Variety (Aug 1940)

WediM:s«*ay^ August 7, 1^40 MUSIC to By Jpe:Laurie» JrJ- GENE BUCK PRESIDES JW'ttjWOO&ASCAPM^ '>|.:.^Hollywo6d;;Atig^.^6^ ' Gene Buck planed in; .yesterday aftiernoori (5) .fronri^ San Francisco, following his yearly/visit t<j..th|(^ -.Bq-' hemi.nrj-.Grove festivities...- B^^^ will preside kt.;. t)ie anriuai..meeting; of. HjDllywpod ; ASeAP rnembefs; at thie Hotel .Ambassador tonight (6).. • With Li : Wolfe. Gilbert as chair- man of tire -arraiigeriient committee, jaroimd 185 .me;mbers. are expected io, attend. Buck ;couid, not state vyes-.: tefdaiy . what height'. happen at. ;tp-. night's powwoNy;: but any ' rnattfers that confie up will likely be threshfed out before the ASGAP pxexy. heads ^east;-V^ C '■■ : ;.' . ' GIRL'S tftAGEDY f'hil Spi.talhy. MusitUn. Dieeyoii Her . ■ V ^ Wedding'-Day! - . '"x.?.:'- -- - ' ' .iCpQlacres. CalV Aug: e.-;^^^ -.DeatrvJ'^c:- -.•• : . ■ -^v-' . ■ ' and Aggie sure got a great, kick iout of last week's special. ASCAP V^wExy Nurnbtbir; Looking .it pyer sure tui-ned pii a-^i^ sWitch' fbr us, it liirn^d ithe pages back to .the .old vau^evMlle daysi:a'hd ihe great guys we. jnei lhat'^were p^ of the great song pMbiishirijg:./b . Songv/ritiers, second verse, writers, ipatch-line Vriters,. double-yersipn " writers, - p wriiersl^. piano P^Siy^r^^^^ ma riagergj arrangers' and. piiiggers. ; , .: And what 6 grand; buiich ■ of guys , thbse;pluggers were. .They'd■ get\ In your ;hair "on rehearsal days ,trylrig to get ypu to dp one of iheir ' firm's; numbers, in ^wjr act, they'd even settle if yoajused a ^^chorus for 'boWs.' They'd .bribe dpormeW,, leaders, managers, ushers ahdv pdrters to bring in 'their card to ybu,- and. they'd, cbme: out. of the woodwork: and frp'rn under ;.gras^;l mats; ^Iloiw; they- cpuld: gab-. They;^fpiild:'make a- %bippb6rwhiir change its theime song if they cbyld qbrner him:at;a.^^^ ^. V; -; Who cbuld. fprgct gran^' guys SaJnniy once .i:p]d his boss,- Max Winslo\\^; 'Either get a.. . or niore': tespect around here/ Sanrtmy^s^ Winslpw, his- sinigirig ' sojiindeid lilte .^rindin^ up celery, but..how he V^rbuld'demonstrate, a 'sbhg!^ lie'v>^*;fr$, tpps.; • ■ O'''.^- Veteran's like Edd^^^^^ Abele^ apd Sammy S^nitli, who ate still ^oing strong Swell rfeHers like,,,Jack McGoy, Harry.; jenney;: Mack Gpldmah, Jtubey Gowan,- Eimpre White, Meiyille. Morris, Gieorgiie. joy, Al Cook,. Hatry .Link,, sbily Cohten;: Murray R <ooy/; ia.t^^^^ apd .cleaning business),. Dave/Ringle, .Jinimy^^ H^^^^ Fjeld'sl Joe Gbbdwin Georije Piandosi* Maurice AbrahamsV-Mo •Joe Keith, Bob Miller (npw pr.bsideni .pf the Contact Men^^^ : Fletchef, jbe IHfoUainder, Al Beilin;. Willie Hbrpwit'z; Jinrimy McHugh, Benny' and .'Leo ]Ed.w$rds,^^^^^^.b^^ Al Porgia; Larry. Spier; Rbcco .Vocco, :Charley "Warren^. ion .Mbprieyy Franlc . Marvin/ .Phil Kbrnheisei*/ . They Vvoiild covet thcatres/ .cafesi.