Variety (Feb 1942)

Wednesdayt Frifaraagy 11, 1942 4,1 CHATTER Bnndwaj plans spring Earl Carroll miltlc&l Show biz barrister Lee Blelch In jl' Sinai hospital. Barney Balaban too busy to take e Florida vacation this year. Mward G. Robinson spending a tw"week vacash In New York. Jean Muir trained to Hollywood on a tentative one-plctnre deal. Svmpb conductor Lehman Engel will be drafted In the Aimor around "john Mullens, formerly of the A. H. Woods office, gravely 111 at St. Eliza- beth's hospital. „ . _ ^ , Cy Mann, ex-XavIer Cugat man- Bcer, now aide to Wally Downey in his booking agency. Victor Mature-Martha Stephenson Kemp splitup no surprise to their Stork Club intimates. Tim Gale, Moe's brother and prez of Gale Agency, a subsld of Gale, Inc., due for the Army. Oscar Serlin planed to Coast Fri. day (6) in search of leads for his Diay, The Moon Is Down.' . Jack Allman out of Dwyer's Saw dust Trail, Broadway nitery, to open own place at Brighton Beacfa. Music Box slated to rellcht next month with Tevival of TCia f«K- Cin- derella,' starring Luise Rainer. Leda Bauer, RKO's, «8steni stoiy editor, is recuperating in the Ftencb hospital from an appendix ^sMcing last week. Gloria Safler, former press agent, has joined the ranks of tbe agents. Now associated with Faiil Smalrs office. . _ H. Allen Smith goes to Hollywood next montii on assignment Inr. Satur- day Evening Post to do story on Bing Crosby. Dick Mealand, Paramonnrs east- ern story editor, leaves' tonight (Wednesday) on skiing vaettijpB in Canada. Grad Sears away from bis desk at Unit el Artists until next Monday (16) while be visits bis. 01 son in Palm Beach. Carl Leserman has horticultural problems - at his -Ha rrisc n, N. Y.. manse, now that his ga rdm er looks set to be drafted. Edward J. Miller, lATSE repre- ' sentative for the Texas tenritorjr at Houston, left Saturday (7) after con- ferences in New York. Don Higgins, publicity head at the t-March ol Time under Al Sindlinger, ad-publicity chief, may be called into active military service shortly, Owen Davis, Sr., operated on in New York for gall bladder condition yesterday (Tuesday). Owen Davis, Jr., takes physical exam tor Army next week. St Valentine's Day marlcs the 25th anniversary of Rose and Julian T. Abeles, theatrical attorney, and they're celebrating it at 'heir Green wich manse. Jules Levey plans pulling' out this week for several southern points where. 'Hellzapoppin' is playing or booked, a Miami date with the sun shine to follow, Dick Walsh, president of the lATSE, favors a drink made of grenadine and soda which he hit . upon in the first w.orld war in France as a substitute for water. Johnny Green salvaged four tunes from his original George Uarion. Jr. score, which Mike Todd was to have produced, but which becom^ - Gwirge Abbott show in the falL Some of the unknown characters on "Dream Street' (44th) whom Bob , Sylvester glorified so ex- pertly ih a recent Satevepost have "ow gained stature as neo-celebsL • 1 . ° °' Lombardotf wives looked forward to a Miami Beach vacaUon, but a band booking deal there feU through; the- band con- nif.^ Roosevelt nntn April „f"H Began, now' hibernating m MJami Beach where he closed at the oiympia, shuts into the Lookout House, near CincinnaU, Feb. 2* for two weeks, as forerunner of a series Of nitery bookings. Carl E. MiUiken, acting foreign nwnager of the" Motion Picture Pro- ducers & Distributors Assn., back n-om Washington where he repre- sented -the fUm business In negotia- ..l^i" progress on new trade pact with Peru. combo of Ethel .Waters and Duke EUington'a band. * Gene'Autry booked Into the Garr dens with his rodeo for six days be- ginning April 16. . Dr.' Kenneth AKen Gardner, hus- band of Wahneta Gardner, of M-G office, died recently. Monogram manager Mark Gold- man down more than 20 pounds since his recent illness. Sgt. Fred Welker, former NBC man on the Coast, is U.S. Marines' new piAlicist in this district. Jobmv Harris and his mother have left for Florida. She'll st^ aA wia- ter; hell )>e back in 10 days. Midget Chuck Stein, receptionist in Harris office, named official mas- cot of Marines, Pittsburgh division. Cliff Daniel, program director at WCAE, back on job again after be- ing hospitalized several weeks with strep throat Etzi Covato pulls out for Miami vacation as soon as his Villa Madrid partner, Mike Morra, returns from loneymoon there. Gray Carpenter, son of Braddock, Pa., exhib. now chief petty officer in Navy's public relations department at Jacksonville air base. past 12 years, back in his native Havana, with family, Amado Trinidad, cigaret manu- facturer and owner of the RHC radio chain, is now an exhibitor also. Has taken over the Campoomor theatre. Miami Beach Bill Brandt here. Harry Richman bolstering the late- hour biz at the Latin Quarter. Lord T^ileton hotel broke the newsrcels; along with the Latin Quarter, on the President's Ball. Abe Lyman, loyal to Jennie Gross- Inger, a resident at latter's hostelry. The joints hollering, 'Give u.i a few sets of dice and a few tables, never mind the headliners, and we'll do business.' Ben Gaines Is emulating the Lord Tarleton's show. I>iz' techniiiue and getting some of the show bunch Into his VanderbiK hotel. Ted Collins (Kate Smith) flashing pals that he c.wht a 67 and' 81- pound tarpon In Florida waters; has the certificate, photos, etc., to prove it Heil|W(NMl By Harry Martin Judy Garland laid up with throat trouble. Hedy Lamarr'f mother arrived ftom Europe. Jinunie Kdlcr's column dropped by' the L. A. Times. Nancy Kelly granted a- divorce from Edmond (yBrien. Johnny Mack Brown on six-wedc stage tour of southern states. EdmiHid O'Brien sued for ^0,213, the result on an auto crash, Dave Chandler checked out of Warners publicity department Ellen Drew to Washington to Join her husband, Capt Sy- Bartlett Joan Crawford bade fro m east ern vacation to resume picture work. H. A. McDonnell. Columbia studio, manager, parted with his to n s il s. Sidney R. Kent 20th-Fox prcxy. soaking up sunsliine at Palm Springs. Bessie Love filed $30,452 Inck ali- mohy suit against William B. Hawks. Col. Nathan Levinson back at War- ners after four wedcs in Waking- ton. , . Sally Rand touring at the head of a unit through Utah, Idaho and Colo rado. Herman Wobber and Tom Connors touring 20th-Fox Pacific Coast ex- changes. Harry Hamm resigned from the Myron Sclznick agency to return to England. Eddie Featherstone. film actor, signed up for his second war with the Nairy. ' , Hugh King joined the Myron Selz- nitk agency to handle story material and writers. Gregory La Cava's step-daughter, Jane, making her film debut in 'lady in a Jam' at UriiversaL Broderick Crawford back on the job at Universal after' several days off with an injured bock. Joe Rivkin donning an Army uni- form and turning over his clients to Dave Thompson for the duration. Sam Wood hosting kids from or- phdhages at the ball park during filming of 'Pride of the Yankees.' John Farrow to Palm Springs to recuperate from illness incurred while serving in the Canadian Na-sy. Herbert GibsAi. veteran stunt filer in picttires, was Iianded a flight lieu- tenant's commiffiion in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Dolores Del Rio returned to the cast of 'Journey Into Fear' at RKO- Pathe after holding up filming fbr a week through .illness. Babe Rutb arrived in town to play himself in the Samuel Goldwyn film, 'Pride of the Yankees,' depicting the career of Lou Gehrig. Jack Dalley in to bally 'Sullivan's Travels.' Golden Gloves slugfests getting nice play. Eddy Howard orch follows Dick Himber at Hotel Peabody Feb. 18. Civic Theatre's next {^eduction will lie "See My Lawyer* Feb. 26-27, Robert Jones directing. Barle Crotchett, Universal n«\n- red cameraman, joined Uncle Sam for active photographic duty. Sonthwestern University drama prof; H. Barrett Davis, plainioe show tor tour of neighboring-Army camps. Glen -Garr band did one-night Red Cross benefit in Cl^ridge Hotel F Bnese room evening before regular opening there. ', Herb Pickman three-sheetinc "Re- member tlie Day.' Visited by brother. Milt Pickman, Ted Lewis' manager, heading west for business confab with Tommy Dorsey. Betty bride. Twin Minneapolis By Leg Reea Phelps of Paramount Havana By Hal Cohen Arthur Levy in town ahead of Ch: eompany of 'Angel Street' s Jl'.i . ^H"' resigned as press hot^ Reggie Wilson at Roosevelt p,Sf«r Jane CoryeU has joined ^Thouse stair as assistant to Mary Warner Club wlU hold annual din- Marcb°2" °* WilUam Penn hotel -..?