Variety (Mar 1941)

Wednesday, March 5, 1941 ■ with RKO's continued . siljence aiient 'Citizen Kane,' th#re has been considerable -cooling of . this feeling generally held thiat the picture would be reieased despite objections of Willlam .Randolph Hearst. Althougli, with RKO prej: Georgei Schaefer barricading, himself • against re- porters, there's no ope. to. say what the future of - the film Vill be, op- timism of a few weeks ago has greatly subsided and: a lot of In- siders, are willing to believe that ain $SOO,obo bohflre of prints ind; niega- tives is not impossible. : One of .the things that , may hinder •Kane's' chinces of escaping the ' cinerator was RKO's caching wise on Monday (3> to a;.pliah .of pro;*. ducer prsdn Welles and his bench -. paign Of showing- the picture to men. Welles' group/started a cam- every influential npn-IIearst publica- tion it .could, hoping to create some- thing of a public- Indignation and thus -force RKO into releasing, the film..-; Welles' p.ai. Herb Drake, foirmer NlY. Herald-Tribune writer, has suc- ceeded, however, in lining up Time and Life mags. Although RKO put the clamp. down on further screen- ings of the fllm, Welles sold Schaefer by phone to the Coast on allowing V (Continued on page 63) REYNOLDS'SEQUEL TO lONDON CAN TAKE IT' Hollywood, March 4. Following: a suggestion made at the recent Acadeniy awards banquet Quehtin, Reynolds Xviir make a se- quel to his iihort. subject, 'London Can Take .It,* under the title *Lon- don Can itive It.' ; Film will be released by Warners, all proceeds to the British War Re- lief.- . ■ . Reynolds Plans liondon Beturn. Quentin Reynolds will wind up ai .two and a half month visit to the United States as soon> after March 18 as Clipper or ship makes it pos- sible, that's the date of the final lecture (in Albany) he'll niake'ahd the writer will return to London iot Collier's. Reynolds will talk in Town Hall, N.Y„. March 14; CoL Anchors Wallace Hollywood, March ,4. Richard Wallace and Columbia got toigether ,6n a cdhtract for two pic- tures a year as diVector, the number of years not specified* ' Pact was signed as a result of Wal lacis's work as pilot of 'She Knew All the Answers,' still In production, Tobacco Road' Legiter Cbptmues 0^ Vs. Film in New York For the second week since the film ver«i6n of 'Tobacco Road"opened at the. Rbxy* N. Y., the legiter at the Forrest improved. ; It the ; touring company holds to its i pace, playing repeat dates all along the line, the white trash, drama may play: dates for at least .another .season. New York, show was quoted above the $7,000 level last week, not much under capacity at $1.10 top, Sunday performances have been a factor, in extending the date, but Since the pic- ture started the gross, has been up- ward of $1,500 more than previously ^Road' on tour got estimated $20.000 in Baltimore last week in 10 per- formances, two being played Sunday (2), as in Washington, the week pre vious, where takings were about as high. . 'Road' has been on touf for six consecutive seasons, most of the time two companies operating. Formerly the admission scale out of-town was $2;20 and $2,75. At those prices the drama drey/ higher grosses than this season, but the scale is now $1.65: and takings are considered as strong as when 'Road'first hit the road. JIVESTER t. DORSEY VICE STRICKEN DIVA Pat O'Brien Personak With 1934 WBReissne , Milwaukee^ March .4. . With Fox and Wamef theatres having .first call on desirable prodr Mct, Ed J. Weisfeldt waS; up against it for a picture to,use oh the-Cur- rent show at the Riverside in cort- junctioh with the personal appear- ance of. Pat O'Brien; Various pic- tures were submitted to and rejected by the star as uhsuitable: until they finally fixed upon 'Here Comes -the Navy' (WB), vintage, of 1934. ■.■ This is O'Brien's hiome towh:ind he. was welcohiied on his arrival by .a large part of the student body of Marquette Uhiverisity-, his alma ma-. iex.':. . ■>■■,.: :. Also, b'Brien^s name Was .up lii .,l.ights onithe City Hall, a distinction accorded only three stagie stars in: the last 50 years. Worcester, Mass., March 4, : Grace Moore, who Vvas to have given a.conceirt here Monday night (3) in Municipal Auditorium, was forced to postpone appearance at the last minute due to attack of grippe in New York. Date postponed until March 31. Tommy Dorsey, scheduled to. play dance in Mechanics hall, switched to auditorium when notice of the Diva's illness was, recieived. 