^;dariee halis;- ari^iGrieSj fights^^ bike races/chbSyder parties, pichicsi^confir.rhatipns a'l^d W€d'dings--r'any-thlng ^■ta.get:a^l.ug;in.' ;: .;^■ v'\ ^^■} -j: - And. wjleh you played 'out of town you'd be entertained like a king in Chicago by . Frank ;Ciark, iyiiltbn 'Weii./Gockeyb Kranier^^ Goldberg and Henry Bergni'art. .In Pi.tisbu^r^ Joe Hiller and: McNamar'ra .wbuld. shbw ybu the high spots. In Frisco, Havry -Bush, .the'Lorib Wolf, would ^point out the healthy: places. In Philiy ypiir hosts - would be Jaek. .Mill.'r, rBenny Cprniiacki: Bobby Heptb, Freddy Wright, Ed Edwards and Happy Thbnipsbn. InvBuffalp Murray Wbiteman would. be your pal ahd guide. While in Boston Don liainsay, Charlie Goldberg, Frankie Rice aiid Frank '■Auger would;grab the-check.- ; MeiT)bries; of piahp-players .running over sorig.<! ior ybu hbur.s atv.a time in a tiny -robih . With second-hand air; they never seemed to get tired. George Gershwin, Harry Tierhey, Harry Akst, Elmoi-e: White; Joe Santly, .Johnny McLaughlin, Harry^ 'Warren, :Ray ..Hendef§on\ Pbil;Phillips,.. Walter Donaldson, Harry V Ruby, -Jrvirig Aarpnson, Harry- Puck, : F Alilert, Ted iSnyder, .IDaye DVeyer, Nst - 6sbf>rrie, Joe; Yoiihg, Ai't-Kur Johnson, Seymbur Furth, Arthur Fields, Rocco ypccb, and many other ivory pound- ^ ens. Most of .'em how, rate;.high, in .ASCAP with, d of: hits>tb their credit, and some of 'em are ppunding. out sweet rneibdies for the boys and^ • girls'Upstairs.' Do you VenienibeT the ari-anger." of th.bse .day.s like Freddy. Ahlert, Minnie: Blaumah,' Eddie Smatle,'Freddie Phi^^^^^ Howard;and Ray Brown? .ISiey mflde/arrangemerits a . (with 15 piece>s irt theJ bboUs'ypu were , only carrying ■ .'cause. lhe >ynr)phbriy .bands-thbse.d about 9 pieces).. . . . , . : ; , ^ '''":....■.- - ^GaKs in the Biz i'oo .y\'' . . And there were ;gals in the publishing hou.ses that .were great too, 1 ike Julia Garrily, wow ho\y. she-: .could plug- a song!; Doris Tauber,^ 'c she play a piaho? A double yes to. tha.t. And ■ KatKryn Joyce. Frances Kahn, and that grarid gal ftuth-Young. Great persbhalities and swell women folks. ' ■ [.■' ■ . V'-'.-^' ' ^;-.-'-'- ' ' ' . You.know,.a loi.bf actpfs .started their (?areer.s' pliygging s6ngs: they- were lob-young to go on. the/stage ;.sp sang Jiom a stajpie-bbx br from the gallery, ; and'many an act they puV.over; y»;ith ; their baby sopronbs and adolesdent altbs,. Williei Howard first . appeared in public singing ftpm ; a ; box in Wallach's- .theatre at a' Treasurer's Benefit, ipr Jack* Norw'orth. .W > niBtvbus ah<i chewed on the.lyric^ but finished okay on the.high.note; the song was 'When the Spring Tirrie Combs Around.'; Al Jolsbri. plujggeci 'When the Roses Bldom Again' from the gallery fbrvAgnes Behler. Charlie O'Connbt XA'mericah Quintet) used to plug "Dear Old ;Girl' from, hand- ; stands. Henry (Glairk &) Bergman sang for' anybbdy; Fred Hillebrand .for • six years and was -to have\ operied Truly Shatiuck;- Harry Rose for Ann Laughlin: Mel .Klee fbf Al Herman; an. engagembrit along ' .with the Sid Silvers"foi: Phil Bakpr; Willie Sbla): tin- a;.bear-skin) for Bessie Wyn. .brchestia ab the K. Y. Strand,;P^ And up in Boston Jack Ifaley, Billy Glason and Corbett, Sheppard-;& l^hbyah; sanjg at the drop of'a hat pr a lift of a curtain," Many: spngwriter.=: went into vau.deviilb/to pliig their sofigs and remained ito becpme standard " acts, such: as joe^E/ Howard, Ernie Ball,-h Pefcy Weinrich, Gus EdNvards; Maurice Abraham.