Variety (Nov 1941)

Wednesday, November 8, 1941 MISCELLANY S STARS ON A SPREE IRK PI'S Fitting Real Players to Reel Roles Hollywood, Nov. 4. Casting for 'Out of the Frying Pan,' a story costing more than 1100,000, is slated on the low budget side, with Paramount planning to fill the top roles with young players who have yet to make their mark In Hollywood. Plot deals wltb a group of youthful thesps striv- ing for recognition, and the studio figures the picture wlU look more natural with-comparative unknowns, instead of name players, in the leads. Only familiar name signed thus far is Robert Benchley, who plays the part of a producer. Newcomers Susan Hayward, Martha O'Driscoll, Barbara. Brltton and Jim Brown are also act Edward H. Griffith, producer-director, is working out the casting problem. WAR JITTERS BLAMED FOR BO. DROP Milwaukee, Nov. 4. What started out to be a great week for the two downtown thea- tres having stage shows—the Wis- • gonsin (Fox), and Riverside (Ind.).— •lumped badly after Monday night, and the blame .was placed upon President Roosevelt's Navy Day ad- dress, with the statement that 'the shooting has already started' simply (caring people into a state where they wouldn't let go of a dime or' even leave their homes. 'From the deserted appearance of the downtown streets,' said one exec, 'you'd think an' air raid warning had been sounded.' Nabes in many instances experi- enced the same drop as the down- <• town houses, and other businesses also noted a marked falling-off. With Keiiry Busse and his band on . the stage and 'Blondie in Society' (Col) on the screen, the Riverside, reopening after being closed since July, got oft to a^flne start, while at the Wisconsin Johnny 'Scat' Davis and his music revue on stage and 'Married Bachelor' (M-G) on the silver sheet opened auspiciously, then nose-dived, each of the two houses bucking , each other grossing around $1,(100 on the week. Slump apparently was continuing into the new week starting Friday '' (31), for, while there was a slight upping with Orrin Tucker at the Wisconsin and the Jumbo Circus show at the Riverside, the take was disappointing. ZANUCK WEST AFTER WHITE HOUSE DINNER Darryl F. Zanuck was slated to plane back to the Coast yesterday (Tuesday) from Washington where he had spent most of a week on active duty in the Signal Corps, which he has been assisting in making training Alms. 'Zanuck's *tay In the capital included dinner as a guest of the President at the White House. Mrs. Zanuck was also present. Producer came east early last week for preem of -'How Green Was My Valley' at the Rlvoli, N. Y. Arch Selwyn Wins $5,000 Los Angeles, Nov. 4. Arch Selwyn, stage producer, won ♦5,000 damage verdict in Superior court against the Pacific Electric Railways. Suit was the aftermath of an acci- dent last FeTjruary in which Sel- wyn's auto was wrecked by a street car. EUon's Pix Picks Chicago, Nov. 4. Bob Elson, sports announcer and Commentator through! the WGN and Mutual hookup, will hit the screens In a few weeks in a special reel, 'Bob Elson's Sports Forecast,' being pro- duced here. The Elson weekly reel will give predictions oiv the outcohie of major sport* events. > . ARNOLD TELLS 'EM SAG Prexy'i Talk on European Facla-ot-Llfe Fix San Francisco, Nov. 4. 'There is no medium which can surpass the motion picture for bring- ing home conditions in Europe and to tell you -to get' on your krtees and thank your God. you live, in a. free country,' Edward Arnold told a packed Golden Gate theatre here Wednesday (29). Appearing at the preem of RKO's 'All That Money Can Buy,' the SAG prexy asked the fans 'not to be- lieve' that the film makers were try- ing to get this country into war as snipers .would have them think. 'Hollywood will continue to make so- called propaganda pictures,' he de- clared, following with his statement to effect such films further appre- ciation of the liberties enjoyed in Ameripa. Actor's blunt statements drew ter- rific applause. Red Cross Driye Laonching Via Radio With Pickup From Iceland Garrison Annual roll call of the Red Cross will be launched Nov. 11 with an hour radio show to be carried by all networks. Irving Berlin has written a special Red Cross song, which will be played on the program In concert form by Alfred Wallenstein, and in the popular version by Fred War- ing. Kate Smith will vocalize it on all networks. It's titled 'Angels of Mercy.' President Roosevelt will open the program, with other talks in Wash- ington by Secretary of War Stim- son, Secretary of War Knox and Norman Davis', national chairman of the Red Cross. Cut-ins will be made from Iceland, where a two-way con- versation will be carried on by phone between an American soldier there and his parents In the mid- west, and the naval hospital in San Diego, where a sailor will be put