Variety (Apr 1939)

46 VARIETY OUTDOORS Wednesday, April 26, 1939 N. Y. World's Fair Sidelights Past week saw a preview parade of showfolk as well as civic leaders and the like to the N, Y, Fairgrounds. AU were impressed with the massive- nes3 of the venture, but many agreed that the best commutation bet to Flushing Meadows would be via train, rather than motor, considering the distance ot the parking space from either end of the Fair—the Play Zone (midway) or the Industrial Exhibits. Obituaries (Continued from page 44) He leaves his widow And 10-month- old child, his mother and a brother. Burial was in Greenwich, Conn. Details in the radio section. Employees' Hygiene Personnel Is being assiduously blood-tested, fingerprinted, etc., as part of the hygienic scheme of things to protect the public. Even cashiers in res- taurants, although remotely connected with the actual handling of food, undergo intensive physiological tests. It was for that' reason that the employment agency call went out for 40% above the desired number. . NICK LANG Nick Lang, 46, radio singer and vaude performer, died April 20 after a prolonged Illness, in a New York hospital. He leaves his widow, Mrs, Estelle Lang; his mother, five brothers and three sisters. Midway Stall Some Inside stuff chatter b that the midway concessionaires purposely Btall not to be ready for the preem, since the Play Zone trade isn't ex- pected to be good until after June 1, when wargi weather and a real tour- ist Influx commences. Sard's Maps Florence (Mrs. Edgar) Leslie, wife of the songwriter, promoted that Tony Sarg 25c. comic World's Fair map Idea. She has the booths on the grounds. Sarg's trimly Illustrated guide is rated the most graphic publication put out on the exposition to date. It is virtually foolproof to the stranger In town. ADELE BANNET Adele Ranney, 56, who retired from the stage in 1928, died last week in Arlington, Mass. She was formerly In musical comedy and vaudevUle. She leaves a brother and two sis- ters. Interment in Lynn, Mass. Costly Feedery - Somehow that private Terrace Club intrigues the show bunch the most Unless you're a $5,000 bondowner, you cnnH belong to the private eatery, Which Is rather drab externally but very chi-chi within. Facttidden Film at Fair A preview will be held today (Wed.) at the Fair Grounds of Til Tell the World,' produced by the'Bernarr Macfadden interests and to. be shown during the expo in the Macfadden Theatre. Story wa^ written by Herbert Crooker, formerly with Warners, and produced under his supervision In Hollywopd. Patricia Murray, in the film, is to make personal appearances during the pictiue run at . the Fair. Many Dioramas New York exposition probably has so many giant dioramas and sweep- ing panorama displays that it is difficult to pick the outstanding one, "although in cost and elaborate presentation the General Motors' oSering .seems a cinch for top honors. Largest on the Flushing site are the giant one inside the Perisphere (which is viewed from a height of about 100 feet at one point), huge one in the Railroad Building, in Consolidated Gas.(N. Y. Edison) where the City of Tomorrow is reproduced, exhibit 'In U. S. Steel's conical structure and the Highways and Horizons tliird-of- «-mile trip at GM building. Because of Its location, the Perisphere diorama is expected to draw thousands to the interior of the giant bait Whether the 25c'cUp will cut Into its draw as compared with so many free diorama shows Is prol>- lematical. Fair officials claim the admission tap was installed in order to cut down tile great flow of visitors and obvious limited daily capacity of the exhibit Diorama was not completed early tliis week. Haofadden Film at Fair Largest exhibition puilding is thts Railroad structure and its huge wings. Sponsored by the Eastern Conference of Railroad presidents, it covers 17 acres. . In the main building (shaped like locomotive roundhouse) is the largest'model railroad show (Railroads at Work) ever constructed, being a giant scenic diorama 160 feet wide and 40 feet deep. It demonstrates lor the first time anywhere the 24-hour operation of a modem railway system. On the vast diorama are 3,500 feet of track, 500 pieces of minia- ture railroad equipment including more than 40 locomotives. It can be viewed by 1,000 people at one time, with 10c tap.. In one extension of the main building will be 'Railroads on Parade,' four-a-day pageant and stage presentation, with seating capacity of 4,000. ' Edward Hungerford, who made a success of a similar show at Chicago's : fair, is In charge of this, with Kiurt Weill, Broadway