Variety (May 1941)

fAMnm totmoir omoa • M. JiBrtla'B Place, TraW^r f9«ui« JMTEBMATIONAIi IS Josy Baker Blames It on Bananas But American Negro Star Actually Curbed From Madrid Stripping by Law Madrid, May. 8. To disappointed Madrllenos who expected to see her appear in her abbreviated costumes of Paris days, dusky Josephine Baker explained that she'd eaten bananas and was so obliged to put on a dress. The truth Is that the morality laws In Madrid are much stricter and would not ap- prove of the costumes that the dusky comedienne wore In her successful appearances at the Casino de Paris In the good old days. Nevertheless, the American . re- turned to Madrid alter a 10-year ab- sence and captured the town In her four-day performance at the Zar- zuela. They Just loved her ad lib- bing and razzing and came back for more. There was not a seat to be had during her stay, seats being re- served many days In advance. _ Miss Baker left this week for Va- lencia, where she will have a three- day stand, and then one week at Bar- celona before returning to North Africa, where she spent the winter recovering from pneumonia. The American—she now has a French passport—will give 48 per- formonces in North Africa, debuting at Tunis and winding up at Marra- kesh .She will rest here during the and then return to her home late in August. In Septem- tll make a three-week tour ding Swiss theatres and then ks in Free France.. Then a Central and South American tour of several months. The actress said she would not perform in Paris and revealed that most actors prefer to perform in the free zone for personal and profes- sional reasons. She said that the French people are bitter towards the actors who've returned to Parl6 and are collaborating with the Germans. She denied that she planned to re- marry soon. She added that Tve just come out of my second one and have no desire for a third plunge just now. I did get an offer in Lis- bon recently, but, hot dog, this is not the time to get hitched up again.' Teamsters Strike sContlnned from page : sters' picketing of legit houses was the threatened closing last night (Tuesday) of the Flatbush, Brooklyn, where 'Charley's Aunt' was sched- uled to open on Its tour of the sub- _ _ _ way circuit. Brooklyn stagehands -'dirty'trick' of "carrying theTrhistru. sters want $10 per man during the day, and $20 per man at night. O'Donnell justifies this with the claim that musicians often show up at theatres en masse in trucks, busses or cars, unloading their instruments much the same way as any act or show unloads props and scenery. He also took a verbal slug at Tommy Tucker's orch, which closed last Thursday night (15) at the Strand on Broadway, According to O'Donnell, Tucker told a teamsters union representa- tive that his musicians, when leav- ing the theatre after the last show, would individually carry out their instruments and- take them to their respective hotels. Instead, O'bonndl claims, the musicians pulled the Dutch Syndicate Joins Bidding For Maxwells British Holdings local No. -1-, under Tom Murtha, re- ^ mehts to a garage up the street, fused to walk through the picket where they loaded them into a truck lines, taking an opposite stance from and drove away. On top of that, the N.Y. stagehands. Also, the team-: O'Donnell claims. Tucker left tips sters refused to move 'White Cargo'; for the stagehands and is alleged to from the Flatbush to the Adams, have said, 'I don't want any of those Newark, where it also was to open blankety-blanks (meaning the team- last night. , I sters) to have any of my money.' According to Bruce Levlne, of the Haestros' Beactlon Brandt theatres, the teamsters were Several leaders, when questioned riled when 'Aunt's' scenery and about the Idea of having teamsters props were moved into Brooklyn by' drive their trucks, stated that they another union. Levine, however, they would give up the Wse of such said this was done only after the vehicles in N. Y. if such a rule went theatrical teamsters union refused to into effect The teamsters, it's under- move the show. When the house ■ stood, made no demands to put a on Monday and Tuesday offered to 'driver on vehicles going out of town, pay the teamsters union for a Job | . ■ AFM'ii BrnshoS it did not haul, the union turned Petrillo and Jack Rosenberg, head down the offer and continued picket- of 802, are giving the teamsters' de- InC- mands a complete brushoff. Both It's now also indicated that there ' are now in Washington on other will be trouble trucking two legiters matters. Members of 802 were told due to open on Broadway next week, soon alter the pickets began walk- and both may be forced to postpone Ing that the latter were to be dls- the premieres. 