Variety (Sep 1942)

Wednesday, September 2, 1942 MISCELLANY S QeimlllerWalbOiit^^ mm, Philadelphia, Sept 1 Glenn Miller left Phllly Thursday night (27) with a bundle of lettuce totalling upwards of $20,000, after almost breaking all records at the Earle here—but he left behind a flock of guys who are burned up at the bespectacled maestro. Most burned are the radio station record jockeys, who asked Miller for an Interview over the air but were turned down. Also a little hurt are the officials of the Stage Door Can teen, where Miller did not appear^ first Earle attraction to nix this date. Third group disappointed is the Council of Defense, which runs dances in conjunction with musi- cians union Local 77 on the Benja- min Franklin Parkway for service- men. Miller was advertised to be present with his . band—he never showed up. • Miller explained that It's 'humanly Impossible' for a bandleader to make these outside appearances when he does seven-shows-a-day (as he did at the Earle); has six broadcasts (two-a-night for ^ree nights tor Chesterfield), plus rehearsals, etc. In addition. Miller declared, he was not consulted by anyone before the outside dates were made for him. fiesides, he had an agreement with the Earle management that he would not be compelled to make any mike appearances outside of his regular broadcasts. Station's Barn Most burned up among the record- Bpinners was Harold (Buzz) Davis, program manager of WDAS, who conducts a weekly interview show from backstage of the Earle. Davis' bum comes mainly from the fact that the program is strictly a puff for the Earle, its stars and its coming attractions. Miller was the only band giaestro to nix this program, said avis. 'Because this program is virtually the Earle's own, I had been plugging it in advance, telling my listeners that Miller would appear,' said Davis. 'For a whole week in advance I had been plugging Miller's platters. Vet when I came to him the day before to arrange the interview he turned me down cold. He didn't even give me a courteous answer.' Miller's actions also got a blast from Sid Gathrid, Daily News columnist. 'If he's too busy to be grateful to people who helped make him,' Gathrid wrote, 'this column is here- after too busy to mention his name.' MARY McCALL, JR^ TO HEAD SWG PRO TEM Gaxton 'Goes' HVood Hollywood, Sept. 1. William Gaxton is going to stick around Hollywood and desert the Broadway stage, at least until winter, Columbia has signed the actor for another musical picture to follow his present chore in 'Something to Shout About' 'ARMrTOSTART SHOOTING JAN. 20 STOli! CUE HOinOD Filmdom Caters toAnnjerica's 40,000,000 Mystery Fans With Its Own Wave of Shootin', Tootin', Lootin' —^Villains Leering'As Never Before Anti-Fascist Pix Would Be Censored By Argentine Gov t Before Release; Ban Reversed on CoL s 'invaders ANTI-CRIME CLUB Warner Bros, and director Michael Curtiz start shooting Irving Berlin's This Is the Army' in film form Jan. 20 with the original Broadway cast What name players from the ranks will augment the current troupe is up to the Army General Staff, but there is no doubt that there will be plenty of' marquee-power culled from among the U. S. troops. When 'Army' is in the can some time in April, the show will im- mediately continue its road tour In Los Angeles, then San Francisco, and double back east, possibly playing against itself in film form as the tour progresses. When the show folds in N. Y. Sept. 26, it lays off for one week before Washington, two weeks; thence to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston and Chicago. It jumps dl rectly from Chi to Hollywood for the filming, leaving a vast midwest ter' ritory still fertile after the musical is f ut into celluloid. Hollywood, Sept. 1. Mary C. McCall, Jr., has been named acting president of the Screen Writers Guild pending an- nual election in November. She succeeds Sidney Buchman who re- signed Monday (31) because of hU advancement to an executive post at Columbia. The move marks a first time for a femme head in the Guild's history. Francis Faragoh is the Guild sec- retary pro tem in place of Robert «ossen, who heads east on a five- Week leave of absence. SWG board member, Leonard Lee, now a marine lieutenant, leaves immediately for Quanttco. Guild has SO members in the service. That's What Hiey CaD It! Hollywood, Sept. 