Variety (Jan 1942)

B4 Wednesday, January 28, 1942 OBITUARIES 1 VESS OSSMAN Vcss Ossman, M, veteran stage and recording musician, died Jan. 22 In St Louis following a heart at- tack. For the past few years he had been a talent agent in that city. Oaman in vaudeville was teamed with Rex Schepp, now manager of radio station WIRE, Indianapolis. A banjoist, Ossman once recorded for Victor and also had his own bands. He was leading the orchestra atop the old Madison Square Garden in N. Y. the night that Harry K. Thaw murdered Stanford White. His father, Vess,' Sr., was also a banjoist, cred- ited with being among the first re- cording artists and for a time they worked as a duo billed as The Oss- mans. The act of Ossman and Schepp broke up around 10 years ago with the decline of vaudeville. Osman is survived by his widow and two daughters. NEMO (Edward Francis Mnlhern) Edward Francis Mulhern, 62, died Dec. 26 in a veterans hospital near New York. He was away from grease paint for years but was once a favorite clown with the Ringling circus before it was combined with the Barnum and Bailey outfit Mulhern's professional name was Nemo, few knowing his right name. He was a frequent visitor at Joe Cook's former home at Lake Ho- patcong, N. J. Once he went there for a 'weekend' and stayed two years, .sometimes working around .the .es-.. tate. One of his exploits was to quaff 52 straight drinks of whisky at a bar—yet was able to walk out A close friend was the late Paul Mc- Cullough, former partner of Bobby Clark. BEBTIE CONWAT Bertie Conway, 70, veteran stage actress, died in Bayside, L.-L, Jan.. 20. The daughter of the late George, and Lizzie Conway, prominent in show J^iz three generations ago. Miss Conway debuted with Char- lotte Cushman at the Walnut Street theatre, Philadelphia, blit she scored best in the Charles Hoyt farces, 'A Texas Steer* and 'A Bunch of Keys,' In New York. She married William Gray, duo, playing vaudeville as Gray and Conway. Gray later be- came manager of the Orpheum, Milwaukee. Husband survives. Cremation and services were held in Philadelphia, where she was born. from the band business several years ago because of illness. Surviving is his widow, Helen Wehrle, former Ziegfeld girl. LOUISE WRIGHT Louise Wright 42, vaudeville singer, in private-life Louise Wright DeLuccia, died Jan. 18 in Paterson, N. J. She retired from the stage shortly after her marriage in 1027. Surviving are her husband, a daughter, a sister and four brothers. PEG METER Mrs. Ethel Meyer, known as Peg Meyer, Buffalo radio actress, died Jan. 18 in Buffalo. Survived by husband and two children. HARRY 8. CARTER Harry Strickland (Nick) Carter, 58, died- Jan. 16 in Havan a. He was formenjnbllCfSlStions counser"and Keith vaudeville actor. HENRY K. OPIENSKI Henry K. Oplenskl, 73, European composer and music critic, died in Berne, Switzerland, Jan. 21. ANDRE BELLESSORT Andre Bellessort, 76, critic and life secretary of the French Acad-, emy, died in Paris, Jan. 21. Mrs. Minnie L. Wlcsner, 72, mother of-Max- and-Harold -Wiesnerp-owners of part of the Fox Wisconsin group of theatres, died Saturday (24) in Milwaukee. Profesaor Charles Kelly, 92, music teacher, who gave the Metropolitan Opera Co.'s general manager, Ed- ward Johnson, his first music lesson, died in Guelph, Ont., Jan. 26. Wife of John F. Royal, NBC vice- president, died Jan. 26, in New York City, after a long invalidism with a heart condition. A son and daugh- ter also survive. Mrs. Carrie Brown Tracy, 67, mother of Spencer Tracy, film actor, died in Hollywood, Jan. 23. An- other son, Carroll, also survives. L. B. Stnmph, 59, purchasing agent for the Hal Roach studio, died Jan. 21 in Los Angeles. offered, rather than risk Indefinite delays in Rio. Departure of American acts and failure of replacements to arrive on schedule has been particularly tough on the three major Rio casinos, Copacabana,' Antlantico and Urco. These spots for a number of years have used Yank talent almost exclu- sively. Fortunately, war's start came at onset of summer season, when the spots use improvised shows. Fonr Olrls Stay Behind When Miss Bowman and Haakon left four American gals in the Copa line had agreed to stay on and were teaching native Brazilian gals the tricks. Four who stayed in Rio were Madelyn Cole, Mary Lou Graham, Betty Lou Graham and Billie Graham. Organist Ethel Smith also stayed. Other American citizens on the Copa bill, most of whpm-re- turned to the States, Included band leader Basil Fomeen and Frackson the magician. Week following the attack on Pearl Harbor found a virtual pall over Rio and business In the casinos at rock bottom. Niterles in Rio are adjuncts of the wide-open gam bling room