'Women Aren't regarded and to report to their re- Angels' is dated to debut at the' spective Jobs as usual. Inasmuch as Eumi. at Sa her sf of th( four V Sam Burger Itetums To N. Y. After M-G Tour Sam N. Burger, home office rep- resentative of . Metro's foreign de- partment, returned to New York Monday (26) from a four-month swing through principal Latin- ' American countries. Burger repre- sented the company on deals for new theatre construction planned or con- templated, most of it In Argentina. Burger likely will stay in N.Y. for a month or more before starting on his next foreign trek, which may take him to Australia. London m Wartime London, May 8, Pat KIrkwaod off to military camps to give series of concerts to the troops. CaDterbnry Staslo Hall, oldest vaudeville house in London, which has been operated as picture theatre in the last few years and recently closed, has been bombed. Leo Genn, now lieutenant In the Army, has . been given several months leave to do stage or 'picture work. Marion . Harris bombed out of home for the third time and now recovering from pneumonia. Kaymond Monld, of Elliot Sc Vivian office, Joining the Royal Air Force. Only one flag—^Unlon Jack—un- furled at Stratfbrd-on-Avon, instead, of usual international blaze of color . in honor of Shakespeare's birthday. George Hayes played title role in 'Richard II,' this year's special pres- entation at the Memorial theatre. Instead of the Mayoral. lunch, only tea was served as a wartime economy. More Seats in Japan Tokyo, May 1, Motion picture theatres in Japan aggregated 2,36.3 in 1940, according to a survey made by the Home Min- istry. This is an Increase of 349 as against the total of 2,018 for the pre- vious year. . The total attendance figure of 440,- 274,671 people for last year also shows an Increase of 20,487,451 as i Einstein, financial adviser against the figure of 1939, which was ' 419,787,220. Broadhurst and, because it is com- ing from out-ol-town, the teamsters situation is a hazard. 'Snookie' is Teamsters, the American Federation of Musicians and International Al- liance of Theatrical Stage Em- the other show, opening at the ployees are members of the Ameri- Golden, but, if the setting is already in the theatre, it may open on sched- ule, f Musical shows were picketed Sat- urday, but Monday (20) evening pickets did not show up at the Barrymore ('Pal Joey') nor the 46th can Federation of Labor, It puts the musicians and stagehands in the po- sition of crossing the picket line of an affiliate union. Truck and bus-driving Jobs for which the teamsters are battling are now handled, in almost every In- Street ('Panama Hattie'). Picketing j stance, by young men who have no is limited, however, the demonstra-' " tlons being for short periods prior to the start of performances. Teamsters' embroglio with the mu- sicians stems from the haulers' de- mands that they be put to work carrying musicians' instruments into theatres. In those cases where bands in New York transport instruments in trucks the teamsters demand that one of their union members must be the driver. The musicians' union, through James C. PetrUlo, inter- national president, has nixed the teamsters' demands, but doesn't 1 ' card except a drivers license. They 'pack trucks, drive to the next stop, il the band is on a one-nighter, un- load and set up the band stand, dis- tribute music, and do all the odd jobs necessary. They make It pos- sible for the men in their band to walk Into a spot 10 minutes before, the job is scheduled to begin, pick up his horn and tune up and when the job is finished set the instrument ^ down and be on his way to the next stop, without worrying about mis- laying his Instrument or library. Both bandleaders and musicians think the driving-ol-trucks stlpula- ^''are the cost ol paying the drivers, tlon as silly-as the teamsters' idea of having a member on the sidewalk in front of theatres' stagedoors, wait- ing for musicians to drive up in taxis or personally-owned autos and then relieve the tooters' of the Job of carrying their own Instruments. It would be ironical, one musician's union official pointed out, for a pic- colo player, for Instance, to hand over his dainty instrument to a burly truckman. - On the other hand, Edward O'Don- nell, business agent lor the team- sters, stated Monday (26) that the musicians would 'have to make up their minds.' 