Variety (June 1942)

Wednesdays* Jane 8« 1942 Berlin's 'Army' B. 0. Potential iCobtlnaed from pace Is another $250,000 to $300,000. This, with the film rights, totals $600,000. BerUn Is pointing tor at least $250,- 000 from the stage, run, and 11 other by-products and a piece ot the. Far pic profits materialise, he may thus get $1,000,000 from the 'Army' show for ttie Relief Fund. Broadway theatre Is scaled to bring in a total of $189,072 .in four weeks, with the Shuberts getting $1,250 a' weelc rental out of this. Ticliets for opening night will sell for from ^7.5P to $2.20, with the regular weelcday evening scale $4.40 to $1.10 and Saturday and Sunday fioln $2.75 to $1.10. There wiU be nine pertormanccs weelily. Berlin hopes to make 'Army' big- ger than Yaphank, in scope and quality, although that was good enough to raise $83,000 for Army Belief in its four weeks on Broad- -way. To make it better, Berlin and Sergeant £zra Stone, who is the non-commissioned officer in charge ot production, under Berlin, have gathered talent from camps as far away as Celifomia and Louisiana, instead of being limited to the po- tentialities of Upton," as Berlin -was when he was a sergeant there 24 years ago. Rehearsals have been going on in a bare wooden mess hall for the past two weeks, with the soldier- actors living In tents. And although they are more actors than soldiers at the moment, there's many a Broadway stage manager and di- rector who would give his last credit for the military discipline that pre- vails. Breakfast is at 6:45, followed by policing and infection of quarters. Rehearsals start at 8—including Sundays and holidays—and continue until 11:45, There's an hour and • quarter break for lunch and the boys are on deck again from 1 imtil 4:45. Then an hour and three-quarters for dinner and rehearsal from 6:30 to 8:30. Triple Beheusala Usually three rehearsals are run- ning at once. And when a soldier isnt actually practicing his role, he's practicing the manual of arms and other standard Army drilL For the War Department has thought of everything, even to the assignment of Capt. John Schluter as the boys' military mentor to keep them up in the real work at hand when they no longer wiU be playing actor. Regular basic Army training will continue right through the rehears- als and engagement in New York. Arrangements have been made for space in Central Park as a drill field and Capt Schluter every day will parade Ills command with, rifle and bayonet'. Boys wHl live on their own, however. Inasmuch as there is no single place available to house such a large crew they will be' on ■what the Army calls 'commutation and rations.' That means they will get something like $2.25 a day for room and board. They hope -that by' bunking together and practicing other economies the money wiU see them through.' They'll, be required to be on hand at 8 each morning. Any infraction of rules while they are in New York ■will mean confinement to quarters— that means sleeping in the theatre. Rehearsals are conducted by Ser- geant Stone amid frequent consul- tations with Berlin. This is strictly an enlisted man's affair and Stone holds the highest rank of anyone connected with the production. Army protocol. forbids Berlin, a civilian, from transmitting orders directly to .soldiers. . So he makes his sugges- tions to Stone,, who transmits them to the .stage'manager. Sergeant Alan Anderson (son of Maxwell Anderson and former stage manager for. the Playwrights Company), or the mu- sical