Variety (Oct 1938)

Wednesday! October 5, 1938 OUTDOORS-SPORTS VARIETV Jai Ahi in N. Y. Of; See W hvestment Lest Jai alal, the Spanish gllffe that opened' promisingly at the Hippo- drome, New York, has tapered off sharply at the box office in the past two weeks. Sport is in four weeks and the arrangement lor the Hipp is for three months. Understood that Mike Jacobs, fight promoter, who operates the spot, is in as a land- lord, with Lee Shubert and asso- ciates doing the financing. All tick- ets are counted at the Shubert office. Cost of installing the jai alai fron- ton (court) was $60,000. Claimed that no money has been lost in op- erating, but the chances of recaptur- ing the investment are dubious. Schedule of nightly and Saturday and Sunday matinee games appears too heavy and the fact that the lead- ing players appear only every other evening has been a handicap. Man- agement has refused to reducfe the number of nights for the contests. Afternoon gates have been as low as $250. Gallery tapered off so much that it was closed early this week. The nightly banko contest, with $250 given'away to those who guess the winners of the four contests which comprise the card, has been dropped. Indicated that while the games continue to draw class patronage, not enough general interest has been aroused and detectives have inter- fered with people making small wagers! Boston and Hollywood are being considered for jai alai. Advisability of cut-rate tickets is questionable! Cards are being dis- tributed, calling for a $1.65 ticket upon the payment of 50c, which in- cludes tax. Said that such cards were given an ad agency in ex- change for publicity! Tbp at the Hipp is $2.20. News of Dailies (Continued from page 62) when she was pushed into a moat by her pal. Automobile Club of N. Y. hales a Yonkers cop into court for stopping motorists to sell tickets to police- men's ball. There's a law against the practice. Aurelio Giorni, pianist, who dis- appeared, last week in Pittsfield,. Mass., drowned in the Housatonic river. He was professor of piano at the N. Y. Conservatory'of Music. ■ Bela PaiSSstOT, Budapest film pro- ducer, fought a sabre duel last week with Zoltan Egyed over a criticism the latter had written. Badly wounded, but the critic got off lighUy. Stokowski to conduct 11 concerts for the Phila. Symphony. May do three more, but the 11 are definitely set. George !M» Cohan, Jr., paid $2 by proxy in traffic cOurt Friday. Parked 45 minutes in restricted zone. • Crosby Gaige developing quite a reputation on the cookbook pages^ Of N. Y. papers. He's marketing a flavor blender commercially. Bruno Walter now a citizen of France. Will direct a cycle of operas at the Comique, Paris, this Season.. Clare Boothe working on a new play, 'The Wedding Day.* Elodie Renau, concert singer, and John. Bensch, 'salesman, arrested charged with attempted gtand larceny. They had adjoining apart- ments in the swank rooming house of Mrs. Clara Delar, who claims she found about $3,000 worth of missing decorations in their rOoms. They had planned to be married, according to the .singer, and were collecting furnishings. Harry E. (The Great) Lester, Paul puke, W. R. Williston and Theo Hardeen, all professionals, were Judges of the magic contest staged by the park department on the Mall, Central Park. Kids of from five to 20 showed their tricks; Ruth Dore and James Horan getting tops in the youth and adult classes respectively. Kids are taught legerdemain in the vacation park schools. Brass plaque commemorating the first public showing of a motion pic- ture was dedicated yesterday (Tues.) by Will Hays at the New York store of R. H. Macy and Co. Plaque was unveiled by Mrs. John E. Sloan, daughter of Thomas A. Edison. Store Is built partly on the site of the Koster & Bial's Music Hall where films were first presented in -1896. Six hundred head of riding and bucking horses, cOws and calves ar- rived in New York by train from Texas Monday (3). For the rodeo which opens at Madison Square Gar- den, N. Y.; Friday (7). RKO May Emerge (Continued from page 3) plan was unconstitutional because the backers of it (Atlas and RCA) never had obtained the necessary two-thirds vote for the reorganiza- tion. He declared his client, Stirn, who is in a hospital and could not be present, had obtained informa- tion that many of the proxies used at the stockholders' meeting in 1931 were fraudulent and asked time to have Stirn submit this proof to the court. Judge Bondy advised him to put his facts in his brief. The attorney classified Atlas as a 'professional reorganizer under 77B.' Stover charged the unfairness of the whole setup .by declaring that M. M. Ayleswbrth, former president of RKO, is a xlirector of Irving Trust, trustee, and at the same time acts as advisor to the Atlas Corp. Leo Spitz, who succeeded Ayles- worth as president, is receiving a salary from Atlas, the attorney chat'ged. 