Variety (Sep 1941)

SCREEN RADIO STAGE Publlabed Wetkly at 1E4 West 4Sth atr««t, N«w Tork, N. Tm br Varletr. Inc. Annaal subacrlptlon, |10. Single coplaa IS nnta. Bntertd u 6«cond-cIasa matter Becember 22, 1905, at the Poat OtUce at New York, N. T., under the aot of March t, 1879. COPnilGUT, I»41, Ki. VAKIETT, IKC. AIX BIGHTS BESKRTED VOL, 143 NO. 13 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1941 PRICE 25 CENTS TOP PK AND SIMS-1940-41 Strawhat Legit Season Grossed Nearly $3,000,(1 to Set Record By HOBE MORRISON Strawhat legit season just con- cluding has been the most success- ful on record. With few exceptions, the summer theatres have coined juicy profits, in many cases setting new boxollice figures. Estimated total gross of nearly $3,000,000 for the season is almost double what was anticipated before the summer got under way. There were some remarkable. fig- ures set at various spots during the season. It was significant that at a number of theatres the. grosses were far above previous years even on non-name shows or plays without Broadway reputations. Where all- star casts were involved complete sellouts in advance of the opening were not unusual. From almost every standpoint, the season was unprecedented. For in- stance, not a single strawhat folded during the summer. Several spots, such as the Westchester playhotfte, (Contnued on page 59) Hob DX-ers Disclaim Charge They Incited Laval, Deat Shooting Boston, Sept. 2. Boston's two powerful DX-ers can't see how their broadcasts could have had any connection with the shoot- ing of Pierre Laval and Marcel Deat in France, as asserted by Fernand de Brlnon, Vichy ambassador to occu- pied France. Latter claimed that 'the stirring up by Moscow, London and Boston radios had done their work' in bringing about the shoot- ing. Douglas Schneider, co-ordinator of news broadcasting for WRUL, said: 'It seems a little strange to tie it onto the Boston radio. In our good-will broadcasts to France, the station aims to give the full news, includ- ing German as well as British and Russian communiques.' F. P. Nelson, of WBOS, said he could not possibly see how this sta- tion's broadcasts could have the ef- fect of 'inciting the people to riot,' because the programs were confined to straight news. Utilizing Back Covers Of Song Sheets for Ads New idea of utilizing the back covers of song sheets for advertising purposes will be inducted by Harold Leonard's new Immortal Music Pub. Corp. (BMI) with 'Ecstasy,' of the maestro's own composition. In return for Fred Waring 'intro- • ducljjg' the tune, he and his commer- cial sponsor. Chesterfield, with a trademark replica of the ciggie brand, will be given the prominent back-cover space. Mickey and Garbo Hollywood, Sept. 2. Joe Pasternack, now producing for Metro, plans to team Mickey Rooney and Greta Garbo In a comedy. Title is tentatively 'The Bellhop and the Princess.' Shaw s Pix-Play Prod.viaPascal, Theatre Guild London, Sept, 2. Gabriel Pascal, when here re- cently, disclosed that he is in negotiation with the Theatre Guild in New York to merge with It on production of four George Bernard Shaw plays. Deal, the producer said, would provide for putting the shows on Broadway first and then filming them with the legit casts. (Officials of the Theatre Guild in New York yesterday (Tuesday) confirmed that they are in negotia- (Continued on page 31) A.&GJOBiP[, ROONiy, B[TTE Abbott & Costello the New- comers—Bob Hope's Prog- ress— DeMille's 'North West Mounted' No. 1 Gros- ser Next to 'Gone With the Wind,' at Pop Prices HEPBURN, CRAWFORD By JOHN C. FLINN In the glow of incandescents that write film history in evening skies from the marquees of 15,000 theatfes, new boxoffice names were added to a long list of popular favorites, many of whom shone to heightened successes, during the 1940-41 sea- son, which ended last Sunday (3). Outstanding are the performances of the screen's new comedy team, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose three films of the year lifted the season's grosses for thousands of theatres; Bob Hope, who made a (Continued on page 24) 8-YR. OLD AND PARENTS IN ALLFAMILY CONCERT Huge Combo Orange Bowl Benefit May Sohre Fla. Actors' Cuffo Headache Miami, Sept. 2. Plans were formulated, at a meet- ing attended by city officials of Miami and Miami Beach, and Alan Corelli, executive secretary of the Theatre Authority, to stage a mam- moth benefit show in the Orange Bowl stadium on Feb. 22 next, the proceeds to be divided among all or- ganized charities in this locality. If Corelli's plan is adopted, it will eliminate the 30 or 40 benefits staged each season by various charity or- ganizations. Those for-free shows have proved big headache to visiting stars. It was estimated that a single, all-out benefit each year, properly staged and exploited, could gross close to $100,000, and would attract visitors frorh all over the nation. Max Wolf, Metro sound engineer, who was present at the meeting, vol- unteered to make a survey of the sound facilities of stadium, and set up equipment which would enable everyone to hear the show clearly. Stadium's acoustics are very poor, and in past years have been con- tributing factor in rejecting plans of a similar nature. Heinzl Weber, eight-year-old son of Henry Weber, will appear with his father in the Hayden two-piano