Variety (Jun 1939)

S4 VARIETY Wednesdaft June 21, 1939 OBITUARIES 1 SAM POKBASS Sam Pokrass, 45, composer and lyricist who for the past two years had been under contract to 20th Cen- tury-Fox, died of a heart attack in New York last Thursday (15). Bom in Kiev, Russia, at the age of five he was a violin prodigy and at 12 composed several songs which sold more than a million copies. Shortly after the Russian Revolution Pokrass sought haven in Paris. It was there, 10 years later, that he met J. J, Shu- bert, who induced l^im to come to America. He wrote the score for 'Cyrano de Bergerae' on Shubert's commission. Presented In St. Louis in 1934,' the operatic version of Ros- tand's Classic broke box office rec- ords and drew first serious attention to Pokrass in this country. While working as a stooge for Jack Pepper In a vaudeville act, Pokrass was noticed by Hollywood talent scouts yfbo saw in him an excellent gag man. His ability as a song writer, however, far overshadowed his comic talent and two years ago he was signed as a composer by 20th- Fox. Among the recent scores he wrote were' those .of 'Rebecca of 'iSunnybrook Farm.' The Three Mus- keteers,' "The^Little Princess' and .'Wife. Husband and Friend.' . : Funeral services were held Sunday (18) at the Park West Memorial Chapei N.' Y. Pokrass was a bache- lor, and, as faf as could be learned, has no survivors. ISIDOB FEET Isldor Frey, 60, assistant general counsel of Loew's, Inc., and member of the board of directors of both that firm and Its subsidiary, Metro-Gold wyn-Mayer, died in New York on Sunday (18). He had been 111 three weeks, Frey served in the Loew organlza' tlon more than 20 years, frequently as trial counsel in Its litigation. A graduate of New York University, he was admitted to the bar in 1899. Funeral services were held yeS' terday (Tuesday) with practically all Important Loew executives attend Ing, including Nicholas M. Schenck, Edward Mannix and David I<. Loew. A bachelor, Frey is survived by a nephew, Alexander Frey, manager of Loew's Hollywood, N. Y, and two nlecesi H. A. SAINTSBUBT H A. Salntsbury, 69, Englidh ac- tor, playwright and manager, died In London on Monday (19). He had appeared on the stage as .Sherlock Holmes more than. 1,400 times, after malting his first appearance as an actor, in a bit, in a revival of 'Masks and Faces' at the Opera Comique in 1887. He remained active until 1933. He suffered a broken leg in a fall a month ago. Playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective both In the play 'Sherlock Holmes' and in 'The Speckled Band,' Salntsbury appeared in most of London's legitimate theatres as well as managing his own company on tour. Among his plays were The Cardinal's Collation,' 'King of the Hugenots' and a dramatization of Three Musketeers', JACK SCOTT Jack Scott, 36, comedian and char- acter player, died June 5 In Northern Wisconsin, where he had gone for a vacation. Scott, whose real name was Yancey Burch, worked In stock and musical comedy tab shows, starting on the Coast with the Daltons after leaving the navy. Later he worked for AI and Lolfe Bridge and then went with Bert Smith, subsequently Joining Joe Marion, with whose show he was featured for seven years In character comedy roles. Scott was m. c. at The Spa; Chicago nitery, for the past five' years. HENBT L. HUNT Henry Lincoln HUnt,' 74, news- paper man and former leglthnate house manager,' died "In Fremont, Ohio< June 20. In th6 newspaper business for 30 years. Hunt had spent the last seven as field manager for the Fremont News-Messenger. . Manager for 20 years of houses In .various parts of the couqtry. Hunt operated a theatre in Henderson, - Ky., for 10 years and In Jacksonville, HL, for four before turning to the newspaper business. He Is survived by two daughters, one of London, Eng. BAM LEONABD D.AVIS. SB. Sam Leonard Davis, Sr, 63, blind pianist^ died In Norfolk, Va., June 15. He was an old-time stage pianist despite the fact that he had been blind from infancy. Converted by Billy Sunday in Norfolk in 1922, Davis since that time had confined his playing to religious compositions. Davis took a cup at the Rlvervlew Exposition in Chicago in 1914 as the world's greatest popular pianist He was featured over WGY at one time and made many appearances on other sUtions in 'Virginia. Wife and a son survive. w. P. McCartney W. p. McCartney, 53, veteran ex- hibitor and manager of WB's Jeffer- son theatire In Punxsutawney, Pa., died suddenly of a heart attack there last week. A native of that town who had spent most of his life there in show business, McCartney was held in such esteem that Harry Kal- mine, 'WB zone manager, ordered the Jefferson shut down on the day of the funeral. It was understood, that McCart- ney's widow would be named