Variety (May 1941)

Wednesday, May 21, 1941 CHATTER 53 Brbadway Nell Agnew nursing an Infected •ye. The Earn Woods (director) in town.. William K. Howard in town for a couple weelcs. . ' ' Jean Dale, actress-author, editor of new Brltisli News weelcly. Al Rosen planning a five-week va- cation in New Hampshire. George Wellbaum celebrated an- other wedding anniversary. Joe Shea, now with General Mo- tors on film woric, in town. ■ Eddie Hyman of the Par h.o. cov- ering the upstate Netco theatres. Chatlie Einfeld left for the Coast Monday (19) after three weeks in the east. ~. ^ Roy Haines, Warner division man- ager, away on a tour of eastern ex- changes. 'Quentin Reynolds Can Take It' Is the title of a new piece in the June Esquire. Mue strelmer, special sales repre- sentative for UA, la -at home recuper- ating, from an Illness. Sign- outside office in the'-Sard! BIdg., 'No Casting-Today,' has l>een there for three years. Robert Noack, foifmer Federal Theatre director and actor, inducted Into Arniy last week. Montague Gowthorpe ran into molar trouble while on his vacation. He's now back at the Par h.o. . Laid up for two weeks with grippe. Bam Palmer of the Par distribution department is back on the job. Peter Nemirofl, who operates the Russian Kretchma, opens a beach club at Amityville, L. I., this week. Iiou Simon, operator of Massachu- setts and New Hampshire theatres, in town and has no kicks as to busi- ness. Lana Turner cut her New York vacash short last week to hurry back to the Coast, where her mother is ill. C)scar Straus to Hollywood at- tendant to Metro's filmlzation of 'Chocolate Soldier' which he com-/ posed. AI Wilkie has taken over a small farm near the New York-New Jer- sey line on the other side of the river. , S. A. Lynch. recovering from broken knee-cap, according to word from Miami where he operates Par theatres. Louis B. Mayer was at Belmont one day last week to see his Ossa- bow win the International Steeple- chase handicap. Columbia tested Mara, Detroit- born Spanish dancer, now at Copa- /;abana. RKO dittoed Lina Rom^y, songstress at Waldorf. Elaine A. French, daughter of Bert French, retired theatrical pro- ducer, weds Philip Blaisdell, com- mercial artist, next month. Arthur Willi, RKO talent spades- man, returned Monday (19) from trip to Cleveland, where he lined up two lads for possible optioning. The first Theatrical Post in the country to buy a $500 Government Defense Bond was the Lt. A. Vernon Macaulay Post No. 270 of Boston. Publicist Lee Posner and Larry Page have turned artists' represen- tatives with formation of a new agency. Nationwide Productions. . Joe Bernhard, Warner theatre head, held a meeting, of managers of the New Jersey area in Newark dur- ine the past week to discuss summer policies. Beefsteak party arranged for Rags Ragland.'and Red Marshall at. the Palace grill Friday (16) but former had been called to the ' Coast pre- maturely. ' , Renee Carroll, Sardi's hatchecker, decided, to vacation somewhere to get away from show biz, picked At- lantic City—and ran into the Variety Club convention. The dancing Hanmans In by auto from Hollywood to start on a sum- mer.musical revue that will be pro- duced by Gertrude Macy .and Stanr ley Gilkey. The 52d street 'night workers' (cabbies, waiters, et al.) are petition- ing an.all-out-tor-Britain document which they will forward to the White House. - Vinton Freedley wants Milton Berle-Martha Raye to co-star in Cole Porter's Aew 'Let's Face It' musical. Latter just arrived from Coast with finished score. H. A. Fortington, who was chair- man of the executive committee of Parampunt in reorganization days, is now on a big' ranch which he has bought in eastern Canada. Art Frank, comedian doing an old soldier character in vaude for years and who also was with 'Strike Up the Band,' legit, is in the West Hill sanatorium, Yonkers, N. Y. Barret McCormick and Terry Turner left for the Coast Friday night (16), former to look in on the RKO studio, latter to arrange for the San Francisco preem of 'Sunny* May '28 - and ' opening of 'Kane* at Geary there May 27. The Choral Society of