director, Corporal Milton Ros- enstock (former WPA orch leader hi Brooklyn), qr the dance directors, Corporal Edward Qarclift ('Lady in the Dark') and Private Robert Sid- ney (vaude, muslcomedy). A few breaches of Army hierarchy are inevitable, however. As in the case of Joe Cook, Jr., who is doing his father's routine in the show. He's repeating the famed juggling and patter act even to using one of the elder Cook's stooges. Spencer T. Case. Protocol Is breached by the fact that Cook is just a plain pri- vate, while his stooge is a private first class. That the men have seen plenty of real soldiering before being chosen for "This Is the Army' is evident from the state of their rehearsal clothes. — two-, piece, loose-fitting, overall-like khaki or blue denim uniforms; the work clothes that mom arid sis and the girl friend never see their soldier • boy wearing. They're very useful, too, ■with the cast seated on the floor much of the thne practicing its gongs. Berlin and Stone have been as- signed a (me-stoiy frame' former CCC office building as their quar- ters. The v«t tunesmith shares a small room at the. reair ■with his famed old changeable key piano, a typewriter and a cot. Stone has a cubby hole with only a cot An- other room is the office, equipped with phone, typewriter and a com- plete file on the cast Hie large front room is given over to the mu- 'sic arrangers and used for auditions. Auditioning Friday was a tenor in mufti. Stone explained that he was to be drafted the follo^ng day and^ having heard about the show, had made, a trip out to Upton from New York in the hope of getting the calL His chances appeared good. Personnel. Final count on the company will be about 125 soldiers actually in the cast another 50 in the orchestra (wliich consists of Corporal Rosen- stock's Camp Upton crew as a nu- cleus, around which the best in- strumentalists from other camp orchs have been added), about 30 men in the front of tiie house and another 20 or so in the stage crew. "Hiere will be no imlon problem, curiously enough, for both front and back of the theatre will be manned exclusively by members of the re- spective unions—but soldiers, too, now. In the boxoffices eiftd man- ager's office wlU be-khaki-clad card- holders in Associated ' Theatrical Agents and ' Managers. And - han- dling, the scenery will be men who once did the same job for pro shows as meihbers of the International Al- liance of Theatrical Stage Employ- ees. Private Carl Fisher, former general manager for George Abbott, is handling a similar chore for 'Army.' Only one-quarter or less, however, of the cast will be former dues pay- ers in the performer unions. Berlin and Stone didn't, ■want, any more than that, although the entire troupe could probably have been cast of Equityites through the carefully- kept records of the Theatre Section of the Special Service Branch, Sec- ond Corps Area,. work of which In the camps during the past six months is providing the base for the entire show. Berlin's idea, however. Is to make it an amateur show with profes- sional polish. ' He feels that only by using predominantly non-pros can he get that spirit. in it that made 'Yaphank' such a smash and makes visitors so much enjoy the home- grown soldier theatricals occasion- ally staged in the camps. It's reported that Berlin, for this reason, nixed an offer from 'Victor Mature, who is due to join the Army, to participate. Even Stone will do only an endman bit in a minstrel scene that makes up the first half