Variety (Sep 1938)

Wednesday, September 28* 1938 CHATTER VARIETY 61 Broadway Leland Hayward back to the Coast yesterday (Tuesday). Tom Kearns exits, press depart- ment of WOR this week. Jack Mclnerney suffering from an infected arm, the same one he broke 8 Sed slo'ne and John Golden last ,Jek did an experimental television chow for NBC. Hiarlie Einfeld, possibly accom- panied by Harry M. Warner, due past early in October. Med Armstrong agenting *Kiss the now Goodbye,' which opens tonight (Wednesday).\t the Miller. Dario (and Irene) and Ramon (and Renita), ballroomologists, planning «n intime boite of their own. Pat Ballard back scripting, around Broadway, after finishing a play in the Poconos during the summer. Oscar Brooks, Warner Bros.' as- sistant .manager in Mexico City, is in New York for homeolflce confabs. Phil Baker, out o." the hosp, ex- uects to johrihancock a new radio commercial by today or tomorrow. . The John P. Medburys in town to aufhor the first three of Burns and Allen's radio scripts from this -end. Professional Music Men (song pluggeTs) hold their annual benefit at Manhattan Opera House Oct. 9. Herman Bernstein back from the Coast and .set as company manager of "Oscar Wilde,' due to come in soon. Lee Marcus, RKO studio producer, left for the Coast "Monday (26) night after a quickie east to visit his mother. Ethel Merman's "cafe society' pals gave the Strand a first-night toniness Friday with a dress-up turnout in her honor. Prince Serge Obolensky trying to introduce the Palais Glide from Lon- don to Park avenue, as he did the Lambeth Walk. Tony -Cand Rehee) DeMarco says it's off again, matrimonially, between them, although they may continue dancing professionally. Will Green, erstwhile small-time vaude booker, has turned ballyhoo artist He supplies acts for theatre- front exploitation stunts and kindred tieuos. Vicki Abbott and Nancy Sheridan in a special three-day legit show for the annual convention of the Assn. of National Advertisers in Hot Springs, W. Va. Hal Sloane, former eastern rep for Walt Disney, ha," joined the United Artists sales force. Left Friday (23) for Buffalo, the UA branch out of which he will work. Billy Hicks and his Sizzling Six is the colored band at—of all places —the snooty St. Regis' Maisonette Russe. But, as a squarer to its deco- rum, the hostelry bills it as a 'Nu- bian Swing Band.' Mary Schaeffer, composer, recu- perating in the United' Hospital, Portchester, N. Y„ from injuries sus- tained in auto accident Saturday (17) on the Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck, N. Y. Par, Brooklyn, has a display of motion pict* •> projection equipment in Its lobby, collection assembled by Harold Wisher, manager of house, ranging from early Edison Kineto- scope up to latest. Sherman Billingsley enlarging the Stork with an extra store to ac- commodate cocktail and private par- ties he's had to reject heretofore. Also a preparedness measure for the Worlds Fair influx. Add now it can be told: the 40% drop in r.r. tourism this summer was reflected in a bad summer season for theanajor hotels. Swank rooms (air- conditioned) east of 5th avenue could be had at $5 a day, single. Carl Clausen, cost control execu- tive of Paramount, elected prez of the Par. Pep Club, which holds its annual dinner-dance at the Astor Oct. 28. At the Warner club during the past -week, John T. Holmes elect- ed prez to succeed Arthur Saohson. Quent Reynolds' piece in current Collier's on the Stork, 21 and Moroc- co bonifaces is the frankest expose yet on why the class cafes favor nice looking' people with short bankrolls over those who spend prodigiously but are otherwise ob jectionable. here when he finishes directing first M-G picture. Drummer Russ Johnson has quit racket to go into artificial limb biz with pa-in-law. . Etzi Covato has lost three of his ace musickers to other outfits in last ■couple of weeks. •Harry Goldberg and Bob Smeltzer both in town for a few days on biz. Ditto Perry Nathan. 