Variety (Jul 1941)

Wednesday, July 2, 1941 Miscellany Bing Changes Music Publishers ♦ Santly-Joy Lose* Singer and Brother Larry But Adds Everett Crosby to Staff Bing Crosby has switched his mu- sic publishing affiliation from Sant- Jjr-Joy-Select, Inc., to Edwin H. Mor- ris, head of Mercer & Morris. There will be a separate corporation set up to cover this new alliance. Larry Crosby, the member of the Crosby family who was associated with S-J-S as a v.p. will now hold stock in Morris' corporation. F. C. (Corky) O'Keefe, who brought Bing and Mori is together for the deal, will also have a stock interest. Through the Morris-Crosby tieup the new publishing corporation will be entitled not only to the score of any independent picture made by Crosby but to a share of the score of films turned out by Paramount in which Crosby is one of the stars. The new catalog will have for its starter a tune by Al Dubln and Dave Franklin, 'The Anniversary Waltz,' which Crosby will record for Decca. With the exit of Larry Crosby at Santly-Joy-Select, house has acquired the services of another member of the Crosby family, Everett, the agent. Everett Crosby, it was ex plained, will hold the stock in -that firm formerly allocated to Larry and represent S-J-S in the matter of ob- taining scores for the Arm from Hollywood studios. Morris on his return from HoUy^ wood last Thursday (26) admitted there had been some discussion be- tween him and Johnny Mercer about a dissolution of their partnership, but, he added, the question of whether Mercer would prefer to stick with the firm or sell his In- terest is still up in the air. Mercer at their last meeting, Morris stated, had indicated that he would put' the matter in the hands of his New York counsel, Arthur Fishbein, for con- sideration. That Roxy Training London, June 6. English sergeant was putting through drilling exercises a con- tingent of rookies who were giving him plenty of heartaches. When he yelled 'Shoulder Arms,' only two of the crowd performed creditably, and they looked ef- feminate. Calling them from the line, the sergeant asked them if they had ever been in the army before. The pair said, 'No.' 'Well,' said the sergeant, 'you did it very well.' 'So we should,' replied the boys, 'we' were in the 'Desert Song' for two years.' NIMBLE FEET ALSO IN HOT DEMAND Wave of Musicals Sweep Cinema, with Accent on Secondary Players—Drag- net Spread to Cull Promis- ing Talent — Metro, Par, 20th Well Stocked SINGING SCREENS USO Coast Gala A Lesson in How Not to Run 'Em Woolley's Pic Dinner' Seen as Snag to Legit Show's B'way Run Continuance of The Man Who Came to Dinner,' Music Box, N. Y, appears doubtful after next week principally because Monty Woolley, who originated the lead, will leave for Holljrwood, there to appear in the film version of 'Dinner.' After look- ing over screen tests, Warners, mak- ing the picture, sent a hurry call for WooUey. Although business has been sag- ging lately it was hoped to play through the summer with either Alexander WooUcott or Clifton Webb,.who played the lead in the road companies, taking over. For- mer is not inclined to leave his Ver- mont summer home, while arrange- ments to engage Webb were snagged early this week. 'Dinner' has scored a great run and on Saturday completes the 90th .con- secutive week on Broadway. Los Angeles, July 1. Big show for United Service Or- ganization, staged in Hollywood Bowl Sunday night (29) for an audi- ence estimated in excess of 25,000 was a lesson in showmanship. After most of Hollywood's highest salaried picture and radio stars wound up the first half to disappointing re- turns, the finale, staged by Mike (Fanchon tt) Marco, with lesser lights from screen and vaudeville, provided the mob with more than an hour of solid entertainment. Earlier portion of the program, broadcast to put across the nation- wide appeal for USO funds, fizzled as entertainment largely due to lus- treless material. It remained for Leo Carrillo, second half's emcee who came rushing in on a horse, Nicholas Bros., Lowe, Stanley' & Hite, Virginia O'Brien, Fanchonette.s, Ada Broadbent Ballet, Rufe Davis (Continued on ~page 54) Woolley Is the 'Man' Hollywood, July 1. After considerable testing Warners •finally decided on Monty WooUey for the lead in "The Man Who Came to Dinner.' Bette Davis wUl play op posite the actor who created and is still playing the Sheridan Whiteside role on Broadway. Woolley will continue in the legit cast until the picture is ready to start. Mrs. Johnson