*^,^"'®r and his cowboy troupe "ound tri-stete territory for series ""personals. Btanltoi- cdiaherliig . fat t stage » art it Cltesa, distributor of Spanish films, out of business. Metro holding Its annual Arthur Loew drive beginning in March. 'Gone With the Wind' setting new marks in several neighborhood thea- tres. Almost the entire staff of CMQ artists appears in new Cuban film, 'Romance Musical.' Hellodoro Garcia back from South America. Brought print of Mexican picture starring Sofia Alvarez. Paramount will celebrate its 25lh anniversary in Cuba during the months of April and May, 1942. Manuel Alonso .now producing the Noticiario Nacional (newsreel) after breaking away from CMQ-El Crisol reel Candido Galdo and Samuel Ben- susan, new Monogram franchise holders, opened .spacious and modern offices. I 1 Juan Mencndez,.. Metro foreign publicist at 5tha home office' for the. City Variety club to stage affair for Red Cross benefit. Lowell Kaplan, Welworth circuit booker, entering armed forces. Harry Hirsch again handling Policemen's benefit show at Audi- torium.' Star Journal again sponsoring Golden Glove tournament at Audi- torium. Cliff Gill, 20th-Fox exploiteer. selling "S^^wamp Water* as horror picture. Twin City Variety club held party for June March, Hirsch-Katz bur- lesque star at Alvin. . Orpbeum has Jan Savitt and Sammy Kaye underlined for Feb. 27 and March 6, respectively. Norman Pyle, M-G exploiteer. put on invitation prevue showings of 'Vanishing Virginian' at Rochester and Duluth. Minn. With Bobby Riggs 'and Frankie Kovacs out because .of iHnes, Budge-Perry tennis show at Audi- torium drew only 1,200. After ex- penses less than $200 for performers remained. House Reviews from pace I6s FLATBUSH, B'KLYN ren, in his guitarist seat was belr^ carelessly boisterous or whether it was just part of a comedy gag with Breese. Rod Rogers' comedy is rather tame, although he shows considerable tal- ent Best thing that he does is a March of the Wooden Soldiers' rou- tine that, however, is not as good as that done for many years by Emile Borea He's also' a comedy singer and gagstei. Lack of material seems- to be his biggest snag. Mooie and Revet are stilt click 'With their novelty ballroom routines. Their opener, a cavalcade of ball- room dancing, is particularly sock. The comedy stuff is deft, also over big. The Adrian Rollini Trio re- mains an entertaining masical com- bination of bass violin, Rollini at the vibes and guitar. Their attire, how- ever, should be switched for north- ern winter booldngs; it just isn't tropical enough presently iJn Brook- lyn for white dinner jackets. Keka. TOWER, K. C. Husband' for Dwight Deere Wiman, remains just about the best eccentric dancing star in the business today. He combines the best features of Will Mahoney and late Jack Dona- hue with considerable of his own to put on a display of legmania that's tops in anybody's glossary of the hoofing great Only a Connie Soswell, who fol- lows him, could turn the trick, and at that Bolger gets away merely be- cause he introduces her following hit smash turn. First time for the sing- ing star at this house (for that matter, her first time la Pittsburgh), and gal's husky, haunting contralto ttom tlie stage- Is no letdown to those whose sole acquoiidaoce with her has been made via the air waves. Two other turns are in the groove, too. Shyrettos, two men and an sa. blonde built like Betty Grable, get the show off like a house afire with their nifty