to succeeed him, the only woman pilot in the Warner set-up in and around Pittsburgh. A. GABDNEB pAVIES A, Gardner**'fiavles, author and stage produc^, died June 10 in Rich mond. Eng., after falling 15 feet from the balcony <4 a local theatre, the masonry of which gave way. A director ^ Circle Theatres, which has produced a number of plays at Richmond, Davies has also staged the London plays 'Banana Ridge,' 'Gas Light,' 'LltUe Ladyship', and 'The Man In H^If Moon Street He had also been associated with Tom Walls in directing film dialog. Survived by widow. years, died'Monday (10) In Los An- geles after a lingering illness. Operator of theatres In Pasadena and IjOs Angeles, Berinsteln was ac- tive in MPTOA affairs. He last ran the Wiltem, L.A., and the Southern Poster Rental Service. Widow and two children survive. HEBBEBT COHEN Herbert Cohen, 26, assistant pro- ducer^ was found' hanging in a va- cant office in the BKO studio, Holly- wood, June 14. He had been suffering from melancholia. He was a son of Miurice Cohen, independent produ- cer, and had served as a writer and assistant in the production of shorts. Surviving are his widow, parents, brother and sister. CHICK WEBB Wmiam Henry 'Chick' Webb, 30, nationally known Negro orchestra leader and drummer, died in Balti- more June 16. Death resulted from an ailment from which he had suf- fered for some time, said to be tu- berculosis of the liver and kidneys. Survived by widow, mother and two sisters. Details in the dance section. LOBENA COMBS Lorena Beatrice Combs, pianist in the pioneer days of radio in Canada, died In Toronto, June 16, after a year's Illness. _ Born in^St Louis, she was educaled~ln Indianapolis before coming to Toronto to complete her musical studies at the University of Toronto. Surviving are parenti; Mr. and Mrs, R. H. Combs. Father is president of Prest-O-Ught Storage Battery C^. and founder-manager of CKNC, Toronto. GEOBGE MABLOW George Marlow, 62, owner of the HvoU theatre, Sydney, Australia, died of a heart attack In Sydney, May 20. ■ ' Cecil Marks, head of UA here, was a nephew of Marlow and got his first start in show biz with his uncle when raw drama was an ace draw in these parts. Marlow, who was also an actor at one time, bowed out of active show presentation when vaude-revue came Into the nvoll under Frank Neil. JIM MOOBE Oklahoma Jim Moore, 87, who in recent years had been technical ad' viser for many films of the frontier, most recently Cecil B. De Mi;ie's ■The Plainsman,' former wild west trouper and Indian scout, died at the home of a brother in StrongviUe, O, June 12. As a U. S. deputy marshal he helped open the Indian Territory to setUement in 1888. Three children, now living In Tampa, Fla„ survive. Services in Brookvllle, Pa. JAMES MDLHAUSEB James Mulhauser, 49, screen writer, died of a heart attack June l5 In Beverly HUls. He had been stage actor before turning to the screen in 1918, and later held an executive berth with L, J. .Selznlck In New York. As a writer, Mulhauser worked on a long list:f)f films for Universal, his last two being. 'One Hundred. Men and a (aba',and 5>rescripUon for Ro- mance.' .,',, Surviving is his widow. HABOLD OBANOEB SIMPSON Harold Granger Simpson, 76, prominent In Columbus, O., musi- cal circles, died in hospital there June 12. He once played firsl violin with the New York Metropolitan Opera Co., and was president and director of the old Cplumbus (O.) Opera club. Two daughters, a sis- ter and two brothers survive. Burial in Columbus. BEN BEBINSTEIN Ben Berinsteln, 62, Southern Cali- fornia exhibitor for more than 25 EDDIE HEALY Eddie Healy, 44, for 12 years a member of the vaude team of Healy and Cross, died in Providence, R. I.,' on Sunday (18) from bums and in- juries received when he leaped from the window, of his apartment to es- cape 'flames sweeping the Sullding. Details In the. vaude section. WILLIAM. C. HUGOINS William C. (Spike) Huggins, owner of W. C. Huggins Carnival shows, Seattle, died in that city last Wed- nesday (14) following a heart attack. Huggins had made his home in Seattle since 1918. He is survived by his widow. SAM FREEMAN Sam Freeman, 69, brother of Charles, Jess and Mrs. Sime Silver man, died in Syracuse, Jime 19 of a kidney ailment Widow, married daughter and a son, George, Xx>ew manager In Springfield, Mass., also survive. Henry Doob, 80, father of Oscar A. Doob, Loew advertising head, and of Edgar Doob, manager of Loew's, Wilmington, Del-., died Friday mom' ing after a sudden heart attack, at the Doob residence in New York. Funeral Sunday (18) In Cincinnati. A daughter', also siuvlves. William TerreU, 60, of Kansas City employee of the Ringling. Bros.