s. -ATTrericans-and-otheirteurlsls are Ihe best patrons of the roulette, cbemln- de-ter, etc., and they were interested in getting home, not in blacks and reds, so grosses in both the casinos and niterles were dismal. What frightened, the Americans even more than the Brazilians, Miss Bowman said, were the wild reports the first week, and no way of check- ing on them. Air raid scares in^New York and San Francisco during the first four days of war became giant bombings as reported In Rio. Getting news from the States by possible. Miss Bowman said, because it was difficult to find anyone with a shortwave receiver. And the Asso- ciated Press and United Press news aired by local Rio stations was in Portuguese, which the Americans didn't understand. In addition, the Nazi propagandists were apparently making the most of the situation by furthering false reports of N. Y. and S. F. bombings. JOHN BARTON BROWNE John Barton Browne, 55, writer and former advertising. and enter/- tainment supervisor of Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, died there Jan. 24 from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. He had been ill. . Browne's most successful literary effort was ,'In the Garden of the Moon,' which ran in Satevepost and later was filmed by Warners. Sev- eral weeks ago a son died in Hono- lulu following a swimming accident KURT ENGEL Kurt Engel, 32, Viennese concert pianist died in New York, Jan. 22, of a heart attack while teaching a pupil. Engel gave solo recitals in vari- ous symphony capitals and was so- loist with outstanding symphony or- chestras before coming to the U. S about three years ago. His last public appearance was at Carnegie Hall on April 22 for Brit- ish War Relief. His parents survive WILLIAM CLnW William Hamilton Cline, 73, news- paper writer, poet and at one time manager of the Los Angeles Or- pheum theatre, died Jan. 23 in Los Angeles after an illness of four months. For years he was a member of the L. A. Times staff but a fractured leg forced him to retire from active Journalism in 1936. Surviving are three, brothers. Fear -continued Stranding :d from page 3 ^^^^ BARNEY BICBTEB Bernard (Barney) Richter, 54, chief steward 'at the Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Center, from 1934 to 1936, died in New York, Jan. 23. He had also been chief steward at Billy Rose's Casa Manana, N. Y., and Jack Dempsey's restaurant in Miami. His widow survives. LESLIE STEVENS Leslie Stevens, 42, former orches- tra leader, died Jan. 21 in LoS An- geles of pheumonla.i iHe Jiad I retired that' is perhaps only temporary. Is that biz in niterles and other spots using live talent has been badly hit by the war. Latins, who are prone to feel more deeply about things than their Yank neighbors, are gravely put Out by the approach of war to this hemisphere, according to people in show business who have returned to the States since Dec. 7. Still another angle on the bad grosses south of the border is the economy wave that has set in among the Latins as a result of the war. South America is much more de- pendent on foreign trade for its pros- perity than the United States is. War and blockades by the Latin nations have cut off entirely the former flourishing commerce with Germany, Italy and Japan. So there's good reason to put a brake on the bank account Want to Help Meantime; the' Office of Inter American Affairs, charged with the job of promoting goodwill in South America, is attempting to work out transportation and financial difflcul' ties so that U. S. performers can con. tinue entertaining the good neigh, bors. Dancers, musicians, vaude. villians and others in show business have been greatly appreciated by the Latins a>id have done much to cut turally cement the two continents. Among those who cut short their dates in S. A. to return to this coun- try were dancers Patricia Bowman and Paul Haakon. They were teamed together at the Copacabana in Rio. Set for six weeks, they were offered an additional six weeks at the top South American spot but turned it down. Fact is, they lopped three days off their original engagement to catch a boat back. With air reserva- tions, virtually impossible to obtain and steamship companies refusing any Information as to future plans, pair decided it would be wise to 'get .back:tO'New'.York when the chanoe Re: Bodil Rosing Editor, "Variety': Your obituary column, recording the death in Hollywood of Bodil Rosing, referred to this noted Danish player as a 'he.' Bodil Rosing was a lady, a very accomplished lady. Your brief comment stated that the deceased left a son and two daughters. One of the daughters is the wife of Monte Blue, and it was on a visit to the Blues about 12 years ago that Miss Rosing attracted the attention of Monta Bell, who gave her her first screen role. A Taxpayer. 