^,. Frank Crumit, Jack Little, J. Kiern Brennan, Sheltdn Brook's; Lew Brown, Irving Caesar, J. Fred. Coots, J; Rosamond Johnson iCole & Johnson), George Meyer, Fred ; Bower.sl Benny; Davis, Harry Garrpll, Lou Handman. Lew Polla^ck. Gitz Ribfe, Jean Schwartz, Abner Silver, Dave Stamperi. Cbri ;Cbnrad, and Anatole Friedland. • >■'■■: ' . Soncrsmithinir Thespers ]: ,: ;-.; V Many , of vaudeville tbpnotchers .w'ere. s^ 'naipes: before they- were writers, . Jim-T^hbrhton,.'Benh Solly . Vio- Clyde Dberr. .sax player on Major Jinsky, Jack Norworth. Phil Baker. Georg:e .Je.ssel, Ed Wyn, G«ongie Price, i Bowes Sunday;broadca.«>t for pastisjx - - . _ . _ u.. yearp/-filed , a voluntary petition of biankr.uptcy Brooklyn :. Federal court, ' -iiJiting .:;.$19';275.49 • in ;:^^^^ bitities and ;$7,5.'iM assets..$25 cii which; included his . Judge Marcus. B.' Cariipbellv; appbinled';; - 'Eiigfene ' '-'F/ OXTo.nnor, Jr:, as ' i'lferee; in bank.-; rupfcy-.to l.ibid :hGatings of. various creditGr^?.■'o ... ■ Major liability i? a deficiency-jUdg Best SeUers . (For Week Ending July 13) (Sixpenny Nitmbei^s), Singing Hills,..;;.'. ,Connelly i>on''t :i'aj?s, Me- By,;., /;.. . .Gsy, Arm in Arm.. ..,;,; . , .'.;.. .Wood Round-up Song. :.' . .Day Oh Johhhy,...,.... V..., ..Nprris Year'8 RQises<v.. VWright Dancing Dbliy.. ;..... ,6ay Let Curtain Dpwn.. .Cinephomc ; (Shillihr Kumbsrs) / Nrghtihgaie Sang......;: .-. .Maurice Fall in Love.;.;... /.... .Maurice . Woodpecker Song;.;.,,.....; .Sun Beguine ; . .. . .Chappell Man; Paint ■FenceV.;., .ProwSe One of "Phil SIpi.talny's all-girl band, Gertrude Bpgard, >yas'tp:have married interne Thomas Bridges, bf the,New York Hospilar, in Elizabeth, N. J., last Saturday .(3) but died of pheumbnia on her .wedding day. .In silent tribute the girls of the band, and her. former leader filed past her. bier iat funeral seryices held yester- day mbrtiihg ^Tuesday) "in the Boy- ertpwri. Furieral Parlors ' mid- town. New York: . { .Mis.s Bpgai-d^ who w:as-23, played the' electrlb; guitar^ chimes and xylophbne. The bhly iViember of .his, pre! estra contemplating marria'ge, according to; Spilalny, she . was rehearsing . with . bridesmaids.. laist; Friday (2) when .she was stricken. jRushed to the Sydenham Hospital she: was ial«r . femoyed ■to. the New York Hospital where she failed to rally from. - a : serbi-conscioU.';:' state. In her-last wprds she expressed con- cern, over. her. appai'eht; inability to ..be on hahd;for Sunday night's. 'Hour of Charrn' broadcast;: ... Spilalny curtailed a . shprt; yaca-. tibn to pay his res'p.ect.<> and .re- rnained in- :.towp for the sery|cej;i Though :th.e ■entire orGhestra;.was pb.- -yibusly unstrung; bh Sunday's broad- cast ' ho mention AyaS" made of v the tragedy either to >the studio; audi^ .ence oir over the ■ air. Her friends W.ho last: week practiced for the bride's choir sang at the. services.- •- A 'natiye of '. Texas, - Miss Bogard had been/With SpiU^ fpr about X9): SHe is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. -. William Bogard, and an aunt and iincle, Mr'.;i<nd; Mrs. J, R. Alexander of .Elizabeth; Her father came from . Boise, Idaho, by plane to be at her; bedside. : r ■ ■-' Donald Flamm, owner bf WMCA, New York, WhOise" annual grps.