'as its agent. Cohen, was mor^ specific in his arguments. He told the court that RKC) has written off on its books about 900 pictui^es at $1 each. Of these 42, he claims, earned over $1,000,000 in 1937. This is to further show that the stockholders have a greater equity than credited with. In 1931, the company rewrote its property valuation from $58,000,000 to $41,000,000 which was all wrong, he claims. Today, according to the plan, RKO goodwill is valued at $2,- 500,000. "RKO has no good will," the attorney declared. He claimed that the award under the new setup of one share of preferred and five of common to the secured creditors for .each $100 bond, was out of pro- portion. He contended that the common stock will sell at $12.56 a share instead of Atlas' estimate of $9.81. He asked that in the new is- sue of $1,600,000 of common to be sold exclusively to unsecured credi- tors that the . stockholders have the right to purchase them also. After, hearing the opposition Judge Bondy heard Rickaby, who denied many of the statements, but was in- clined to rest, his case on the plan itself and the briefs in support of it he had already submitted. Carlos Israels, of White & Case, counsel for a group of independent deben- ture and stockholders, and W. A. Caldwell, also representing deben- ture holders, declared their clients were receiving the minimum under the plan, but that they were con- vinced it was feasible and fair. To prolong the proceedings, Israels said, would only mean further de- fiation of profits and accrued inter- est to the detriment of all. Thursday's Session Atlas Corp., proponent of the RKO reorganization plan, on Thursday (29) formally petitioned Federal iTudge William Bondy for confirma-. tion of tiiis plian'and' approval of Special Master George W. Alger's rie- port on the plan at a hearing today. Hearing was then adjourned' until Monday (3). One of the most curious questions brought up at the initial session was permissability of the new company, "after reorganization, to borrow new money, if that were to become neceS' sary, in the future. These are vir tually the same arguments that have been going .on f or six years. Whatever - that is new which was argued related to how the new Chandler Act' (bankruptcy laws) now affected the plan. Present hearings are on the fair- ness and feasibility of the plan, and it's hoped that Judge Bondy will render a very early decision which will enable RKO, now'in the courts for six years, under 77b; to emerge from bankruptcy. RKO is operating in the black un- der Leo Spitz, president, after sev- eral months of tough sledding during which some heavy commitments were liquidated. For the 26 weeks ended July 2, according to the report filed with Judge Bondy by Irving Trust Co., RKO shows a net loss of $480,176, which figure includes an accrual of interest on all outstanding secured 6% gold notes, iO-year 6% gold debentures and extended 6% gold notes. A.ggregate net, as reported, is in- clusive also of $416,478 earnings of theatre operating end for the first 26 weeks, this year. Durine this period, fixed indebted- ness of RKO and subsids was further reduced by $967,095, including pay- ment of $150,000 principal amount of RKO's secured (Chemical National Bank) 6'?^ cold notes, and interest on suc'i indebtedness amounting to S;65!1.0!54 C^a.sh of RKO and its sub- sids increased in. the period from .