on the line with his folks in Michi- gan. Hollywood's only participa- tion will be a three-minute appeal by a flim star. The lyrics of Irving Berlin's 'of- ficial' Red .Cross-songs,-the first ever so 'adopted' by the R.C., follows: Angels o/ Mercy, There's so much to do, The heavens are gray owerhead. AngeU of Mercy, They're eolling to you. So march vaith your croases of red. March where the darkties* Shuts out the Ught, March where there is no dawn. Angels of Mercy The luorld's covered toith nteht But your mercy goes marehiiii; on. Angels of Mercy Throuph darkest night Your mercy goes mirchinff on. (Copyrighted 1941—Irving Berlin, Inc.) MEMORIAL ALBUM OF HELEN MORGAN RCA-'Victor is setting up a Memo- rial Album of tunes recorded in the past by the late Helen Morgan. Book will be issued in about a month, but as yet the tunes to be used have not been selected. Leonard Joy, RCA recording di- rector, who conducted most of Miss Morgan's dates for the company, is selecting the numbers and writing a special pamphlet to so with themj . li. Y. PUBLICISTS IN ft TOUGH SPOT Recognize It'* It Holiday for Hollywoodians When They Hit New York Town, But It's Also Good Biz Not to Brush Off the Gotham Press, Say Pix Boswells IRRESPONSIBLE' Failure of more and more Holly- wood film stars to cooperate with homeoflice publicity - exploitation staffs while visiting New York has grown to such proportions that east- ern executives are mulling means of bringing the visiting celebs into line. Obvious reason is that a snub, inten- tional or otherwise, does the star no good with the vital New York press which figures so importantly in aid- ing future boxoRice ior their pro- ductions. The huge number of exhibitors in the metropolitan area reached by N. Y. daily newspapers as well as syndicates with offices in Manhat- tan is something that can't be shrugged off, distributors point out. Main difficulty as presently sized up is that most screen players re- gard New York junkets almost ex- clusively as their own business. And that they should l>e permitted to roam around Manhattan without be- ing inconvenienced l>y meeting news- paper, fan inagazine or syndicate representatives. * However, while, appreciating the actor's yen for a vacation and free- dom from keeping dates, homeoffice executives claim - this fails to take into consideration just how much a newspaper or syndicate break means to the player when emanating frorii N. Y. It gives the film star perhaps 15 to 20 times the reader coverage that any possible Coast break might receive. N. Y. publicists aver that many screen celebs have no conception of what a promise on engagements to see newspaper or syndicate men represents, while others make prom- ises which they have no intention of keeping. As a consequence, film company public relations boys re- gard the task of keeping picture stars in line as something distasteful. This carelessness, badly advised conception of date-keeping, or just plain ignorance, aver homeoffice of- ficials, must harm the boxoffice potentialties.< In contrast, there are exceptions, of course. Outstanding perhaps are Rita Hayworth and' Bob Hope. Pub- licists still rate Mary Pickford as the most courteous in her relations with newspapermen. She's bfen that way for years. There are others who have the rep of being gracious in receiving the press and io keeping dates punctually. The smartest, in this respect, are the visiting coast execs, rather than the players. $elzoickites Backing _ Ferrer-Roth Wiik Play Whitney Bolton, p.a. for David O. Sclznick, ' and Katherlne Brown, Selznick's eastern story editor, are among the backers of The Admiral Had a Wife,' leglter which Jose Fer- rer will produce In association with Ruth Wilk. Miss Wilk is daughter of Jake Wilk, Warner Bros.' eastern studio rep. Miss Wilk put up $10,000 of the $20,000 the show will cost to pro- duce. Bolton and Miss Brown are among the approximately 10 angels who have the remaining $10,000. Bolton is former legit critic of the N. y. Morning Telegraph, but this is his nrst venture as a financial backer. 'Admiral', written by Lowell Bar- rington, opens in Princeton, Nov. 20, and comes to New York In Decern ber. I ■ .' I • i.