Variety (May 1941)

Wednesday, May 21, 1941 P^RtETY AGVA IN A SPOT Satellites of Ralph Whitehead, whose manaRement of the American Federation of Actors wae thoroughly diacredited, are making a determined effort to re-inject him Into actor union- ism. Their chief weapon is a poisonous attack on th« Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists and its present administration by the Associated Actors & Artistes of America." Some part of the accusations against AGVA and the Four A's is unfortunately true, but perhaps this will awaken the parent organization and those administering its comparatively new affiliate that the muddling of AGVA's affairs must stop. A variety's performer's union is basically a sound Idea, but Its governing heads must be just as sound if it is to survive. Chief mistake of the Four A's was the appointment of a pro- cession of completely incapable executive secretaries for AGVA. There were six in all, each progressively worse, until finally ClO-incubated Hpyt •Haddock virtually wrecked AGVA's spirit by permitting Communists and fellow-travelers to run amok in the organization's higher offices. - Since Haddock's dismissal, part of a new national board has been elected, with its first meeting "scheduled for early June, when it will fill out its roster of 4S and hand-pick a new na- tional executive secretary. On the choice of the latter will depend the future of AGVA. It's doubtful that AGVA can survive another mistake like Haddock. It's doubtful also whether AGVA can long survive the current dissension among its out-of-town branches, few of which are cooperating 100% with the national office, It vvill take a strong man, well versed in the theatre and in organiza- tion, to tie up all the loose threads. AGVA must And and appoint such an executive head—and then t^s Four A'a should give him more concrete cooperation and less"meddling than it has given the variety actors union in the past. Springfield (Mass.) Dafly Charges Marcus Unit Patsy of May w s Grudge SprlngaeM, Mass., iXxj 20. Beat>l09 A. Mareuf, U, vile of A. K Marcus, was acquitted In district court hare Wednssday (14) Cf • charga of managing an Indecent ■tiow. Court fowd tbat the man- agement of the 'Continental Revue' and l^a Vie Paree' units appearing at Court Square here (8-14) was not hers but her husband's. Ha was not present. Bemlce T. Tassln, B5, gilded dancer in the unit, was found guilty of a charge of partici- pating in an indeeent show and her ease was continued from day to day. Fred A. Marshall, theatre manager, who was charged with permitting dancing on the stage on Sunday, contrary to Massachusetts laws, was found guilty and fined $B0. Judge William J. Granfleld heard all three cases. The Springfield Free Press, weekly lor which Judge Granfleld in his pri- vate capacity as attorney has served as coimsel, 'revealed' in its issue of Saturday (17) that the reason 'there was so much "moral'' stir about the recent showing of the stage play "Tobacco Road' and 'why the Mar- cus stage show playing at the same theatre was sabotaged by police. . . nrlngs from a grudge which Mayor Putnam holds against the manage- ment of the Court Square show- place.' Daily asserted the 'grudge' Vas based on the fact that 'Daniel ^. Maloney, 'protege of Mayor Put- nam and executive secretary of the Playgoers' League, had been dicker- ing with a N. Y. agency in an eflEort to bring 'Tobacco Road' to Spring- ^eld as a Iicague' ofTerhig.' When E. M. Loew of Boston, operator of- Court Square, brought the play here Mayor Putnam considered it a steal,' the Free Press charged, and 'swore vengeance.' , Ted Lewis/Sophie Click Bis in Frisco's Bal Tab San Francisco,-May 20. Ted Lewis and Sophie Tucker have put the Bal Tabarln back in the blg- ooin'.jslass among the town's night spots. Lewis picked off $4,700 week- ly for his outfit over a three-week stretch, and la Tucker is duplicating the success. In her first two weeks she took down for herself $2,500 each stanza 6n a d^ calling for 29% of the gross Viz. She's due in Los Angeles (28) to open a week at the Oipheum. K. C. Hotel's Shows Kansas City, May £0. Hotel Phillips is going in strongly for antartalnmant as we attraction for its recently enlarged Tropics cocktail Ipungt. Room opened Sat- urday (17) witb lineup of talent in- cluding Las Mardall, tenor) Reed Sisters, vocal trio; Ruth Royal and Bob Joncq as Hammond-piano duo, end Sonla Zaranofl with her talking teakettle. This roster in thf upstairs room is 'in addition io Aibert( Bird and Jacqueline Panette in the Cabana Room. CARNYASSN. WARNS AGVA Chicago, May 20. Following ttie awarding of the contract for the Springfield (111.) State Fair to the Johnny J. Jones Shows, the four members of the American Carnival Assn., the Royal American, Kennies Bros., Rubin & Cherry and Beokmann & Gerety, have threatened to puU out of its alliance with the outdoors division of the American Guild of Variety Artists. Four outfits claim that the AGVA offices in ^few York permitted Jones to grab off the juicy contract in spite of the fact that the Association has been a booster of AGVA since its inception and, more than