'Charity' Squeeze On Star$ ^Continued from page ; announced and dropped out of the i find Miss Garbo Is being unjusu, Oboler program because they did not criticized. She was never approached like the script only Garbo is being | by anyone.. .neither by Oboler, th, blamed' for thevbalk. Actually she never consented to appear and did not authorize the publicity story that at long last she was breaking her anti-radio rule. Greta Garbo was In New York, not Hollywood, on Saturday, Doing her customary hideout at the Ritz Tow- ers, she declined responsibility to those who had presumed to speak for her without her consent. She has long had a genuine horror of radio and is quoted as seeing no reason why she should endure personal agony simply to permit Arch Oboler to score a 'scoop' and add her to his gallery of 'for free' promotions. Oboler's Explanation Arch Oboler, writer-director of program, states thai Garbo was asked by Victory Committee for Stage, Screen and Radio, and by Leland JJaywsrdrJier- agentrand -Salfca-Vier- tel, her closest friend, to appear on March o' Dimes' broadcast He was also assured, he states, that a group of Hollywood stars would call on Garbo personally to urge her partici- pation. He was so positive she'd show up that he wrote 30-second ap- peal for her to read and went ahead to lay out rest of show. Knowing her fright of microphones, he offered to set up facilities in her home or whatever spot she designated. Not until 24 hours before broad' cast .time was he advised by G. W. Johnstone from New Yorlrthat Garbo .shortwave--radio- was - almost-lm-' -would-nof-appearr- Itfeefiwline "he said publicity had kept rolling and no attempt by Garbo or Metro had been made to issue denial. Oboler further states that while in Washington he was asked which Hoi lywood personality would mean most to show. All agreed on Garbo, and Oboler got busy when he returned to the Coast. Another angle figuring in Garbo choice was that she never did any thing for charity via radio and It was considered unlikely she would 'turn down the President.' Oboler declared the Hollywood Victory committee told him he could bank on Garbo. A spokesman for the committee informed 'Variety' this was not true, stating actress was not approached by committee as it had learned such overtures were useless. Victory committee states Oboler gave out the publicity, took the whole gamble and lost Lorreta Young, Ronald Colman, Jean Arthur, Thoma.« Mitchell with- drew from program because of dis- satisfaction with Oboler's script Spencer Tracey withdrew because of death in his family. But it was Garbo whose non-appearance-started the rumpus. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Gentile, daugh- ter, Jan. 21, in Los Angeles. Father is stage actor; mother is former Beth Langford, Coast radio publicist Mr. and Mrs. Joe Kane, son, Jan. 16, In Hollywood. Father is pro- ducer-director at Republic. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Grevem- berg, son, Jan. 13, in New Orleans. Father is engineer with WLW, New Orleans. Mr. and Mrs. Morris Finkel, son, in Pittsburgh, Jan. 19. Father is an owner of indie theatre chain In Pittsburgh. Mr. and Mrs. James A. Griffin, daughter, in Pittsburgh, Jan. 18. Mother is former Peggy Doughertyj stock actress and vaude player. Mr. and Mrs. William R. Stephen son, daughter, in Hollywood, Jan. 23. Mother is the former Patricia Zieg feld, daughter of Billie Burke and the late Florenz Ziegfeld. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Peterson, son, in San Francisco, Jan. 18. Father is 'Ricardo,' KGO-KPO musical direc. tor. Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bernstein, son, Jan. 20, in Bay City, Mich. Fa- ther is owner of a picture house cir- cuit in Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. E. T. McKenzie, son Jan. 14, in Detroit. Father is known as Ed Thomas at WJBK, Detroit: mother as Madeline Nixon, was for- merly traffic manager at WJBK. Mr. and Mrs. Clark Ramsay daughter, in Los Angeles, Jan. 26, Father )s Universal Studio advertis ing manager. Mr. and Mrs. Frank McKenna, daughter, in New York, Jan. 23, Father's in Metro's eastern story de- partment New York Comment G. W. Johnstone, chairman of the radio division of the President's Birthday ball. In New York, finds the whole episode 'unfortunate and embarrassing' and is unable to ex plain what prompted Arch Oboler to promise to deliver Greta Garbo, We were extremely skeptical when her name was first mentioned,' John- stone points out adding that under no circumstances did Keith Morgan or any other executives of the drive