'Thanks for Tomorrow,' which opens on Broadway shortly, authored by a local—LeRoy Bailey. May Bcegle sponsoring series of six New York Children's Theatre pro- ductions again this season. Pete Higgins playing second en- gagement in as mnay months at Half Moon Club in nearby Stubenville. Boston Estelle Taylor in town. Fred Allen oack home for a brief stay. Connie Fanslau left burlesque for vaude try. Bill Field in town with 'Knicker- bocker Holiday.' Red King is new assistant to Jack Giwnara in Keith press department. John Carroll, manager of Para- mount theatre, in hospital for ap- pendectomy. . Brown Derby, Penthouse, South- land, Flamingo niteries reopened re- opened for season. Marty Glazer's finger still in a splint. He broke, believe it or not, it pulling on a sock. Southland, sepia spot, opened a night later than scheduled (22), with Jimtnie Ltmceford, due to the hur- ricane. Leo Morgan, former assistant pro- ducer -at the Metropolitan, now at Strand, Brooklyn. Hjalmar Her- manson, scenic designer, another Met alumnus, is with Harry Gour- lain at the Strand, Ne\ York. Major Pat Heaiey, state censor, will be installed commander of A. Vernon MacAuley Post (Theatrical Post of the Amerioan Legion) at the organization's annual dinner-hoof Oct. 25 in Copley-Plaza Hotel. MPTOAConsensh (Continued from page 8) schedule of the national MPTOA convention to be held in Oklahoma City. Added day will make the final dates "set Oct. £0 through Nov. 2. The extra day was added because of the request of members for more time in which to complete the program outlined for the convention. No definite information is avail- able as yet as to the status of the 'movie ball' .planned for the night of either Nov. 1 -or 2. The Municipal Auditorium is tied up for both nights and the ball will probably be switched to the new Skirvin tower Silver Glade room or the Na- tional Guard armory. According to Loewenstein, it is hoped that stars, participating in the ball, -can also be on hand at the dedication of the Will Rogers Memorial at Clareiriore two days later, on Nov. 4. Booth rentals are being received by Loewenstein at the rate of several a day with RCA, American Seat Co., Nap-Ad, Burch Mfg. Co., and In- ternational Seat Co., leading the list for choice spots. Stalls are $100 each for an eight feet by eight feet space. The Biltmore hotel has agreed that no rooms above the first floor can be rented for display purposes dur- ing the convention. Gilda Gray in town. Paul Stein now a British citizen. Molly Picon at the Trbcadero cabaret Oct. 24. Cinda Glenn, in Venice, due back in a couple of weeks. Charlie Tucker's mother-in-law, 69, died from pneumonia complications. Barr and Estas to go into 'Switzer- land' ice show in Africa for Tom Arnold. Lowe, Hite and Stanley in Tom Arnold ice show for six weeks with options. Cliff Whitley reported ready to finance the new Bill Tilden play for London. Bert Aza threatens to retire from all his show business activities *at the end of this yeaT. 'The Reno Wide Open' is the name of a picture theatre in Newcastle- on-Tyne, England. George Western, half of George and Kenneth Western, on crutches as result of sprained ankle. Jack Agnew, son of assistant man- ager William Agnew, of Coliseum, in fatal motorcycle crash. Diamond Bros, were held over a third week at Palladium, first time for any importation this season. Gene Sheldon applying for flying license. Has has 10 solo hours in America, but may have to take test ■here. Emile Boreo due to be in the next Clifford C. Fischer International 'Casino, N. Y., show, scheduled for next March. 