Variety (Feb 1938)

to By Jack Osteriiiai^ . l^lre sports .writers certainly, didn't go hungry Jast; \veek. What with -the Bil'l-.-Coruin.'. :fea3t' --arid ,the^ annual Ba^eiball Writers banqiiet,, looks like, those^fpurth. estaters who ;^ keep v you infornied boxscbres knd .their ,I)"reseni.riiain,l^^^^ can. well .ilTord tp'.gb .on a 'diet;--;^ , . . Sitting .with. Gol;/-Hv Diihwobdle,; former Prof, of .West Point ahd-, his sweet kids,-; Betty ".and .;Bi2ette, who riever:! saw sd rpahy muggs gathered together befprj?, we got a .kick put of the tributes, psidi to a swell ' gliy, CoruiTV ' Jimniy; Walked ■. .-ii5u^l,. ,:ahd Qiient Reynolds ran rai. dead heat int the . Sp^ch , Futurity.; •;; . jWbst; of the hiob broke their- jUmp ifroiti the Astor to the hay by. stop- ping off to see . Jack V^hite,; and yh is Varsity .ipuo XHarringtpih and Pyres).. Babe Ruth made a . speech - . he digressed frpm nothing to nothing. ... Gvep to Lson and Eddie's.tp h^ar■ a; fefw. of .Eddie./bayis* hyririns^. very "diicky: ,. must go- bkck there sometime and bririg. the fci;iJd-e5l ' Next big ■ meal pf ^the >yeek^ B^^^ ball Writei-s Dinner and a ^irjand af- fair .:sat h?xt:^p. J'inxmy^^^^^V^^^^ >yh6 .followed ' LaCjiiardia iri. the, speeeh lineup; .His openirtg pamcked the; mob when he said, 'Gentleman, Mr;' Toastmastefj? ppst^ .Gen; Fai'ley . fajid^ r vYour^Virorship.V' '; '- -^ ;.V : Tiie Jti&yor stood and l)pw€d low tp; thie ex, ahd Jirtitny proved the seicPhd time this wreek that he's tops when it tomes to word juggling. Plenty of laughs With Joe Williams; Joe JacPbs, Jimmy : Braddock Dan Parkie.r, who informed ys he is handlihg Jack Miley for his Eyrp-: pean boiitSi We told' Dain to arrange; one;with;Hfinnehi Swaffefr. .;, \. At Mohi'oii'is Uptown pouse i gal there nan;ied; • Anh; Robinson ,really swings out:;, V attention.:.Lew;.Le^ i'. /andi^ihcidentatiy^^sd that!s whepe you: gb- every- night 'when, you leave.. the *18; ;huh, Jerry I^ruger? : This; list mientione.d singer is plenty' okay, fopv'by.the-way.; ,. ,.,■■ •:....'..'.' , ;Openirtgof 'Journeymain' at; the Fulton; Saturd iy hight . ; uricialled for piebfi of dirt r luckiest guy in N, Y.; was producer' Sam Byrd. whp; coiildh't see lti ;he's playing in .'Miqe , and ;Men* : . .. after .the Second act we ran pvfir ;tP':'Tobacco, RPad'; for ■ ig .breath prftesfr aii^ ' Later;; at^ Toots Shor> /Taiyern; where Sid Piermont tells' us Dewey is a. ta lent scou t for Al catraz.: an d Wa^gers Divbrcihg . ;'v.'';\:H6Uy.wpqd, Feb;-;lv:v- ;-"Walter .'Winger is :bcing:isued 'for; divPrce' here.;-' ■.;• ■': ' . yik married the.; former . Justing; : Johrislpne :of the istagei in^l Sciri^eh-tfestiiig Social Security AppHcatioiis ■■ Washington,; Feb. L - ;>: One of the biggest jobs o( its Kind^ giving new impetus to use: of. mp.tiom -pictures; irt co.mpilation . of valuable ; records/ was completpd last week Ijy; the .Social: .Security^ Board;. :0n Xvio 16 mni; filjTiS, Government le.nsers: recPrded the , nairnes and tag .num-: bers: of mprie. than 37.QbO,0Oi(> appli- cants for-Federal old-age pensions../. Several; rtiohths of- work was rCr quired to reduqie contents of 600 fil- ing: cabihet.s to i/films -which require o'nly 10 cabinets.. Besides, the name and.. accpuht. number of each ip- diyiciuali the celluloid record shPws the 'age, names of.pai-ents* and.other biographical facts about the host" of pensiph :caridid.ates. ;. ;:.