Variety (May 1941)

MISCELLANY Wednesday, May 14, 194,1 Quip Bknds With Tribate in H wood Salute to Jack Benny s 10th Air Anni Bromfield on tbe Stand By JACK BELLMAN Los Angeles, May 13. It was an evening ot rich memory tot the 1,250 radio and picture big shots who paid homage to Jacli Benny on- the threshold, of his 10th year on the kilocycle circuit Quips that passed in the night from the lips «f past masters ot the witty word will go ringing down the corridors of time—to land on many a program In various and sundry forms. It was a gagwriters' field day, and a benefit tor those Who remembered to bring along a pad and a stick ot graphite. NBC gave the party and wrote off 125,000 to c sentimental gesture. It must have been worth it to Niles Trammell just to hear Benny as- •ervate, without any trace of levity, 1 hope Tm with NBC the rest ot my radio career.' Hear ye. Ward Wheel- ock. - Le affaire Benny out-HollyWooded Hollywood in all its glamorous facets. Biltmore Bowl was festooned with •11 manner of blooms, there wasn\ a polo shirt in the house (you win. Clay Morgan) and the wiiies anU champagne that flowed were ot rare vintage and good grape years ot old France. Guest list was studded with (Continued on page 34) One Very Easy Lesson L A. Papers Boycott Jack Benny Dinner, ' Salting OM Wound t Los Angeles, May 13. Breach between radio and the downtown dailies widened consider- ably last week when publishers lei It be known that there would be no news or art coverage of the Jack Benny testimonial dinner. Although as a social event it rankeid second only to the Academy dinner, the •heets decided to give it a wide berth. Niles Trammel!, NBC. prez, had a chance to tell them off when the rags sent their reporters to his hotel for an interview, but he discreetly refrained from any mention of it. Later, however, he said he was sur- prised to learn of their action be- cause of Benny's many appearances at benefits. Nowhere else in the country does such a condition ob- tain, he said. Th6 sheets will know where they •tand hereafter when they want any lavors of radio. GARBO NAME 'ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS-COURT Budapest, April 20. The name of Greta Garbo may be used as a tetn signifying the highest degree ot artistic achievement, a Hungarian law court stated recently, bringing a verdict against Metro's Budapest branch and' in favor of Mozgokepipari Co, In an unusual case. . Metro sued Meozgokeplpart, dis- tributing company, because pres;; publicity advertising picture 'Strange Woman,' spoke of star, Christine Soederbaum, as 'European Greta Garbp,' compared her style of acting with Garbo's and pointed out parallels between the two actresses' lives. Miss Soederbaum Is also of Swedish oriein. ' Metro's local branch objected to this exploitation, of a Metro star's fame for another actress' publicity, contending that such unfounded praise constituted unfair competition and an encroachment upon Metro's xlphts. Court obtained expert opinion whether Miss Soederbaum's talent, reputation and her performance in tbe picture in question warranted comparison with Miss Garbo. Ex- I>ert opinion stated Miss Soeder- baum's performance was of the highest order. Custer Rides Again Hollywood, May 13. Errol Flynn's next starrer at War. vers Is rrhey Died With Their Boots On,' slated to start June 16. . Story deals with the' career of C«n(>r»I CiKter. Panama City, May 13. They are telling the gag around town about the Hollywood agent who books the leading Canal Zone cabaret. If he's stuck for gals for his next show, be fits the future en- tertainer to a hula skirt, gives her tew fast lessons in hipwav- ing, a stock arrangement of 'Song ot the Islands,' puts her on the boat and trusts to luck that she wows 'em. From stenographer or waitress to actress in one easy lesson and an eight-week contract in the tropics, is the lure. So far, it's ■ worked. . Louis Bromfield, author, was ex- amined (Friday (9) before trial in N. Y. federal court in connection with a $50,000 suit against 20th Cen- tury-Fox Film Corp. by Eleanor Harris, who claims she is the author ot the original on which 'Brigham Tfoung' was based. The plaintiff avers both she and Bromfield worked on the screenplay together, but that he received all th* screen credit. ■»♦♦♦»>♦«♦«♦*♦♦♦>♦♦»♦♦♦*»*«»»»>* »»>«<♦♦♦♦♦»4^ THE BERLE-ING POINT By Milton Berle Butcher Union's Top Exec a Songwriter On Side; 27th Anni ' Louisville, May 13. Unusual party was thrown at a local hotel Monday (5) when" Mr, and Mrs. Pat Gorman celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary. All the tunes played by the IS-piece ork, and sung by three vocalists, were composed by Gorman, International president ot Amalagmated Meat Cutters & Butcher Workmen of Amei'ica, AFL affiliate. Affair was sponsored by friends of the union chief, who heard of the labor leader's avocation. Seems that Gorman was a prolific writer of tunes In his younger days, some of which attained some- degree of suc- cess. The 27 tunes played at the anniversary party were Just a