^ bill- ings are estimated at $l,20Q;00p per ahnurn, and whp pays ASCAP. e license fee of. $25,000 . year, is, s frank prbrSo.ciety adbeirent, Blit he has his own Ideas abbut ia -percenlr age-of«therCohimercial billings. '■ .In an -iiifbrmal- "disciisjsion^^ in .that No. lo Downing, street bf; the pop inUsjc-.business, ."Lindy-s^ Broad- way,': .Flamm; ■ told a- number'; bf ASCAP . directors ' that 'maybe I should.p.by even more than .1 dp for- sustaihing;music. In fact, I feel-that music' is so important to: lis for . the buildup of; .intei'€st ' : , ytatipn that I wouldn't . he.sitate .;tG pay. 'an ihcfeased; percentage; But on . the'- other' hand, if BelT-Ans buy? .a timer signal from ; me, Bromb-iSeltzer. a. newscast - period., or Sachs: Fiirni- ture stages a- quiz- sho.vi^ I don't think. I .should tack ! o7i; an ;additiorial i5% or 7V4% on that billing for ASCAP rriusic, when these :_show;. use. ary ■ a note, Cei'tainly, if it's a;matter 'of a theme, strain, ■I can easily. ;switch' them . into . -the idea .of some '.-' copyright or,.we ebuld,'just, make'uip oiie' of.;our.;pwhi''^-'\',-.-;.... \[ 'I don't ?ay that Sachs Furnituri'.s .yariety-':shpw, -^00: the-./bther.:h shouldn't pay.; ASCAP freely and well .fbr its. wealth of mu.sic. But; take • ■ .those news peribd.s-Hr'why shouldn't Hearst or UP or ;AP.:figurc! that ;;those aire the 'iyrics* of ■ our. shows, ahid then decide to h.ecome ^' participating co-pai-ther with us on a- percentage basi.s for. -the iise ' of their iieWs dispatches?' - -.'."; / ■'Yes, .i-Bui—' ■''■'■..; ^ ■. The ASCAPi.tes. ;countered .;,with; the- idea that, no matter hbw radio sliees it, radio is in .show busihess. And, to quote.one. 'The ASCAP per- centage, is like a royalty on the box- office. : Cpminereial .billirigs,-,les& the usual 15% and 2?r, are yt.uir 'br.»-"; office.; When. Irving Berl in wri l«s- a . Music Box'::Revue or; ;. Ziegift'ld Fol- lie.Sj they could also have argued; • that -these , musical show.s jibo " ; \ eluded . the ;collaboratioiis of,, j« 1'1;- say, a . Josef "Urban for scenery, «b... ; Edward Royce fpr staging, a Sjimmy . Lee for . piitting on the ribncip.s, a ' corps of librettists' for the;:.skie-U'Ht'p, "■ not to mention the .Marilyn jVJillt Bert Williams, Eddie ;Cbntors, ;Vic, : Bnt Berlit), as the show a.ulhor, Jia xyith any other, authbfs . centage of the grosif;,.:'rIght ofi; Ihe iop; - Sure, there wefe othe'ris sbar-. < ing. in percehtaige.:. lilarilyn -Miller ;. got $3,500 a week guarantee. 'ai>?dhst 10% '■ of the.; gross,. '- for ;. bxam'pte'.'. ^Stagers' and. :''bpbk .'Wf iter.s,- I'bt.sides :.■. ..stars, sharb on:' percentage;.';:'r-hal.'s; ;; show busi.hcss^^as it;al-way!j hn)^. bteh,; ■■' a'hd will always continue to be. 'Same goes for any big .ra.d.jo.,com-- ' mercials. Royalty percentage fbr ■ use of ASCAP .music we con.sider : eminently fair. We; ask for. maybe; we'll settle for (Ei"f; . Five , years ago we thought we had a deal fpr ..5% 'but ;:it .wound UP actually .; averaging. 