Variety (Apr 1942)

54 Wednesday, April 22» 1942 OBITUARIES DB. -ALFBED HEBTZ Dr. AUred Hertz, 69, symphony orchestra conductor, composer ^nd formerly maestro of the Wagnerian wing at the Metropolitan Opera Co., died in San Francisco April 17. Hertz had. been conductor of the San Francisco Symphony for years and had introduced the summer series of symphony concerts at the Hol^wood Bowl In 1922. For the past decade he had directed the Standard Ss^mphony hour on the air. Bom In Germany, Hertz first started conducting in 1891 and a dec- ade later was engaged by Maurice Grau, then general manager of the .Met, as leading conductor for the Genpan repertoire to replace Anton Seidl, who had died. He directed at the Met until 1915, presenting to America its first 'Parsifal' in 1903 and also its first 'Salome' and Hosenkavalier,' plus the world pre- miers of 'Koenigskinler,' *Mona,' 'Cjrrano de Bergerac' and TIpe of Desire.' He became an American citizen In 1917. DBEVA AVES Dreva Aves, 43, dramatic soprano formerly of the Metropolitan, died In Newaric, O, April 17. She had joined -the Met in 1928, making her debut in 'Alda' six years after her operatic bow In Baltimore in Carmen.' She had also toured Europe besides making appearances with the San Carlo Opera Co. In the U. S. Surving are three brothers and sister. JOHN HABTCNQ John Hartungj SS, died of a heart attack last week (14) at his home In ,PoughkeepsIe, where he was man- ager of the RIalto, Unger-Brandt op- eration. Previously managing theatres for the Netco (Par) circuit in Newburgh and Poughkeepsle, Hartung at one time also had a house of his own In Haverstraw, N. V. Leaves a widow, three sons and a daughter. CHAlBLES MOSCONI, SB. Charles Mosconi, Sr., 74, father of the once headlining Mosconi family,'' died Feb. 27, In Philadelphia, It was learned last week. He suffered a heart attack while driving his car and applied the brakes, but passed away before passersby could get him medical aid. ^ The elder Mosconi was best known as a dancing teacher, having con- ducted a school in Philadelphia for around 25 years. One of his pupils was the late Frank Tlnney. Two of his sons, Charles' and Louis, and a daughter, Vema, all of whom survive, became Internation- ally known for Uielr whirlwind hoofology. For a time In 1920 the elder Mosconi worked with Charlie and-Louis, Including an appearance at the Palace, New York. Another son, William, 'also sur- vives. LIZZIE n^oCALL Lizzie McCall,' 84, veteran char- acter actress, died April 18 in Bronx, N. Y., nursing home. She made her first appearance In 1877 and retired in 1930. Miss McCaU was seen in Dion Bouclcault's repertoire of Irish comedi^ early in her career and played Important roles ' in John Stetson's Fifth Avenue Theatre Com' pany, and in the Francis Wilson Opera Co. production of "The Oolah. More recently she appeared In 'Irene,' Up She Goes' and The Pot ters.' In 1927 she performed with Willard Mack in 'Honor Be Damned' and Under the. Gaslight' in 1929. The same year she was seen in 'City Raul,' and her last appearance was in 'Lyslstrata.' A brother and niece survive. AVGVST ?^NZ August Wenz, 69, pioneer in .film technical work, and laboratory of- ficial of Warner Bros, for the past FBEDBIK VOGEDINO Eredrik Vogedlng, 55, stage and screen actor, died April 18 in Los Angeles, following a heart attack. After his stage debut in Holland; Vogedlng moved to the United States in 1919 and appeared In sev- eral Broadway plays, including ICl- Ki' with Lenore Ulric, "The Fool' and 'Starlight,'' and toured the coimtry in vaudeville. In a Rupert Hughes skit, 'Blind Fold.' His last picture role was in The Great Im- personation'' at Universal. At the time of his passing he was slateid for a character part In 'Dan ger In the Pacific' on the same lot. Surviving is his 'widow. the theatre business In Brownsville, Pa.; for 23 years, and was one of the organizers of Independent Thea- tres, Inc., died recently. He had been In retirement since 1933. . Mrs. Joy Lindsay BUIr. 52, known in Ohio circles for her readings of modem plays and her interpretation of the poems written by her brother, Vachel Lindsay, died at her suburban Cleveland home (16). Hra. Panllne Idzal, 60, mother of S!^yid .M. Idz9l,. ipan$ging. director "of the Fox theatre, Detroit, died at her home In Chicago, April 17. An- other son and two daughters also survive. James E.