Variety (Sep 1942)

SCREEN RADIO MUSIC STAGE Publliihed W««kl7 at list Want 4eth Street, New Tork, N. X., by Variety, Inc. Annual aubscrlptlon, 110. Single coplea 21! canta. Entered as Second-claga natter December 22, 1906, at the Post. Office at New York, N. V., under tbe act o( March 3, 1S79. . COFZBIOHT, 194t, BY TAB1ET¥, n<'C. AI,I, BIGHTS RESERVED VOL. 147 No. 13 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1942 PRICE 25 CENTS TENT CIRCUSES ON B'WAY Vaudes Resurgence Spreads to Fdm Studios on Rebound From Sts^e, Radio HoUywood, Sept. 1. The longer time goes on, the more it seems likely that the guy who said they never come back must have been thinking about shirts from the laundry. Anyhow, it couldn't have been vaudeville, and its people. Meaning (a) the people who were headliners IS years ago and (b) the standard vaudeville routines—long kept in camphor but now being hung out for an airing—are apparently as good as new. This has been seen on- the stage in New York, with 'Priori- ties of 1942'; in Chicago and Holly- wood, and with the George Jessel unit, on tour. It has been heard on the air, via the 'Star Spangled Vaudeville' of the Fleischmann hour, with Walter O'Keefe using famous old time acts, with the original routines, for a Sunday evening presentation. And now it's to be seen, heard and en- countered in the Alms. There's a little of it In a picture called 'The Hard Way,' at Warners. However, this is a film, not of vaude- ville, but about it. There's some standard acts, too, being incorporated in a picture Mickey Booney is doing at Metro. But these are only timid (Continued on page 55) BOWES'MUSICAL TO DO AN 'ARMY' FOR NAVY What Irving Berlin has done for the Army Emergency Relief with "This Is the Army' is Major Edward Bowes' intention with a Broadway musical for Navy Relief. It's understood that the amateur hour impresario is getting proper USN encoiu'agement to further the idea, especially in view of the im- pressive cash totals being rolled up by Berlm's 'Army' show, which will quit Broadway Sept. 26 with some $800,000 in the till, and probably $3,000,000 In sight all told. Honor Flag in fnnes Sq. For Showfolk m Service Show biz will soon honor its mem- bers in service, as well as remind laymen that show folk are in uni- form as well as active on the home front, with a service flag across Times Square at 45th Street. Jim Sautter, exec secretary of the United Theatrical War Activities Committee, is rounding up data from entertainment organizations, unions and corporations, and organ- izing a committee to handle the event. Plans call for a 25c limit on contributions, to give everyone a stake in the flag which won't cost more than about $400. Civic execs have okayed the location for the flag which will.have a totalizer attachment to permit an accurate weekly total of the number of show people In uniform. Hayes' Boothe Play Helen Hayes has a new play by Clare Boothe which she will prob- ably do this fall. After being indifferent to radio this fall, because of the strenuous- ness of her past season's road tour- ing, Miss Hayes will most likely be back on tbe air also. FLA. TOURISM MAY BE OMY SAYS D.C. Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 1. Washington authorities were re- ported here last week to have as- sured Mayor James M. Owens, Jr. and Town Manager L. Trevette Lockwood of Palm Beach that ade- quate transportation facilities will be available to accommodate a 'nor- mal' movement of tourists to Flor- (Continued- on page 63) PlliING LOIS Saltzman and Fischer, Both From Paris, Have Con- tinental-Type, One or 2- Ring Circuses in View HEATING PROBLEM Harry Saltzman. European entre- preneur and most recently affiliated with Cliiford C. Fischer, is organiz- ing a small, circus to play under canvas on the Hippodrome parking lot at Sixth avenue and 44th street in New York City. Saltzman, who booked the ABC (vaudeville) the- atre in Paris, figures on a one or two ring show, in the Continental fashion, that is more music hall than animal entertainment. Only bug holding up the promo- tion is the lack of a priority rating for procuring the special heating equipment which will obvioiuly be necessary for canvas presentation. Engineers are certain they can heat the arena but are having trouble in locating material. Fischer has a similar idea for the parking lot ba:-k 3f the Roxy theatre at Broadway and 50th. Revenue DepL Rules Stars Can Deduct Bond Tour Expenses Jolson in Drama? Oscar Serlin wants to star Al Jol- son in a straight Broadway play. Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse are to work on the script, subject to the star's approval. MACHINE OPS ALLERGIC TO JUKEBOX' Glenn Miller's recording of 'Juke Box Saturday Night' is not to Jre released by Victor Records, because the company now fears antagonizing coin machine operators with the. words 'Juke Box.' Meantime, Miller is using the arrangement, wherein his singers and musicians imitate various recording names like Harry James, Ink -Spots, etc., on theatre dates. That the coin machine operators (Continued on page 25) '*Make It A Bittwon! WeniDo Salute to Our Heroes Month be- gins with the pledge of each of us to give the best we've got to the "30 fighting days" during which America will buy bonds "to honor every Mother's son In service." Lei's Make the Axis Never Forget to "Remember September" Film stars and others engaged In bond selling activities throughout the country will be able to d'educt all expenses so incurred in making their income tax returns, under a ruling just made by the Internal Revenue Dept. Some doubt had previously been expressed .whether .people in show business should be allowed, to deduct expenses incurred in bond selling campaigns, with point being made that a $1 a year man .in Washington giving up all his time in Govern- ment service, was not permitted to do so. - Under the ruling, however, ex- penditures made by Individuals in rendering services, to the War Sav- ings Staff, including all branches, thereof, or Defense .Savings Com- mittees constitute allowable deduc- tions under Section 23 (o) 1 of the Code as contributions made for the use of the United States.' CONEY ISLE'S WARTIME TWILIGHT MARDIfiliAS Brooklyn's Coney Island will stag^ its annual Mardi Gras despite dim- out restrictions which have tho famed seaside resort looking like the inside of a 'Tunnel of Love' ride. Concessionaires have laid $12,500 on the line to finance the event which will run from Sept. 14 to 21. Plans call for the usual, baby parade, with war bond prizes, dur- ing daytime, with the - big splurge coming at twilight when the floats will parade down Surf avenue lighted by low wattage bulbs fed from storage batteries. With mili- tary contingents set for 'the parade and an okay from Mayor LaGuardia the operators figure they can stage f fair replica of a Mardi Gras and perhaps draw enough trade to close the sea.son with a good stake. Parade will have to wind up before 8 p.m. It can run that long, due to the comparatively high buildings along Surf avenue and the banners and bunting which .will stifle the little (Continued on page 62) Is Any Agent Worth Waiting That Long For? St. Louis, Sept. I. Dolly Dixon, 40, who with her husband. Wiiliam Coflran are the- atrical midgets, was treated at City Hospital last week from fatigue suf- fered while waiting in a local book- ing office. Cops were called at the Theatrical Exchange in the Arcade building, downtown, and found Mrs. Coffran in a state of collapse. After being put -to bed for several hours she was able to return to her hotel. Coflran did not tell the gendarmes how long he and his wife had waited in the office.