part of the 200 he has written over e long period of years. Gorman ad- mits that Eongwriting is his hobby, and he has never had any of the numbers submitted to a publisher. Affair was aired for 30 minutes over WINN. Friends of Gorman ' are working on an Idea, whereby the tunes can be cired over a network, under sponsorship of various labor organizations, and details are being worked oiit at the Washington office. HEARN'S ALWAYS GETS (TO) ITS CUSTOMERS ' Fantastic, In view of the reported heavy sinkings of British ships In the ^orth Atlantic, is the claim of Heam's, N.Y. department store, of a perfect record in delivering food parcels to England. Store, which guarantees person to person de- liveries, states that It has shipped 7-8,000 parcels, valued at more than $50,000, on 19 boats since last De- cember without a slnele loss. ' Store parcels rationed food, such as butter, sugar, tea and lemon Juice concentrate. In variously priced packages,' with the^ cost including shipping, British duty and insurance. Latter is carried by Lloyds. 200 Harvard Frosh Do a Mass Strip At Sally Rand's Invite Cambridge, Mass., May 13. Harvard took it off for Sally Rand when, in response to a surging chant, 'Take off your clothes!', she an- swered, 'I will if you will.' Almost as one man the 200 students attend- ing the freshman smoker in Sanders theatre here started to disrobe, hurl- ing neckwear, shirts and -other wear- ing apparel about. It was the greatest mass undress In Harvard history. I Unruffled, the balloon dancer, cur- rently appearing at the. Latin Quar- ter, Boston, said, 'This is something I never thought of before, but I think of it now. I've never danced a 'Viennese waltz. with a Harvard ' mani' She stood with outstretched ' arms. A rush for the stage resulted. She danced about with several until order was restored again by Ed SuUivan, columnist, acting as master ot cere- I monies. I The students removed - coats, ties, I shirts and some tried to do other j things in the mass undress. During her Viennese .Waltz, Miss Rand wore a very feminine white marquisette dress, trimmed in white lace, while I the Joe Ck>llegers were stripped to , the waist. I Hottest May m 50 Years Slows Fihn Production Hollywood, May 13. Hottest California weather for May in half a century slowed up film production, particularly on the out- door sets, where players and crews had no protection from the sun. Mercury climbed to 97 and caused the postponement of a Civil War battle in 'Belle Starr' at 20th-F6x. Other troupes on back lots and near- by ranches were similarly affected. One picture that went on regard- less of the heat was< 'Sun Valley Serenade' at 20th-Fo*, where the players worked Indoors on ice skates. 'Journey' Deferred, Indef . Hollywood, May 13. War, and its sudden diplomatic shifts In the Balkans, ruined plans for the early production of 'Journey Into Fear,' the David Hempstead feature slated at RKO. Hempstead, with the approval of George J. Schaefer, RKO prexy, de- ferred shooting of the picture indefi- nitely on the theory that it might be historically Inaccurate when It hits the screen. Arrived in N.Y. Monday. Heard Mayor LaGuardia hasn't been busy the last couple of weeks, so I came back to start a couple of fires. Open June 11 at the Paramount—by special permission of Red Skelton. Though I'm playing the Paramount, my heart belongs to Piermont. What a trip back. 'When the train stopped at Albuquerque, I gave the porter a $20 bill and told him to get me a couple of cigars and something for himself—so he got himself a Bulova watch. Before leaving the Coast went in to say goodbye to Darryl F. Zanuck. For an half hour we played tug-ot-war with my contract. Broadway Dept. ' Broadway Sam reports that 90% of the tickets bought for the show, "The Corn Is Green,' are sold to vegetarians. Georgie Jessel was born under the sign of Taurus. J. C. Flippen under the sign of Leo, the" Lion. But Oscar Levant had to be different—he was born ■under the Wrigley sign. HoUywoodUnai When 'Citizen Kane' was premiered the other night at the El Capitan, Orson. Welles arrived in a 18-cyllnder planet wearing a neon-top hat which spelled out 'Released at Last.' ^ Barney Dean paid $15 for a steak dinner at Giro's the other nite^his Stomach thought .he had struck a gold mine. Took Betty Grable to the 'Ice-capades' last week and she froze up on me. John Payne doesn't like to play screeno. He'j afraid his draft number might show up. Went to the Legion Stadium before leaving town and saw two midgets wrestling. One midget won by applying a Wti Nelson. Errol Flynn knows a certain actress in town who gives the director a screen test before she appears In a picture. (It's a switch.) Mnalo Department Do you think BMI songs will bring back celluloid collars? Saw the premiere of 'Major Barbara' and wrote a new song, 'High.on a Wendy Hlller.' Suggestion for a new theme song for the ^ello program: 'The Night Is Young and You're So Rubicam.' . Badio Department It was so crowded at the CBS Radio Theatre for the Glenn Miller show that