Variety (Sep 1939)

46 VARIETT CHATTER Wednesday, September 6, 193^ Broadway Al Rosen reported In better con- dition. Reggie Hammerstein has joined RCA's television staff. Specs demanded $3 for 75c tickets to Harvest Moon Ball last week. Mort Nathanson caught in Paris in the midst of it all, but he 'loves it'— sez he. Dave Palfreyman back to Hays' oft'ice yesterday (Tues.) from Indi- ana visit, Phyllis Perlman replaced ill Frank McCarthy as p.a. for George Abbott shows. Gertrude Gelbin of Xoew office doing satisfactorily at Mt. Sinai hosp after an operation. William Rowland has completed his third Spanish production, 'Hatred,' in Mexico for RKO. Owney Lawler drove down from Saratoga a week ahead of race meeting's end, getting three flats on the trip. Frank Moore, juggler, who was appearing in Germany for the past year, is one professional who can- not get out. George Lottman due to resume his p.a. biz in New York in October after taking his family to Miami for their health. David Lewis, managing director for Metro in the Argentine, is due in New York shortly on a regular homeofflce visit Luis Enrique Perez, Venezuelan distributor of Republic Pictures, is in New York for confabs with Morris Goodman, Rep foreign head.' Charles Olajos, Erpl treasurer, headed for the Coast over the week- end for a vacation and huddle at the Hollywood offices. Returns Sept. 15. Richard (Dick) Berger, managing director of the St. Louis Municipal Opera Assn., is an expectant father. He's a former Broadway boxoffice man. Arthur Loew, Metro's foreign de- partment head, back from the Coast, where he was called hurriedly last Thursday. Made trip both ways by plaiie. Bill Halligan can remember way back when a blackout was a scene in one of the Shub^rt 'nights' re- vues; now it's ai major war pro- ceedure. Joe Laurie, Jr., put a blanket on his 100% American dachshund. He was getting dirty looks from 200% Americans, so he did it for protec- tion for both. Newsstand dealers In Times Square report heaviest street sale of papers in the last 10 years or more, be- cause of interest in European w.ar developments. ^•_JIl Montague, back from two Weeks "of vacation, ianded'ba'ck"ln N. Y. in the midst of newsreel war coverage. He is assignment ed at Paramount newsreel. Annual fall convention of the So- ciety of Motion Picture Engineers in New York Oct. 16-19. Presentation of awards at banquet and dance Oct. 18 at Hotel Pennsylvania. Despite all rumors on the actors- stagehands settlement, the White House was too busy with major in- ternational headaches to be con- cerned in the issue, at least right now. It's not healthy to cheer the Ger- mans in the newsreel theatres now- adays, as one spectator at the Em- bassy learned last week.. Nearby gent, obviously of Polish origin, swung a haymaker, and there was no more cheering. Lewis J. Buddy, In charge of Par- amount newsreel on the continent, returned to London last week, taking the Dixie Clipper which got away Thursday (31). He took Arthur Menken, war cameraman, with him for European coverage. Lawrence Tibbett, who planed In from the Coast early this week, was one of the speakers at the Sunday night (3) actor mass meeting in Hollywood. He flew out last week to meet Mrs. Tibbett, who was re turnin<; from Honolulu, where her 14-year-oId son had just died. month with show, 'Les Jeux du Cir- que 1940' ('The 1940 Circus Games'). Minister Anatole de Monzie inau- gurated highest radio station in Eu- rope in Andorra—in the heart of the Pyrenees. Harold Smith back from Naples with C. C. Pettijohn, Pettijohn, Jr., and Johnnie Burke, intercollegiate t'olf champ. The Ambassadeurs had been set to open Sept. 29 with a press gala presided by Premier Daladier. But it's off now. Mme. Cecile Ritter CiampI, who gave up big dramatic singing career to take the veil, died at 79 in Saint Briac convent. First performance of Louis Ver- neuil's 'Une Femme de Ma Vie' CA Woman of My Life') enthusiastically received at Biarritz. Theatre producer X^on Vol terra's wife