-BaT' num & Bailey 'circus^ was killed June 15 at Dayton, O., when a center pole he was assisting in raising, slipped an^ fell, crushing him. He had been with the circus more than 20 years. Sister of Dick Henry, of the WU 11am Morris agency, died of heart trouble on June 14 at 52. She is also survived by a son. Sonny-Schuyler, radio singer, and two brothers-in- law. Otto and Harry Shafter, agents, Barry C. Thompson, 70, vaude per former for many years in the team of Collins and Thompson, with his wife, Annie C^ter, died in Boston June 8. Peter Sotos, for 30 years a theatre operator in the Pittsburgh territory, died there last week after a linger ing illness. Sotus retired several years ago. Blobard J. Moss, 4^, former song and dance man who was once teamed with Billy Harrison, died in Eliza beth, N. J., June 11. Burial was ' Norfolk, Va. hi Philip W. Gelb, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. William Gelb, died June 13 in a Canton, O., hospitaL Father is a Canton musician. ' Mother, 81, of Paul Gale,-NBC western division traffic manager, died June 15 in Los Angeles. Hofmaiui Shifts to Coast ^ Home for Son's Health Philadelphia, June 20. Josef HofRtann, the pianist, and his family are leavhig their home in suburban Merlon, near here, to live on a rock-bound Island off the Pacific Coast He's pulling out because the climate is Injurious to the health of his eight-year-old son, Edward Bok Hofmann. Succession of severe colds and sinus infections have made It Impos' slble for the boy, named for the late phllantroplst and editor, to go to school regularly. Follow-Up (Continued from page .28) manner and diction have been sloppy in recent weeks. And his opinions on right and wrong come too slowly and aren't decisive enough. Among the regular 'scholars,' Ed Schloss, drama crick of the PhiUy Record, still shines above the others. Fannie Brice was her usual click self last week (15) on the Good News show over NBC red (WEAF) for Maxwell House. Sketch was in the customary pattern, but had a novel wrinkle in a ludicrous se- quence of puns on dye and die. Script mentioned a guy who's a dyer; in other words he makes his living by dying, has to dye to live and has been dying for 30 years, ete., ete. In Baby Snooks* sinister idiom that hokey stuff was good - for solid comedy. Mrs. Franklin D. Booaevelt, who's had her own programs and has guested on numerous others, did a one-shot last week (15) for Kate Smith, returning the visit the latter made at the White House the pre- vious week to sing for King George and Queen Elizabeth. Booking had a sure-fire timely interest and more than-lived up to expectations. First Lady's manUest naturalness, graclous- hess, simple dignity and unaffected charm made her remarks about the King and <3ueen authvltathre and revealed a definite knack of pertin- ent observation and constant glints of quiet wit Told one anecdote about a woman of the royal party who,' after several hours of constent smiling in public, said at ttie end of the day, 'Now I'm going to be thoroughly disagreeable.' Kate Smith's Intro was In perfect taste, direct, concise, simple and sin- cere. Group Theatre, Broadway legit acting company, also had a spot on the movfi playing a teb .version of one of its early stege successes, Paul Green's Pulitzer Prize-winner, "The House of Connelly.' It was a distinct disappointment Script Itself was hacked out of the original and gave scarcely a hint of what the story was about Lacked clarity at the start wandered through some min^ utes of vital but unexplained action, then faded off in an Inconclusive fin- ish. Playing was atrocious for an outfit of the Group's standing. Morris Carnovsky was effective In an Inex- plicable part while the others were merely wooden. Phoebe Brand, in particular, chanted her lines' but fiHIed to give them expression. Others were Ruth Nelson, Eunice Stoddard and Karl Maiden. Merle Pitt, who's been all over the WNEW, New York, lineup with various combinations, and often re- viewed, is now offering a 'swing quarter under sponsorship of Wat- ctiung Lake, N. J., bathing and boat- ing resort in the seml-mountalns a few miles out of New York. Although his piano - clarinet - traps • vibraharp combo' isn't in a class with such blg- leaguers as Adrian RoUinl or Milt Herth, the swing instrumentals are acceptable enough. Session is handicapped by the bush' el basket commercials. They are piled on at every pause and constltue one of the neatest audlence-dlspersers on the local ozone. On the stenza caught (15), there was a brief Intro- ductory plug, a tune, an attenuated blurb followed by an alleged 'news report' from the lake, two more num- bers, another long commercial and finally the sign-off plug. It was slow death. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Phillips, daughter. In New York, May 24. Father and mother (Margie Ann Kaufman) are legit players. Mr. and Mrs. Bud Wilkinson, daughter. In Bristol, Tenn., June 13. Father Is with Jimmy Livingstone band. Mr. and Mrs. Pete Greco, daugh^ ter. In Pittsburgh, June 12. Father is with Joey Sims orchestra. Mr. and Mrs. Johnny ShlUano, son, hi Pittsburgh, June U. Father Is with KDKA, Pittsburgh, production department Mr. and Mrs. William Berlinghoff, son, in BeUrose Manor, N.Y, June' 14. Father Is son of Henry Ber- linghoff of the William Morris Agency. Mr. and Mrs. Chester Smith, son, in Kansas City, June 10. Father is member of KMBC technical staff. Mr. and Mrs. Edward Buckalew, son. In Hollywood, June 15. Father Is KNX sales promotion manager there. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Blackbum, girl, in Hartford, June 8. Father Is chief engineer at WTHT. . Mr. and Mrs. Dave Apollon, son, in New York, June 11. Mother is Danzl Cioodell, aero dancer; father Is the/bandleader. GARCIA LOOMS AS NEW WELTER TITLE THREAT By JACK PULASKI Walter 'Pop-Eye' Woods, who had been doing 'alrij^t, bumped into too much at Madison Square Garden, New. York, Thursday (15) when he was knocked out by Ceferino Garcia, the tough Filipino, in the fourth round. He had hit the deck four times before that Garcia, until recently a welter, now checks in at 154 pounds. He looms as a threat for the ISO-pound title. That class has been more or less of a puzzle to the fans, with Solly krleger being accredited as champ by the National Boxing' Assn., while New York' state solons says Fred Apostoli is head man. As a welter Garcia met the best men. Including Barney Ross and the ruling Henry Armstrong. Against the colored whirlwind, he couldn't do much but he nearly upset the dope against Ross twice when the latter was the welter tltlehotder. In their first fight, in San Francisco, he dropped Ross but the latter won a close decision. That fight was at catehweights but in their second, in N.Y., Ross had all he could do to finish. Only his - lead piled up in the early rounds enabled him to re- tahi the title. Ga rcla's k ayo of Woods was an- otlfeit^ iRftUHg tftS^ef; prifee be&i'g 1-2 on Woods. The gamblers based those odds on the imposing record of the Irish East Sider in recent months. He was dumped twice in the first round, once with a right cross and then with a Iktt hook. Second round found Woods iMxing to advantage but In the third ha sterted going horizontal again, man'- aging to rise just before the 10 count on one occasion and being saved by the beU a bit later. The fourth chapter was only 17 seconds old when he was counted out Mike Jacobs figured on matehing Garcia and Apostoli at the Garden next month but it has been decided to spot them in the open in Septem- ber. This mateh should attract a good gate, -^.-First major outdoor card comes June 28 when Joe Louis takes on the corpulent contender, Tony Galento, at the Yankee Stediimi. . It's claimed the ticket sale is okay but thft.rlngslde ton of $28 is a factor that may hold down the gross In addition to the theory that the hu- man beer barrel from Jersey Is a sura loser against the Brown Bomber. . MARRIAGES Arna Finston to James Saphler In Las 'Vegas, Nev., June 15. She Is daughter of Nat Finston, Metro music department head; he's with Music Corp.' of America. Alice Higgenbothem to Bill Clydesdale, In Pittsburgh, June 12. He's with Joey Sims orchestra Dorothy Robinson to Raymond H. Hufft general manager of WBNO, New Orleans, June 17, in New Or* leans. Alice Ambrosius to Joseph V, Daul, in Oneida, Wis., June 11. Bride Is of singing duo, Alice and Irene, on 'WTAQ, Green Bay, Wis.; he's non-pro. Marguerite Dibble to Walter Mer<> hoff. In Milwaukee, June 11. Bride is a nitery pianist in Milwaukee; he's a singer. Lillian Slater to Harold Pressman, in Philadelphia, June 18. Bride Is news editor and p.a. at WPEN, PhlUy; he's in the advertising print- ing business. Selma Hallman to Lester Merkln, In Chicago, June 13. Bride is form- er shiger on WIP, PhUadelphia; he'a saxophonist with Vincent Lopez. Jean Hrank to Charles H. Wright In Stratford, Con n., Ju ne 17. He's program director of WELI,New Haven. Ruth Byrd to Don Chatfield, In Hollywood, June 17. He Is Para- mount publicist Blllle Simons to Jos^h Wright, In N. Y., June 18. Bride Is with Uni- versal hoineofBce. Betty Brown, to Caleb Paine, In Atlantic City, .Tune 15. He's sound engineer at WEEI, Boston. Ann Moore 'to Billy Leach, In Wlchite, June 16. He's shiger with Lou Breese's band. PhlUy BaUet to HVood Philadelphia, June 20. Philadelphia Ballet directed by Catherine Llttlefield, will appear in the Hollywood Bowl -In a summer series during July. Company leaves PhlUy immediately after two per- formances at Robin Hood dell next week. Ballet also booked to appear with the Chicago- Civic Opera during October, November and December.