-'. • Sniping of Client Garfield On Lyons Preserve Puts Warden On MCA Trail Seadler's Slogan Film industry was responsible for one of the most widely-used 'and talked-of slogans of the cam- paign of New York's Mayor LaGuardia for reelection. Line )t;as 'Keep the Little Flower Blooming on the Sidewalks of New York.' It was invented, by. .Si. Seadler, exploitation chieftain at Metro. - RKO SETTLES EDINGTON'S CONTRACT Hollywood, Nov. 4. RKO has settled Hafry Edlngton's contract which had two months to go; and the studio's executive pro- ducer for nearly two years has checked off the lot, Edington has been inactive as a producer since Sol Lesser was given executive sta- tus by RKO. ' Prior to the RKO berth, Edington made pictures for Universal and was a partner with Frank 'Vincent in an agency. Understood he'll either re- turn to the agency field or continue as producer with indie status. Another RKO producer leaving lot is Erich Pommer, who recently had contract adjusted by prexy George J. Schaefer. He checks out the end of this month. Mayor Seeks Reelection With Aid of iFree Show Boild by Adv. Agency Amsterdam, N. Y., Nov. 4. Mayor Arthur Carter of Amster- dam commissioned the Leighton and Nelson advertising agency of Sche- nectady to stage a big evening en- tertainment, with a nurAber of WGY performers and others in the Am- sterdam Junior High School. Show was part of Carter's campaign for a fifth term, George R. Nelson pro- duced and emceed the show. i Those appearing included: Col. Jim Healey, Annette McCuUough, Otis and Eleanor, the Wood Sisters (dancers), Harry Garry, pop war- bler; James Barstow and Butch Rob-, ertshaw's orchestra of Amsterdam. The program included community singing, prizes,,etc. Hollywood, Nov.^ 4. Poaching on agency preserye^ haa started a battle among Hollywood's 10%ers, who are accusing each other of unsportsmanlike conduct, such as shooting at sitting birds. In the latest case, the sitting bird ia John Garfield, who was sitting pretty in the A, & S. Lyons roost until he served notice of severance by tele- gram from New York. A. & S. ' Lyons; Inc., has filed charges with the Artists Managers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild, accusing Music Corp. of America of muscling in on its 10% hunting range. Garfield, th^ complaint says, was imported from a $40-a-week Group Theatre job in New York to a $7S0-a-week berth at Warners by the Lyons agency. Through various' salary adjustments, plaintiff asserts,' Garfield i& now drawing $2,500 a week, with the privilege of doing stage plays In New York, and stiU has four-and-a-half years to go on his agency contract. Baldlnr Both the Artists and Actors Guilds have been casting disapproving eyes on the trend toward raiding and other traffic In clients. Under rules adopted by the two guilds, the case will go into arbitration by repre- sentatives from all.sides. Lyons out- fit has picked Pat Millikan, of the Lloyd Wright office, as its arbiter. Meanwhile, Leo Morrison has filed suit in Federal court questioning the right of the Screen Actors Guild to discipline agents under the SAG- AMG franchise agreement. Morri- son asks an injunction restraining SAG from taking 'word or action' pending trial of his .^225,000 Super- ior Court suit against Marlene Diet- rich and' the Feldman-Blum agency. Arguments on a demurrer have t>een continued for 10 days. Plaintiff charges the actress in- fluenced John Wayne to break, his contract with Morrison. Action de- clares SAG threatened him wlth' dis- cipUnary measures unless he dropped the suit against Miss Dietrich, which the Guild considered 'a breach of the spirit of the regulations.' In addi- tion, he asked the court to enjoin (Continued on page 60) - COHAN PERKS Bounds Back After Relapse and May Sit Up Soon George M. Cohan, who underwent a .two-step abdominal operation about three weeks ago, may be per- mitted to sit up soon at the Flower- Fiflh. Avenue hospital, N. Y. How- ever, he may be under treatinent for an extended period and only in- timates are permitted to visit him. Over the past weekend he was In better spirits than at any time since entering the hospital. Several days last week the star suffered Intensely.' Thereafter he slept much better and expressed keen interest over the new shows and other items of theatrical inter- est. Cohan delighted his nurses one evening by whistling some of his noted tunes. Sunday (2) after awakening he was in ^he mood to squawk, doctors saying that was the most encourag' ing sign since the operation. The way Cohan put it: 'I was grumpy today,' but he asked about the well being of others and sent thanks to those who sent hira,messages. Trad* Mark R«vliter«d rOimDED 0T BIUB SILVERMAN Pnblllhsd WMkly b|r VARIKTT, Inc. 6ld Bllvermtn. Presl<1«nt 1S4 We>t mil BtT«»(. N«it Tork, N. T. BUBSCRIPTIOM Annnil 110 Foralsn Ill Single Coplsl 3S Ctnia Vol. 144 No. » INDEX ■Advance Production X^hart.. 18 Band Routes 46 Bills 58 Chatter ', 61 Concert-Opera 41 Film Booking Chart IJ Film Reviews 8 Football 63 Forum 63 ■ House Reviews 54 Inside—Legit '60 Inside Music 43 Inside—Orchestras 43 Inside—Pictures .-. : 20 Inside—Radio 40 International IS Literati 60 Legitimate 57 Music 46 New Acts 55 Night Club Reviews 55 Obituary 62 Orchestras 42 Pictures '4 Radio 29 Radio Review.s 34 Unit Reviews 52 Vaudeville 52 nAII.y VARIKTY (Published In llnllywood by Dally Virloty. Md.) |10 ■ rfiif~ti:f ror^Urv .. L -^ ■ ' ' .' I