composer, responsible for original score; Hany Homer has deisigned the stage sets and Charles .'Alan Is pageant director. Show is presented on an outdoor stage, 250 feet wide and 100 feet deep, with cast of 250, plu? a large array of ancient and modern railroad cars and engines, 50 horses, etc Admish Is 25c. 14 BestanranU Fair has 14 large restaurants not including the $2,500,000, Terrace Club and a number of small spots. Largest is Ballantine's Three Rings Tnn, with three separate rooms with a total capacity of 2,000; four Brass Rail restaurants and counter cafes;' Caruso cafe. Casino of Nations (1,500-seater with sunshine roof); Midway Inn, one of largest in Play Zone; Heineken's • on-the-Zuider-Zee, 700-seat two-room cafe with bar and orchestra plus a dance floor oft the waterfront (most elaborate scenic layout of them all); Schaefer Center, 1,600-seater with outdoor bar; Turf-'^lon cafe; two cafes to be operated by Mayflower Doughnut Corp., with only light food served; ChJlds'-eO frankfurter stands, plus its lone 1,000-seat restaurant in the R. R. BIdg. Dnfonr-Bofera Top the Shows Lew Dufour and Joe Rogers, veteran midway operattrs, who also have a stake in the San Francisco exposition, probably will have the greatest total of shows in line and operating at the opening gun, outside possibly of the rides operators. Their elaborate 'Strange As It Seems' layout already has reached the stage jyhere exhibits are being installed for show's run, Their Seminole Village, with Indian group arriving in town last week, is virtually completed with redskins doing actual building and living on site now. Their 'Gangbusters' show may be a bit slow in opening because of presentation production work needed. Dufour and Rogers also have Na' ture's Mistakes, the Silver Streak and We Humans. The Nationalistic Balldlnss Soviet Russia's giant structure, which has been slow getting under way, has gone forward rapidly in the .last 30 days, with a chance that most of building will be ready for the opening. France's pavilion is nearly com- plete after much delay, with exhibit material arriving on the fair site early this week. Japan's unusual type of structure makes it stand out wnong several pretentious foreign pavilions. Most of exhibits are in. staUed In this structure ahready. A number of smaller foreign naUons, unable to afford a building of their own, are leasing space in structures grouped about the main U. S. federal building and part of the federal layout Baker-Traver Next Nearest group in number is Harry C. Baker-Harry G. Traver combo which has the largest single array of rides. On list are Auto Dodgem Centipede, Cyclone Roller Coaster, Jitterbug, Laff-jn-the-Dark, Lattland Midget Autos; Over the Top, Serpentine, Sky Ride, Snapper and Stratoship. Among the new shows, outside of the new rides, or new twists given old ones are the Monkey Mountain (with room for sohie 500 monkeys) rising from Frank Buck's Jungleland show; Norman Bel Geddes, elaborate mirror dancing girl' show; Parachute Jump (tallest structure on midway) with visitors allowed to drop off 250-ft tower by controlled chutas; Liv (Continued on page 47) • • GEOBGE L GELDEB George L Gelder, about 75, pioneer in motion pictures, died April 20 in Milwaukee. After the Spanish-. American war, Gelder got into the film biz in Chicago. Surviving are his widow, two sis- ters and two brothers. BBTON A. BACKUS Bryon A. Backus, 68, former stage manager and projectionist at the Colonial theatre, Janesvllle, Wis., and also former opeiator of a bill-posting service in that city, died April 12 in CHiicago. Survived by his widow and a daughter. BEBTHA KALICH Bertha Kalich, 64, known In America and on the Continent as an English and Yiddish legit star, died AprU 18, in a New York hospital following eye operatioa Details in the legit section. JAHE3 EUGENE ROSSETT James Eugene Rossett 75, musi- cian, died April 10 in a Kenosha, Wis., hospital. Rossett played with the Rlngling Bros', circus band for years. Survived by widow, two sons and three daughters. HEBBEBT WILLIS Herbert Willis^ 68, veteran Milwaii kee stagehand, died April 16 at his home in Milwaukee after a three- month illness. Surviving are his widow and a sister. JOE TOCNQ Joe Young, the songwriter, died in a New York hospital AprU 21, aged 50. Details in the music section. ALICE CLABK Alice Clark, former vaude and musical comedy dancer, died in Los Angeles, April 14. Two sisters and a brother survive. JOHN <JOCK' ELLIOTT John 'Jock' Elliott 60, manager of the Palace theatre, Los Angeles, died there April 22 of a heart attack. He was in show