ His Widow, two brothers and three t|[sters survive. CHfARiiES ZARUBA v-€harles Zarubai 6S, Los Angeles pxhibitbr . and |well known in Coast a scoundrelly perjurer. : Last scene, where the whole evi- dence in court, collapses through the skill of the ..younjg barrister defend- ing, the. co-respondent, is interesting iaiid, splendiidly handled, with - J. iFisher-White making a brief appear- ance as the presiding judgei; ■• Show might do for West End preis- entatioh if; the first two acts ate doc-, tored, but the endihg. is unsatisfac- tpry. .; Feiteteles Magallohely ('Stop by/Reqnesl') Budapest, Nov. Jl.. .Comedy In ttiree. acta by . Istvan Zagoh; ■at NfttlfthnV-theatre, Rudnpesti. Cnat: Anna .Tokcs, r;va Ss.oren.vl,- Marlska VisiVarl, faul Javor, Theodore Uray. An. ambitious young actress has a Ipng-coveted part' taken away; from- her and handed to the elderly lead^ ing lady bf. established standing. Aniia, the yoling. actress, quarrels with her frieiid, ah influential news- i>apeTman, because he . did hot pro- tect her from this insult, .She buries herself in the country—in a village Where trains, stop only by .request.i Here arbrief romjatnce with an .un- spoiled eientleman-farmer, who loses his head playing opposite her in amateur theatricals^ makes her think. she'U give' Alp the f Utile world of Charles Donkin I.lrhbo Farlnsidon.».-.. victor tteamlsh..;. .v. Vranlf Hnstlng^.;..; Barl>ara .Fnne ..,..'. , ', , Button Farlhgdon.... .Matron. Rosemary Farlngdon. flirts ■ Farlngdon.... ,'■ .PhlUp de Pourvljle... flossle NlfrhtlnKnleV;. Tlhv; indmund OvInprton.Pi Kyiini^ton Hepves Kir Berkeley NIgrhtlngale..... ,H. G. Stoker did Crump..Lawrence Kitchen ...Frederick Tielster ......Tony Wlokham .;'.. .'.'Robert' Craven . .. . . ..T. H. IloVerta r.i.. Ilfla Trevelyan .'.,. Joan White ;..WInitred Wlllard .. ..'.Rosafyn. Boulter .Elizabeth Nolan ..'.. V ..... John Ford . Huniphrey 'Morton News Froitti This dcportTrtent contains reii>»1ttcj» (ftefttricdl v^W^ {tern* <a puli- lishcd aurini? the iucefc in the dttHw popers New Yoffc, Chicago, Son Frandico; Hblli/iijbod and Londpn; VABiEry tofccs no credit for these ncujs items; each ha* been rewritten fron^ o daili/. paper. East Buffalb photographer, Peter. Kos- teros, Jis held for extraditibii to North Dakota Svhere he, with Wq cbnvicts and prison guardj^are imder r charges pf seeking .tp shake down the Ponselles, Lily Pons and pther opera sirigers with phbtPS; m which their heads .were superim- posed bri nude bodies. One of the convicts iis a lifer. . .. :' Miami Beach announces it s all set to entertain 2,5QO,000 visitors this winter. Starting the leg art already. . Harry Madden^ Birpoklyn news- paj^r man, revealed- as the Kennedy Kane whp, aiithPred 'Bedtime fpr Ali Baba.' ^ .•■ _ ... Mark Hilliatd wiU produce Don Carle Gillette's play. In December. .Gaby :Morlay coming over frpm Paris to see Helen Hayes in -Victoria Regina.' Shell play th? part in Leslie Hbwaird denies h^ will quit •Hamlet' for the Theatre Guild, Had been, announced he would shift after the 100th pierformJince. ' . .. . Registration shows 2,442,894 autps with N. Y. plates. . Estate of the late Marilyn Miller valued at $31;000, with claimis of $33,000 filed. Bank ^eeks tPv dispose of the claim Pf her husband T $32,500. „. , , Gilbert Miller and Alex Yokel to do ^Charlotte^Corday' ta .Lpndon m the spring. , :^ Lillian Hellman's new play, tp .be labeled *Days tp Gpme.' _<. ■ Former clubhouse of the. Brppwyn Elks taken pver by; pity lor Board of Education, ^ . ' , « Bert Lahr charged by Jps. .S, Robinson with harboring Mrs. Mil- dred Schroeder Rbbinson, former showgirl, whom he married.- Asked to pay $500,000 if or alienation. Richard A. Knight^ attorney, ^suiar monsed to answer , cpntempt charge, again failed to appear in ci^ court. For two years Walter Fried- man, of the Adelphia agency, has been, trying to collect $169.40j which he alleges'Rnight owes-him tbr thea tre tickets-, ■ ■ • • • i. Federal • authorities. after George Graham Rice .again... Awert he vio lated his pSirple..,. , . Rosa Ponselle, in Balto, peeved ovei" stories' she is t« marry Carle A. Jacksori,' son of -the maypr. Good friends of ■ len^ - standing, she ex- plained, bgt; noiriatrimpnial:.. intpn- tibns. .... 