Paramount, numbering nearly 50 voices, and un- der the direction of Edith Savage Morgan, sister of Oscar Morgan, short subject sales manager, holding its first public concert tonight (21) at the Hotel Biltmore. Broadway gets its first authentic French cafe-night cliib this month when Arthur Essay launches the Moulin Rouge near 62d street, for- merly occupied by Tropicana. New spot will have Paul, ex-French Pa- vilion at N. Y. Fair, as chef. Maurice Livingston, former UA exec in Paris, who jammed with Nazi-French police for a spell be- cause of racial complications, sailed Monday (19) from Lisbon on the Exeter. Agent Mark Hanna has him set for an autobiog piece for Col- lier's on his experiences. Havana David Lichine's Afro-Cuban ballet at Tropicana nitery is still packing 'em in. Extra week has been slated. CMCQ has opened up at the Hotel Sevilla. Runnmg six hours of Eng- lish programs per day, it sets prece- dent. Margarita Lecuona, whose recent 'Dime Senor, Porque?' is due to go on the U.S. air soon, is hard at work on another, 'Amor.' Dr. Pellon,' who occasionally does some legal work for Metro in Ha- vana, is reported to be in line for Viurrum's job as representative for American Society of Authors, Com- posers and Publishers. Navy Censorship ^^COBtlnned from pace be clipped almost l>odily while the bulk of the scenes shown cen be seen daily by anybody traveling on ferryboat*;. Under the state of national emer- gency, certain ' censorship stipula- tions Jiave been' placed in operation.' However, the newsreels admittedly would like to see a crystallization or specific outline covering the scope of this military censorship. The teels have cooperated to the ultimate in refraining from disclosing any mili- tary secrets but they contend that the censoring has been extended lately until it enters the . propa- ganda field. Reported that this cen- soring of the shipyard strike de- velopments was intended to sway public opinion, while the' newsreels cite the publicity and pictures made of the recent Boston strike ts an example 'y>t swaying public opinion into an early settlement of that walkout. Censoring by the military now extends to any airplane crash of Army and Navy units. Newsreel- ers have been told Vna.\ this can't be photographed but they izi\ to see how such a story reveals any secret. Another example to bob up re- cently was the visit of a South American admiral. Because he landed on naval grounds, the news- reels had 'to submit their material to the Navy for censoring. On an- other occasion, th.e newsreel outfits in taking pictures of a new super- interceptor plane at Burbank were told the film would have to be made over because the plant employees had tossed blankets labeled 'con- fidential' over certain portion^ of the ship's body. Theory of the-military brass hats was that this, tipped enemy nations off on the vulnerable spots in the ship's construction. Navy now is asking legislation of Congress 'which would further crack down on all types of ph''otography, request for such being worded so that It might apply to anything re- lated to the manufacture of naval material or boats. Thi^ would pre- clude any strike stories if they In- volved Navy construction. Lean Summer sContlnaed from page 1^ Robert Moses declined to lease the^ spot under the conditions sought by' Shubert. Fortune Gallo, who for- merly secured the Beach leases, was not in on the deal this time. Manager first asked Equity to in- clude the chorines in rain rules, biit counter proposals were finally agreed on and only applicable to Jones Beach. In the event that rain caused cancellation of performances, ,a deduction of one-eighth of a week's salary would have been okay, to ap- ply not more than three times per week. Stipulation was that in on event was the pay of a principal to be less than $50. Principals in open air shows range from $85 to $250 weekly, regarded as favorable remuneration for such engagements. Previously, there was an agreement with stage- hands and musicians oyer rain can- cellations, but Equity and its chorus branch assented only after its coun- cil was