business 40 years. Frank Edward Sebr, 59, onetime property tianaser at the old Welting Opera House, Syracuse, when it was a trial sp.ot for Broadway-bound pro- ductions, and former stage manager of Keith's theatre, died in Syracuse last week after a year's illness. Sur. viving are liis widow and two daugh- ters. Mother of Margaret and Roberta Becker died in San Francisco last week of pneumonia. Margaret Becker, who is associated with the George Abbott office, was with her mother. Roberta Is touring with the Maurice Evans company in 'Ham- let' and 'Henry IV." Mrs. Allee Foolk Htvely, 68 mother of Robert Foulk, actor, dlrec tor and stage manager, died April 22 at her home in Paradise. Pa. She had been ill about a month. . Hiss B. LeClero Fbllllps, 51, news paper and magazine writer, died in a New York hospital Monday (24) after a long illness. A sister sur- vives. Earl F. Bets, 43. sound engineer at Metro, died April 19 in Santa Moni- ca, Cal. Surviving Is his widow, Peggy O'Day, former film player. William O'Brien, 68. father of Pat O'Brien, film actor, died in Holly wood, Monday (24). Mrs. Anne Bonnick, sister ot Betty Brown (Variety), died April 20 Forest Hills, N. Y., aged <i5. PrjBview of N. K Fair (Continued from page 1) ■ 'Century of Progress' in size, scope, number of exhibitors, vastness of its Play Zone, and in every classifica- tion imaginable. Total paid attendance (at 75c a head) anticipated is conservatively estimated- at 80.000,000 for the op- erating period from April 30 to Oct 31, while Fair officials believe the figure may hit 60,000,000. Of this total, probably 30,000,000 will come from Greater New York and east- ern seaboard cities. New England area alone is expected to swell the count by 10,000,000, while 20,000,000 are looked for from other sections of the U. S. The average visitor is expected to take in the exposition .at least twice. Highly contributory to-such high attendance expectations is an im- ustially 'good press,' which has sus- tained interest There has been some captious criticism, voiced largely by columnists in N. Y. dallies, but this has been more or less expected with an undertaking of this size. New York's 1039 show probably will be recorded as the fair of color.' Where others gained attention as the 'exposition of light' of architecture, or of novel invention, color is the dominating note in all the trimmings of the N. Y. Fair buildings. Color also dominates the novel lighting system on the grounds. It was tested partially Monday (24) night with numerous additions added in the last few days. The New York Fair has 1,500 ex-, hlbitors. Of the 60 foreign nations represented, 23 have their own buildings, A total of 35 states are represente.d (including Pi'erto Rico) but there are only 17 state buildings. Fair officially listed concessions granted at 747. While the exposition site extends over 1,216% acres, it is compactly arranged considering, its size. This Is because actual space used for pavilions, exhibit buildings . and shows covers something like 884 acres, remainder, being given over to 200 acres of parking fields and.oc- cupied by 132 acres of lakes and in- lets. Tallest on site Is the Trylon, which, with the Perisphere,' forms the fair's Theme- Center at the middle of the exhibit area. It is nearly 700 feet high. The peak of Russia's building is next in size, 260 feet talL Parachute Jump in the Play Zone la a close third at 250 feet Fair staff, around 2,000 until re- cently, will be increased to. 8,000 as soon as the show opens. Estimated that there will be 40,000 to 50,000 workers on the grounds during the o:>'rating period. Grounds will be policed by 800 exposition guards, while about 600 soldiers, sailors and marines from U. S. service branches will be kept on the Fair site. la addition, several thousand city po- lice will help on special event days. Typical of special event days will be the opening day which will be attended by President Roosevelt his staff. Government and foreign dig. nitaries. Fair Corp. believes the opening day, next'.Sunday, will see 1,000,000 pass the gates. The Fair has 11 entrance gates. It can be reached, by subway, ele- vated, bus, railroad, motor car, plane aud boat Latter two means of transportation do not land visitors close to entrances, however. BMT- IRT admit to the gate which is also served by the Long Island railroad. At the opposite end of grounds, the Ind--» sndent Subway has a station 'With double track li'n^ connecting 'with the Queens express line run- ning into mldtown New York. This station admits visitors directly'into the Play