stunts on bicycles. Cappy Barra harmonica ensemble is bit of a letdown but tioys quickly demon- strate their mouth organ wizardry to keep the layout rolling in jig time. Marquee potency of combination, together with Wallace Beery in M-G's 'Bugle Sounds' on sci'een (he's always b.o. here), was demon- strated by the activity of the house rope all day despite a cold, chill Kansas^ CHm, Feb. 7. Ted Leuris Orch with Certnide Erdev, Geratdina ft Joe. Dorothv Ted, June Edioarda, Btoir Sisters 0>, Charles 'SnoabalT Whtttierr ■'BCim-, White and Perfect* (20th). Eddy Concert Top Jan ^sConUnued from page Peerce, Lauritz Melchior. Ezio Pinza. Lotte Lehmann, Jan Kiepura, Helen Jepson, Alexander Kipnis, Bidu Sayao, Josephine Antoine. Elisatieth Rethberg, Giovanni Marti- nelli, Richard Bonelll, Allan Jones, Salvatore BaccalonI, Rose Bampton, Dorothy Maynor, Frederick Jagel, James Melton, Charles Kullman, Jar- mila Novotna, John Brownlee, Don- ald Dickson, Igor Gorin, Bruna Cas- togna and Lawrence Tibbett Pianists in this class Include Sergei Rachmaninoff, Vladimir Horowitz, Josef Hofmann, Harold Bauer, Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson. Alex- ander Brailowsky, Rudolf Gain, Jose Iturbi, Igor Stravinsky, Egon Petri, Robert Casadesus, Josef and Rosina Lhevlnne, Moritz Rosenthal, Artur Rubinstein, Artur Schnabel, Rudolf Serkin, Walter Gieseking, Guiomar Novaes. Percy Grainger. Fray and Braggiotti and Vronsky stnd Babin. Violinists would include YehudI Menuhin, Jascha Heifetz, Joseph Szl- geti, Mischa Elman, Albert Spalding, Nathan Milstein. Erica Morini. Adolph Busch, Rotiert Virovai. Toscha Seidel, Ruggiero RiccI and Efrem Zimballst. Others include Emanuel Feuerman and Grcgor Piatlgorsky, cellists; Andres Segovia, guitar; Carlos Salzedo, harpist and Wanda Landowska and Yella Pessl, harpsichordists. ' ^ - " ' ' '' ■ '• ' ' Since 191^ when he ^yed as a blackfaced comic in burlesque at the old GaTctr. Ted Lews has been playing KuEsas City almost annqa^y. aSs present stand comes less than. IS monifas after his-last previous ap- pearance hcze. and itTs a tribute to this pcrexmExI performer that he again had them eating oat vt his hand Flidsty night (6>. The SI minntes are generondy sprinkled with vocal and instrmnaital pop music, did and new. talented specialty perfonncis and the tin^ tested. TOWtalgir stock oC LewisT own tricks. P r e sent show tops somewhat his bst stand here and is rinai _ merriest tmie hoxoffice Taas bso in many vnxks, ', As m.eL or in putting over his old familiar songs. Lewis is onstage thnntt^ut Sie hour, beginnine with his "Bat with the Silver Lining through 'When My Baby Smiles at Me' near opening and "Me and My Shadow' with dusky Charles 'Snow- ball' 'Whittier nearer closing. Also carrying a newer specialty^ 'Leader of an Army Band,' which incJodes medley of 'Last Time I Saw Paris' and 'Berkeley- Square,' leading into .shadow number with Whittier and latter's 'Bojangles' mimicry. All em- bellished with Lewis' usual mon- <dogy. parodying and general clown- ing Early in the show Gertrude Erdey does taps, a conga routine-and modem tan, and next to closing siie has a shoulder and hip-shaking turn, Following Miss Erdcy's first entrr Dorothy Tdl sings a brace of times, Lefs Be Buddies' and 'My Mother Will Love You,' . from 'Panama Hattie.' Midway, Geraldine and Joe take over in a s^ni-eccentric sailor's tap. an intensive acrobatic .turn by Joe, novelty vocal.'tiy Geraldine and a comedy conga by both that winds up with Joe in a spinning headstand that clinches it. Nearer closing June EdwardsT ion- tortioos - aie' qiotted. She's ac- complisfacd at the regular torso benoer's stunts and features back- bending It's solid audience appeaL Blair Sisters' trio, who work in baclcgiaund throughout show, get their own. inning on 1-A in the Army.' Toni Todd, who works duo> of conga songs in finale, has been known locally as Thrima Whitten. Band itself has various innings on St Loois Bhies,' *Hi Nelghb<$r' and 'Anvft Chons;' and