-Martin, 82, old-time Des Moines trombonist, died April 10 In Des Moines. Survived by widow, daughter, six sons, 18 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Mrs. Gertrude Miles Gray, 73, wife of H. Willard Gray, music publisher, died AprU 18 In N. Y. Two daugh- ters by a former marriage and her husband survive. J^n Loving Memory Of JOE YOUNG Pasted Away April 21, 1939 RUTH 17 years, died in StanfoMvlUe, N. Y, AprU 17. He had spent more than 22 years with the old Vitagraph Mo- tion Picture Co> In Brooklyn In the earlier days of the film., business. Surviving are two, brothers and two sisters. EDWABD (BUTTE) MoCOBMICK Edward (Butte) McCormlck, 88, former vau'de performer, died April 20 In Syracuse,' N. Y. As a minstrel mail, he Jiad toured with the GoS and Golden Mlnsttels, the San Fran' Cisco Minstrels, and Frank Wood's Varieties. He had also pof ormed with such vaude acts as Foley and Wade, and Evans and Hoey. Theinu Hackman; 37, secretary to Clyde Eckhardt, manager of CHiicago office of 20th-Fox, died tmexpect- edly April 16. Survived by four sisters and two brothers. George A. Wade, 86, doorman at Carnegie Hall for over 42 years, died April 15 in Brooklyn. Wendy Fnlton, 2, daughter of Chi- cago radio singer Jack Fulton, was drowned at Covington, Ky., April 10. MAJOB JOHN S. COUBTAVLD Major John S. Courtauld, 61, dlrec tor of Associated Talking Pictures, Ltd., and member of Parliament since 1924, died in London April 20. Emll Flngratb, 74, father of Viola Dana and Shirley Mason, silent film stars, died AprU 16 In HoUywood. House Reviews SsContlnncd from pac* 4Sss ORPHEUM, MPLS. straight n^wsreel dips deal with either the war front or activities .In connection with the war effort U. S, Commandos (Pathe) .^re shown In hard, toughebing up training in a sort of obstacle race; 6,000 soldiers at Fort Brag" (Par) line up in an American Eagle formation; England's King and Queen watch Fara-troops (Fox) while in another part of Britain Winston ChurchUI (M-G) gives a Commando- detachment the onceover; a* Fifth avenue '(N; Y.) parade ' shows thousands of nurses and women wjar workers (Ptir) and there's a dip -on Malta, most bombed island fortress (Fox)' ' showing mothers and children emerging rather cheirUy from 'air raid shelters. Mori. More Pix Fans ;Contlnned from pace 3; TOM KEBBT Tom Kerby, 77, veteran Wyoming film exhibitor, died at his home In Worland, Wyo., AprU 17, after a long illness. A coal miner and one-time district president of the miners' union, Kerby opened his first thea- tre at Sheridan, Wyo., in 1908 and went to Worland In 1927^ Survived by widow and son. BDBIN GBUBEBO Rubin Gruberg, 55, itounder and one of the owners of the Rubin & Cherry Shows, which. became a $2,000,000 tent show from a few wagons and second-band canvas, died in JacksonvUIe, Fla., AprU 16. Leaves widow, dau^ter and two- brothers. HABBY B. MOBBISSEY Harry R. Morrissey, fqrmer vaude and legit singer, died AprU 16 In his home town, Bridgeport, Conn. He toured with Elm City Four for 18 years and later sang on 'George White's Scandals' ' on Broadway.^ Since retirement from show business Morrissey had operated a grlU. JOSIE HEATHER Josle - Heather, 61, veteran vaude vUle performer who had been In re tirement in recent years, died April 11 In the French hospita1,.-jrew York, after a brief illness. Miss Heather, .who had been In a singing act for years with a sister. Bobble, toured the major U. S. vaude circuits as a featured performer and also appeared in English vaude. She was married to Max Ford, of the Four Fords, dancers. A native of Scotland, her specialty was singing Scottish tunes. JACOB GEBHABDT Jacob Gerhardt, 70, who had played the clarinet in the N. Y. PhUhar- monlc orchestra for 28. years untU his retirement .in 1938. died Jn Red Bank, N. J., AprU 15.' He had also played with the MetropoUtan Opera orchestra. PAUL H. BEIMEBS Paul H. Reimers, 65, concert and opera tenor and instructor of voice at the JuUliard School since 1924, died AprU 14 In N. Y. He had cre- ated tenor roles in Elgar's "The Apos- tles' and The Kingdom' in Holland and Germany, and had concertized much in this country and Europe. He was inlown as a lieder singer and made many records for the Victor company two decades ago. Three brothers, all in Germany, iurvlve." J'li C'li;.; " '■l i ' '.I' " ' i '.'' \ HANS BDCHWALD Hans Buchwald, 60, composer and. opera conductor, who had tiitdred some of world's most noted singers during SO years in Germany, died AprU 16 at his home in Boston. Leaves widow. Mother of Harriet Pettii, secretary to Moe Silver, WB zone manager in Pittsburgh district, died suddenly at her home In that city last week of a cerebral hemorrhage. Another daughter is Mrs. Leo Abramsr wife of U's former shorts subject mana' ger and now with National Screen Service. Charles D. Wright, veteran West- em Pennsylvania exhlb, who was In Care,' 'Careless' and 'Elmer's Tune,' credited to Lew Quadline, the .pian- ist, and Jurgens himseU. Each of the numbers got a heavy hand. Joe Potzner ^its the target 'with his novelty bass solo, 'I Quess I Hove to Change My Plans,' good for plenty of laughs. I^ere's merriment, as weU as thrills, engendered by Hibbert, Byrd and LaRue, two men and a ^oman, with their comedy adagio. ' ' Cool takes the spotlight, for some class warbling of pop ballads. Then a violin trio from the band gags Wayne King's theme melody and Moreno comes out again in grass skirts for a burlesque nula. The Lane brothers' comedv tum- bUng, dancing and acrobatics are smash. Tlie pair stops the show cold. 