petitioned by talent involved. Rain does not seriously hamper outdoor' shows in other localities. St. Louis, which has the largest sum- mer venture, averaged only three rainy nights per season up to last year. By SUnley H, Willis Elean Coffey, managing Atlas Gar- dens, is importing an American band leader for his spot. Happyland Cabaret show moves to Colon for the new Broadway cabaret to try to give it a shot in the arm. Betty Boop (Ann Little) being submitted to spots fiere by local American agency as a 'name' per- sonality. Frisco Fragimini, east coast cab- aret owner, is said to b.e ogling a Panama Canal spot that has been struggling along.' -Rayita del Sol, the litUe Cuban, moves from Kelley's to the Atlantico at the expiration of her present con- tract, and then on to New York, where she has a tentative 12 weeks lined up.. Leaving here recently were 120 Chinese, including several cabaret and cantina owners, for Frisco, where they will ship for China. Panama, government's housecleaning was particularly directed at them. Refugees creeping into the Pan- ama bands, mostly Germans lucky to stay here before the houseclean- ing. They can beat out . American jazz and a noticeable improvement in some of the honky-tonks has been the result. New Casino in the Interior, to be backed by local capital,, will feature a gambling casino if the powers that be give the nod. Jimmie Dean, who had a finger in the pie when he es- tablished mammoth Balboa Gardens here, is the manager; Hermina Layne, who came to Panama 12 years ago with the vaudeville team of Mack and Layne,- is back in Panama after a 10-year tour of South America. She speaks Spanish like a native and m.c.'s in both Spanish and English. - Plotting a New York trip come the jniddle of Jtjne. Mex flickers getting a heavy buildup via 24 sheets and newspaper ads. and doing right well at the b.o. 'Serenata Argentine' ('Down Ar-^ gentine Way') clicking with native trade. Corny I,atin scenes and too much Carmen Miranda, but the blonde tresses of Betty Grable hold their attention, and so she draws the applause, especially when she gives out with the torso-twisting. Smart move by government recre- ation heads would be to pick up some of the Broadway turkeys, or even some of the old Wilbur Cush- man-styled units, and tour these de- fense bases, Trinidad and San Juan. There are about four playable weeks in the Army posts here on the Isth- mus that could be worked into a good, payable setup, to say nothing of picking up a week or so here and there and boosting the goodwill angle of the Latinos. By Les tt» Bob Zurke added attraction at Prom ballroom. Pat Rooney held over second week at Curley's nitery. »T.^i,' . s'"Ber, into Hotel Nicollet Minnesota Terrace. Helen Jepson and Richard Crooks here for joint concert recital. Theodore Hays, veteran Minnesota Amus. Co. executive, seriously ill. .Toby Brown's Little Brown Jugs, novelty band, into House of Magic nitery. .'Fantasia' goes into Bennie Ber- ger's St. Paul World Ma-' 28 at road- show prices. ♦ Inaugural of fishing season finds many film boys spending weekends in northern Minnesota. Jack De Wall, RK.. homeoffice auditor, struck by auto first day of arrival and sustained sprained arm and bruises. St. Paul Bluebeard, indie nabe house, continuing to show German films despite local trade's unfavor- able reaction. Barbara Stanwyck •and Robert Taylor stopped over between planes en route to a Billings, Mont., dude ranch vacation. PiKsborgh By Hal Cohen Max Adkins, director of Stanley house orch, received his draft papers last week. Catholic Theatre Guild ends sea- son this week with production of 'Traitor's Gate.' The Bill Warringtons—he's Stan- ley's assistant manager—expect the stork'in mid-July. Joe Mazzei going on the road for Gabe Rubin to ballyhoo and manage 'Burning Question.' Anita Louise cancelled out of Abe Lyman's show at Stanley beginning Friday (23) due to illness. Mary Mprris will do 'Ladies in Re- tirement' for Fred Burleigh at Co- hasset, Mass., this summer. Singer-m.c. Bucky MeClure has time for one more cafe engagement before he goes into the army. Bert