2%% due to certain brbk- keeping adiustrt[ients/ .He«ce : reyised' pur. cla;i.m.S...'agairi.st;:ihe:^* ■ tiphs;. It's a break for the indepbhil- .' ents;in many respects.' ;■ „. . Along came the sturgeon .sandwich, and - the' Lindy' nias.terrriijndin^;, ehded. . . .: • ■'• ^. ■ Lomliardo's 2,50(1 Buffalo, ;Aug. 6. ;'• ' .. Turiistiles elicked fasteS^^^ son at Celbron. Park, Jamestown, lor recent Saturday one-nighfer by; Giiy; Lombardo. . , .•-''. ; Count wais; 2,500 admissions,; 6(H1. couples . parting with $2.25 for..fid* y ance dUcats' and . rest shelling - out $2.75 at door. ; ■• We ieliminate the gomble ?n your progrom. selections by publishing only hits proven in perfbrmonces^ req.uest»: ond popularity on records. , Follow THE ROBBINS WAY-r the mbsl consistent publisher of hit songi. ROEBINS LAftORATORV 0 o o V Eddie Dow.ling, George M:^^^^ A. Seymour Brown, Johhhy Blui^ke, Paul eunn.!hghnm, l^<^rry^^ D^ Neville, Flebson... Bert Hanlon, Alejc Hyde, El.^ie Janis, .Al Jol.son,; Bert Kalmar,: Dplph Singer,^ Jimrhy -St'eiger,- Frank ' Westphai, ;Mai ion Sunshin .; Ray , Perkins, Charles B. Lawlbr,'-Sidney.'Cla.re, Eddie Lebhard;. L, Wolfe Gilberti Geerge Whiting, Harry Breen. Jimmy Cpniin and plenty pf others. ,. '• '-. "This (was; in the days of B. R. (Before Radio). The s.ong business consisted pf a' ;happy fightihg ;famil.y; : But things have changed. Now the pluggers are known as 'contact- men' and have . a . fine torgariizbtion, ' the- : ;sonewriters and publishers'are; all'in ASCAP under th^ leadership of one ^> jl2 VP,7 in n ffti-r-tlo^nre »c. Of the: grandest guys in all: pf shbw. business. ;Gen;e-Buck;- Evc^ everybody is 'prganized' and ethical. But as for me and Aggie, give-us ^h^.l{^""v ;S«b<id^^ ToS^S hK It' ..fippd pld dbyi when: ybuvhad-to-get to. rehearsals earl^ tise your song ahead of ybu; ^Vheri headVinbrs -wbuld; have .their .piano voi ney.. - . e^s -sit up .'a]i;hight to get the.Nb. r'rehearsa.l che^^ .'y'in;e and dine you, 'pay for your photbgr.aphf. ^niaybe biiy you a; new trunk Oria .dress. ibr .the. vwife,; arid if ybu were a real. -gpbd- 'nanhe act': pay. you. --n:iee-.dovvghFevery^wee^ giVing you pice~cbvers ; . ,. - . . . . -V it'is ali;ehahg;ed -now the lines on A"g'gie's;he..(;ki but the men>ory ; lingers on. SEZ ^ Goodman, Rests, at Bahf{ Cprt'vaiesjcin.g-frpm; <i-ft :bperalibn.'bh ■ his., back perforhi a l : ;it t-tre —IVlziyo' Clinic;. .Rochester. Minn.; recently,' .Benny :G.oodihan.; ;ha.«..;i!bnc/ in the Cj'madian jRockic.s fc)i filrther ... rest-; ■.."'.;■ V'...;';^; ■ -■ .'. ■- -' ■ • P.S;—Mps« GUmble 'set, 'De.spair cur.W at. midnight: Hope blesses .at]: He long .£ufrered;. frorn- . sciatic i-icit) •' .■■'::■ • ■. '. .: ' ■ ,; pains. Your pal, from Billy Rose's''liiw ACUACADr'otthc hi.Y. World's Foir 1940 I^M StErt»Hifi OUT WITH A M£MORY TO-NIGHT By the writers of '*Music Mdestrd* Plebse'* ^./%^YBir ,■.;'■...■.;;;;;•; The AAost Tolked About Hit On Musjc Row ■■■;•'■ .■ . - ..:■:.■-■'■;, '■ ■ ■. ■.■-■■. ••■'■■ ■ -;-■:.''■ .■.;-. ..-' The Song Everybody's Asking Foir ». < By the writers of "The Woodpecker Song" A Great Score by MACK GORDON and HARRY WARREN sung by SHIRCeY TEMPLE in; the 2G!th Century-Foit film/**Yoong People" •T F LA-LA-LA ROBBINS MUSIC CORPORATION 73i} Scnrntli ftw,, tt^^^ MURRAY BAKER, Gtr. Frcf. M^r LEG TAIENT. Prof. Mgr.