52D STREET COMICS Jack White and Jack Hires Otganiti ■ Radio Attack ' Jack White, 52d street nitery {"•c-.. and his partner, Jack Hires, have signed up with Bill'McCaffrey lor representation In radio. One of the nietwbrks has expressed an mterest in building a show ; around White and. Hires for audi- tion purposes. SUREFIRE PARLAY 'Ell Ell' and 'Little Bit of Heaven' Back-to-Back on Dislt in order 'to record the Jewish hymn, 'Eli Eli,' with all the feeling with which it is. normally'Sung,: de-r spite the fact that it; is dphe as a trumpet solo, Harry. Janies . secured; !the services of a cantor to coach hini in - TeHearsalsi Cantor . Jacob Altmanv -:of a " Brppklyri synagogue,' spent several jpractice: sessions. with James,; lyrically laying put the dif- fleulf~ahd: plaintive parts . for; the trunip6ter to digest and copy as close as possible. ■ Rehearsals were held at the Para- mount : theatre, N.Y;, last . mprith. while James band was playing the house.; Record is: to- be. released to- morrbw \ (Thursday) oh ■ .Columbia's 50c label, backed by an Irish'melody, 'A: Little Bit- of Heaven.' James himself is ScptcMrish; WB Borrpws MacMurray Hollywood, March; 4, Fred MacMurray. has: been bor- rowed from Pai-amount by Warners for a top role with Errol Flynn iri 'Dive Bomber.' . Loanout is in return from loan of Olivia de Havilland by WB to Par, Donald Ogden Stewart Sees Need for More/Not Fewer. Films Dealing With Men aces to Democracy -— fiiit Has Nothing Against Love —Wahger Cites ^Only 10 Serious Themev Dju iring Yeiar* as Ahsweir to Senator ON RADIO FORUM By MORI KBUSHEN . •Films, -must provide' ; dieeper understanding of life than a guy gets put of a whiskey bottle and a sym- pathetic bartender.' That, in brief, summed up Donald Ogden Stewarfs answer to the - question, 'How Should Films Aid National Defense?', before the New York Town Hall broadcasting . from Hollywood last Thursday (27). Nifties in the same vein, served to make a question, which has already been thproughly aired, surprisingly stimulating. Introduced as the man who wrote the screen adaptations for 'Kitty FoyV and. 'Philadelphia Story' (Continued on page 63) PARSONS SET Hollywood, March 4. Deal between Lifebuoy (Lever Bros.) :ahd Louella Parsons for a half hour program on CBS Friday nights has been signatured. Only others set for the show are. Felix Mills as mu- sical director and Harry Krphman, scripterv . '. Producer has .been picked by Esty, agency on the account, but contract for his services won't-be consum- mated for several days. GRIDDERS' COL FILM; HARMON ON AIR ALSO Tom Harmon, Michigan's great footballer, has been signed by Co- lumbia: to star in a one pic deal at S13,500, Harmon will not report un- til after graduation in June with the untitled, unscripted. fllm being readied in the meantime. * Deal was agented by Everett Crosby -who is also negotiating with Leo Fitz'patrick to set Harmon as a sports commen- tator oh WJR, Detroit.; Negotiations are also in progress, with Columbia to set Forest Eva-' shevski, Harmon's running mate at Michigan, with him in the same pic- ture. :- Slin; Em Side Saddle • . - Hollywood; Marbh 4. Slinging Sammy Baugh, Washing- bn: Redskins" backfield star, makes his film debut in thfe title role of !King of the Texas'Rahgers,' a high-: budget serial at Republic. : Studio is rounding up a cast cbn^. sisting entirely of Texans, including detachment: of Rangers., v ■■■:/.:■ Will Be Gay ' Hollywopd, March 4. Bette Davis is assigned to the star spot in 'The Gay Sisters,: recently purchased by Warners from the gal- ley proofs of Stephen Longstreets hovel. Picture follows "The Widow of D,evil's Island,' next job for Miss Davis, :with . Edn\und Goulding di- recting.- - ■■■■■■■■■ Coreffi Halts 3 From Soldier Show Dae to Non-Charity Ruling Junket of King Features column- sts and cartoonists Monday nTght (3) to :Camp- Dix,:' New- Jersey, where they entertained the soldiers, was niinUs Betty Keane, Diosa Cos- tello.and Gracie Barrie at the last minute. Trio of. performers, cur- rently in 'Crazy With the Heat,' 44th Street, were, stopped from making the gratis appearance by Alan Corelli, secretary of the' Theatre Authority. . It has been TA's ruling that- free performances for soldiers, unless there's a definite charity tieup, are tabu. General opinion of show peo- ple is that the Government should, be - expending at least a small part of the great defense approp:fiations for ehtertaininent of soldiers, rather than permit actors to appear. g;ratis. It has been pointed out that the Fed- eral Theatre Project, which afforded work and. sustenance for at least some performers, regardless of whether there were Communists'ih- termingled, was the first to be cut from' the Government's relief appro- priations. Now, sorhe critics aver, actors are being asked to play the army camps free, but nobody is mak- ing any investigation into their ppli-. ticar beliefs. _ . Corelli, incidentally, registers an answer for those' who have panned his 'request' to 'Hellzapoppin' femme cast members not to play the per- formance eariy last week (24) at Camp Dix: The show, he admits, was only for an army charity, but he states that there are no dressing room or sanitation facilities, espe- cially for women, and that was the reason why he didn't think the girls should make the trip. MAX GORDON GOES WITH 'EILEEN' DEAL TO COL Texas Anxious for. Bausb's Pic Fort Worth, March 4.' Dallas, San Antonip, Houston and Fort Worth alr(Sady are talicing about the premiere for. 