his musicians were only playing half-notes. . There's No Truth to the Rnmor: That Fibber McGee and Molly supply Johnson Wax to Adolphe Menjoif for.his mustache....That Vic Mature joined a lonely hearts club That M. Proser will be ttown as "Three Club Monte' That Jimmy Stewart is knitting a sweater for Maxle Rosenbloom's cauliflower ear That Broadway Rose wears a turtleneck girdle. Hangnail Descriptions Romo Vincent: 'Son' of Monte Crisco*.. .Eddie Davis; A Medley with Legs.. .Al/rcd Lunt: 'Fontanne of Youth'...Kov Kyser: 'Citizen Corn'... Orson Welles; 'I, yi, yi, Dolores!' Observations Just found out what a Municipal golf course is—'Blood and Sand.' With tbe Borscht circuit opening up Crosby and Hope ought to do a picture called "The Road to Grossinger's.' The weather in Hollywood has been so bad the only way you could get a burn on your face was to shave close. Eavesdropped at Copacabana: 'She used to look like a Powers model— now she looks like a Powers elephant.' Eavesdropped at Stork Club: 'Hey, waiter. Give that Ickey a Rickey with a Mickey.' Eavesdropped at '21': 'Is she noisy? She can't even keep quiet in the Still department.' A 46ttf street jitterbug-character was drafted and refused army shoes— he demanded black and whites. Whatever Became ot T Hale & Harty Vol & Ernie Stanton Joe Phillips & Co. ' Boyle and Delta Tracy, Gale de Leonard Pilcer, Douglas & Raft Afterpiece Contrast: When a plane flies over a country in Europe, they start shoot- ing. But,'when a plane flies over a studio in Hollywood, they stop shooting. UA s Archibald Clippers Into N.Y. From London; Says Britid Keep Pic Stride Howard Hughes Dusts Off 'Queer People/ Once Tabu Hollywood, May 13. Leo McCarey Is dusting off 'Queer People,' a tale of haywire Hollywood- Ites, shelved several years ago by Howard Hughes under pressure from studio execs. Hughes has a releasing deal with 20th-Fox and may film the picture tor that company with McCarey, who handled the original prepara- tions, as director. Harpo's Strawhatter Hollywood, May 13. Harpo Marx goes- east in August to play a. comic role In 'Yellow- jacket,' a strawhatter at Marblehead, Maine. , Deal wea made by Alexander Woollcott By OEOBOE FBOST Neither bombs nor blitzkrieg, war nor worry, cannon nor conqureor has appreciably slowed the whir of projection rooms in England, George Archibald, European representative of United Artists, declared at La Guardla Field, New York, when, on Friday (9) he landed at the Inter- national Marine Terminal with his wife Elizabeth aboard Pan-Amerl- cart Airways' Yankee Clipper from Lisbon. 'Considering the blitz and every- thing else,' Archibald stated, 'busi- ness Is extremely good in the United Kingdom. For the first three months of 1941 we established'at record.' The Continental exec said that about 4,500 houses of an approximate 5,000 are operating full swing. Lon- don, he said, favors the same type of 'good- pictures' that win acclaim. In New York, with "The Great Dictator,' 'Thief of Bagdad,' 'Rebecca' and 'For- (Contlnued on page 42) . . KEEP S MTT.TTJ ' Hollywood, May 13. Jeanette MacDonald has her hus- band. Gene Raymond, as male ro- mentic lead in 'Smilin' Through,' which went into production at Metro. Frank Borzage directs the Victor Saville production. L. A. to N.Y. Robert Arden. George Bagnall. Robert Benchley. Ingrid Bergmaa \* Milton Berle. \ Irving Berlin. \ Nate Blumberg. ^ John Boles. Charles Boyer. Harry Brandt. Everett Crosby. Rute Davis. Lew Fields. Robert Foulk. William Gehrlng. Eddie Golden. Tom Harrington. George JesseL Arthur KeUy. William Kupper. Laudy Lawrence, Eleanor Lynn. Tony Martin. Louis B. Mayer. Charles E. McCarthy. Victor McLaglen. Gladys Mensh. Irving Mills. .,Clay Morgan. Connie Nickerson. Steve Pallos, Gabriel Pascal. Pat Paterson. Phil Regan., John HoyaL Dave SigaL' Howard Strickling. William Sussman. Norman Taurog. ' WiUiam Thomas, Felix Van Newman. Francia White. Jules White. - Herman Wobber. Marjorle Woodworth. Rockefeller Center Permanent Ice House; Henie-Wirtz Cut Costs It is the intention ot the Rockefel- lers to establish the Center, Radio } City, as a permanent spot for ice ' revues. That was brought out after conferences with the theatre man- agement and Arthur M. Wirtz, who, with Sonja Henie, presents 'It Hap- pens on Ice' there. Business since the show returned after playing arenas out of town has not been bet- ter than fair, but iterating expenses have been reduced so that it is breaking even and visitors, espe- cially when the schools are out, fig- ure to support .Uie revue through summer. Confidence of the Rockefellers in 'Ice' was indicated when the refrig- (Continued on page 18) N. Y. to L. A. Emil Brisacher.' Phyllis Brooks. Rene Clair. Fred Feldkamp. John Garfield. Tito Guizar. Miriam Hopkins. Arthur Homblow, Jr. Iiawrence Langner, Edmund Lowe. Myrna Loy. , Lucien Mandellk. Armina Marshall. Pete Mayer. Arnold IVIoss. . Alan Mowbray. - ' Ben Piazza. . Bags Bagland. Niles Trammell. Lana Turner.- SAILING Johannes Steel (May 10), New York to Lisbon (Atlantic. Clipper).