want any 'pressure' put on stars for gratis radio appearances. At NBC it is freely admitted it was very ticklish and that there has been widespread adverse reaction. Apparently It was when NBC sent engineers to call at the Ritz Towers that the fiasco became known Oboler attempted to convince Miss Garbo that there was nothing to tear by telegraphing her her 'script' to prove how short it was. NBC was prepared to wire an apartment at the Ritz Towers so that Miss Garbo could read her line or two al^so lutely unseen except by the neces. sary engineers and stand-by. an nouncer. Metro had seen the original radio publicity but did not consider Itself bound to intervene. Nobody imag ined the story was a phoney. It was seen as a matter between the star and the Infantile Paralysis auspices. However, in view of the weekend reaction, Metro now wonders it Miss Garbo "has been injured. Point that's feared is possibility of col- umnists panning her rather than Oboler for the incident Howard Dlelz' Statement In answer to the statement issued by Arch Oboler in Hollywood, How- ard Dietz of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer said: 'After,, investigating, .the , facts,^ I victory committee nor any auifaoN Ized agent to appear-on this.pio. gram.v Oboler says that he spoke to SaUce Vlertel, a friend. Mrs, Vier, tel says that she told Oboler that Miss Garbo was out of town and could not be reached. He says he spoke to Leland Hayward, Mia Garbo's agent Hayward says 'Uss Garbo had never appeared on th« air because she does not consider the radio her medium end she has re- fused numerous offers ^or mlcio> phone appearances and at the tine of Oboler's request Miss Garbo had gone out of town. Oboler does admit that Miss Garbo did not say 'yes.' Naturally she did not say yes be- cause the first knowledge she had that there was any broadcast ar- ranged for her was when NBC called her maid at the last momeot flPtl i'='? g ge''ted t hf inst allfl flnn n f .— microphone in her apartment The broadcasting company was Immedi- ately notlflid that an error had been made and they sent out a statemeat to the papers that there had been a - misunderstanding in order to elarly their previous release of the program that Included Miss Garbo's name. 'Miss Garbo would not refuse to cooperate In any patriotic or charit- able enterprise. Oboler made the request through the Hollywood Coi ordlnatlng Committee of which Charles Feldman is In charge of talent ' Feldman said that he could notTeach- Miss -GarBtf'afihe "tttfir" and he substituted another star tor the sketch that had been written. Oboler never communicated with MGM and we have no occasion there- fore to attempt to reach Miss Garbo who is on vacation from the studios. Under the circumstances, it is not right for Oboler to Issue ambiguous and damaging statements about her.' MARRIAGES Rita Gould to Edward Sorest Dec. 28, In Los Angeles. Bride Is stage and film actress; he Is former legit actor. Phyllis Malhle to John Kresge, In Pittsburgh, Jan. 24. He is music librarian at KDKA, Pittsburgh. Pearl Mermelstein to Morton Stahl, in Sharon, Pa., Jan. 1. He Is asst. manager and booker for his father's string of theatres. Mary Owen to Harry Remington, in Detroit, Jan. 17. He is publicity director of the Fox theatre there. Jane Oslln to Dick Ketner, in San Antonio, Jan. 22. He is a San An- tonio radio guitarist Kay Harris to Henry Freulich, Jan. 24, in Las Vegas. Ncv. He's a cameraman; she's a Aim player. June Lee Ferguson to William Loren, In Lynchburg, Va., Jan. 26. He Is announcer at WLVA, Lynch- burg. Joy Richards to Jock Fcarnhead. Jan. 22, In Los Angeles. He is NBC aaditor. Adelaide Collins to Frank K. FlU- gerald, Jr., Jan. 22, in New York. Bride is daughter of Ted Collins, the radio producer. Lucile Wilds to Dave Levy, Jan. 23, in New York. He's director of 'We, the People,' radio program. COURT RESTORES DFT. THEATRE TO KRAMERS Detroit, Jan. 27. Although a receiver has been ad- ministering the house, the Kramer theatre here Is going to be restored to the Kramer family. Decision was handed down by the Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld an earlier ruling in the Federal District Court Detroit The Kramer family was seeking recovery of the house from Cohn and Shevin, circuit owners, charg- ing that they had failed to make the Jiouse profit. The circuit owners charged they had lived up to their lease and that needed improvements were not made by the Kramers. During the Interval between the appeal from the earlier verdict. Ed- gar E. KIrchner waj! named receiver, and in the first three months in which he operated the Kramer he showed a 50% boost over the com parabte> period rthe year before.