4... • . Cops arreisted; 10 . women .and 3( < riieri at the Federal Writers' Project Friday when they tefused to leave the building after being told there waii no work. Authorities recpnstcuct the': Venice theatre, one of the historic^ • .taliah spbts. WiU cbst 3,000,000 lire. . Westchesterites all stewed, up over the prpposed. Negro cpuntry club at ; >^ew Castle. Promoters seeking cbn- trbl pf the fbrnier Pine Bridge club. Raising a $200,000 fund. Dwight Deere Wiman muUiDg Tumbrilis Aweigh,* operfetta of the . French revPlutipn. Book by Dayton Stoddart, Deenis Taylpr jmay write he muisic.: Maybe in February. Richard Keerie has replaced Jack Sheehan in 'Forbidden Melody.' Elizabeth Miele; takes the Masque for her 'Holmes of Baker Street.' Ann Winslpw. tb. have the lead in Barnard College production of 'Again Vain Death;* Dec. 2-5. Peace propaganda play done mostly by the: stiidentSi Nat Xarson writing: a hew version of 'Alice in Wpnderland' with one hand and doing sets for Radip City Music Hidl with, the bthen . Doing a few dramatic, sets fbr outside man- agements In the intervals.! . David Warfleld ■.. to celebrate his 76th birthday next Saturday (23). / ' Dttvid;Lucas,'of .Brbpklyn, winner of the $1,000 tbp - jlrize fPr best radia' prbgram suggestiph epnducted . by Pilpt Radip Cprp; Thaf s $10 a wordi Maior ian 'ijay Beith, successful novelist Under the name of Ian Hay has contributed, another clean anc wholesome comedy to the stage Himself aii ex-schoolmaster, and knowing-the routine .of such. an establishment to a icety, he dishes out a few situations in. isuch environ- ment which would be well-nigh., im- pbssible.'iii such a locale. But no- body careij, as long as suitable, amusement. ' provided, and this is done. " Cast is headed by Frederick Leister, J. H.. Roberts and; Kynastori Reeves, and every.' member of the orgailiiz&tioti'takes full advantage of the opportunities.: ■ Not exabtly the type of play v/hich would appeal. tP ah : American, audi- ence, but it shbuld. strongly.appeal to. /the schoolboys here who are shortly to ' enjoy their Christinas holidays, and would Understand the situations presented in the: plot. II Pozzo Dei Miracoii ('The Well of Mllraclesrji Rome, Nov. 5. iComed.v- In -.three.-acts b.v. riino. Clbrra and CHuseppe AQhIllo; produced by Gan- duslorCarlf Co, at Qulriiio theatre, .Rome; ulara Antonio^ Oanduslo and .Laurii Carll.. This is a very light comedy about a , lady, Margit Tolnay, whose hus- band's will forces her to becomiei engaged to a beggar; The husband, Tibot Tolnay, was tired bf hisf Wife's putting bn grand airs and being sUr perior to him,! so,' in" a vengeful mbbd he..w)rbte his will, to the effect that ivithi many months ^e must become ■ engaged tb a. beggar, whbm she. must pick tout of. la bread- line and-evehtually .marry in order to come into her.property, . The beggar, Stefano Kiapka, picked up' as-stipvtlat^d by Margit's la\yyer and" introduced Intb her luxurious.; apartment; turns, out tb be a pleasant' surprise. He is a sort of charming mountebank who does all sorts Pf things just for the ex- perience.: and who -opens up a real grab-bag of surprises'and new iU' tereists in life for Margit , So Tibor's joke oh his Wifb turns out to be not so bad after all, anc everybody is rather" annoyed when -^jUst as Margit is.supposed to marry Stefano—the husband tiirns - Up to explain that he wasn't dead at all arid that he hiad planned it all ,as lesson to the snobbish Margit. Good entertainment; He In. FrencK Without fears , Noy. 7. Comedy In threp acta hy Terence RattI Ran. produced by Hiirold French at Cri terlon theatre, liondon, Nov, 0, '30; . Kenneth Luke ;.. ......... .I'rpvdr Howard ■Uriah Curtis;. ..... ; ...i... .Guy . Iddleton The Hon. Alan Howard.... . ;R'Sx Harrison Marlniine. ........... ...;....; Yvonne Andre Monisleiir Malngot. . . . ... i.... - ;Pe.rcy Walsh Lieu tenant-Conitnander . Rogers; .. .. . .. Roland Culver Dlantk r.ake.:.;.;..; Kay Himmond kit Nellan... /.