Lahr wanted to get a load of the new Dream Highway, -so he drove from here to Baltimore. Nobody can hold Pete Dana, U ex- change manager, down since he broke 80 on the Schenley golf course. Stanley theatre management nixed deal to have Diosa Costello double into Jackie Heller's Yacht club this week. Fred Kelly home after touring all season in 'Time of Your Life' to help stage annual recital oi Kelly Dance studio. Melrose, of old vaudV\act of "Kent) (Milzi Green's pop), Welsh and Mel- rose, now operating a ride at Ken- nywood Park. With Nixon season at end, Dave Shanahan, assistant treasurer, is in' charge of William Penn hotel ticket sales for Dapper Dan boxing show headlining Billy Conn-Buddy Knox bout. Hollywood Exchanges jContlnued from page H; placing Paul Kaufman, into the army. ' Charles Spetka, formerly assistant, made top-mai of the WB Pastime in Coshocton following shift of Don Jacobs to. manage the Sherman in Chillicothe. James Skelly, previously pinch-hitting' at helm of the latter house, getting permanent post et Sigmaf, Lima', O. ~Three c'tanges made necessary by notice that Har- lan Fend,'former Cleveland news- paperman who had been stationed at the Shferman, was being given an ex- tended leave of absence until his health improved. Suffering from heart trouble. Chas. Olson's Own BU A veteran in sales with Warner Bros., Charlie Olson, branch man- ager at Omaha, has resigned to carry forward plans of his- own. He transferred to Omaha two /ears ago from Minneapolis, at which point he was in charge of Warner selling. Russell ^erg,- salesman in Kansas City office, promoted to the boss' chair at Omana. Craig Coaslns Upped I<ynchburg, Vi^ May 20. Craig Cousins upped to manage the Isis, Dominion house here; suc- ceeding Ben Puryear, resigned for job in defense, powder plant: Mar- shall White named assistant man- ager to succeed Cousins. Hehry Rosenberger, formerly on Isis staff, shunted to the Paramount as assistant manager. Fills vacancy caused by resignation of Stephen Baker, who went to Washington. Robert Sandidge and Edward Garbee also added to Paramount staff. Shavelon'a Home Reglna, Sask., May '20. 1^0 Shavelon, Calgary, new thea- tre op at Bentley, Alberta, replacing William Waldren, who will operate at Drumheller, Alberta. Jack Luigan's Denver Post Jack Langan, manager of Unlver- sal's Denver exchange, promoted to manage the Kansas City office, re- placing Grover Parson, resigned. Sam Milner, Los Angeles salesman, will be raised to Denver manager- ship. Doe Howe's Moveoyer M. D. 'Doc' Howa transferred from the Walt Disney office to Terry Turner's RKO field department staff. Switch made because of cur- rent intensive effort by RKO in pro- moting both 'Fantasia' and 'Citizen Kane.' Lucille Ball laid up with sinua trouble. Kay Aldridge hospitalized with ap- pendiciti.i. John Halliday back to his Hono^ lulu home. Kay Harris recuperating from a throat operation. Joe Breen in Hollywood hospital with a throat ailment Rags Ragland arrived from Broad- way for picture work. Ben Piazza returned from an east- ; em talent hunt for RKO. I Judy Canova's illness holding up .work on 'Puddin' Head.' ! Lee Tracy returned from Broad- way to resume picture work. Smiley Burnette back at Republic after eight weeks on the road. Jack Mass shifted from the iSantly- Joy to join Shapiro-Bernstein. Jimmy Newill to Si. Louis to sing with the municipal opera troupe. Jan Rubinl shoving off for Aus- tralia to do theatre appearances. Dennis O'Keefe checked out of the hospital after an appendectomy. Gene Autry back to film work after eight weeks of Yodeo touring. Bette Davis on the sV:k list while 'The Little Foxes' shoots around her.