Variety (Dec 1941)

84 'Wednesdaj, December '31, 1941 OBITUARIES BLANCHE BATES Blanche Bates, 69, Xor 30 years one of America's leading stage stars, per- haps best remembered for, her role In The Girl of the Golden West' 36 years ago, died in San Francisco.on Christmas Day. Wife of George Creel, playwright, drama critic and former Denver police commissioner, she retired from the stage In 1926 to settle <lown In San Francisco with her husband. Creel was also U. S. Commissioner at the San Francisco Fair and U. S. government censor during World War L She emerged from retirement only once, in 1933, when Jed Harris asked her to play a supporting role in The Lake' with Katharine Hepburn, Miss .Bates played her first bit in 1894,. later starring in 'Madame But- terfly,' 'Under Two Flags,' The Darling of the Gods' and other stage successes. Her parents were actors and Miss Bates was bom in Port- land, Ore., while they were on tour. At one time she was a school teacher In San Francisco. Miss Bates made her flrst appear- ance in New York at Daly's in 1897, under the management of Augustin Daly, in Taming of the Shrew.' In 1899 she scored a personal success at the Broadway theatre in The Three 'Musketeers.' She became a leading lady for David Bdasco in 1900 and a major legit star as Chb- Cho-San in 'Butterfly.' BAT L. HALL Ray L. Hall, 62, chief of the news- reel liaison bureau otthe War De- Pflttment's Public Relations jniJIfii:. ^ran newsreel and newspaper editor, died in Doctor's Hospital, Washing- ton, D. C, Dec. 23, following three weeks' illness from pneumonia. He joined the War Department as chief liaison for newsreels in the Public Relations Bureau last March. A graduate ot the University of Indiana, Hall was widely known as a newspaperman with the United Press and' International News Serv- ice before he went into the motion picture business, He became asso- ciated with the newsreels flrst as edi- tor of Hearst Selig News Pictorial ' In 1914. Later he became editor of the Screen. Telegram and Newsreel for the Mutual Film Co. Hall was in charge of motion pic- ture production and editor of the Official War Reviews for the Com- mittee on Public . Information in 14}8. From 1919 to 1925 he served as editor and production manager for Kihogram Newsreel and for two years, beginning in 1925, was a pro- duction manager for Fox Variety. From 1931 to 1940 he' was associated with several motion picture enter- prises in an executive capacity. Survived by - widow, three sons Bi^d a daughter. Burial in Kentland, Ind., his birthplace, following serv- ices Friday (26) in Washington. WILLIAM BUNGH William Bunch, Negro, 39, who under the tag ot 'Peetie Wheatstraw' wrote and played music that was recorded, and two companions were ' klUed in East St Louis, IlLJast week when the auto in which they were riding crashed inib the rear of a Louisville & Nashville train stand- ' ing on A sidln^'^ltness^ said the automobile Was traveling at a high rate ot speed. The accident occurred near Bunch's home and his wife, hearing the crash hastened to the scene to learn he; husband was one of the victims. ^ ' Bunch's picture iappears on adver- Btlsements of .'a . record. company as Ha guitar and piano player. Included ^ In the music he wrote and played ere 'Suicide Blues,' 'Cutten '£m Slow,' 'Gangster Blues' and The Devil's Son-in-Law.' BIAX STEBLma Max Sterling (George McLachlan),. 72, well-known 'British illusionist, died in Devonshire, England, Nov. ' 18. Originally a journalist,'he served in that capacity in the Matabele and Boer Wars and while in South Africa became a close friend of Cecil Rhodes. Sterling joined the staff of the London Daily Mail,sthen turned to vaudeville as a magician and orig- inated many triclcs. He was one of the early members of the Variety Artists Federation and on its com- mittee. He had lived in retirement for some years. WILLIAM NESBITT ' William Nesbltt, 51, film shipper In Pittsburgh for more than 25 years, died at his home in that city last week after a. long illness. Prac* Ucally aU of NesbiU's family Is in the film business in Pittsburgh. Besides his widow, he leaves five sons, William, It., shipper for Pro- ducers Releasing Corp.; Robert, shipper for Monogram; Raymond, shipper for M-G, and Albert and Jack, both connected with the Brushton theatre, Pittsburgh. LEE MILLAB Lee Millar, 63, radio character actor, died Dec. 24 following a heart attack in Glendale, Cal. After a long stage career, he turned to radio and had been a stock regular on Lux Radio Theatre, 'Dr. Christian' and other network programs. He also did the voice of Pluto In the Walt Disney cartoons. Leaves widow, Verna Felton, radio actress, and a son, Hay, 17, actor In little theatre" plays on tEe~CoasC LEOPOLDINE CTINA') BPBBOUOHS Mrs. Leopoldins (Tina*) Bur- roughs, 