•.;- / at :anpthet.. table ' Harry Hershfield i who philpspphi'icaliy .Pbser^^ps,.:|Spme-^ times yPu: have . to xiP .crazy-. tKih tP keepi from going: crazy!' • '' Big opening of coming week to-, morrow (Thursday), the premiere of. iBetty CorhptPn Walker's Flower Shop .-ih;.the ,nevv Jimmy says, George M. Gohan will buy the first flower : and it's a. cinch that Walker will buy the last. :. Kenny vs. Beebe .. There's.a iPt of difference between .being in back of a Remington and in back of ;the footlights, but if all. tlie world's a stage, then, as far as vaude- ville: is concerned,, the world must grab the. only stage left,; Loew's State,:' This week's ' show, starring Nick Kenny, a sailor who made good in the city; finds Riiby Zwerling arid his swell band on the stage, fugitives from the pit.'; So what; if they are forcedy to shave every day for a change; it'll keep 'erh oixt pf Murray's lunchroom next door arid the pin ball'machines!; They; are part , pf Nick Kenny 's Kabaret, a very; novel set with tables - iBrid ch^irsvwhich;.gives it ah.^^^a^^^ :Qf spmething; differeht . right . . away, dohtya think? Kenny/ the sbngwri ing confimehtatPr of the N. . Da il y Mirror, makes his entrance and the show is on. Kenny stands up, intro:- . duces the: Hudson' Sisters, then Ken- ny sits ;down and, by .the way IJnclc; JJick,. Where's the Lucius Beebe in you? Grey spiiks. with a tuxedp! Tsk!: Tsk! This is LoeW's State, not Jack Lait's oflicp. ypu know. ' Kferiny's .Kabaret is; a trifle dlsap- poiriting, , tio minimuhV, .no laughs/See you at;the'City Desk, Nick;::and don't >Varry; -rhaybe pib.n some sponspj:-will;be nuts enough to give us a radio program of our pvyh. and;then,; boy, c:ari you get even! ; Thdus:bts While Thinking ' ; Remarkable: the thah|(ina! effecI .iipllywopd, has'<in pne.. .a,few; years you couldn't keep .MiltPn Bferle oft a: floor.. .how .ypu can't get him • Continued ori page lOX . ;;.Jeanette-.'Macppnald is ,, reported bqihg'^ oftjered;to ;Ne\v York concert itianagers; fpr /recital d late thi.s spring; or early next fall. Star was in musical comedy before cracking pictures:'ahd-ha& .done^ coh^iderable radio: sppranPing,; but has npyjer made cphcert' appearances.: HoweveT, shey has beenJvrepo yenning ;;plaffprm yehtures in the ;past.; ■ • Such concert dates, iif ;and when, could; not'be for. a couple: of ;month.si., at least, as Miss 'MacDonald is .set for a hew musical for Metro. tP stiart fairly soon. ;.It will be "Swpethearts,' pic version of the opeiretta!; Pf some seasons ago* arid • will ;have; Nelson 'Eddy-■bo-starred.,^-.'. •:',':■ •.. Number of Mother filnriites ' have done Concert work,, iricludirig ,Eddy,: Lily; Pons, Grace Moore, Gladys Swarthout, v Nino Mairtirii,' (Ctc.v . bu aii the above had already made-reps on the platform before . going into, pictures. ;;...-\.;; v./"-;- WB's NX ip LA: Chiefly \ Einfeld's Headquar^^^ ■; The only 'N. Y. to L. A. move, to be mkde in -Warner Bros, will be transfer of advertising-publicity au- thority to'the Burbank studio, with: Charlie Eihfeld setting up headquar- ters out there';" All service activities of the department at New York will remain as is. . • ..■ • ■ ■' ■■.; ;. Bob Taplinger will continue: in charge of: the Hollywood office lirir der orders to Eihfeld,; while Mprt Blumenstock will be in charge; in ;the east :.: '•■■ ■ '. ' ■•-■:':."-• ■■ : Einfeld leaves Saturday (5); for Holly wPPd.. H. M. Warner, also to perrriariently remain on the Coast, -may--also lea.vVSalurda;y_with_Ein- feld, but he hasn't decided. Plenty for B. 0. er Quota kaypes British b.o..;.......,v.'