- Sidney Justin checked off Para- mount's legal staff to join the army. Nedda Harrigan back for the summer after a season in New York. Don Woods leaving for a season ef summer stock at Elitch Gardens in Denver. S. Barret McCormick arrived from New York for 10 days of huddles at RKO studio. Greer Garson, film actress, ob- tained a divorce from Edward Ab- bott Snelson. Ann Sothern laid - up with a strained hip after jitterbug scenes on the .Metro set Benne Russell hiding out in Holly- wood while composing, music for ■ new stage play. William Morris, Jr., Johnny Hyde and Nat Lefkowitz in town' for agency huddles. Bill Ray, formerly with KFWB, operating the Auditorium Ballroom at Paso Robles, Cal. - John Farrow in town on furlough from the Royal Canadian Pjlpvy, vis- iting wife, Maureen O'SulUvan. Paul Hemried changed his name to Paul Hammond after shifting from the Broadway stage to an RKO con- tract. Robert Oileson in town as a gov- ernment liaison between Army air corps and th« networks for trial flights of the new B-IB. Vaughn de Leath filed a divorce suit in Reno against Irwin Rose, or- chestra lea'der. Legal names were listed as Leonore and Irwin Rosen- bloom. (3eTeland_ -By Glenn C. Pollen Beading, Pa., Pool Philadelphia, May 20. Pooling .operation of two Reading houses, Alstor and Park, reported this week. Houses will be operated by Jay Emanuel, the Astor to fea- ture first run product' In the area, with the Park getting'first track at Class B product letter house has been part of the Harry J. Schad holdings. Two upstate houses joined the 'de- iense matinee' parade, started here by the Stanley-Warner chain. The new recruits are R'*7. 'York, Pa., and Harry Orlow's NTUlvine (N. J.) house. Bill Schwartz succeeded Mert Nason in Paramount booking de- partment. Frank Marshall, formerly of War- ner New' York office, joined booking and buying staff of the circuit's lo- cal setup. Fays, ■ West Philly vaudfilmer, shuttered for the season. Will re- open about Sept 1. George P. Aarons, pMPTO secre- tary, getting set for a. jaunt to Can- ada. Stanley Arnold, of Vitagraph book- ing office, latest to join up with Uncle Sam's men in khaki. Studio and Stanton in midtown featuring late Saturday night shows, newest innovation around Philly. Barry F. B^e's Shift Oneonta, N. Y., May 20, Transfer of Harry Rose, formerly of Gloversville, for the past 14 yeirs manager of Schlne's Oneonta theatre, to the Auditorium of the circuit at Perry has been announced. Due to his health. Rose had been on compensated leave of absence for a number of weeks. While he gained remarkably during a visit to Flo- rida, it is intended that the transfer is to allow him to complete his re- cuperation, with a resumption of bis connection here when it U certain that his health' will not be jeopar- dized. Adelaide Moffett brought in, by the Mounds nitery. , ■ Art Cavar of the Merrle Art buy- ing 30-foot cabin cruiser. Jerry Hathaway - putting hoked-up. version of 'Drunkard' in his nitery. .. Charlie Agnew's band launching season May 24 at streamlined Euclid Beach, Sidney Andorn, gossip commenta- tor, becoming a house-owner and a gardner. Joe Feldman shifting ' from Ball Club to manage Sammy Brln's Zomr bie Club. Hanna, town's only legit house, went dark Sunday (18) after nine weeks of 'Fantasia.' Frederic McConnell heading for Iowa U. to lecture on drama after Play House folds season, Paul Hodges resigning frsm News exec staff for public relations job with Hawaiian syndicate. Richard Kay, head of Lakewood theatre, signed by prlva'.e Hermit Club to stage its productions next season. Maurice Drucker, house manager Loew's State, combining vacation and trip to Boston to check on his army exams. Milt Geiger, radio script writer, had his latest play labeled 'Rf d Rock' preemed by Amherst College play- ers last week. Fourteen local barkers were in Cleveland contingent that attended Variety Club national convention in Atlantic City. Raymond Scott's band date for May 25 cancelled by Charlie. Hor- vath's Trianon ballroom, with Bob Crosby substituted. . Sam Costello, manager of local. Arthur Murray studio, going into army May 26. Paul Kaufman. Hip- podrome's' assistant, also conscripted. Juchiteco Trio,. Mex knife dancers, taking first bows this side of the Rio Grande at Alpine Village. With broken ankle healed, Herman Pirch- ner's also back in show as emcee. Sol Cornb^g, Play House techni- cal director, and Emanuel L. Geb> auer, local drama teacher, collabo* rated In turning out new book tagged 'A Stage Crew Handbook,' published