'Uncle Sam Gets Around' is a hot patriotic closer for the band. Only' a sparsely filled tower floor at the opening day's matinee when caught ' Rees. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSBEELS) Typical of the times and censorial straitjackets within which newsreel men now function are the dated clips in the current newsreel issue on the hottest political development of the week. ' Coverage on Vichy's ratting to the Nazis (Par) is limited to a few stock shots of the French fleet civUian mob scenes unrelated to the country's latest tragic episode and misceUaneous" French officials lensed at various times in the past. The sudden finale of the Riom war guilt trial (Par) is also- depicted in similar fashion, with a shot of a Par news- reel cameraman being hustled out of the courtroom by the gendarmes serving as a coverup as weU as an explanation. .. Despite its llmltatioos, reel cover- age is currently interesting and, in several instances, stimulating. Mac- Arthur's arrival at Melbourne (Fox), an^ the tonic effect it had in Austra- lia as well as in the United States, is, of course, the high spot In an issue of 42 cUps including Paramount's Popular Science briefie, H. V. Kalten- born's 'Question Box' and Tex Mc- Crary's commentary on Adihiral Peary's conception of the part aero- nautics would play in global warfare. Donald Nelson's straightforward pep talk (U) urging the public to 'get tough,' to wake up to the fact that there's a war on, stop hoarding and take, the rap ensuing from the neces- sary ^changeover from, peacetime living, pactes a strong wallop. Also hitting the topical buUseye are three subjects discussed by Kaltenborn— the Russo-Japanese fishing treaty, U. S.-Vicby relation^ and enemy propaganda within- and tfvlthout America. His smashing attack on Coughlii^ites, bundsmen and the KKK evoked considerable applause. Approximately 24 out of the -99 year from 20c to lOc. It represents no Increase in the average admish price, either for the exhibitor or dls- tributor^ because going Into the Fed- eral Treasury. The national film theatre average thus remains at around 23c. Resume recently completed cites that the 5% tilt in cinema attend- ance means about 4,250,000 more people are attending picture shows weekly than a year ago. Improved attendance brings the estimated weekly figure at U. S. cinemas'to nearly 90,000,000. Greater picture theatre^golng, as shown by this survey, indicates that the nation's exhibitors, are getting p'^out $978,000 more per. week than a year ago. This means that the na- tion's boxoffIce .gross total wUl be more than $50,000^000 ahead of 1941, representing a neigr. peak since 1930 when weekly attendance averaged 110,000,000 persons. Distributors are getting a healthy chunk of this increased boxofflce take because selling more pictures on percentage than a year ago and. also securing higher percentage con- tracts for product that averages, about the same In cost as in 1941, Distrlbs Averasa Vp ZS% While no .figures ere avaUable presently on how much more distrib utors are obtaining from domestic accounts, showmen in touch with both exhibitors and distrlbs recenUy estimated tha'- most distribution companies are securing 25% more on the average than in 1940-41 season. Few film companies break down their domestic revenue as compared \^ith foreign return but recent earn- ings indicate domestic gross is'ap' proximately 25% blghec than a year ago. While there have been several in' stances' whei^ admittance prices have been tilted in key cities, vast majority of theatres have kept.their scales at the old 1941 figure. NU' merous large circuits have weighed the advisabUIty of Increasing prices but seldom have b^en able to ob' tain the cooperation of competitive operations .for comprehensive scale tilting. Also many exhibitors figure their prices are high enough. Despite the almost imlversal urge of exhibitors to boost admittance prices .where they feet the traffic can stand It theatre'operators have evidenced no desire to increase the scale when this wiU produce a de. cline in attendance. This is particu' larly true of- highly competitive lo. cations where exh'ibs find that their regular patrons wUl go to rival thea tres having a lower scale once they hike prices. Although -the Increased scales placed In effect In some larger thea. tres has thus far not materiaUy altered the nation's average admlS' sion price, aU signs point to cou' tinned effort to boost