.....; '. . .....,..,,'i..'.Page 13 Sir Etenjamin Fuller can't see native AusSie filrii productipri.. ;Page 13 Tracy-Crawt'ord on Lux show..........'.;,, vv;.. . ;;,..;;.,v.. Page 36 ; Radio; reports Humphrey Bbgart-Glehda: Farirell; Boris •' Karloff; 'Radio City; Revels' on Hollywood Hotel.........,;page 40 Jack Benny on;Metro sho^N.:UU.->-r--^^''''^l>^^^^ 42 : Songwriters' test suit...... .:... V..;...;.,... J. : ..... Page 47 ■;Early-6r-late:-legit,cUrtaih:,,;.>:.>'.v...^ ' F&M Coast Confab ksty i producer Hollywpod, Feb. 1. Lpu Lu.sty, who has been serving as assistant to Leo Spitz, RKO prexy, since departure from the lot of his ^ forriier boss,; Sarjl Bri-ikin, has been handled a producer's berth' and - ; srigned; to the -Le^ unit. ■LUsly is currently riiuUing scripts in search, of his initial Story. ; -- ;':-;^:.' •'•;;■■ Washington, Feb. 1. ■', , Biggest gang 'of screen luminaries naiionar capitot ypkels have gan- deriedj at ;one time aided materially, t.b put; over the series pf money-rais- iri'g dances with which ■Washington:-^ iaris; ceiebrjated ..President Rbsevelt's birthday; Saturday^^i^ and helped pro.yide cash fpr.the-crusade against .infantile'paralysis; ' Hdi.iywPPd, Broadway and the ra- dib 'biz lipined hands in t^^^ trayagaint prombtiPh stunt sirtce. the. j celebratiPtis were launched arid; in Return we're. cbcktailed,;dined» lunched, tpasted/ praised aridi feted.; •High-point was: a -reception at the Wh i te House, when the visiting fffe- ■meri chowed with . Presideiit .Roose-- yelt >nd most-of his;family.. ;; ; Gobs of publicitjf and pats on the back Were the reward ■ for the .builder-uppers; Program was ;un'der the direction of; Andy Keliey, pic and legit critic for the, Washington Times. : ■ Stars; : were. spotted around, the' Seven hotels .wlier^ hoofing yfas in order and then were guested at the $25-a-head 'Gold Plate Breakfast* which climaxed the. spireesi; Janet (j ayrior Was posted at the Wardman; Ray Bblger . and :; Vera oriria, baUet-aHist--were-a Louise Fazertda soloed at the Hamil tion; Eleanor Powell, "Tommy Kelley, and vAhn GiUis .v^ere; assignied.t^ the Mayflower. Some took an more than one, with several winding up at the' Carltori for scranibled eggs and.saiU' sages';, r'^ - .' ;'•■■;'';: :. With local - radio names serving as m;c. at each .'tavern, the i Ipcal ba rids were . rein forced. by two New York tearirts; Glen Gray and the Casa Loma- crew oomphed at the Mayflower aod Happy Walker pro vided. .tunes ; for.; the / Washington 'crowd. •■;■; ; v^.;;• Los.:Arigeles,. Feb.'.L■'.■••.;' ■ Arin'ual cbpferences qt Fahchbn & Marco,; Inc.,;■ are being held ^ here, with. Jack' Partington, and ;HaiTy. C. Arthur,;Jri,: New York /eScecutives of the Prgknizatibh, participating. -Ses- sions, usually held in Manhattan,, were switched to the Coast this .year: -because-of-r-iriabiHt-y-p arid Fanchoii- SilTiori, other twp .di.recr. tor;$,-,to:riiake eastern'trip.' .;. , ..'•;; : VOperaition problems' of 64 theatres now controlled by F & M Will ;be ironed out at the..meetings. :;.: / FROM BANKO TO BANKER •>;;;■;■';■■■■.,/ • , , . benver. Feb. ^ l. C. U Yaeger has been elected a director, of the Union National .Bank hcv ;■ ■•-.■:'■...■•./■..•;• ;■;■■:■•;■:■'■■'■■:•• . Yaeger :; the daddy of Bank .Night ; and .president; .of the . Bank Night concern, Altiliated Enterprises, Inc. ■•''::;■ ■.:.•"■■:■■; :.'