concerto on Sept. 13 over WGN in Chicago, Program will go out over \tk stations from .9 to 10 p.m, Marion Claire, soprano of the Chi- cago Opera Co., .and the boy's mother, will sing an aria from 'Mig- non' and 'Laddy Boy' to make it an all-family affair. Bumper Strawhat Crop Of Likely Pix Talent Material for now screen faces is rated considerably higher among the strawhats this year as compared with 1940. Talent scouts for major film companies, with another week or so to go before the summer stocks call it a season, claim the number of new the.spian aspirants is more numerous, and that there are more companies, consequently addi- tional candidates for screentests In the next three or four weeks. Fact that there were fewer Holly wood names in the barnyard casts accounts for the extra number of youngsters getting a film break. Most of the larger majors will have four to five prospects assigned for tests after Sept. 15, when film companies consider the strawhat sea- son closed. The average major company cov ered some 250 different showt during the season just concluded. Fibns Tatriodc Service Defended By Wilie on larmongering' Rap Bergen's 5G for 20 Mins. Minneapolis, Sept. 2. Edgar Bergen received $5,000 for a single night's appearance in front of Minnesota State Fair grandstand, working for about 20 minutes. This is by far the largest amount ever paid any act by the Fair. Show surrounding Bergen Included Ted Weems orchestra. Buster West, etc. RqD Them Pix, Instead of The Bones, Sez Army Soldiers on maneuvers in the field as well as those in camps will eventually be able to see regular fea- ture films in their off-time under plans now being worked out by the Army. Morale Branch has evolved two experimental trucks completely outfitted to show pix. They are now in the field and have proven themselves to be practical enough to duplicate on a large scale. Trucks, in addition to carrying (Continued on page 53) Chevalier Returning To Paris for Revue, Pic After Long Drift Paris, Aug. 15. After the greatest hesitation, with scores of admissions followed by an equal number of denials, Maurice Chevalier is coming to Paris to head the next revue at the Casino de Paris and to make a film for a Franco- German company. Chevalier himself made this announcement over the radio from Vichy. Chevalier headed the last Casino show before the Germans came to Pari.s, sharing top billing with dusky Josephine Baker. When the Nazis poured into town he left for the free zone and drifted about the Riviera resorts before tying up with a Mar- seilles revue. It was towards the end of last year that he announced he would return to Paris in February after a short trip to Switzerland to entertain French prisoners. This had followed denials that he was going to Paris. Soon after he again denied he was headed for the occupied zone and said categorically that 'I will go only if the government goes there. We ac- tors should not mix in politics.' Then came the announcement that he would go to Spain in the fall to take the top role in 'Gadalquivir.* Confirming that he had been re- tained to dcfend-motlon pIctAre pro- ducers against charges of making 'warmongering' films, Wendell L. Willkie, 1940 Republican Presiden- tial nominee, declared yesterday (Tues.) that the film industry will stand on its record of high patriotic service and be prepared to answer any critics when the U. S. Senate sub-committee opens its investiga- tion in Washington next Tues. (9). Hearing before the body was to have started today (Wed.), but postpone- ment was ordered by. Sen. D. Worth Clark to permit Willkie further op- portunity for preparation of facts. That the political leader had been considering a proposal from film executives to represent th^m at the investigation was repeatedly re- ported during the past week. It was learned that the matter was sug- gested 10 days ago, but Willkie was unwilling to assent until he had isiven the subject close study. His decision to participate, which will (Continued on page 4) Congressman Pads Out *10GYrly. Pay via Radio Stint for $50 Weekly Washington, Sept. 2. Something new In glamor is be- ing ballyhooed by WifrDC, Wash- ington, which—<very afternoon ex- cept Saturdays and Sundays—pre- sents a real, live Congressman on a commercial program featuring the merits of a local dry cleaning e.">- tablishment. He is Rep. Luther Pat- rick, Democrat of Alabama, who tears downtown from his office on Capitol Hill every afternoon to pad out his $10,000-a-year Congressional salary by a rumored $50 per week. Using an Alabama drawl, the pop- (Continued on page 15) M-G May Keep Bowes' ApL As Hideaway for Its Stars Major Edward Bowes vacated the apartment he has used for 20 years on the sixth floor of the Capitol (Locw-Metro) theatre building, and is taking a suite at the Waldorf- Astoria. He has made the Capitol his N. Y. home ever since the thea- tre was built. Bowes recently re- signed as the Cap's managing di- rector. Apartment is open for leasing but Metro may consider holding it as hideaway residence for screen stars when they are in New York, because it's an Ideal under-cover spot even though in the heart of Times Square. It contains 12 rooms and four baths and Is air-conditioned. Apartment has numerous entrances and exits, and has one window looking Into t'— Cnpit"! theatre auditorium.