«W.282.613 on Dec. 31, 1937, to $6,073,- 791.14. '. RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. fpicture 29 Wins Out of 37 Variety's football swami has managed to abracadabra 29 wins" out of 37 games in the first two weeks. The 29 wins doesn't include tripping over two tie games this past weekend. Auburn- Tulane, and Idaho-Washington. Batting average to date, .784. NOVA BEATS BARLDND IN GAHdEN'S OPENER By JACK PULASKI Madison Square Garden's first boxing show of'the season was held Monday (3), the card being topped by the initial heavyweight elimina- tion contest of a series which is ex- pected to disclose an opponent for Joe Louis next summer. Neither Gunnar Barlund, who was licked, nor Lou Nova, the winner, appeared to be suitable opponents for the champ. Roscoe Toles, colored De- troit heavy who recently stopped Jimmy Adamick, was introduced, and he looked more like the goods. Had the Nova-Barlund bbut gone the limit, the latter would probably have copped. Tlie Dane was cut so badly around the left eye, which poured claret, that the referee stopped the contest midway through the seventih round. Nova was on- the short end of paper odds of 5-to-2, but the layers would not offer better than 15-to-lO, an upset b/sing sensed. Lou is a Cal- ifornian, young and powerful former football, player. He went out in front in the first two rounds, shoot- ing snappy, short blows, but in the third was near to defeat when he was dumped to the canvas. The Coast lad made a rapid re- covery and he"actually had the rug- ged, game Barlnud, who made Buddy Baer quit in the same arena, back- ing around the ring. Nova was in- clined to lead with his right and was warned by the fans to use his left. When he followed that advice he repeatedly popped the Gunnar's head back and countered effectively with the right mit. Looked like Lou was getting tired around the fifth round, but in the sixth Barlund's damaged lamp spurred him on and the men mixed it furiously. There is little doubt that Nova .won six rounds, but he had never traveled the 15-round route and was up against a skilled scrapper. Wheth- er the technical kayo will eliminate Gunnar from the heavyweight pic- ture will be decided later. There were" two "Other heavy weight con- tests which ended in the first round by knockouts, so the fight bugs^who had dates were able to escape at 10:15. With the rodeo taking possession of the Garden Friday (7) and re- maining for the balance of the month, .the next figh' show is dated for Nov. 2, when Henry Armstrong will defend one of his three titles (welterweight)- against the hard- socking Cerefina Garcia. FgqM By Nat Kahn With 20 ^ames on the menu this week, the campaign reaches mid-sea- son proportions on Saturday. Co- lumbia-Army in the east, U.C.L.A.- Washington on the Coast, Purdue- Minnesota in the midwest and Louisiana State-Rice in the south are the outstanding games < this week. So, grab your hats, boys—here goes: Bay-lor-Arkansas A free-scoring affair with both tossing plenty of passes. But Baylor gets the edge. Columbia-Army Army is heavier and more experi- enced but Sid Luckman should lead the reserveless Lions to victory Auburn-Tennessee Tennessee has the scoring punch while Auburn hasn't. Lafayette-Brown Brown, from its performance of last week in defeating Harvard, one Wisconsln-Kowa Wisconsin packs too much power, Iowa State-Nebraska The Cornhuskers will snap into the victory column. Missouri-Kansas State A nip-and-tuck affair with the show->me footballers on topi Vanderbilt-Keniucby. Kentucky has a high-scoring team, as indicated last week in runninrg up a 66-0 score against Oglethorpe. But 'Vanderbilt get the nod in a close one. ice-La. State La. State is favored but it's about i time that Rice actually showed its power. Purdue-Minnssota Don't sell«the Boilermakers short. The Minnesotahs are the choice, though. Wras^' Fan Slugs fiim, Groan-and-Gninter Sues St. Louis, Oct 3. Emil N. Firpo, professional grunt- and-groaner in East St. Louis, last week filed suit against William F. Crenshaw, also a resident of the same town, for $10,000, alleging that Crenshaw assaulted him after he had been thrown .from the ring during a wrestling match in East St. Louis last December. Firpo's petition charges that Cren- shaw beat and kicked him In the face as he fell to the floor and the assault not only caused him to suf- fer a large scar on his face but also resulted in his being held up to ridicule by other members of the grappling fraternity. end), and subsids for this period showod