any other group, has done much to further the interests of the union In the carni- val field. There are also allegations of much wire-pulling by influential persons in the American Federation of La- bor in Washington to put J. J. Jones in on the Springfield contract. Jay Emaonel May Use Vaude in Reading, Pa. Jay Emanuel has taken over the Astor, Reading, Pa., on lease. His tentative plans call for a vaud- fllm policy starting in the fall and he has asked Eddie Sherman, N. Y. booker, to line up stage possibili- ties. VAUDEVILLE 43 Fisher Booldng A. C/s Million Dollar Pier The Arthur Fisher office, New York, has replaced Fanchon & Marco as boiiker for the Hippodrome at George Hamid's Million Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, for the corning summer. The Hipp, whose opening bill hasn't been completed as yet, tees off June 28. Det. Natives Still Ask Vaude; Only Nabes Respond Detroit, May 20. Although vaudeville still is only an intermittent adjunct to the pic- ture bills in the Detroit major houses, and out entirely In the sum- mertime, it. continues to show in- creased strength here in the neigh- borhood houses. Meanwhile, citizens continue to write letters to the edi- tor wanting to know why a city with an urban population of upward of 2,000,000 people can't have one major house devoted to vaudeville. Both the Michigan End Fox, which, alternated on stage shows, averaging about one each three weeks in the past season, pulled down healthy grosses with such Shows. However, their point is that houses of 4,000 and 5,000 seats can't hold up under a steady procession of the current type of vaude end can only do biz with the big names, bands or indi- viduals (frequently both). Detroit, devoid entirely of vaude- ville for a long speU, is continuing to get it in a lesser fashion out of th6 loop area, but with plenty of satis- faction for the nabe type of house. Close to the loop area is the Colonial, which has had success with stcge shows and was instrumental in bringing it back into the Fox and Michigan. The Colonial continues to roll along, currently offering the Bowes Amateurs. Wisper & Wetsman's Harper for more than a year now has been get- ting good results by offering five acts with its double bill. The success her'e hat brought another house in the same section. United Detroit's Vogue, In the vcude field. Numerous other nabes burnish up their weekend blUs with stage shows. Int Revenue Agents GraL Philly Spot; FBI Hunting Bank Embezzler - Angel — « Philadelphlc, May 20. In a surprise raid early Satur- day (17), agents of the U. S. De- partment pf Internal Revenue seized Smltty's, popular roadhouse near Lancaster, Pa., for alleged non-pay- ment of Fedei'el taxes." The agents grabbed the cash register, con- fiscated receipts totaling $800 and attached the fixtures and liquor. The raid was made while F.B.I, men were checking into the strange disappearance, of William D. Sahm, Jr., Lancaster bank bookkeeper who was reputed to be a silent partner in the spot. Police said Sahm had put a large chunk of coin in the place recently. It is operated by Buford Smith, Eshm, who earned $30 a week at the Northern I Bank & Trust Com- pany, Lancaster, had a reputation as a heavy gambler and night cluh playboy. He/, disappeared ~ when bank examiners arrived to check his books last'week (13). His pecu- lations may total $75,000, bank offi- cials said. G-Men questioned Effie Scatter- good, a dancer at the Ben Frank- lin hotel hei:e>, with whom Sahm was friendly, in an effort to find a clue to hl^ whereabouts. Miss Scattergood was released when police were satisfied she didn't know Sahm's whereabouts. Federal men last night returned the property to Smitty after he paid the Sum owed Government. Whitehead Adherents in N. Ye and S.F. In AGVA Attack; Taylor-Lane Head 'Betterment' Group; Evans Slugged SOS IN WASHINGTON Two Theatres Rush Substitutes to Earle for Delayed Act o Washington, May 20. Vatide bill at WB's Earle theatre here was really a variety show open Ing day (Friday). When Wesson Brothers (2) failed to atrive from Detroit for the opening show, Earle rushed an SOS to Loew's (Capitol, rival presentation house, bringing Don Rice, wtio is playing there, to fill the Wesson spot. Rice couldn't double again, however, so next SOS went to Hippodrome in Baltimore. From there, sped by police motor- cycle escort, came Al Gordon and his Racketeers to fill spot in second show. Wessons arrived in time for the third performance. Scheduled to plane in from De troit, they had been grounded there. Discovering train trip required 18 hours, they borrowed a car from a Detroit friend and made Washington in one 12-hour jump. Travers LA. Job MayllpsetAGVA Teace' in Philly Philadelphia, May 20. News that Lee . Traver? ousted executive secretary' of the Philly local of the American Guild of Va- riety Artists, has rejoined the imlon as head of the Los Angeles office, may upset the peace treaty between AGVA and Tom Kelly's United En- tertainment Assn. Kelly, Traver's predecessor who was bounced over a squabble anent 'Communist-infiuence,' hinted that he may again renew his fight tf he found that 'the Reds were still in the saddle.' Kelly has charged that Traver was part of the 'Communist- tainted clique,' headed by ex-na- tlonal secretary Hoyt C. Htiddock. 