'Either they're going to be mu- sicians, or they're going to be truck- men,' O'Donnell said, 'but they can't be both.' He added: 'We're going to get what's coming to us.' O'Donnell stated the membership ol the Team- sters union is only 'p. couple ol hun- dred.' 'Helped lATSE for SO Tears' O'Donnell appeared especially bit- 100,000 Mex Vacationers Boost Amnsement Biz In Provinces and the Capital Mexico Clty,>May 27. Amusement biz was boosted by a paradox—the outflowing Irom here to the provinces ol thousands, and the influx here ol thousands more —during the annual 10.^ay spring vacations ol government employees who number around 100,000 vaca- tions, started May 22. and ends June 1. Local amusement places, particu- larly cinemas, stage .show theatres and tent performances, got a big play from the out-of-towners. Cine- mas in the prinvlnces got good trade from the metropolitans while in gen- eral provincial amusement pitches did 'record' biz. London, May 27. The merry scramble by British financial interests lor the control ol the late John W. Maxwell's majority holdings in the Associated British theatre empire and production com- pany has extended to a syndicate ol Dutch financiers, it's reported here. The latest bidders are said to b« working in conjunction with Norbert to the Prudential Assurance Co., In the at- tempted takeover. The syndicate is reported to have 2,000,000 British pounds (about $8,000,000) Irozen in England and $40,000,000 in the United States. Other reports have it that a group ol American film companies have a bid in above the current market quotation ol six shillings per share for the Maxwell stock. 'GONE^ STRONG $6,500 IN HAVANA REPEAT Havana, May 20. In general Havana grosses went up for the week ending May 19. „ „, , . ^ ,„ 'Gone With the Wind,' at the scene *he Home Ministry and will here Par's light Faiy Big In Japan, but Censors Nix Three Boyer Fifans Tokyo, May I. Pararaount's "The Light That Fail- ed' has not. failed in Japan. The Japanese being a sentimental race, the film has gone over big. Hii al- ready played two weeks at leading theatres, and still going strong. Charles Beyer's films, such as 'Conquest,' "Tovarlch' and 'When To- morrow Comes' have been rejected by the censors and sgnt back to the States. The revised versions of 'Union Pacific,' by Paramount, and 'Public ^ays,' by Metro, have been considered unfit for kids. 'Sincerity,' newly Imported by RKO, has passed the censorship of of its $34,000 triumph last year, has made phenominal isuccess for a re- peat. James Roosevelt's 'Pot o' Gold,' running double feature, hits the week's low. leased early In the summer. 'Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet- (WB), has been endorsed by the Education Ministry as an excellent film. Gone°wmi the Wind' Juliaft Soler to Play Faosto, (M-G), $6,500, repeat, neat, will run another fortnight. Encanto, 'Playglrl,' (RKO), $1,800, not so hot. Bolivar in Mex. Pic Mexico City, May 27. Julian Soler, younger of the three Ed Cohen in N. Y. Edward Cohen, 20th-Fox manager in Venezuela, planed into New York Saturday (24). He will huddle with W. J. Hutch-1 fair. Inson, foreign manager, and look at{ Payret, America, 'Back Street' (U), $2,300, brothers who are among Mexico's o.k., better than last \t^ek, | ace dramatic actors, has been signed Badl»-Clne, 'Pot o' Gold' (UA), for the name role in 'Simon Bolivar,' and "Laughing at Danger* (UA), the film biography of the Venezulean $1,600, bad. patriot. Which is being readied for Naolonal, 'Si Yo Fuera Rfca' (If I production here by Miguel Contreraa Were Rich'), (Argentine), $2,000, Torres and Jesus Grovas. ' I This picture is slated to cost $1,000,- Escandelo' (ChUean), $1,- ooo (Mex) ($200,000 U. S.), most ever new product before returning to his 600, fairly good considering this Is ' spent lor a Mexican film, and is home post next month. first Chilean flick to reach Havana, scheduled lor lall release. Mickey Mouse Is Rated Among Better U. S. Envoys of Goodv^ Mex StarsMJ^. Personals tef towards the stagehands, whom, he says, the teamsters have helped lor 30 years. '■la**?