of the show. Sons of Theatrloal Oreata Tliat's not to say, though, that there's not plenty of talent of pro- fessional stature. There are enough sons of famous show business fa- thers, alone, to spring quite a jam- boree. In addition to the Maxwell Anderson and Joe Cook progeny are Corporal Plill Truex, son of Ernest; Robert Moore, diminutive deadpan comic son of "VMctor Moore, and Henry Rosenblatt son of the famed Hebrew cantor, Joseph Rosenblatt In addition' there are- Corporal Earl Oxford, who was in 'Life Be- gins at 8:40,' 'Parade' and other Broadway shows; Burl Ives, singer, who was in 'Boys From Syracuse,' ■knd had his own radio show on CBS, and Julie Oshins, of the nitery com- edy team of Oshins ti Lessy. Sets and costumes are being designed by Private John Koenig, who handled similar chores for 'Charley's Aunf 'Pal Joey' and other Broadway hits. Not to be forgotten, either, is Ber- lin himself, who will don the ser- geant's uniform he wore in 1918 and repeat the smash tune he sang in 'Yip, Yip, Yaphank'—'Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning.' Chorusing it with him will be eight other vets of the original show. There will be loads of other show- manship, too, including a big, good- humored bow, as the first act finale, by the Army to the Navy. It should tickle hearts ti'om Annapolis to Pearl Harbor and provide an equally big kick to civilians who have heard reports of Army-Navy antagonism. Similarly spectacular will be a de- tachment of military police assigned to the front of the theatre to lend martial atmosphere. Destined to at- tract every tourist with a 3A Brownie from the Battery to the Bronx will be the unit's perform- ance each evening of the impressive sundown ceremony of hauling down the flag over the theatre as the sol- diers stand with their rifles at 'Pre- sent Arms' and the bugles sound the strains of Hetreat' SEPARATE MUSIC PUB CO. TO HANDLE SCORE 'With the aim of tapping every possible source of revenue to garner $250,000 to $300,000 for Army relief from Irving Berlin's score for This Is the Army,' a full-scale publishing house has been set up and incorpor- ated in New York. It wUl handle the plugging and sale of various rights in connection with the nine new tunes Berlin has turned out for the Anny show which bits Broadway July 4. t An This Is the Army, Inc., Publishing Co. has been set ui^ administered by ez-songpluggers, now in the Army, of which Lieut 'Walter Schumann (who came to .at- tention as publisher of the 'Hut-Sut Song* during the BMI-ASCAP wrangle) Is chief. Lieut Schumann, ex-RKO-Radio Pictures arranger, has culled a crew of ex-pluggers now in the service. Including Victor Sachs, Julie Stem, Hany Santley, Irving Siege], Bob Lissauer, Irving ■^eiss and others. He'll have two men in Hollywood and two in Chi,, to plug the show's score, everything-of course to go to the Emergency Fund. ..Berlin's own publishing firm is do- nating space, but won't even deduct overhead. In addition, Saul H. Bonl- stein, v.p. and gjn. of Irving Ber- lin, Inc., and Francis Gilbert, the firm's counsel, will assist Lieut. Schumann'.s setup with business, managerial and legal advice. But there will be no question of ASCAP 'Or BMI-Ucensing,. since, this being an Army venture, alljjerforming rights will be funneled off separately and apart to benefit of This Is the Army, Inc. Pub. Co. Fall Bccording Fees Just to tap all sources to the hilt, the full statutory 2c recording fees will be demanded; not the cutrate 1% to l%c sometimes