tariffs in com' ing months. Majority of exhibitors are seriously considering a whole' sale admission tilting with the open- ing of the fall, season, providing at tendance holds up as weU as ex' pectedi COBtlaned from pace has' resulted in some minor acci- dents, the owners of the business places are complaining that the con- gestion outside the doors is keeping away business, A formal petition on the part of the' businessmen and citizens was filed by Frank Coleman with the Mayor, Council and Police Depart- ment in which it was Insisted that "if nothing else the Jitterbugs are guUty of disorderly conduct and could be arrested if this would curb the street disorders.' The police insist that they don't want to have to be put in the posi- tion of having to arrest the youngs- ters nor have they sufficient men to patrol the streets and break up the groups of circulating street danc- ers. At the present time they have tripled the number of police on patrol duty. Louis Prima —Continued from pace 2; since Goodman's came out but never did get on ,the 'market Since his contract with Columbia was for only a few sides the band- leader has no redress. He probably wouldn't have if he had a term pact He was paid for th^ cutting and the work is the property of Columbia to release or hold up as it wished. Since Goodman is a better name tiie situa- tion is understandable from Colum' bia's angle. 'What has Prima so burned is that he aUegedly spent $400-$500 advertising the record duN ing tiie period Columbia assured It was going to be released. - Tune was written bjr Bobby Plater and Edward Johnson, saxophonists in Tiny Bradshaw's band. Street Jitterbugs Pix Biz-P. 0. II S^s; .Continued from pace Isssl working hours to various campaigns In the interest of .national defense. In several cases theatre operators now spend'l6ss than two hours daily at their ciistomary duUes due to de- mands on their time by various com- mittees. Business operaUons are to a large extent becoming the respon- slbiUty of seconds In command. Headquarters for the war bond selling campaign in theatres wl^ch, according to plans discussed is to be sustained for the duraUon, are.being opened in the Paramount buUdlng, New York. SI Fabian is to take active, charge to spur sales, working closely with Treasury. Department officials out oif these offices.. Through the mediupi of the ap- proximately 15,000 theatres, an esti- mated potential buying audience of some 85,000,000 Is to be tapped. The drive is expected to create a demand for bonds and stamps among those who havent yet made their first' purchase. Screen traUers are to be used, but no sales wiU be consummated inside the-theatres. MARRIAGES Edythe EUlston to R. V. Brand, in Fort Worth, AprU 17. Groom Is drummer in 'Johnn^ Randolph's or- chestra. Virginia Stanton to Corporal Har- old A. Ray, AprU 12, at Fort Thomas, Ky. Groom, before inducUon, wbs stage actor; bride was vocalist with WIP, PhUadelphla, and WBAL, Bal- timore. LesUe Ruth Howard, daughter of LesUe Howard, wiU wed Capt Robert Dale Harris of Toronto, sociaUte now serving with the Royal Canadian ArtiUery, on May'2. Marllynn Walsh to Donald PhU- Ups, In Santa Barbara, March 27. Bride Is daughter of Raoul Walsh, film director; Groom, screen actor, is currently in the Air Corps. Evelyn Wight to Robert Hickok, April 17, In MUton, Mass. He's with United Press in Washington, and son of NBC exec Guy Hickok. Eleanor Lemly Bunker to Otis T. WIngo, AprU 17. in Washington.' Groom Is Washington correspondent of station WMCA,' New York, and director of Public Opinion Analysts. Mrs. Sandra Sandhurst to Mort Blumenstock, in Boston, AprU 19. Groom is eastern director of adver- tising and publicity for Warners. Dossie Eaton to Thomas Rellly, April 19, in Jias Vegas, Nev. Bride is niece of Mary Eaton, stage actress; he is film editor at Warners. ■'■-.r..' to 'i'"-/ BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Carl Czolba, son, in Pittsburgh; AprU 10. Father is man- ager-of WB's Plaza, Pittsburgh. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gross, daugh- ter, in New York, AprU 11. Father Is attorney in charge of theatre mat- ters for Paramount at its h.o. in N. Y. Mr, and Mrs. Lionel Banks, son, in HoUywood, April 4. Father Is art director at Columbia. Mr. and Mrs. AUan Bode, son, AprU 16, in Hollywood. Father is head of sound effects department at KFWB thertf. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Loeb, daughter, April 16, In HoUywood. Father is a film writer. Mr. and Mrs. Sol Jacobson, daugh- ter. In New Hope, Pa., AprU 16. Father Is Broadway legit p.a.; mother (Barbara Scott) is former legit player. Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Smith, son, AprU 14, in Brooklyn, N, Y. Father Is vaude agent; mother is former dancer, known as Melba.