'I'm going to watch the situation carefully,' said Kelly. 'As long as they keep out the i^bversive ele- ments I'm willing to go along with AGVA. But I won't stand for Philly performers being taken advantage of by any of these parlor pinks.' Kelly made it clear that he didn't associate Dick Mayo, present AGVA local secretary, with the 'Reds.' In the meantime Kelly said hfe would remain inactive in union affairs and take charge of his wife's interest in the C-Bar-C Ranch, an amusement park at Elverson, Pa. Election of "officers of the Philly AGVA local is scheduled for to- morrow (Wed.). Givot Connter-Clainis Vs. Herman Bemie Nixed An answer by George Givot plus a $264,300 counter-action against Herman Bernie was dismissed Fri- day (16) by Justice Carrol G. Wal- ter in N. Y. supreme court and Givot was ordered to submit to an examination before""tri£l on May 22. The defendant had failed to show up for a former examination, but the court accepted the explanation of a misunderstanding. Bernie claims to hsve signed a managerial contract with Givot Nov. 4, 1933, which the defendant al- legedly breached In 1937. Damages of $65,000 are asked. The counter- claiips stated that Bernie had failed to devote his best interests to man- aging Givot. Bill Hall's band v^U open Hunt's Million Dollar Pier, Wildwood, N. J., Memorial Day. The next day. May 31, will find Woody Herman at the spot UAB6IE WABD'S COMEBACK Cleveland, May 20. Margie Ward, who was a pro dancer until she married Bert Gervis, busine.ss manager for Lang Thompson's orch, current at IocdI Bronze Room, is resuming her career this week at the Greystone Club, in Mansfield, O., after a year's layoff. Aft^r a club date at Sharon, O., Gervis is booking her Into Pitts- burgh's Nixon hotel June 2 for two weeks. A virulent attack against the American Guild of Variety Artists has been launched in New York and San Francisco by adherents of Ralph Whitehead, whose management of the American Federation of Actors, as its executive secretary, was so discredited that the organization's franchise from the Associated Ac- tors & Artistes of America was re- voked. The campaign in N. Y. is being managed by Lou Taylor, nitery m.c, as chairman, and Murray Lane, vice-chairman, of a group calling itself the Variety Actors Betterment Committee. Hardly by' coincidence, the VABC is making its headquar- ters in the same building on Broad- way that still houses Whitehead's of- fice. It's also recalled that Murray Lane was on the AFA's payroll as a business agent in Los Angeles. Frisco group has virtually the same title, billing itself the San Francisco Actors' Betterment Com- mittee, and is chairmanned by a Stephen J. Sheperd. Very active In this setup Is Buddy O'Brien, who was also on the AFA's payroll dur- ing the Whitehead regime. That both groups have adopted the Ac- tors 'Betterment Committee phrase in their titles is synonomous with Whitehead's own start in actor- unionism, the initial title of the AFA having been the Actors Betterment Committee. Pamphleteering In both Frisco and N. Y., start of the campaign against AGVA was the distribution of pemphlets attacking the administration of the variety performers' union by the Four A's. Pamphlets mainly reprint stories from trade papers (nof Variety), one of which was mentioned in testU mony In the Four A's hearing of charges against Whitehead. It was brought out that e- member of staff of that particular trade pappr had also been on the payroll of tha (Continued on page 45) HEAT KAYOES VAUDE UNITS Chicago, May 20. Hot weather and sudden sliarp slump in theatrical business sloughed a mess of vaude units within tha past two weeks. Shows had been going along well enough, but com- blnatlon of circumstances brought about almost a dozen closings in short notice. Among the units which folded were Mike Todd's 'Gay New Or- leans,' 'Screwballs,' 'Walklkl Nights,' 'Maid in America,' 'International Casino Revue,' 'Stars Over Holly- wood,' 'Gay 90's,' 'Count Bernl Vlcl Unit, Ada Leonard's 'All American Girl Revue,' 'You're in the Army Now' and Dave Apollon-Willle Shore unit. Todd's 'New Orleans' had an espe- cially disastrous finale financially. Show folded after the Palace, Cleve- land, date last week, with Todd taking it on the chin for morejthan $3,000. He guaranteed the hou^ the first $11,500 and the final gros^ was less than $14,000. Ur^ RKO originally wanted to guaran- tee the unit $6,000 and a percentage, biit Todd preferred to gamble for the full average over a guarantee to the theatre. Cops Close Two Chi . Niteries for Gamhling Chicago, May 20. Two niteries, the Colony and tha Alabam,- located on the near north- side, were sloughed by the coppers last week. They were closed on orders from Mayor Edward Kelly, following gambling raids a couple of months ago. Four employees of the Colony Club were convicted by a jury late last week on gambUng charges. They have asked for a new trial, and ar- guments on this point will be heard May 28. .