in vogue. It's expected also that maestros such as Kay Kyser (who will introduce the No. 1 plug tune, incidentally, to night (Wed.) on his Lucky Strike radio ooramercial) will further swell the Ftmd by donating their disk ro- yalties. Another money-getter will be IPO deluxe editions of the score, aiutiiographed by Berlin, the cast et aL, to sell at $1,000 each, which is $100,000 right .there. The No. 1 plug song is caUed.1 Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen', which, it is expected, will trailerize This Is the Army' by be- ing on the air, as a radio' hit, weeks in advance of the July .4 premiere. This, too, is a radical departure from World War I, when the now ffimed 1 Hate to Get Up in the Morning' had to be plugged into hitdom the hard ■way. The second plug song will be 'Rus. sian Winter', then The Army's Made a Man Out of Me'; 'I'm Getting Tired So I Can Sleep'; 'My Sergfeant and I Are Buddies'; followed by 'How About a Cheer for the Navy* (first act finale, a tribute from the Army to the gobs); 'With My Head in the, Clouds' and 'American Eagles' (both dedicated to the Air Force), 'This Is the Army, Mister Jones' and a hokimi 'Jap-German Sextet'. PInggers In Uniform On the subject of songs and song- pluggers, the Army's staff of- song exploiteers will do their stuff in uni- form, and in doing so must conform to Army regulation when contacting bands and singers In hotels, cafes, theatres, etc., which means that all and sundry will have to accord them cooperation at minimum expense as a means to help tiie cause along. Even in song merchandizing in theatre' lobbies, etc., where 'This Is the Army' performs, the effort will be realized full net profit for the Fund. 'Hate to tJet Up in the Morning' along with "God Bless America,' 'Mandy' and 'This Time,' are the only familiars to be inter- twined into the otherwise wholly fresh Berlin score. These tunes also go in the Par fllmization, it being part of the deal and part of Berlin's contribution to get that $250,000 in advance for the Army Emergency Fund. Jay HiltoD, songsmith, is otherwise Pvt. MUton J. Davidson, now at Co. C. 1213th Hec Center, Ft Niagara, N. Y. Bills Next Week : Continued from p>ce its ilulne Leivik Paul NclKlilun On Dick Ttaomaa el Uorphf Fred ThompBOD Bob Mnrpby B«Ui ReynoldB Frankis Oallagher l.oulfllana Dick Buckley Dorothy Dandrldse 4 Stepp BrOB Sterling Young Oro Macambo Cafe Bddle 1.6 Baron Ore Felix Martlnlnue ralladlom Harry Jamcn Oro 8e*eB BraB Cblet Sautlnl Ualua NohealanI Eddie BuBb -Oro Stanley ^beeler Charlie Openul SiitpBT .Maxlea &taxle HoHcnbloom ' Jiick ^Valdron Penny Piper Benny Lessy Billy ReeU PattI Uoora Sam Lewis Joe PInmor Oro Streets of Pari* Art Tatuni Chaa Evans WInsy Manona Ora Swannea Ina Mead 'Lux* Lewis Loumel Morsan I Trlanoa Ella FItzserald Ore TroaTllla Billy .Holiday L«e & Leater Svlrlu or Rbytbm MIAMI Club Ball Van Kirk Tanya Tamara 'Simpsons Ballettes (S) Tommy Nunex Ore Earle Banaon Oro Don LaoDlni'a Roberta Sherirood Karle Lewis Louis Hatch Ore Five O'clock Clab Cy Landry Sonya SbaiT Sgt Green Mort Dennis Oro Fabian 8toi*ey Oro JImmte'a Myles Bell . Spauldlngs <8) Rous Bros LiUckeyettea <•) Lea Robinson Ore Kitty Davta'a WllUe Shore Rtaoda .Chaaa Roblnaen A HartIo Jerry Lawton Sllva'B Oro . MwHwr HeUr'a Jack Bby Oin ' «W aab Paul Uall . Hal Xjaoe Ore ViudetMK Hatcl {tmwa Paco Rev) Teny. I,ynn Qall llcDonaU Andre Villon Wally 'Wanner Co D Schrador Ore Winale'a Klptlda CUH 'WInehUI ' Ben Perry Jnno De. Voe Marie Stanley Patricia