^^!!' I^^'l^^wa^ While Disney's shorts have know who in the stagehands union ^j^'j gave the men—many bl whom he ad ^Buenos Aires, May 27. Intensive coveracfe ol the Latin American market Irom headquarters here by Walt Disney—a move which many in all seriousness are already claiming is a lar smarter Pan- American goodwill gesture than many ol the ideas cooked -up In Washington—is now getting under mitted were 'nice guys'—orders to walk through the teamsters' picket lines, but he said he wouljd find out. Meanwhile,, no shows employing stagehands can be moved in the city of New York, or from its environs to out-of-town spots. As a result, all the N. Y. theatres, been a top draw here for years (so much so that the Nazi newsreel houses use them to get patrons for their propaganda), no wide-scale at- tempt has been made to promote other aspects of Mickey Mouse. Pointed out that the practical value of Disney tieups is the way kids here have developed a fondness lor things whether bandfllmers or legit, using U. S. via Mickey and Mmnie. In- stagehands or musicians, or both, are stituto Cultural Argentmo Norte- Innocently suffering from a Jurisdlc- americano, a leadmg pro-U. S. or- tional dispute between unions. Fo»iganlzation, lor mstance, has been instance; the Radio City Music HaU [teaching youngsters English via and Center theatres, both of which : Mickey, Donald, etc. Other schools employ regular house bands, with no ' ^f"^ method.- but have instruments passing through 'the stagedoors for months, are being picketed, as is, lor another Instance, the legit Fulton, where 'Arsenic and Old Lace,' employing no musicians at all, is playing. Burnt at Tommy Tncker For the carrying or hauling ol also use the same method,- but have wailed that the expense ol getting the dolls, books, etc., which tie up with the films, were more than they could reasonably put on the line. Disney's plan—which lortunately does not talk too rnuch about good will-Involves setting up local offices by Cesar Civita, personal Disney rep- musicians' instruments, the team- 'more intensive publicity and adjust- ment ol costs to the peso and mil- reis market by using U. S. equip- ment, such as color plates, dyes, etc., with which books, dolls, and a hun- dred other gimmicks using Disney i characters will be produced locally. I Disney hlmsell may be dow'n In July to give things a boost and tie > in with S. A. preem ol 'Fantasia.': Film is to be handled by RKO, as | previously, with Civlta's office aid- ing In promotion. Composite sound I track will be used Instead ol the | San Francisco, May 27. Herbert Rosener, foreign flick op- ■ erator, now taking a flyer ■ in im- ported flesh as well. Is handling i personal appearance tour ol three ! top Mexican film stars, Carlos Lopez CChaflan'), Emma Qoldan and Ra> lael Icardo, and will play them at hl3> 'Clay here, together with a Spanish (not Mexican) film, 'Molinos de jViento' CWlndmUls"). I Visiting Latin players currently are doing a week at Rosener'^p Grand ; In L.A. and will be spotted «lsc- ' where along the Coast. " _ much touted Fantasound. 8G for Qnake Victims Mexico City, May 27. National lund being raised lor re. More Aiftip Curbs Brisbane, April 30. Queensland'government has set • standard lorm of contract which grants exhibs a 25% right ol rejec- tion U. S. product. Move had been in the fire lor a long span, and^now brings Queens- land in lirie with New South Wales •on the B.l.c. and rejection. It's be- lieved here that, with a drop in prod- lief ol earthquake victims in Colima, ' uct supplies, the 25% angle will not' Jalisco and Michoacan states drew be followed too rigidly. $38,000 (Mex) ($7,600 U. S.) lor spe- cial pei-lormance staged by 66 local cinemas. The national picture work- ers union, taking wages ol all. its members, donated $3,000 (Mex) ($600 U. S.). Other branches ol the amusement EAYANAN SUICIDES Havana, May 20. Wenworth E. Osborn, 52, shipping broker, suicided May 21. He was head ol the Sevllla Bond* Industry are still making donations,' holder Corp. which recently 'began sums that have not been announced suit for $70,000 on charges of con- but which are said to total several splracy against Batisti and Cabezas, thousand pesos operators of the Sevilla hotel here.