in auto accident at Nantes in which one killed, 10 injured. She escaped with light injiiries. Ramon Novarro has been on sing- ing tour of France. He had been set to start work on 'La Comedie du Bonhcur' ('The Comedy of Happi- ness'). Variety house Bobino reopening Sept 8 with Charpini, Georgius, Jean Lumiere, Rina Ketty, Saint-Granier, Charles Trenet, Marguerite Moreno and Edith Piaff. French film actor Berval, skedded to leave for Hollywood Oct. 4. has been sued for 1,000.000 francs (about S28,000) by producer Rene Bianco for alleged breach of contract Hollywood London Paris Jack Forrester enlisted. Harry Baur off to Holland. Opera Comique reopened with 'Carmen.* Nat Goldsone, Hollywood agent. In for look around. 'Vire-Vent,' at the Etoile, has topped its 200th performance. Paramount cinema has been set to go under Siritzky-Gaumont shingle. W.k. pre-war opera singer, Gen- evieve Vix, dead after short illness. Five new cinemas to be opened, in Nantes, bringing total to 20 for that city. Cinema showpieces have taken on queer look with imlighted mar- quees. Harold Smith volunteered to do his bit at the American Embassy during the crisis. Violinist Marius Casadesiu slight- ly hurt tn auto accident while vacationing in Brittany. Jean Murat laid up with broken rib when he argued with a passing automobile at Cannes. Medraii4 Circus,openiof late fhlt Robert Schless headquartering in London. Mrs, Roy Fox en route here from Australia. Max Miller has just bought a house near Brighton. Morton Selten, stage and fllm ac- tor, left $60,000. (}(abriel Pascal has applied for British naturalization. Aileen Marson left around $3,000. Young actress died following birth of twins. Jimmy Campbell has joined Noel Gay Music Publishing Corp. as gen- eral manager. Noel Coward has changed the title of his play, 'Sweet Sorrow,' to 'Play for Comedy.' Jack Doyle forsaking vaudeville for fortnight to train for fight Sept 28, but resumes personals Oct. 2. Raphael Jover, of the Two Jovers, stranded in Munich. He is Swiss, while his brother Tommy is Eng- lish. Carroll Levis' fllm, 'Carroll Levis Discoveries,' made by Grand Nation- al (London), already booked for en- tire Odeon circuit. John B. Myers has taken over the publicity for the Curzon and Paris -cinemasr ■ rwhere—f oreign~fi:hn3-have been on exhibition. Stafford and Louise postponed their opening at the Empire, Hol- born, as current show interfered with stage space required for their offering. 'Serenade' is new. show written by Eric Maschwitz, with songs by Robert Stolz, for Richard Tauber. Will be done at His Majesty's the- atre when and if. Tom Payne, of Payne and Hilliard. trying to buy Victor Moore's old vaudeville vehicle, 'which latter did with his wife years ago. Title of act is 'Change Your Act or Go Back to the Woods.' Harry Bradbury-Pratt, once promi- nent nitery operator, has formed syndicate to take over the Femina, in Regent street, to operate as a bot- tle club. Nitery will be remonick- ered the Kit-Cat Abe HoUoway, father of Jimmy Nervo (Nervo and Knox),- and for- merly of the Five Holloways, to be ringmaster of Collins & Grade cir- cus, playing Alexandra Palace as Christmas attraction. Eric Maschwitz and Arnin Robin- son's show, 'On Reviens Toujours,' with music by Oscar Straus, was to be done at the Marigny theatre, Paris, with Fernand Gravet as lead- ing man. But it was all subject to settled conditions. New agency contract, under Lon- don County Council regulations, bars agent from acting as rep of an act. despite having long-term contract, if agent cannot get artist work in three months. Agents not allowed to collect more than 10% despite acting as personal reps or managers. Louis Chatain to hospital. Lewis Stone back from Honolulu. James R. Grainger to Minneapolis. Fred Marshall nursing a fraciurcd leg. Mrs. Ken Maynard granted a di- vorce. Terry De Lapp back on job after illness. Albert Dekker bought a ranch near Encino. Irene Ware in from London for fllm work. Regis Toomey mulling Broadway stage