farker CimTfonl -Parker . Boiiaa 'Une (6) Alpine Uoalid Bar ' 3 Dots & Dash Hen ot Rhythm Club BaU Led Caballeroa Toppers Clair & Durand Ralllovellea Emit Boreo Mary Jane Brown Penny Darla Alan FleldlDB Ore B«a FnaUla Monta Uonterla Richard Stoart Flora Sea Grade Wynne Bud Wllllama Arllne Thompson ItfO Zollo BeBBT Uie Boa'a Bnsan l.ane Phyllis Foater Carlottn Smltb' Diane Gould El Gouchoa CadlUao Tnrm Henrique & And's 3 IiOose Nuts Marcella Uarctaand Shades of Rhythm Bunny LeRoy Harold CummJnva Anita James Harry. Dobbs Ore Carreirs Gaines Oro Carrollettea Geo Krinos Amy Alberta Kay Hamilton ■ Lewis 8l Van Marlene Elolse Mack Johnny Cahlll Canes* Inn Thunderbolts Mallery Sis Diana Del Rio Ruth TempletOB Scary Gavin Crescent (S) Jerry Dslmar Ore Dl Pinim 3 Aces & Queen Kirk & Lawrence Jewell Ella. Louise Hamilton Audrey Joyce Ols Bradford A Smith r^onard Cooke Bddio King Oro EmiMUSy Billy Hey Franco & 19eryl Jean Harcelle Jane Iffatbewa Geo Cllftoril Teddy Holiday Pat Sberlln Ore (B Walten Roof) Coatalne & Darry Herbert Cnrbello Or Helen Standlah Don Blolmrds Carmen D* Antonio Peggy Loeb•• Glamonr GIs Helen Heath Eddie De Luca Ore BopklDi'BatliBkrIlei Pat Bernard's S D Johnny Patchen Lee Paige Doris Relse Janet Fields Day, Dawn A Dusk Dave Gold On Lanier's Swing Bur Iflabelle Dnnleln Wendell Musnn 0 Lads & 3 Lassies LealngtoB raslB* Hep Cats ((). Daisy Mae Ralph T.en-If Paul Kane Johny earns Margie Itarlow Garvin Bunchell O Ude Venice Frankle Belasco Carmenetles (4> Tod Oliver 0"-r UHIe Rnlliskeller Ann Howard Drandons Delnyd Markaye Victor Huso's Ore Loa'aCbaneellar Uet .Susan Lange Curt Wcllcr 4 Emle Bwan Mayo* 'Bbylhmalres Rose Venntt (3) Bd UeOoldrloli. Jr. Anita Thoma Sally Foy Joe t«negBn ilargle Uaroli Sissy Olnnle Loftiit ad McGoldrlok. Sr Moravliaa. Bar Bon-Bon Baddies IMnny Shaner (3) . Gloria Mann pick Wade ilnmy RhyUuB Bu Fay Bay Lillian Bishop Berl Booker .Mary Love Ronl Caxr Dotty Kins Ore RcU Oleclnui'a . HoUyw'<t Brunettes Frank Uilrtha Le Shones Hugo UarUnelll La Flenr & Manners Bbytlun Manlara Geo Uarchstu Uro Old BiUa ThTSfB Uusic Hall GIs <3) Hurry Holly Billy Bays Oro Al Blank Irma Lynn Opta Door Cafe Shannon A Mela Guardsmen it) Marlon Joe Cenlln Mamie Sweldlow Jeanottea (IZ) Viola Klalos ore Old HUl Ina Morse Sis Joe Ritchie Jock Downle Bob Tolley Aaak PaJumbo's Harlem BIghland'n Vrankla Scblutu. . SophlsUcates (3) Henry Patrick Ivoncttes Gloria French Karll Kayo d: Grey Balabow Terrace (MtmffiHrd, Pa) Ooiie Kyman Oro Uta Catltoa Howard Lanin Ore BaBBB-OfUl*. Montez A Marie Billy Kelly . Aloha .Jean Ware Gloria Dale . Jack' Tsofa Ore Bsadeayeas (Hotel Seaute*) Shndraoh Boys - International (3) River Drive 'Cer Dick Wharton Oro Bliowbout Clark d: Eaton Gerald & Carol Marlon Long Katherlne 'WolC Gli Gerard Hean Horry Taylor Oro Silver Labe 'Iaa Col Qoo Reed Rekoma U'atkliis Sis Alico Luciiy Jack Herman frank Hassel Ore Stamp's Cy White Arnold & Lament bonnle Vale H'wood Blondes Sun Ituy Oardeos Kitty Aolmlng Oro Music Hall GIs (3) Jcanette Dare Wndo & Wade Warcen Boden Beatrice & Danny Uctty Qaynor Agnos Willis •Mb St. RathakeUei Virginia Barrett Monty 'WolC Dorothy Allen Dllly SiiiKh r.ve Rogers nobby White Tony Dennett Ore Swan Club Pusngr Ue Canuo Lufiatrlx <2) Jack (tiirtis Grace Collins Dotty Uccnnan VIncont Itlzzo Ore Duke UoHnle - BOlth Delaney Lee Bobn Marty Bohn Teem Tuvera Mao* Nnvis Charlie White Jackie Laird Betty Corr Nick Petite Johnny Gullfoyle Len Parker MU> CeataiT Sally Marr Marjorle Hyaraa Harry McKar naaaMIaiMJo