Zone. Train, subway-and bus will be the best transportation means; private motors, seU-drlven, the poorest Not all the entertainment is spotted in the midway or Play Zone, as it is officially designated. Ex- hibits and novel gadgets, not the least of which is the television in the RCA buUding and the A. T. & T. building displays, are surefire draws. It's this strong competish from tlie free industrial exhibita that makes a topflight Play Zone almost a 'must' Topical of these free shows out> side the amusement area are the General Motors' Super-Highways and Horizons show; trip to the moon scheduled for Standard Brands ex- hibit; Peru's Pavilion of Models showing Peruvian garb of history; actual television broadcast*' from the RCA'Bldg.; Telephone Building with a series of novel stunts; miniature speedway of (Goodrich Tire Co.; Con« solidated Gas' ultra-modem city; Borden's scientific cow farm and dairy; the 'city of tomorrow' in the Perisphere; free auto rides In ttie Ford buildhig, and the gigantic spec- tacle in the Railroad Bldg. Frank Wiiih's Circus (ABENA, NEW HAVEN) Neto Haven, April 23. Hip & Sittleu, Ladv Barbara's Do0s Sc Ponies, Helen Ic Bebe, Don & Daum, Capt ReUips* Seals, Miochia, Delmar's Lions & Dogs, Reuben Cos- tang & HoUt/uood Chimpafuees, Kay & Helen Emerald; Four American Eagles, Adele Nelson's Elephants, Jeanette May, The Kitaros. Nelsons, Yacopis, Flvin0 Charles Trio, Max Kassow, Zimmy, Mike Victor band, cloums. Taking over.the spot vacated by the Morton-Hamid trick, which has played indoor stands under auspices here for the past three years, the Frank Wirth outfit opened a full- week run to a good house and a good respotise yesterday (Monday). Snow has been juggled about considerably lately due to some acts going into the New York World's Fair. Following tlie entry, action picks up with Hip and Rittley on the fall- ing tables and Lady Barbara's dogs and ' ponies holding center ring. Helen and Bebe work end trapezes while Don and .t)awn do a trapeze- and-rings turn in the middle. Boy and girl team closes with a flashy neckspin that has femme swinging from a wire held by partner bh high trapeze. No. 4 Is Capt ReUips' seals, doing the usuaL Brazilian lass, Mlachia, is next In some clever wire-wallcing, done en- tirely without balancers. Delmar's lions and does win plaudits whUe the ace novelty act of the show is Reuben Castang and his Hollywood Chimpanzees. Tongo, oversize si- mian. Is featured and rates biUIng. Kay and Helen Emerald bring a flock of click knockabout stuff to their tumbling turn and score hand- ily. Four American Eagles are on the high wire,' with and without poles, and feature a three-high stand. Adele Nelson's Elephants are stand- ard and give away to Jeannette May, whos in a one-arm giant swing. Next-to;closing Is a combo of the Kitaros, In risley work; the Nelsons, highlighting a somersault on stUts from a teeterboard, and the Yacopis, with a dog act Last named are son Mid daughter of the aero family of the' same name. They're in their second week on their own. Flying Charles Trio close the show. Mv Kawow is a trick shooter and TMATSquawb Vs.N.Y.Fair; Pid[et Ikeat Theatrical Klanagers, Agents and Treasurers' union has filed complaint with the Central Trades and Labor CouncU, asking that the New York World's Fair be' declared unfair. TMAT took this course foUowing the proposal to picket the Fair, man- agement of which has not recognized the union nor employed any of its ticket sellers. A decision by the. CouncU is expected to be made by Friday (28) and any demonstration would probably occur after the ex- position opens. TMAT leaders are stUl exercised over the failure to place members on the Fair payroU, but decided to hold back the order to, picket imtU learning if support of other unions will be extended. Some 30 changes, or points, have been submitted by TMAT to the League of New York Theatres, in prospect for a renewal of the mini- mum basic agreement .Stated that the League's board wiU have further conferences with the union after it has become more famUlar with the proposals, which wiU later go before the managetial membership. . . Matters within the union have quieted down since the hectic nom- ination meeting, during which fac- tionalism intruded. Claimed that aU nominees would run. Including Charles Stewart who is on the ticket for presidency, opposed to Saul Abraham, present head of TMAT. knife-thrower, there's also a trained horse and Zlmmy, the legless swim- mer. Kassow doubles as announcer,. Mike Victor conducts the band ana Frank Wirih books all acts as weU as handling managerial end-Bont,