64, former circus performer with the Leamy Troupe, died Dec. 26 in liOS Angeles. She was the aunt of Lillian Leitzel, noted aerlalist who was killed in a plunge from a trapeze some years ago. JOSEPH WEISS Joseph Weiss, 68, newspaperman, actor and founder of the Forward Association, publishers of the Jew- ish Daily Forward,- Jewish language daily, died in Brool[lyn,sDec 25. Weiss had written for the Forward $nd had acted i n a road company of Abie's Irish Rose.' JOHN C. HAHN John G. Hahn, 77, veteran Toledo musician and president of the To- ledo Federation, of Musicians, died Dec.. 23 after an illness of several months. He was a member of . Local No. IS for 45 years and had served as president seven years. Widow and a son survive. ABTHDB LISTER Arthur Listelr, 77, died in Newton, la., Dec. 21. He owned and operated the former Lister Opera House, Newton, for 35 years,' but had lieen retired for the last three years. Survived by a brother. . WILLIAM CLIFFOBN WiUiam Cliflom, 64,- veteran stage and film actor, died in 'Los Ang'eles, Dec. 23. He had been playing char- acter parts in pictures after a long stage career. WILL HOBWITZ Will Horwitz, 65, vet Houston fllin exhibitor, died in that city Dec. 25 after a brief illness. Further details in_Picture section. Jolliis Voglcr, 82, retired music teacher and descendant of Georg Friedrich Handel, the coAiposer, died in Ridgewood Nj., Dec. 26. He was the author of eight ttooks on music. Surviving are two daughters and three sons. Miguel de Zarraga, 58, former member of the foreign publicity de- partment at-Columbia, died Dec. 26 in StoUywood. Surviving^ is-his-wi- dow, Elena da Zarraga, magazine writer, Mrs. Emma Hanley, mother of James P. Hanley, songwriter, died at her Dauglaston, L. I., home Dec. 25. Surviving are five sons and two daughters. Mother of Ted Blake, Pittsburgh night club entertainer and band leader, died at her home in Phila- delphia, Dec. 22, after a short illness. Jack Fox, 35, Columbus, Ind., mu- sician, died Dec. 20 after having been struck by an automobile. Wi- dow and child survive. Mother, 86, of Hedda Hopper, film actress and radio commentator, died in Altoona, Pa, Dec. 28. Ringling's Ta^ Claim Austin, Texas, Dec. 30. A suit against the state of Texas, seeking refund of $24,732 taxes on admissions under protest, was filed by Ringling Bros. & Barnum & BaUey circus in the district court here. The plaintiff claimed the tax un- fair and unoonistltutional. MARRIAGES Maria da la Luz Trevlno to Ed- wardo Martinez, in San Antonio, Dec. 21. He Is daneeband leader and m.c. on Spanish rad'i programs In San Antonio. Janet KIstemen to Lloyd Franke, in San Francisco, Dec. 7. She's KYA, Frisco, traffic manager. Marjorie Loeb to Morton Gerber in New York, Dec. 25. He's in War-, ner's publicity department Evea Brown, ex-Mrs. B. S. Bereo- vici, publicist and radio announcer, and herself aide to 'Cholly Knicker- bocker,' to Major Alfred L Schimpf, Dec. 25, in Greenwich, Conn. Jean Carr to Anthony Parlsl, Jan. 14, in Buffalo. Bride has been 'Caro- lyn Sales,' shopping guide on WEBR, Buffalo. Florence Kohn to Irving Fein, in Las Vegas, Nov., Dec. 25. Groom is on.Samuel Goldwyn's publicity staff. Jane Engleburt, to Richard Lisella, in Los 'Anjgeles, Dec. 24. Groom Is -with Tommy Dorsey's orchestra. ' Constance Polan to Jerry Wald, in Las Vegas, Dec. 25. Bride is Efister of Baron Pdlan, of the Leland Hayward agency; groom Is associate producer at Warners.. Beverly Williams to Robert Metz- ler, in Beverly Hills, CaL, Dec. 27. Groom is screen writer and son of Fred Metzler, 20th-Fox treasurer. Betty Browne to John Foster Baird, In New York, Dec. 26. Groom is legit director. Gloria VanderbUt to Pat DiCleco in Santa Barbara, Cel., Deo. 28. The bride is the society heiress; he's a Hollywood talent agent former hus- band of the late Thelma Todd, film actress. Lillian Bums to George Sidney, Las Vegas, Nov., Dec. 25. Bride is Metro drama coach; he's director at same studio. Rosemary' Lane to Buddy West- more, Dec. 29, in Flushing, N. Y. Bride is film and legit actress; he's the Hollywood makeup specialist Jane Gordon to David Wayne, in New York. Both are stage players. Agatha Margaret. Lelfflen to Leonard Warren, Dec. 20, in Brook- lyn, N. Y. He's the Met opera barl.'. tone. Barbara Ward to Corporal Gordon Lawhead, Dec. 24, in Hernando, Miss. Bride is actress with Memphis Civic Theatre; he's former production council chairman and stager for t^e same group. Roberta Star Sample to Harry Salter, in. New York, Dec. 29. She's music researcher; he's . the radio maestro. Muriel Evans to Thomas Newson Doyle, 3d, Dec. 23, in New York. Bride Is in the news and special features department of WOR, New York. Annabelle Lee Rousseau, stage and screen actress, to Sam Galanty, mideastem division sales manager for Columbia Pictures; in Washing- ton, Dec. 25. Need More Pix for Latins continued from pace 3s BIRTH5, Mr. and.Mrs. Robert Smith, son, Dec. 13, in-Buflalo^Father_ls-'Smll-. ing Bob,' singer and emcee on WGR- WKBW, Buffalo. ' Mr. and Mrs. Dan Melnick, daugh- ter, Dec. 24, in New York. Father is. treasurer- of -the-Fulton - theatre,- N. Y. Mr. end Mrs. Lige Brien, son, in Pittsburgh, Dec- 23. Father is man- ager of 'WB's Belmar theatre, Pitts- burgh. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Alvin, son, Dec. 23 in iiOs Angeles. Father is NBC staff publicist Mr. and Mrs. Morris R. Jacobs, son, in New York, Dec. 25. Father is gen- eral manager of Sam K Harris en- terprises. Mr. and Mrs, Luigl LuraschI, daughter, In Hollywood, Dec. 24.' Fa- ther is Paramount's censor of films designed for South America. Mr. and Mrs. William Flfleld, son, in Hollywood, Dec. 25. Mother is Mercedes McCambridge, radio act- ress; father Is radio and magazine writer. Mr. and Mrs. Manuel Avila, son, Dec. 26, in Cincinnati, Father is Spanish announcer on 'WLWO; C*cy. Mr. and Mrs. WiUiam Carley, son, in Charlotte, N, C, Dec. 23. Father is publi'city-promotlon director of WBT, Charlotte, Mr. and Mrs. W. H. LolUer, daugh- ter, in Hollywood, Dee, 28. Father is Fox-West Coast official Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Knight son, Dec. 15, in Orlando, Fia. Mother is dancer and. singer; father is musician, directly on radio, newspapers and magazines, and fllms. - - While the Vazls have set a fast pace, the United States also has been outstripped by the Italians, Japanese as well as the British. We've been talking ^nd surveying, but the Others have been really at work. So, we must make up for lost time by more intensive and more practical enter- prise. Constructive suggestions in the re- port just filed with the House of Representatives include: 1. Send more radio scripts for local presentation with native talent. 2. Send more transcriptions, being careful about 'absolute purity of tongue.' 3. Furnish more news for home consumption. 4. Realize Latins don't 'want pic- tures about themselves but are anx- ious to have better ideas of U. S. life and customs. ' 6. Intensify production of educa-. tlonal and Informative shorts. 6. Send more'live talent entertain- ment. 7. Encourage cultural societies formed by Americans abroad and working closely witti domestic, units. 8. Curtail and control more care- fully the typical 'good' will tours' and business promotion ventures, warn- ing tourists to behave more dlgnlfi- edly and show greater appreciation for the natives. Underlying the comments was a clear, hint the lawmakers felt the U. S. has been too much Influenced, in its attempts to cultivate Latta American friendships, with profit motives. HI - will has been engen- dered more often than friendly feel- ing, because of American InepUtQde and lack of sympathy, the Congres- sional jury implied. Talen OK for Bound One of the few junkets that Is unanimously deemed a success, the report said, was made by the Yale Glee Cliib through 'practically all South American countries. Giving a good program al modest admissions, the Boola-Boolas drew capacity audi- ences everywhere. Lawmakers com- mented 'choral singing is something new in Latin America and with the Latin ear for good music It Is only natural that they received a uni- versal ovation. It was pleasing to hear that as a result of this trip several choral societies either have been formed or are in the course of formation.' Squawks'Verei heard about high tariffs charged bji American artists on p.a. tours, report said. More per- formers should make swings around the chili circuit but 'as a matter ot patriotic service' boxdfflce scales should be kept at minimum con- sistent with good business. As many VS. Industry figures have warned, there are 'too itew DX re- ceivers-in Latin-America to warrant expectations of. valuable results from short-waved radio programs, the lawmakers commented. Discussing radio, they said only a tiny segmRit of the populace picks up such broad- casts. _ YaxAa Backward on Badio "Several' naUons outstrip the U.S. in radifl wooing of the Latins, the report declared. In one large metro- politan city the Free French and Japanese have more air time weekly than we'do, the'Germans" broadcast 2% hours daily, but the U.S. has only one-half hour each week. 'In the opinion of the committee, a most effective idea in the field of radio would be for the preparation of scripts In the United States de- lineating, by drama, our history, our institutions, our culture, and so forth, with the purpose of having broad- q.asts In this script material put on with local talent on radio stations located in the various Latin-Ameri- can countries,' report said, 'Record transcriptions are likewise valuable and the programs thereon can be produced in the United States in Spanish and Portuguese and the transcriptions then sent to the local radio stations in Latin-America for rebroadcast. Caution' should be ex- ercised to Insure absolute purity of tongue In any such record transcrip- tion made in either the Spanish or Portuguese language. 