L'ge Paul Kane Pen Pay Eleanor Lanit>* Vodee UrtD .NIcli Varallo Uia Shirley I.e«lle (*rac« Kdwarda Hay O'Day Walter Waltera ^iramlck Hatal Roy Morton Ore Wr J*tT^^ MkBt Braa Terry Baldwin S CO'Eda Toni (Adrienne ft Charlie Rolando 4b Verdlt« Bddle MathowB Temple City W Jnlea Klacco's Oro RathK'r EIrtoradlana Dave Plerson Vacht Clnb Oanuy Montgomery Jack Hutchinson .Alda Alice MItcliell Helen Jerrico Victor Kelson Ore FUTBBDB&H Aritastea Lade* Phil Cavaxxa Ot« June Oardoer Bill Medio n Frltache Ora Blu Oraei'd Don Bestor Oro Mildred Law 3 M-s Blae BHs* Ina Lou. Lucky Oro Pride A Dale / BlU'Benjamin Coxy Bairia Cornell Cooper ■ sBsi e -Waasle Club 'Alice Brooks Oro Boug Shemian Mkxio Simon Buddy Walsh Racehorse Williams Harry Comorado ' Cerh and Bottle Lloyd Pox Colonial Art Farrar Oro Eddie reytOB'i Geo Overholt' Oro Uddle Peyton Marlon Aluller Betty Breen Eddie Bock SI ClBk Lyda nodnok Max Tarshls Pat UeCauler Hotel. Cart Pit* Ken Balle* Oro Johnny Hltchell Bkrry Walton Jessie Wheatley llatel Itenn (tUtvea Grill) Dorothy Vattb^ws Escorts (Oay WV»y Porotby Nesbitt Hotel life Avcaae Harry Blgley Escorts Hotel 'Roosevdt Joe Vera Sum Barl Joe Petroselll John Bonguldl Hotel Sebenley Billy Hinds Ore Joy LInd Betel Wm trnm <C<sB<lBental Bar) Billy CaUxoe 4 Kenayeraad Carh Johnny Mcssner Or Gladys TeU Frank Boss Great Walkmira Dixon Bros Merry-Ga-KooBd Howard Baum Ora Jeanne Boaz '-New nuicicst Kddle Weltz Ore aerr>' Richards Mxno Cat* Al UarlBco Oro Bob Carter It & E Reyes Callahau Sis Frank Paris Not Honse Art Blakey Ore Chuck Wilson Ray Melville Joe Klelil Hal tc Dolly Ted Blake Orchard Inn Tommy Carlyn Or# ■ Oasis Bob Lazar Ore Dale Spohrer Vine*. Don Ruitor. BUI. IfeRoy Ore Sgolrre) 'Coop . Tiny Miller . S' Date HarhlieaB'^T>'.-': Kddle Miller' '•>; Jerry'MannlhS.. ^C-.',. TreloB Frank Ramos Ore . Vacbt Club ' H Middleman Ore .Tackle Heller Sammy WalBb Ray Pike. Jr Dolorea King Christine Forsyth C De SImone ^Dera ...Sky-Vaa' - Geofte" Welles Ord Henrietta BlU Clydesdale Howard Felllns Datoa Oilll Sammy waiter* »>rank Nstale Mike Sandreite ¥Ula Madrid Btil.Covato Ore Mack Lane L C B Roberta - NiU tc Nadlne Michael Stranse Tanettss Tietoty Looose Joey Reynolds Freddy Rose Webster Ball ' Nelson Maples Ore fnshlansttes ' Wert View Parit Bonny Burton Ore 4 Orotefents NEW MQKTL CONCERT FIRM ISFINANCED Montreal, Jtme 2. Canadian Entertainmeiits, ' Ltd., Montreal-financed venture organized to bring leading opera and concert stars to this city, has been granted an Ottawa, charter and capitalized at. $50,000. Armand Vincent is impre> sario for the new company, 'Which it merged with Amusements StomO' tlons. First presentation of the. new. or* ganlzatlon wUl be Lily Pqns at the Montreal Foruin July 7. She will be acctmipanled by Andre Kostelanetz and orchestra. Further shows wUl include Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo« October 1; Don Cossack Choir under Serge Jaroff;' return engagement. Grace.Moore; European Marina Ic* Show;, and the BiOlet Theatre: Eight Musieians in Aniiy, Symphony Fate Doubtful Cleveland, June 2, With eight members in the armed forces, the Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, which curtailed its sea- son because of war activities, may suspend its activities for the dura- Oon. Inducted were Robert Zupnlck, George Ryan, Martin Morris, Steph- en Kowalski, Gasper Homyak, Jan Hllnka,'Walter Cerveny and Hairy Golland. F. Farl Grossman, conduc- tor, said ellorts will be made- to obtain replacements during the- siimmcr.