'Come Back to Erin,' first colored Irish film, just finished by British National Films, will be shown in early October. Arnand, -Peggy and Ready out of 'St. Moritz' touring ice show due to Peggy Somers suddenly developing appendix trouble. Tom Mix may play the Coliseum with the Duncan Sisters in special prairie setting, with the Duncans warbling hillbillies. Bertie Meyer, former theatrical producer, married Mrs. Helen Sut- ton-Vane, former wife of the 1 Out- ward-Bound' author, Sept, 15. First report and accounts of Odeon Theatres, Ltd., issued for 54 weeks' trading, after deducting all charges, etc., shows a profit <of $1,840,890. Wembley Dog Racing track, using a panatrope, which plays during the races, has appointed a music direc- tor, whose job it is to select suitable records. Cardini' cabled Eddie Deusberg, head of Scala, Berlin, suggesting cancellation of his two-month en- gagement at the theatre on account of war soare. John Corfield, head of Brtish Na- tional Films, to make arrangements for filming of .'Daughter of India,' which he's making for Associa' 1 British Pictures Corp. Firth Shepherd to keep intact the combination of Sidney Howard, Ar- thur Riscoe and Vera Pearce, cur- rent stars, in his musical, 'Wild Oats/ for future musicals. v Archie Mezies, Arthur JMcChrae and Jack Hulbert are collaborating •on the new Cecily Courtneidge-Lee EphTaim-Hulb'ert musical, which will be done in the West End end of next month. The Yam danced by Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in RKO's 'Care- tree' is to be performed for the first time in England in 'Now for Fun,' the forthcoming new American show at Grosvenor House. Long Tack Sam owns a chop suey joint here. Former mystifyer ren- dered feast to former show friends, including the A. J. Balabans, Charles Raymonds, Irving Tishmans, Ross and Bennett and Letty Cooper. Theatre owner Bronson Albery and Michel Saint-Denis, French play producer, are taking over the Phoe- nix theatre to cater to serious play- goers. Will have a permanent com- pany, with stars taking parts when free. Danielle Darrieux's "'Katia,' now -be- ing completed. Phil Reisman denying communism has hold in Hollywood, same time praising French pictures. Jean Renoir starting studio in- teriors of 'La Bete Humaine,' star- ring Jean Gabin and Simone Simon. Mada.me Van Raalte here from Holland to attend opening of her 'L'Age Dangereux' at Theatre Dau- nou. New Haven By Harold M. Bone Late S. Z. Poli's home recently burgled. Lincoln reopens (27) with foreign film policy. Dan Cummings, of Paramount, lost his father recently. Hurricane laid Saving Rock amusement park low. Michael Cascioli is "building a new picture exhibitory in #Iling*own. Loew three-day vaude hanging on get-together with musicians' union. John OConnell elected delegate to Inter-national Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes' convention. Bert Doff has sailed tg marry Ben M. Cohen, ex-Loew house manager here, now located in Calcutta. Shubert theatre lifts season's open- ing curtain tomorrow '(Thursday) night with a 'Tobacco Road' com- pany.' % Hollywood (Continued from page 3} IVl i r l 1 nusimrgii By Hal Cohen ■ Rufus Blair in from Par's .Coast office. . Tony Stern and Joe Feldman fight- ing the flu. Variety Club has set Oct. 10 for mi lon y 0f 1939 officer slate. «,? Vince Sortinos are home from their Atlantic City honeymoon. Mrs. C. J. Latta's sister, trom Los Angeles, here for a short visit. Tom Bodkin had Pittsburgh Pirates as ftis (guests at '-Our Town' last week. Dave Broudy's lad brought him Dack a couple of French batons from Paris. George Tyson punching out Harris aas once more after summer leave at seashore. t •?^, cent Carnegie Tech grad, Patti T VB t ,n returning 'You Can't Take « With You.' Campbell Casad here first time in T?K, ea £ s » ahe ad of 'You Can't Take It With You.' Sylvan Simon plans to visit mother. Neb.