offer. Barrett Kiesling back from four- month tour.. Linda Winters in hospital for sinus observation. George Berthelon motoring to Mexico City. Robert Paige suffering from make- up poisoning. William Madsen recovering from appendectomy. Arthur Loew here for huddles on foreign markets.. Gene Markey back to work after pneumonia "siege. Isa Miranda under doctor's care with 'war nerves.' Lee Powell returned from a 26- week personal tour. Ann Marsters here from Chicago for studio interviews. Elaine Ramsay back on Paramount lot after month's illness. Lou Weber and Martin Simms formed new talent agency. Miriam Hopkins in Reno for di- vorce from Anatole Litvak, Mrs. Buena Vista Silvers filed suit for divorce from Sid Silvers. Harold W. Cohen back to Pitts- burgh after month of studio gander- ing for Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Mothers Nix Crime Pix .Continued from pace 3_ Westport, Conn. By Humphrey Doulens Ralph IngersoU around. Country Playhouse shuttered. Franklin P. Adams back to N Y. Grace Moore due here this week. Mrs. Thomas M.eighan in from the Coast. Bobby Dolan house-hunting for the fall. Peggy French back from Har- rison, Me. Wilella Waldorf vacationing at Mill Plain. The Mario Braggiottis extending their stay. Efrem Kurtz, conductor of Ballet Russe, here. Bill Spier visiting the Andre Kos- telanetzes (Lily Pons). Lawrence Langner postponed his 'Philadelphia Story* outmg Sun- day (3). Local headliners gave—Fredric. March a birthday luncheon Thurs- day (31). Anne' Whelan, writer for the Bridgeport (Conn.) Post sailed for Europe Saturday (2). St Louis By Sam X. Hursi C. D. Hill. local rep for Columbia Pictures, in.N. Y. on biz. Al Rosecan, owner of the Princess, South St. Louis nabe, back from Hollywood. Kelly Yeaton, Seattle, will direct the Mummers of St. Lbul.s, theatrical organization, during 1939-40, He succeeds Willard Holland. Brooklyn Club, across the river, expected to reopen soon. Place shiJttei:ed recently during gambling purge in St Clair county, III. Marge Ley won the 'Miss Miss- ouri' title in Kansas City last week and right to compete in 'Miss Amer- ica' contest. She received runner-up honors at the St Louis county Fair for tag of 'Miss Greater St. Louis,' but qualified for the 8^.t« title. Shroudsburg, Pa. By John J. Bartholomew Ken Ritter at Onawa Lodge. Vincent Sorey and Frank Falo at Lutherland. Fred and Margaret Sittig at Seal Harbor, Me. The Sherman added a midnight stage show over the holiday. Jack and Jane West with Peggy King and Nanno at Harold Brugler's Columbia hotel. Buck Hill Players flnaled with premiere of Cornelia Stabler GU- lam's 'Fun for Sale.' Tommy Donlin's Pennsylvanlans and Dave Stout's hillbillies played Pocono Manor Inn's country frolic. Nick Kenny has two new tunes soon to be published. Ben Eaton's boys at Buckwood • Inn grill have been featuring them. Show at Penn-Stroud included Patricia Likely, Corday and Cordell, Gloria Barto, Eddie Morgan, Gerry Larison, Patti's violin, Billy Bus- well's Hammond, Ernie Mitchell's and Ted Brewster's twin piano band, with Eddie James as m.c. Aostralia By Eric Gprrick Nick Lucas in Sydney for Tivoli. Charlotte Greenwood returning soon to the U. S. Terrific winter weather throughout New Zealand has crippled trade completely. George Robey, after a good run in Melbourne for Tivoli Theatres, in Sydney for the same management. Switzerland Ice Show is a cleanup in Melbourne for Williamson-Tait. Sydney season follows. Same unit will premiere 'Under Your Hat,' Lon- don musical hit, in Adelaide. Music stores are plugging the old- time musical numbers used in 'Rose of Washington Square' (20th) and The Castles' (RKO), both currently screening in Sydney for Hoyts. Jack Lester, former producer for A. B. Marcus, Is said to be dickering with Henry Mollison and LIna Bas- Quette (Mrs. Mollison) to tour New Zealand In the P. G. Wodehouse comedy, 'Good Morning :BI11.' tions to a startling low. Columbia and Monogram, too, are easing up, Studio production bosses