'The radio is an extremely effective media for reaching the people and we must avail of it on a much larger scale as an approach to better under- standing.' Reader's Digest Breveted Foreign-language editions of week- ly news magazines were urged, with the lawmakers handing Reader's Digest laurels for their enterprise. Re- ception of the pocket-sized mag was 'Instantaneous' everywhere south of the border, so other enterprising publishers would do well to pick up this idea. Special editions in Span* Ish and' Portuguese airmailed down imder would be extremely helpful in promoting good relations. (Report was drafted before the hullabaloo in Chile over recent article in Time, although Time's Airmail edition Is'In- English.) Pleasure was registered that Jock Whitney circuited South America to ascertain the type of screen enter- tainment most desired. The law< makers remarked 'some deplorable mistakes have been made In the past' in the type of movies that have been produced by our studios and sent' down for showing In Latin-America.' Patrons don't care about our at- tempts to interpret', their national life, they said. "The committee was asked on sev.' eral occasions why it had not beeni possible to procure films which ex- emplified the various phases'of our national existence, such as industrial films, films' depicting our national parks, our Army, our Navy, and so forth,' House was told. 'Moving pic- ture proje<;tor3 and equipment wera purchased last year for all of our embassies and legations in South America, but during the course of the trip we were imable to find a single place where the equipment had been used to any extent simply because of the fact that there are no films available. (Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs last week sent the first batch ot nine films down for the Embassy machines. Many more are being pre- pared and sent) 'The American movie Is one of the chief features of entertainment throughout Latin-America. It is also one of the most effective means of brlngingT facts about ourselves to the- attention of our Latin-American neighbors. 'In the "opinion of the committee, attention should be given to this sub- ject at onciS.vwIth a view of develop, ing short films that can be shown throughout Latin-America and that wiU serve to educate the Latin. American peoples as to the ways of American life. When the program is under way, accurate check should be kept on the number of people view- ing these films in order that we may know how far-reaching the coverage may be.' Though demands for economy In non-defense expenditures will cause curteiled appropriations for many activities, the committee survey may lead to bigger outlays in. future years for assisting private industry along these lines. The group seemed favor- ably disposed toward the. broad out. lines of the program devised by Nel- son Rockefeller, Coordinator of In- ter-American Affairs, though feel- ing his activities should be more closely integrated with routine State Department operations and organize./ tion. I □ Film Checking Conttmred-froin'page a comparable film Is doing this year) such an account gets into the splits and sliding scale upward quicker than he.had.*xpected. Theichecking-. shows that the starting point on the percentege—or in such a case $10(W' was apparently much too low and' this has been discovered through clocking the theatre. The account that can be trusted only when a checker is at the thea- tre counting every admission, re- cording every price change, has also outsmarted himself in other ways this season. Where he has made a« deal on percentage, with reversion up or down, if he had used a $200 figure instead of $100 as a basis, the sliding scale may have been down- ward In his favor instead of up- ward. On splits, many of which have beep lowered this season, he vcould similarly have avoided pay- ing added percentage, but so far as the distrib is concerned it is felt that if an account is making much more on certein pictures this year than he claimed he did on those of similar 'value last season, then he should be paying more in rental, too. ■When percentege selling first came into vogue prior to depression, dls- tribs checked, virtually all accounts; especially those that were in doubt but of late seasons the practice has relaxed considerably, partly due to the cost Some distribs maintain their own checking crews through- out the country, while of I -s use ■ outside agencies organized for the purpose.