^. ..Robert Flemyng .ThctiiJellne aiiijjot...;..TeBslca- Tandy trtJi-a Heybrobk.; ...,...: . •...; .William Dear Frothy piece -of flippancy ■ which niay amuse Mayfair and Park Ave- nue, but is hardly substantial enough for the man and wbtriari in the street; First starring vehicle of Kay Ham- mond, whose father (Sir Giiy Standing) arid grandfather, made some of their big successes in this house. She has hitherto been .cast in pert roles, biat in this opiis de- picts a heartless scalp-hunter, whb plajrS' havoc with -the male, com- panions of her brother, with- whom she is staying in the. South of Fraricei Most of the wit' is derived from the: struggles of the students to iriaster the, language. If you don't under- stand French, of course, it no dice. JTessica Tandy and Percy Walsh give lively characterizations bf daughter and father Who tun the place, and the varioris victims of the predatory female are nicely handled. In-its class, the piece praise- worthy,- but modern . playgoers de- mand ; something, more fbr their monbyi Besides, there are np b.oV names to draw them in. Suit, brought against Ezib Pinza, cpncert baritPrie, in San Francisco by Octavi Picchiorii, who aska $200,000; f6r allege<11'>reach^of prom- ise. She chargibs Pinza proniised to marry; her iwhen he already had a wife;'. Buster Keatoh Hied petition in: ImJl, asking alimpny but from. $300 to $100; monthly arid transfer pf cus- tody of his tWQ,sons, Joseph, 14, and Robert, 12, from his former wife, Natalie Talmadge ■ Keaton; > -ActPr claims iap tbo heavy iri face of-pres- erit>arrtin]gis: .'" Malibu " Ladce 'Mountain Club burned-to-ground for estimated Ibss of $100,000./ Sir Guy Standing, presi- dmit, - annbunced new club will be; built......:,.....;.;'; :,•'•'.'. Rex B^ll arid Clara Bow both de- nied Holly wood jrurijor that they aire separating: ■ Fornier actress, an- nourib^; she expects ariPther child- sobnv' " ■■ .. Suit fpr separate maintenance filed in LAi, by. Alibe Day, forriier screen actress, against Jack B' Cphri, jeweler. ■ Joseph W. Sefton, husband of Mirina. Goriibel, sued in San Diego by. first . wife, whb Claims he owes her $10,080 on property settlement. Suit fbr divorce filed in L A. by Lola Lane,' 'screeri actress, against Aieixsnder Hall, director; -RUbe Wblt eriicee arid vaude- villiari, was target bf $1,560 damage suit filed in L.A. by his former land-, lady. She charges he damaged property to that amount. . Mrs. Oliver Hardy; granted $1,000 riionthly by L.A. court. She sued comedian fbr sepairate mainteriaricK Diamond K Ranch. Circus,, owned principally by Ken Maynard, filed barikruptcy petition iri L.A. Dan J. Richards, studio employe, shot and killed his sweetheart, beat her mother, and committed suicide. Van Nuys police reported. Will of Chic Sale, filed for probate in L. A., left estate valued at more than $5,000 to widow. Document ex- pressed confidence that she would, take care of their: four . children, e. W. Davis was named executor.. - Mrs. Mae Laurel, foririer . vaudevil-* lian, was deriied petitibri in L. A., for tenripbrary alimony pending hear- ing on separate riiairiteriance suit. She clairiis she is Stan l,aurers corti- mbn-law wife. : Suit fbr; $125,000 heart balm was filed in L. A. by Faith Mbriris. stage actress, against Mark M. Hanson* nitery' Pperatbr, whom, actress, claims betrayed' her with .prbmises of mar- riage... \ . Jbsephy Kominsky. screen actor, sentenced to one year, in L. . county jail for hitting wife with monkey wrench. ■■ L.A. court granted Mrs. Dorothy Murray a divorce, custody of two- year-old son arid $50 weekly alimony frbni Johnriy Murray, radio m.c: Ben Rinaldo Acency brought suit in L; A. against Nick Lukats. screen actor and fprmer football player, for $960 allegedly due in commissions. Lukats claims he is under contract to Doug Tauszi formerly associated with Rinaldo Agency. . Property settlement effected ouVoi court in Luis Alberni's marital difn- culties gives his wMe $2,000 monthly, seoarate maintenance. In L.A. interview. Fritz Kreisler advised youths to steer clear of con- cert or stage, career. v Betty Blossom, nitery dancer, who figured in San Francisco night ciuP fite, was injured in Bay _City theatre when she feU over fpotlights intP pit. •• •