some- boys make up an ensemble to work out a Dixie- land Band routine. The long -stand- ard peanut vender torn leads into the Latin-rhythm finale. Quin. downpour. Coheii. EMBASSY, N. (NEWSBEELS) Kevsred spectators now have their first.tens-witness account of the attack OB Pearl Harbor. The U.S. Naray- Depastment has released e- ecrpts ttom the film that Al Brick, Movietone staff cameraman, took tm- mcdtatdr after the attack. The pic- tralat recital of the havoc Is made the more harrowing by its obvious o mjfwiww What the clip does show is 'the battleship Arizona enveloped in fire and smoke, a mas.<! of twisted sted: the destroyers Casslh and . Dowries destroyed, the battleship OUUioma capsized, the target .ship Ctah aitso on its side, and wrecked I^meats- aad planes. The Pearl Har- bOT- dip is prefaced with a vli;nett« OB the perfidious diplomatic ramlAca- ' tfoec of the attack, showing that while Tap emissaries In Washington ta&ed peace the Jap navy was mov- mg OB Hawaii. Of the other war clips one—carry- ing. SI esational' impact is Para- mount's pfeee on the Lockheed air- plane plant which has adopted tlie policy of'giving immediate employ- ment to the widows of Pearl Harbor easndtles. One of these employed widows soeaks Into the mike. RKO offers still another Pearl Harbor se- quel by way of shc>'- showing dis- tribution of gas masks among civil- ians of Hawaii and training ih their ase. ■. > Newsreel coverage of the war on oar domestic front Includes the roanduD bjr the FBI of enemy aliens in CaQforraa (M-G), the arrival of survivors of ships that had been tor- pedoed by U-boats off the Atlantic and PactOc coasts (U and Par), the a'ward of a posthumous medal to Lieut R Ninninger, with an im- pressive commentatry by his tether (Par), and the presentation of a Navy E to a Brooklyn shell-manu- factcurin? firm for the speed with wikicfa it been turning out. orders (RKO>. The tire problem feceives, foms lens comment from Paramount A westera rancher figures he can out- wit tire-thieves by putting his cattle -brand on his tires. An added entry on the lighter side Is RKO's dis- : closure of what the fcmme factory worker win wear. None other, it seems; bot blue jeans. Odec. t MaesI Maestros' Bally STANLEY, PITT Pittsburgh, Feb. 6. Max Aikhis House Orch (16), Connie fioiwcll^ Aav Bolger, Cappy Barra. Boys. (S), Shyrettca (3); 'The Buirle 5oundj' (M-G). Second straight week of vaude for the Stanley, which for several months has concentrated exclusively on name bands, and it's the second straight crack bill, too. Plenty of marquee strength as well as plenty of entertainment in the Connie Boswell-Ray Bolger combination, and with a - couple of additional socko acts, ifs a snow tbat rides ojit an hour to solid returns. When caught at last performance this eve- nings (Friday) it was playing like a unit that had been together tor months. Reported unevcnpess of the afternoon getaway had disappeared completely. Bolger, winding up p.a. tour prior to , going . into, Rqdgers. .and part iWuSiicarvcrifo'fi \t ^He' VfnrcloA >uetf from pace is^s their utmost on one-nighters, on the air, etc, to spread the gospel of physical fitness. He pointed out that name leaders like the Dor^eys, Glenn Miller, Goodman, et al, are looked up to the same as outstanding sports fig- ures are idolized and that a word from them would have the same effect as an endorsement of breakfast food by Joe DiMagglo. Sacks, who is to be 'Coordinator of Music' of the drive, that is, super- vise the work of the bandleaders, also Invited music publishers to-the luncheon. They are expected to dig up tunes to further the 'fltnes^ theme. Sacks Is to leave N.Y. April 7 to ^ct up supervisory boards under his direction in CHiIcago and Lot Angeles. ■ S. C. ISa mUry Fire Beanfoit. S. C Feb. 10. Golden Qgle tavern, well known South Carolina coastal pleasure spot, gutted by fire. Damage $15,000. Hotel Adolphos Century Room, Dallas, will offer new 'Ice Time' re- vHic b-^'n'n'in'eloihbfrW tTl'--'*'''-v> .