have only themselves to blame for the nation- wide hue and cry that has been gen- crated in the last year against con tinuance of crime films. They told themselves that the customers craved melodramatic action, chief ingredient of the crimers, stories for which, incidentally, can be had at costs considerably below those of any other variety of yarn. Result was that It became almost impossible for cinema shoppers to spot a mar- quee that did not bally at least one underworld opus. Breen'a 'Warning Ignored For almost two years Joe Breen, chief purity-sealer, and widely- scattered censor boards have been pleading with lot chiefs to ease up, but their entreaties fell on deaf ears. Even frequent blasts from criminal court judges and juries handling; .Mve offenders, who had followed in the footsteps of their gun-toting siJvcr- sheet heroes, failed to irnprcss Hol- lywood biggies. Race to see which plant could turn out biggest onnual output of gangster features was on, apparently destined for an extended stay. Then it was that the women folk got busy. Working through Parent- Teacher associations and other petti- coat organizations, they first tried to effect a remedy through newspaper propaganda, and failing in that, they brought into play the boycott cam- paign. It was a successful weapon, as many a sadder but wiser exhib will admit. Inaugurating the new hands-off policy was 20th-Fox, which never went overboard on crimers, but which was good for a few each sea- son. Sol M, Wurtzel, responsible for lower budget product on the West- wood Ipt early in, 1939 erased from his then tentative 1930-40 sked every- thing bearing a gangster aroma. He substituted straight comedies and comedy dramas, with a musical or two and a group of Cisco Kid films. Darryi Zanuck, handling 20th-Fox's more expensive pictures, slashed his list to one cri'mer—'Johnny Apollo,' intended as a Tyrone Power starrer. That also, went by the boards a few weeks ago, with 'Daytime Wife' re- placing it as a Power vehicle. —UnlVCTraiT-wKich-tufned out many a low-allottment crimer in 1938-39, has practically wiped its slate clean this year, dropping from its program even the Irving Starr Crime Club- bers, which it distributed for several stanzas. In their place it Is making modest-cost musicals and comedy dramas. Incidentally, Starr has dropped the formula entirely, and moved over to Columbia, for which he Is to turn out a number of musi- cals starring Tony Martin. Par's Pair on Hoover Paramount is another company easing up on gangster dramas, its sked for this season carrying only two in that classiflcatlon, both of them based on: 'J. Edgar Hooyer's book, from which producer Harold Hurley already has turned out a duo. Like other studios, Par will give mu- sicals and laugh-making films a fling. RKO has trimmed iU crime list to one or two. Republic, which has given them big play In past, also is shying away. There'll be some from Warners, but few in comparison to JUpPly milled in past Metro, like 20th-Fox, IS assuming a thumbs- down attitude. Columbia and Mon- agram, with story shelves not so well equipped as those of some rivals, are withdrawing from the crime field as rapidly as other kind of stories can be rounded up. Howard Hughes, who long since has yanked his oil millions out of the celluloid realm in favor of avia- tion, is directly responsible for the now doomed crimer wave, although he, no doubt, would express sur- prise at the accusation, having been out of production for more than half a decade. It all goes back to 1931, when he announced his inten- tion of filming 'Scarface' with Paul Muni starred and George Raft at top of supporting cast. There has been a cycle of fllms glorifying criminals that had stirred the ire of the country as it had never before'been aroused by a cin- ematic mode. Censorship authori- ties clamped on a drastic taboo, sup- ported in the fullest by the Hays office. But Hughes had .a new twist for 'Scarface,' he pointed out He would allow the criminals to ride