1. place of base- oau in the annual clash between the Comedians and Leading Men for the oeneat of the Mount Sinai Hospital. in recent years the basebaU game was held at night, but the dimout reguiaUons preclude all night sports u» the open air. Draft Raid on Fair Cnes Gen'l Attitude On Trayeling Shows Minneapolis, Sept. 1. Thirty officers of five law enforce- ment agencies, including the FBI, descended upon the Royal American Shows at the Minnesota State Fair midway and, after checking the draft status of 3S0 employees, took into custody eight of the carnival workers who had no draft registra- tion cards or had failed to keep in contact with their selective service boards. The maneuver was characterized by the FBI as 'more or less pre' cautionary' and assert the procedure will be followed witti most traveling show organizations. The raid started at 4 a.m. on the Fair's opening day. Employees- of the carnival shows were routed out of bed in tents and wagons to face details of officers. m Hollywood, Sept. 1, Cinematic villains are leering, as never before, in their low-bred; scurvy way from behind portiere and clothes press. Plots, counter plots and marplots are being - con' cocted every-hour-on-the-hour sumptuous penthouses overlooking the Sub-Treasury building and noxious backrooms of waterfront saloons. Everybody goes shootin', tootin' lootin' through the d^y and half the night, to be foiled at every turn by the consummate skill of a master-criminologlst who foils and foils and foils; only, drat it, the cads come roistering back for the next in (Continued on page 20) Carradine as Kichard VX Hollywood, Sept. 1. New York staging of 'Richard HI' is planned for this fall by John Carradine, film heavy, and Richard Woodman. Former will play the title role. Deal is in negotiation for either the Martin Beck or St. James theatre. DO U. S. FILMS UBE YANKS? London, Aug. 10. The August issue of 'The Outpost, leaflet 'published by Americans in Britain,' contains a savage attack upon Hollywood motion pictures as spreading misinformation and an of- fensive, belittling, cheap version of American life. Films are the chief obstacle to better Anglo-American relations now and so long as they continue, to quote: 'Rub into us that you (Yanks) ad mire cheats; that your men are ob- sessed with women; that your worn (Continued on page 47) Baritone John Tyres Sought By Metro St. Louis, Sept. 1. John Tyres, youthful baritone of the Municipal Theatre Assn., is mull- ing a contract offer received last week from Metro. Because of a concert sked Tyres would not be able to debut in the flickers until after Jan. 1. Following his subbing for Kenneth Spencer in the role of Joe in 'Show Boat' at the al fresco the- atre in Forest Park two weeks ago Tyres began to get feelers from the celluloid makers, with a definite offer being made by long-distance phone. Tyres made his first p.a. with the Muny Theatre organization last sea- son in Victor Herbert's 'Sweetheart' and this season became a stock member for both small and major parts. His chance came when Spen- cer suffered laryngitis. JEANETTE MacDONALD BOOKED AT $3,500 PER Jeanette MacDonald will this sea- son sing at 10 dates, opening in New. ark, N. J., Oct. 10. The singer, who plays percentage, averages between $3,SOO-$4,000 per engagement. Miss MacDonald starts her tour at the close of 12 engagements for army relief, the last of which is in Wash' ington, Oct. 4. Hanna's OWI Post Agent Mark Hanna was appointed yesterday (Tuesday) by Elmer Davis as an aide in the Office of War In formation. He goes to London the end of this month, and will concern himself with documentary and prop agenda films. Hanna has had wide film experi- ence as the late Douglas Fairbanks' Paris rep, and later Far Eastern manager for Paramount, long domi- ciled in Shanghai, More recently he was a literary, radio and general talent rep. Mollie Binion, his of- fice aide, will continue the agency for the duration, while Hanna is handling for<;ign duties for the OWI, STEINBECK WEST John Steinbeck left for the Coast over the weekend to supervise pro- duction of a series of recordings of material from his forthcoming book about the Army Air Force, to be distributed to radio stations. He plans to remain on the Coast for the winter. GORDON, SMALL IN PIX, LEGIT PARTNERSHIP Max Gordon and Eddie Small have formed a play and film part nership. Film producer Small has' been east for months with view to embarking in legit and has tied in with Gordon who, himself, has just returned from a Columbia film pro duction deal. 