^'z ■• ■■/ :• ■ :■;■■■'> ; Hollywood, Feb. 1. /"the Pres'idenVs Ball in Southern California netted around $25,000 tor the irifaritile paralysis fund. Figure ;tops .last year's' take by $10,000. . ; Button sales in the Fox .West Coast th.eatres;added another $10,000 to the gross receipts. Contending that. copperjative ad- : vertising .between;; dlstiib.utpr and exhibitor- has its , merits^ Paramount disagrees with; any rriajpr companies which may be ,considering a policy tp participate with accounts no fur- ther when their pictures;are booked;. Exhibitors may. .cut 'the vcpr'ners now and then on advertising -in.; which the dislrib participates.hut although this .may occur, the value of co- operative ads ' unqiiestioned by par- ; Its Value is particularly sig-. niflcant ;o;n .;.certain ;p|ctiires; where many, .tinies. ..thfi..japrtnaLj:ea.t£Q._e2L-; pected is' greatly increased by the> adyertLsing; • Analysis ' of figures show these results, ■ cooperative ad-; vertising spreads in one town brin'g- irif~ifftfch'^^IsifBeT~rektals^^^^^ adyertisihg on same picture in com- parative situations. . ■" :v\ .; ^ 'i: . In .Par, it is.: believed .^^^ be hp. qUestiprii: but that.. advertising in. which Par indulged played a vital part in bringing business, obtained for 'Ebb Tide,* 'Wells; Fargo* arid other pictures on which much was spent. Check of cities where adri vertising was: not heayy tends to prove this. : .General recPnstruction of the tire :EUrPpeah: brganizatiori of Uni- versal Will, b.e ■ the: bbject. of Joe ; : Spidelman's ; yisit^^:^ t^^^^ mpnth;; tj;:fpreigrt- chief sails, torimor-^ row <Thurs) and will be absent for about six:weieks; ;■•;'-. :■-•,::. ' '• Reports that Univei-sal: wii.s con- ; sideririg breakaway from General Film Distributors and even buying out Chairles M, Woolf iriteresis Were jlafai*dJriiJN4Jd._as.^jus^ things; :Preser»t: deal with GFD arid. ; Woolf partners is fpr:.2o: years with. : option that;;eitherVparty to; pact may abrogate at the end pf five years; It : ;has: more; than three, years to go be-; -fpre ' either;, party may s.eyer. ;■. Con-;. -tract is rated as highly satislactofy . ;by Uniyersai because it gives the American.; company, the advantage of Prie of the nfiost stablev finariciers in' Englarid and af. weli--^ prgahi^atioh. Fact thait it would take around $1,000,000 tp cancel present O .deal also is. regarded . very tangible hindrance. , . :■;■-.":/; Sales prgariization which N. L. Man- heim idisyelpped in 'EurPpe; was .i-eV garded as. highly cPriipetenl, majprily.- pf men haiving. been, .picked :spieiy oh ability tp sell film. When Gus Schaef-, ter went in . as fbreigrt. chief he 'a,t- tempted to hold this' bunch together but : there were .several shakeups/; through no fault pf ; his, whieh ap-.. parently crippled;the bid alignrrieTit.;: Spidelman is going Pyer tp: size up;; the situation and organize things. During Seidelman's: absence, dharlet .Kirhy will be- in charge at the M. Y, • office. ;;:-'■;;■ ■'; ■..■.■;.>.■.■"'.;;■;.■';■■:' ■■.■;; Pat O'Brien Back With His Teammate Cagney .;'■•.'; ■• ■.:".:;;•.: Hollywood, Feb.. i. .; when Warners .sends 'Angels With Dirty,Faces'; before the lcnscs May I. former tearn of James; Cagney: and Pat;p'Brieri will be reunited in the top roles. ; - '■ 'While Cagney .' :: .set to ; do 'Bpy .Meets ■Girl';.;as his next picture; bri: the Burbank lot, studio exec.s; are readying 'Angels,' with Warren. Duff assigned to write the adaptation and LlPyd 'Bacph :sfeV to ::dircct; ; ;; Dick Foran will have one of ^the supporting roles.;; ■■•,; ■■ an . Hollywood. Feb. 1. .Dale • 'Van ; Eyery, , .Pavanriount : Writery-has been uppied" to associate, producer arid assigned to' the Harold Hurley unit. :. : -^ y ' . .''Federal; Pen,'; set ..for . spring- get- away, is }iis first assignment. ; ;v }SA1UNGS-;/;'^':v; ^ Feb 19 (New York to Oslo) Edgair Hayes .Orchi .