Loses Hollywood, July 1 District Court of Appeals has ruled against Mrs. Osa Johnson Getts in her $502,000 damage suit •gamst Western Air Express. Action was the outcome of the plane crash four years ago, in which she was injured and her husband at the time, Martin'Johnson, thit-ex Plorer, was killed. GEORGE HALE WOULD PRE-EXAM AL JOLSON Application to examine Al Jolson before trial in a suit; against him by George Hale resulted in a reserved decision yesterday "(Tuesday) by Justice Benjamin F. Schreiber in N. Y. supreme court. Hale is seek- ing damages of $105,000 charging breach of contract. Hale claims Jolson signed a con- tract with him in January, 1941 agreeing to appear in 'Hold .On To Your Hats' for the run of the show, and also to appear on the road in the play. Jolson was to get $2,000 weekly. Hale claims Jolson folded the play Feb. 1, claiming illness, but subsequent pictures taken of him in Florida show him to have been in good health. Jolson denies the charges and says he was told by his physicans to quit the show. Leota Lane in 'Mikado* At Chautauqua, N. Y. Chautauqua, N. Y., July 1 Leota Lane, sister of the film stars, has been assigned a lead in a performance of the 'Mikado' to be given here July 21. The singer will also appear in ora torio and concert, remaining until Aug. 12, when she starts rehearsals for a Broadway operetta. Harmon Now of Col: Hollywood, July 1 Tom Harmon has- checked in at X^olumbia for 'Harmon of Michigan, :•-Charles Barton-guides thfe'gHd' star in bis first acting job. By BILL BBOGDON Hollywood, July 1. Not since the last musical cycle passed through Hollywood has there been such a concentration on the part of the studios to annex con- tractees with talent adaptable to song and dance pictures. Nearly every film plant has one or more top names available for singing or dancing in a big musical production, but to back up the established stars in such vehicles there are needed young men and women who can do a hoofing turn, carry a tune or lend wisecracking ability to a super-mu- sical feature. Consequently new tal- ent being placed under contract, in nearly every instance, has some par- ticular forte beyond straight his- tronics. In the case of Columbia, that stu- dio has yet to add a male great or lesser name to its list for the musi- cals coming up but. has well-sup- plied itself with a femme contingent. Studio figures- the males can be ob- tained on picture deals or else a femme can carry the musical load while a male takes care of the straight assignment. Recently signed at the studio was Janet Blair, vocalist with the late Hal Kejnp, who is capable of adding beauty and (Continued on page 55) RCA-NBC Sponsored Television Gets Under Way in New York; Rate: $120 An Hour Plus Prod. Fees Television's 1st Day Because of Varietty's press time yesterday afternoon' (Tuesday) there is no report in this issue on the first tentative NBC com- mercial television shows, viz., Sun Oil, Procter & Gamble and Lever Bros. Viev/ed on an unadjusted 441- line set, the new 525-line tele- cast of the Dodgers-Phillies game in the afternoon had all the usual television disadvan- tages on baseball plus some definition blurT But the day was bright and, on occasion, the white pill could be seen cutting the air. Committee for Freedom To hclnde B'way Group For Fight Ts. Radicals Committee for Freedom, one of the major patriotic groups, has decided on appointing a Broadway commit' tee to include legit managers, ac- tors and writers, including news- paper people. Principal objective is to frustrate radicals. Broadway group has had two formative meetings, with Burgess Meredith named temporary chair man.' Those in the huddles included Ben Hecht, Brock Pemberton, Gil- bert Gabriel, Helen Hayes, Jack Kriendler and Charles MacArthur, It was proposed that Freedom First combine with the Committee to Defend America. Washington, how- ever, regards both organizations as helpful and suggested they retain their individual identities.' Moss Hart Bums At Danny Kaye s Freedley Pact Danny Kaye's signing with Vinton Freedley for 'Let's Face It,' forth- coming Cole Porter-Herbert and Dorothy Fields' musical, burned up Moss Hart. Author-producer, of 'Lady in the Dark,' recently-closed musical in which Kaye scored a per- sonal click, visited the comedian backstage at the Paramount, N. Y., and irately accused him of ingrati- tude. After telling Kaye not to bother trying to phone or contact him again. Hart left the theatre. He has not answered the phone to Kaye since