'Franklin Square' and possibly 'Junior Miss' will l>e their initial ventures. Meantime Small is work' Ing on "The Life of Rudolf Valentino' as his next indie film production for United Artists release. Likelihood UA will get the Gordon-Small pix as well. 'The Flying Shamrock,' aif orig inal based on "The Life of Brendon (Fatty) Finuoane,' has been acquired for production by Small. 'Red Army' Fdm Now OK m Pennsy, Won't 'Corrupt Public Morals' Philadelphia, Sept. I. The State Board of Motion Picture Censors last week put its seal of ap- proval on the Soviet documentary, 'The Red Army,' ending a year-long controversy over the film. The action taken by the board, said chairman Edna R. Carroll, was recognition of the fact that the Soviets are now the allies of the United States, and that the massing of power shown by the Red film no longer 'has a tendency to corrupt public morals or encourage subver' slve groups'—basis for barring the 'film in July, 1941. The board, however, refused to pass Artkino's 'Soviet Frontier'— which was barred at the same time as 'Red Army' last year. Scenes in this film still were objectionable, Mrs. Carroll indicated. The board's action caused a suit filed by Artkino in Common Pleas Court to l>e nolle prossed. Trumbull Barton, Downing Reported Dead in Action Trumbull Barton, aide to Otto Preminger on 'Margin of Error' and other plays, is reported dead in the Tobruk campaign, where he was with the American Field Service driving an ambulance. Also reported missing or dead is Frank Downing, legit actor (Maurice Evans Co., etc.), who was with the Canadian Air Force. He's listed as being lost in action over France. Geo. Schaefer's Op George J. Scliaefer. chairman of the film industry's War Activities Committee, was last week operated on for gallstones. He is recuperating in a local hos- pital. Buenos Aires, Aug. 26. Federal government's advance viewing and blue pencilling of all films with anti-Axis, war or political themes, and close cropping of any- thing in the least likely to arouse the totalitarlans' protests appear aa marching orders to Hollywood from now on. Definite decree hasn't yet been an> nounced although inspired presa stories make it almost certain. Under new setup a high For> eign Office official, probably with a rep of the Ministry of the Interior, will o.o. all doubtful films in advance, hand down their verdict and make it binding regard- less of later swastika squawking. Change in method follows govern- ment edict reapproving British- made, Columbia-distributed 'Invad- ers'—shown here as 'Cinco Hombres* ('Five Men')—and 20th-Fox's 'Secret Agent of Japan' CAgente Secreto de Japon'). . Both films were banned Aug. 7 after the German Charge d'Affaires, Otto Meynen, protested to the office of Enrique Ruiz Gulnazu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, who, in turn, (Continued on page 25) Pianist Travels 6,000 Miles to Do 1 Number For Benny Goodman Benny Goodman hired and fired • pianist in 10 minutes last week and the musician travelled 6,000 miles in the operation. Searching for a pianist to replace Mel Powell, who joined Raymond Scott at CBS, Good- man had Bill Clifton fiy from N. V. to Hollywood, used him in one num- ber then handed him two week* salary and shipped him back to N. Y, paying his fare also, of course. Goodman is on the Coast working on a new film for United Artists. Trad* Hark Registered FOUNDED BT SIMB BILVBRMAN PubUabed Weekly hj TABIBTT, tar. Sid Silverman, Preeldent. 15« West 4eth Street, New York, N. T. SUBSCRIPTION Annual |10 Foreign..Ill Single Copies 2C <;entB Vol 147 ,1M No. 13 INDEX Advance Pro<Iuction Chart.. 34 Bills 58 Chatter 61 Concert-Opera 43 Exploitation 20 Film Booking Chart 22 Film Reviews 18 House Reviews 54 Inside—Concert-Opera 43 Inside—Legit 59 Inside—Music 50 tnside—Orchestras 47 Inside—Pictures 24 Inside—Radio 41 International 25 Legitimate 57 Literati 58 Music 48 New Acts .55 Night Club Reviews 52 Obituaries 62 Orchestras 44 Pictures 5 Radio 35 Radio Reviews 40 Vaudeville 51 War Activities 4 DAILt VARIETT (Published In Hollywond br Daily Variety. Ltd.) 110 a rear—112 rorel«n