-Ia. for 10-Point Plan Omaha, Sept. 27. MPTO of Nebraska and Western Iowa, meeting here at their annual conclave, decided to support 'any anti-blocking bill' rather than con- tinue to operate under 'the present situation.' President Charles E. Williams of Omaha, who starts his 20th term as association prexy, said his group will •continue this stand because nothing has been done and no response has been made to exhibito requests un- der the MPTOA 10-point program. Exhibs decided legislation to regu- late 'the situation' is better than no regulation at all. Williams said group -would like to see a return of concil- iation boards, arbitration boards or some similar group which would iron out difficulties between distrib- utors and exhibitors. Delegates attended an industry golf tourney and fun festival, spon- sored by the Oman- Variety Club, and voiced praise for the Greater Movie Season campaign. Other officers re-elected include Dale R. Goldie, Cherokee, la.; H. F. Kennedy, Broken Bow, Neb., and R. E. Falkenberg, Lsxingtoh, Neb. Paris By Hugo Speck E. R. Conne back from Riviera. Charles Trenet back from tour. A. C. Blumenthal here for look. Ernest Hemingway in from Amer- ica. RKO's European- convention clos- ing. Le Joker, Montparnasse nitery, re- opening. ABC open again, with Charpini topping bill. June Lang and mother in from London for few days. Marc AHegret making "The Thief of Bagdad' for Korda. Joe Alex forming Negro troupe to present plays in Paris. Restaurant des Ambassadeurs re- opening set for Oct. 1. Henry Bernstein sent Italian deco- rations back to 11 Duce. 'Crime School' (WB) and 'My Bill' (WB) opening at Apollo. Johnnv Payne at 'Le Ruban Bleu' in first European appearance. Georges Rlgaud set to star in 'Ac- cord Final.' opposite Kate de Nagy. 'Snow White* (RKO) closing ex- clusive run at Marignan after 20 Weeks 'Adventures of Marco Polo' (UA) hod double opening, at Olympia and Le Biarritz. Lyda Sue spotted as dancer in has almost nothing to say to outsid- ers, the Justice Department people are rapidly becoming exasperated with the (film industry. Prolonged failure of the majors to accept the offer to talk about a stipulation pre- serving the status quo in theatre -ownership has -goaded the prose-" tutors.- And the majors' muttering about the economic and financial reasons why the industry cannot yield to the Tflew Deal demands— which has not been overlooked al- though not officially recognized—has not softened the Feds. The D. J. negotiators go into the huddle, with a material advantage. Months of investigation have armed them with sufficient-evidence to start criminal machinery rolling in almost any principal city. With the infor- mation at hand, the prosecutors could pick the jurisdiction where they feel the Government's chances of victory would be brightest, and ask for an indictment. No one who has grape- vine connections with the D. J. doubts a prima facie case could be made out and the grand jury would perform as desired.. Jackson, a Threat Real reason why the -industry should try diligently to trade with the Government is the -character of Robert Jackson, now solicitor general and the -individual who had the most to do with bringing the film investi- gation to a head. As a veteran crim- inal lawyer, he is the sort who might be expected to urge Attorney Gen- eral Cummings to go into criminal court and eease trying to settle the civil action without a trial. His in- fluence in New Deal quarters is ad- mittedly' great, and as former chief of the anti-trust division he is thor- oughly familiar with the film situa- tion. The Government is counting heav- ily on reported dissension in the ranks of the majors. Supposed dif- ferences of -opinion between company executives cause the D. J. to hope that a veiled ultimatum will crush any righteous belligerence on the part of the industry conferees. Even though most of the Govern- ment demands would impose mate- rial hardship, ■opportunity is seen for a trade. While neither Paramount nor Warner Bros, is^expected to ac- quiesce in the idea of giving up their theatre holdings, it is whispered 20th' Century-Fox oould be induced to go along on this point. Possibility that Loew's might accept a counter-pro- posal under which it Would divest itself of exhibition interests, or split with Metro, encourages the govern- ment, since it is reliably reported here that the Metro people would like to get out of the exhibition