then. Hart is also doing a burn at Freedley for 'taking Kaye away.' Although Kaye's -run-ot-the play contract for 'Lady' expired when the show closed for the summer at the Alvin, N. Y., Hart felt that the comedian owed him some considera- (Continued on page 52) NBC's latest decision is to make available 15 hours or more per week for commercial television, starting July 1. It states that it has several accounts lined up for television broadcasting. RCA-NBC television got started yesterday (Tuesday) in New York under the new dispensation from the Federal Communications Commis- sion which permits advertising spon- sorship. It's pretty vague who of the 2,000-odd owners or television re- ceivers can tune in the'programs at this date because of the needed con- version from 441 line images to 525 lines. However, NBC has three first-time sponsors with which to start. Gen- eral' MiUs sponsored the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball newscasting in the name of Sun Oil, At 9:15 the Uncle Jim's Question Bee was presented for Spry with Gloria Stuart and Lionel Slander as special personali- ties along with 'Aunt Jenny,' which same sponsor. Lever Brothers, has on CB' First Rate Card . Despite the policy announcement by NBC the week before to lay low on television operations pending the outcome of the'FCC's new rules on network-affiliated station relations, NBC issued Friday (27) a rate card on television. It's the first of its kind. The posted rates are $120 an hour for evening broadcasts weekdays, $60 an hour for weekday afternoons and $90 an hour for Sunday daytime. There will not be any Sunday eve- ning televising for the time being. On the production side NBC will charge $150 an hour for the large studio in Radio City and $75 an hour ior the smaller studios. It will be also $75 for film studio uses and field pickups, while news, weather and time sp«ts will be priced at $8 a minute night-time and $4 during the day. BOB BURNS AUDITIONED FOR NEW R&R PROGRAM Hollywood, July 1. Ruthraufl Sc. Ryan agency last week put Bob Burns through an au- dition, presumably for a soap or oil account. v-Burns is under contract to • Kraft Music Hall until first of the year, but would have no trouble getting his release as there has been con- siderable tiffing over his $5,000 weekly paycheck. Sponsor wants him to. take a cut not far off the middle.' Joan a Star at 16 Hollywood, July 1. Warners hoisted Joan Leslie, 16, to star rating in the forthcoming musical, 'Tell Me, Pretty Maiden,' due for early production. Picture, . built around the old ■floradofa sbrii, ieatafes" the "Navy Blues Sextet, AaORS FUND OUTDOOR BENEFIT GROSSES m First outdoor benefit performance for the Actors Fund was held Sun- day (29) at Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn. Place accommodates around 20,000, and the show drew about one-third of that number, okay considering threatening weath- er. Gross was estimated at $7,500, not counting money obtained from the sale of programs. Show was spotted in the band- shell, dancing being cancelled by Joseph P. Day, the realtor back of M'. B., who donated the resort for the show. It's expected to be an annual event. A- fairly .strong list of name artists appeared. $3,000 Monthly Allowed Mrs. Doug Fairbanks, Sr. Hollywood, July 1. Monthly allowance of $3,000 from the estate of Douglas Fairbanks for the actor's widow has been con- tinued another six months by the court. Other heirs withdrew their pre- vious objections that $1,000 a month was sufTicient, Brooks Atkinson, H.L.D. Brooks Atkinson, drama critic of the New York Times, was awarded an honorary degree of doctor of hu- mane letters by Williams College, Williamstown, Mass., at its annual commencement exercises. ' Raymond Gram ""Swing '*was' also Trad* Mirk ReKlatered FOUNDBD BT SIME SirVERMAN rubllHlied Weeklx by VApimr, Inc. Sid Silverman, Presldgnt li\ Went 4Ctli filragt, Nsir York, N. t. SUB.SCniPTJO.V Annual tlo .Ji^arelgri <lt Slnirle Coplea ..25 Cents Vol. 143 110 No. i INDEX Advance Production Chart.. 16 Band routes. '. 38 Bills 45 Chatter 53 Concert 36 Exploitation 8 Film Booking Chart 16 Film Reviews 12 House Reviews 46 Inside—Legit ...» 48 Inside—Music 40 Inside—Radio .' 33 International News .' J3 Literati 52 Legitimate 48 Music 40 Night Clubs 42 Night Club Review.-i ., 42 Oi(jtuary' ( 54 Orchestras 37 Pictures 4 Radio , 23 Radio—International 31 Radio Markets 34 Radio Reviews 26 Vaudeville 42 RAIL! VAHIKTX (Publlnhm) In Hollywood br • 1 Dally VttMf.-'f.i&Y ■ <■•