(Drottingholm). Feb. 16 (Londoh to 'New York) David Bader : (Queen. Mary); > Feb. ; 12 (New York - to Paris) Jeanne Devereaux' (lie de France). .. Feb. 5' (New Ybrk to London ) Mr^ arid Mrs. Clifford C. Fischer, Bea ^irrinrierrnan C(ihamplain). . ; Feb. 2 (LpS. Angeles to Melbourne.) Charles Withers ;Ospry, Chilton arid. Thomas, Clarence Hake, Bernard and Herirj', Hal Yates, Edward Ricard (Mariposa). . -//^ Jai). 30 (Los Angeles; to Panama) Edward Kaufman (Penrisylyania).; ; Jan. 29 (New York tb Naples) Do- lores Del Rio- Cedrib; G.ibbon.s, Fulton but-sler, Charles Dana (Rofrta)i ; Jan. 29 (West Indies Cruise) Delbs Chappeli (Carinthia). Jan.; 28. (New . York ; to Rib de; Janiero) Mr. arid Mh: Hariy; Rapfi:' Mt. arid Mrs.: Leon Schlcsinger ■ (Rex). ' • .;;■■ ;■ ' -.' ;;•:■- . ;; '■•• .';' ■ ..'■.. ■■ Washington, Feb. 'jli.: Slim chance of any changes in the lO'/ ;.: adnriissipns . tax—which. .; h^s r'riiiwri perennial criticism: fxprft ek- liibitpr, arid' legit theatre rhanagers ^was in sight this week as; House W?y. and: Mearis; Committee : began .\<TiiinR; new;:reycri,ue bill,;. Dc'spite strong arguments presented liy Walter .Viricent on behalf of film iii.clii.stry,; riieriibers said there:is littVe- ;!:j1;'eHhood that the levy wUl be modi-; ('iC(.l. Lawmakers wei-e- sympathetic in. (he abstract but coiild hpt see how ihey can/lift ;the: load without Icut- - Wmi the Government's incoriie; One membc.r ppiritcd but that ai>y levy Which brings in. $18,006,000; to $20,t 000.000 is too jimpbrthnt; a reVenw source.-tp be:;niorikey.ed with. ' ;: ;. :; .• Iridicatiye of the lack of interest is; the. i'act: that: the. Dem'"bcratic rriem- bers on two vsucce'gsive.days-reviewe'd a 11 Pf the compja i n ts a rid sugges'ti 6ns. submitted by several .<lPzen witnesses without: once, .mentibriirig / the^ b^^^ ■about the bite, on hox-office grpssesv ■ ,Thiere; w.a>;; believed a" ppssibi,lity .: .that the tax;-. Vn ticket :speculatbrs:'rri;ight be stiflened; as:was; rrecortiriieride'd. by Ipgit : spokesmeri, but ; abPlitiPri: ;pb'ssibilities ; were nil and there; . . nb grpUri'ds.tor;hpping tha t the. sta rting point bf - the tax .pri film ..diic«t's riiight: be upp.ed .to 5pc.' as: iccbrrime L. A. to N, Adiiehrte Ames. Russeir Birdweli. ; Michael Birpoke. Fr^jnk Chapman. ;isabel Dawn. ■■ Bpyce de Gnnw. Janet :;Gay nor.; James J. Gcllef, ;.A.na;Giliis.: ;. Nedda Harrigan. : Bobby Jarvi.s. • ; . 'Tomniy Kelly. ; Ted Les.'ser, . - Eia'v'is Marcus;.;;; :Ghar'lie:'.Morrison'.. ..; Paula Stone: ;;■:■■. :-r'\:.'y :/ .Gladys. Swarthout..;:;. Al ;Trahan, .;.^ ■ Lupe.'Velez. ■ :■■ Paul Whiteniah.;; ^:;/;. N;;y. to;;;L.;;A.;: Al'Altman' ':'J.^ •";■':'; [Mr. arid Mrs! Harold Arlen, Fra:;ji:es Arms.. ; ^'-^ Olive and- George Brasno. S. Charles Eirifcid. ; ; Henry Fonda, ; ^ .. Richard :Greerie. :; :; p. B. Hanson. '..;""■;■■,:;"•■' • Abe-:.LastfPgcl.■;-•..;' Maj. Lenox Lohr/ Kermit Schaiefer. v Louis Schurr. Buster Shaver. '■ " . ':; ■Taps::-■•;;.• ;■'•.,.:;;;:■ ■•■.■','.:; . Irving Tishrrian, Claire Trevor. ■ . , ;>liirry:M. WarrieV^ ' A. P. Waxman. ARRIVALS .: Nadia\ Boulariger. Delmjir Dav Vincent Shcean, ]Bob Gregory.'