a net loss of $1,135,522 after all charges. At Thursday's (29) hearing, at torneys for Ernest Stirn, Milwaukee holder of 1,234 shares of old Class A stock of the company, and attorneys representing H. Cassel Co., down town brokerage house, owning 150, 000 principal amount of company bonds, were chief objectors to the plan. Probable Football Winners And Proper Odds (October 8) By NAT KAHX GAMES Baylor-Arkansas Colambia-Army Columbia Auburn-Tennessee Tennessee Lafayette-Brown Brown puke-Coleate Duke Cornell-HarvaFd Cornell Dartmonth-Princeion Dartmouth Indiana-IIIinots Indiana Wiseonsin-Iowa ..Wisconsin Iowa State-Nebcaska Nebraska ... Missouri-Kansas State Missouri- ... Vanderbiit-Kentncky Vanderbilt Qiee-Louisiana State Bice Purdue-Minnesota Minnesota >., U. S, C.-Ohio State Ohio State Oklahoma-Texas Oklalioma ., Yale-Penn Penn , Texas A&M-Santa Clara Santa Clata Wash. State-Stanford Stanford ... Washington-U. C. L^ A : Washington WINNERS ODDS .Baylor !5/6 V« 8/S 8/5 7/5 9/6 9/5 6/3 9/5 8/5 ;..Even 5/« 5/« t/l 7/5 2/1 Even 7/6 7/* ."Even {Predictions ' Based on Fair Weather) of the season's early upsets, should stem the Pennsylvanians by a couple of touchdowns. Duke-Colgate Duke should find tough going in. an improved Colgate eleven, but the Blue Devils should get through, Cornell-Harvard The Crimson" can't hope for much here against the potential champs of the Ivy League. Dartmouth-Princeton Should be closer than most would think, but the Green will probably break out into a scoring " spree "in" the" second half. Indiana-Illinois Close, but from its performance last week in losing 6-0 to a strong Ohio State team, the Hoosiers get the call. U.S.C.-Ohio State The Trojans are on their way up but aren't likely to reach their peak in this game. Oklahoma-Texas Oklahoma, with a little to spare, Yale-Penn Penn is climbing and the £lis have slipped. Penn. Texas A & M-Santa Clara This might very well be the upset of the day. But the Broncs get the edge,' Wash. State-Stanford - Stahfoi:d "ish't'¥s"bad" as Its 22-0 defeat at the hands of Santa ~Clara last week would indicate. The In- dians are due. Washlnrton-U.CL.A. When at first you don't succeed— Washington. Fun with Earlaps Detroit, Oct. 4. Lured by prospects of doubled in- take, western Michigan has decided to place its lucrative tourist indus- try on a year-around basis, in con- trast to the strictly sun.mer proposi- tion in past years. At least 25 counties in western portion of state are setting up a series of attractions to lure fall and winter tourists, including 'color tours' through woodlands after first frost; toboggan and ski jumps, out- door skating rinks, and winter sports carnivals, Expected other sections of Michigan will fall in line in effort to make state a winter 'paradise' as well as a summer one. Cole-Bealty Bankrupt South Bend, Ind., Oct. 4. Cole Bros. & Clyde Beatty circus, Rochester, Ind., today filed consent to a judgment of bankruptcy in the United States district court in South Bend, thus bringing to a close part of a suit filed against it by four foreign acrobats who are seeking to collect back salary and claims. The case will now be turned over to Alvin F. Marsh, referee in bank- ruptcy, of Plymouth, Ind., and no decision on the case is expected within a month. H-W Closes Season On RaOroad Siding Near L A. Los Angeles, Oct. 4. Tied up by court orders, the Haj genbedc-Wallace circus closed its season on a.i-ailroad siding at Bald- win Park, near here. About 500 performers and work- men ate waiting for the officials to untangle the show's financial and legal troubles. ' 45G for a Dime Ride St. Louis, Oct. 4. Jimmy McLaughlin, Sikeston, MS., owner of a 'tllt-a-whirr ride at camys, was made defendant in a $45,000 damage suit filed in Osceola, Ark., last week as the outgrowth of an accident in which a woman was killed. The suit was filed by Hujrh T. Dlllhunty, whose 31-year-old wife was killed in a fall at the carny, Sept. 24. •.The case is set for January term in the Osceola Circuit Court. aRCUS ROUTES Week of October 1% Barnes-Sells-FIoto f'ueio, Tex., 0; Hou.-.ton, 10-12; Bguu- DKint, :;!, Lafiiyi'ttc, I-a.. 14; New OrlCHns, 16. Bobbins Bros. Miami. Fla., 10-11; West Palm Beach, 12; nnytoiia Boaoh, 13; St. AujTU8tl«i*, H; Viildnnta, Ga., 15,