high through the picture, then give 'err^ 'the works' before the fade. He would prove that crime does not pay. It required a lot of argument, but Hughes won out both with the cen- sors and with Hays when he ham- mered at the idea that young Amer- ica had the racketeering bug be- cause the screen had built a glamour around bootlegging, racketeering and even murder. He, however would strip crime of any brighter side, and revise the juves' attitude, Hughes kept his word. Under- world characters in his script paid the price, and in so doing, revealed themselves as 'rats' instead of idols. The picture returned fat dividends! which was all that was needed to start the ball rolling. Breaking Up the Gang With dawn of each new selling season since release, of 'Scarface' in 1932, the number of crimers has swelled. But no more. Typical of the times is the Hays office's refusal to give the go signal to Warners on ita projected 'John Dillinger, Out- law.' Burbank execs brought in Charlie Blake, Chicago newspaperman, who, had covered most of Dillinger's ex- ploits, with orders to grind out the true tale of the one-time Public Enemy. Hays' lads frowned at an- nouncement then put down their figurative foot with bang when stu- dio moved to register the title. Neither the biog. of Dillinger nor any of his ilk will be permitted to go before cameras in the future un- less there is a complete and totally unexpected change of front on the part of industry's leaders. Power Rushed Back Tyrone Power and his bride. An- nabella, arrived in New York on Friday (1) fiom abroad and flew to Hollywood next day to start on a new picture on the 20th-Fox lot on Monday. It was to have been Pow- er's 'Johnny Apollo,' but now off. Couple flew.. back.. from their honeymoon trip aboard the Dixie Clipper from Marseilles. Averts Strike .Continued from pace 4. tjQp begin functioning aa 'on i union' as soon as possible. It is hoped that the overlapping memberships and dues may be elimi- nated quickly, with the various working details to be ironed out later^ and that the constitution be completely rewritten, ratified by the various union boards and submitted to a national convention of the Four A's combined memberships. Also, as soon as it can be worked out, the offlces of the various affiliates would be housed under one roof in New York. Although the broad outline of the idea is fairly clear, there are count- less details to be settled. One would be the problem of setting up Four A's offlces in cities all over the coun- try, in order to cooperate with the stagehands and musicians in an or- ganizing drive. Such a move will require not only offlces and organ- izers, but also permanent personnel for each spot First point in the Four A's-IATSE settlement calls for the two unions to 'enter into an agreement similar to that existing between the lATSE and the AFM.' But it adds that 'certain changes will have to be made to make the agreement applicable to the Four A's.' That refers particu- larly to the clause saying that, is case one contracting party goes on strike against an employer, the other contractee will walk out on two weeks' notice. ' Since actors and the actor union! frequently have long-term contracts, that clause must be modified to meet conditions in the actor field. There were several other clauses in the 25- year-old agreement that the Four A's leaders felt might be open to various interpretations, so the statement that 'certain changes' were to be- made was purposely left broad. It is pointed out that the lATSE- AFM agreement is not binding for any definite term. Therefore it will, be in effect as long as mutually satis- factory. In other words, either side may abrogate it without notice if it ceases to be mutually advantageous. However, whether such an agree- ment exists or not, the effect of • strike by the lATSE or AFM would be virtually the same, since the ac- tors, being also AFL members, could not cross a picket line. That would amount to the same as being on strike, too.