branch. Whether the Government would be willing to drop some of the suits, in the event one or two of the com- panies are disposed to sign a stipula- tion, is conjectural. In the past, the D. J. has been quick to leap at the opportunity to reach agreements with individual defendants, but in this in- stance the strength of the Federal case may depend to an unusually large extent upon the allegations of conspiracy and the charges of con- certed action by all of the eight con- cerns named in the bill of complaint: Gloria Dickson to Mexico. Donald Crisp on yacht cruise. Irving Crump in from the east May Robson out o* the hospital. Matty Fox back froir New York. Corey Ford returned from Alaska. Jack Carson flew in from Milwau- kee. Carl Lesserman in from Manhat- tan. " Joe Brcen to hospital for observa- tion. Dolores del Rio in from Mexico City. Roy Del Ruth back from Cleve- land. Louis B. Mayer back from Louis- ville. James R. Grainger in from New York. Harold Hurley sold his racing stable. Dick Povell back from yacht cruise. Tex Ritter in Nevada buying horses. Chicago's Mayor Kelly gandering studios. William Powell home from the hospital. Wichols Turner to hospital lor ob- servation. Spencer Tracy trained in from Broadway. Sabu taking .is first gander at Hollywood. Ken Allen leaves for Guatemala next week. Spyros Skouras in from New York for confabs. Rita Stevens recovering from ap- pendectomy. Winfield Sheehan dinner host to Pete Harrison. Carl Leserman in from -N. Y. for studio confabs. Jeanette MacDonald to hospital for minor operation. Carl Schaefer and hride back from honeymoon. \iDick Spong here from Harrisburg, Par; for interviews. Gladys Swarthout and husband, Frank Chapman, back. Clark Gahle and. Robert Young planning Alaska hunt. Shirley Ross and Ken Dolan back from their honeymoon. Lew Landers elected prexy of RKO studio <oamera dub. Bert Gordon severed connections with his Mad Russian cafe. Joe E. Brown got trophy as captain of Comedians haseball team. Charles Skouras and W. H. Lollier on inspection tour of Rockies. Bob Burns handed Impound wa- termelon by Arkansas Legionnaires. Walt Di .ley threw a birthday party for Mickey Mouse, 10 years old yesterday (Tuesday). Monte and' Helene Samuels back to Now Orleans after three-month vacation in Honolulu and Hollywood. Sam Goldwyn pulled a coilossal surprise on 200 scribes at a tea party in honor of Jasoha Heifetz. He served tea {Ceylon). PiiladelpJua By Herb Golden Tommy LaBrum recuping from an infected eye. Irving Phillip's new daughter has been tagged 'Zelda Elaine. Mrs. A. . Mitchell 'Palmer back at her desk at the Censor Board after aling. Sam Bushman and Milt -Shapiro have added the 21 Club to their p.a.ing list. Eugene Ormandy arrives in town this week to start Philadelphia Symph rehearsals. Gali-Gali closed at the- Fox <on Thursday (22 ) and opened at the Ar- cadia International -Monday (26). Heavy downpour kept members of the Showman's Cluh home last week so that another meeting will have to be held to lay fall plans. Larry Mackey combining duties as manager of the Arcadia with press- a^enting Charlie Steorman's Cinema Art theatre, the ex-Poplar. Minneapolis By Leg Itees Cla.rk Gable stopped'Off briefly en route to hunting trip. Joe Behan, Warner Bros.' booker, in hospitnl as Tesult of fall. Peck Gommersall, Universal dis- trict manager, negotiating with Par- amount on circuit deal. Dorothy Johnson, formerly of Warner Bros., here from Los An- geles with her husband for visit. President W. A. Steffes. of North- west Allied, lost entire turkey flock at country estate due to disease rav- ages. Lou Blumberg, film salesman, on leave from Warner Bros.', returning to the California desert for his health. More than $1;600 in Twin City Va- riety Clu 1 kit for second and final •jolf tournament of season at Oak Ridpc club. Big delegation of Canadian film men attend Northwest theatre .own- ers' iubilee dinner Tor Eddie Gold- en, Monogram vice-president, here Oct. 14.