'King of the Texas Rangers,' Republic's Slingin' Sammy Baugh pic. Former ace passer of Texas Christian University and the Washington Redskins should be a boxoffice riot locally, hence the buildup so far in advance of the scheduled summer releases. Deal by which Columbia on Mon- day (3) purchased *My Sister Ei- leen' brings to that company's lot producer Max Gordon, . His affilia- tion' Wfith C!ol will be for 18 months and will include production of other films besides 'Eileen,' which he pro- duced oh Broadway. All fees he w^ll receive will be over and above the $225,000 Col paid for screen rights to 'Eileen.' ; . . V. (Jordoh starts work at the studio next .Monday (10) under his., new pact. He will work in Hollywood until the end of August^ : When he will return to New York to put on one pr, twp logiters. After four or five months in Manhattan, contract calls for him: to return to Col for one year, during which time he will produce 'Eileen,' ■ :; • ' Max Gordon has called it' a sea- son, going west late this week under arrangement with. Colunribiai Gor- don will return early next fall to re- sume legit production. He tried out ■Out West It's Different.' which- was slated for the boards aga.: - during spring.^ He also planned a musical, but both are apparently off until next season. Windfall of Hollywood coin has swept Broadway since the beginning of the year. Screen rights to more plays—and at higher prices--^have been bought, during that pierio'd than at any time, iii the history of Holly- wood-Broadway relations. ' Purchase on Monday ^ (3) of 'My Sister Eileen* by Columbia for $225,- 000 brought to a total of eight the. plays bought since Jan. 1. Aggre- gate paid was $1,225,000, plus addi- tional percentages on. at least two of the buys. Total amount spent for plays during the entire 12 months of 1940 was only $J,575,000 plus per. centages. Another surprising fact is that the play-buying did hot start with this opening of the film-legit season lb ■ September, but has been concentrat- ed within' the past nine weeks. Be- tween September and the end of De- cember, ; only three plays were bought and for a meager $93,500. ■ 12 Of 27 Sold „\. As things on BrPadway now stand, of 27 shows currently on the boards film rights-to 12 have been sold to Hollywood., One of the others. 'Mr. arid Mrs. North,' was financed by (Continued on page 63) DANNY KAYE'S $600 TO $U00 IN N.Y. CAFE What a Broadway, legit, cjick means in terms of salary for a per- former is currently best illustrated by Danny Kaye,.who is getting im- portant attention in 'Lady in the Dark,' starring Gertrude Lawrence. . On the strength of his notices In 'Lady,' Kaye, doubling into La Mar- tinique, 57th street,'If. Y., spot, got a new contract from, the nitery, doubling his previous .salary, plus a percentage. New deal is for two weeks starting March 12, and calls for $1,200 per week; His. current' salary at the nitery is $600. CBS artist bureau does his agenting. Trad* Mark Retlst«red n-OUNDBb B7 iSlME Sri^VBRMAN Piibllih«d VTMklr bjr VARIETT. Ins. Sid. Sllvarman, Prealitant 164 Weat 46th a treat, New York. N. .T. SUBSCRIPTION Annual: |I9 Porelgn Ill llngla Coplea ..it .Canta Vol. 141 No,.,i3 INDEX Advance Production Chart., .^I^.^S' ■.» • <f • •■ a a.a •«•.••• • • v • a a' • < Chfitter ....... . .;.........., Exploitation ,.....:....,..., Pilrn Rooking (jhart. Film Reviews............... Forum .. House Reviews...........,., I Iriside-rLegit'....., Inside:—Music-.,-.;;, . .V, International Newsi,.,;. *,.. Literati ........ ..;..... Legitimate ........, Music .......,....'.7 - New . Acts. ...... .:■. ', . '. Night Clubs........:....... Night Club Reviews.. .. . .. . Obituary::, . Orchestras ....-.. , \-,:.:. ... , Pictui-es ......; . ..■.. Radio . ........ Radio—International ■.. Radio Markets....;..:..... Radio; Reviews.7,.v. Unit Review...v..*. Vaudeville ;,; . v;. . ..V 18 51 61 8 18 16 .63. 52 -54\ 44 13 54 42 48 48 48 62 45 ■ 4: 28 32 40 34 53 48 VARIRTT RADIO OIRKr-TORf . (rDhllflhfl .In N T Annually) ' U.4ll.y VARIKTV (I'uhllHlied In tlolli'wood-by. Dally Varlf-ty; l.tcl ) - l.iQ a vear7-ll2 fnrelKit.