Variety (Sep 1942)

44 Wednesday, September 9, 1942 Literati Ray Bell Explains Ray Bell is the latest to express concern over the 'total ignorance of background and purposes' of the Mc- Sorley Mounted Literary Society (N. Y.), and he denies that 'two- headed people must pay double dues. Although it is alleged that the pur- poses of the society are 'literary and phUosophicai; the by-laws, If any, provide that any two members may expel any other member, and one member may throw the president out. Also claimed that the society has no official song; it sings as it pleases (lousy). Any member over-imbibing at meetings more than three consecu- tive times becomes an ex-offlcio member of the board of directors, which consists of eight members, headed by a bewildered chairman. Best's Latest Perfidy Latest of several cheap stunts by Robert P. Best, former Spartanburg resident who became foreign news- paper correspondent (UP) and later turned Nazi, has South Carolina folks boiling. Best, bellowing in Berlin broadcasts for Hitler, is ask- ing South Carolinians to write his name on ballot as Congressman-at- Large in the November elections. The Hitler disciple contends he has maintained his citizenship, and, though absent, has the right to run. Indicated here now that the people will ask the state legislature at its next session to pass a special act declaring Best is no longer a citizen of this state. Best, who was In Vienna several years before knifing his country and going to Berlin, has refused to leave the Nazi gutters and return home. Books by 2 Kansans Books by two Kansans, both of whom climbed the literary ladder from newsroom typewriters, are among this month's publisher re- leases. They Were Expendable,' a war narrative by William L. White, son of Emporia's William Alien White, Is to be published Sept. 14 by Har- court. Brace. It's slated to be a Book-of-the-Month club choice. 'AH Sons Must Say Goodbye,' a first novel by Michael Amrlne, who now is a staff member of The Baltimore Sun after once having worked on The Emporia Gazette, was published Sept. 2 by Harpers. alities with whom the humorist was thrown in contact. He'll also illus- trate it. , Meantime he's finishing up on the Illustrations of Dick Hyman's book, 'Superstitions of Celebrities,' due soon. Hyman is promotion manager for King Features. Prof. Nlcoll's Leave Prof. Allardyce Nlcoll, chairman ot Yale's drama department, has been granted a leave of absence for th-: duration to accept a post with the British Embassy in Washington. Nicoll's lecture course on 'History of the Drama" will be carried on by Prof. C. F. Tucker Brooke and Prof. Jack R. Crawford. Technical duties will be distributed among remaining personnel. Prof. Nicoll has been at Yale since 1933. Can, Weeklies Elect OfTicers elected at the 23d annual convention of the Canadian Weekly NewspapiBl's ' Ass'ii in Saskatoon, Sask., were: president, R. P. Mac Lean, Kelowna, B. C; past president, Walter R. Legge, Granby, Que. honorary first vice-president, Major ■W. Ashfleld,.jCrentell, Sask.; vice presldenu, wT J. Rouse, Manitou, Man., and E. P. Galbraith, Red Deer, Alta. Clem McCarthy's Works Clem McCarthy is completing a book called 'Bet You a Million Gates,' the biography of John W. Gates, fabulous plunger. Although lie earned the phrase through spec- tacular gambling at the racetracks, Gates was much more active in the stock market. New work will be a companion piece to McCarthy's 'Pittsburgh Phil, rated one of the most alert bettors in the history of racing. It first ap- peared serially in the Saturday Eve- ning Post. McCarthy is broadcasting the races at WAIT, Chicago. 2 PItters to Other Fields Couple of Pittsburgh's No. 1 re- porters have left jobs there for new posts. Robert H. Hagy, Jr., crack Post-Gazette newshawk, goes to the Chicago office of the Luce mags and Dick Lamb, ace Press city man, has joined staff ot Business Week in New York. Hagy has represented Time, Life and Fortune in Pittsburgh for some time and Lamb couple of years ago won American Press Society-Mellon cash award for best reportorlal job of the year on a series exposing high construction costs in Pittsburgh. Etbrldce Now Pabllsher Mark Ethridge, v.p, and general manager of the Louisville (Ky.) Courier • Journal and Louisville Times since 1936, became publisher of the two newspapers Friday (4) He succeeds Lieut. Barry Bingham, owner, who now becomes president of the organization, which also owns radio station WHAS. Bingham is now on active duty with the U. S. Navy in London. Mrs. Bingham was named a v.p. and director of the company. Ethridge, who was publisher of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch before going to Louisville, remains a v.p. Harry Hershfleld's Chores Harry Hershfleld, N. Y. Mirror cartoonist, columnist and radio hu morist, is still working on a long standing commitment to Simon Schuster for a book which he calls •Anybody's Biography.' Title culled from the manifold person Toast Hannen SwaSer Hannen Swaffer's 40th anniversary as a liondon newspaperman was celebrated recently at a dinner. A hundred or so of his fellow scribes turned out to honor the critic and columnist, known on both sides of the Atlantic. LITERATI OBITS Henry T. E. White, 89, former managing editor of the Chicago Daily News, died Sept. 1 in Chicago. Kennetli S. Beall, 40, state editor of Cleveland Press, died Sept. 4 af- ter long illness. Wife, daughter and mother survive. Elbert 3. Darrow, 76, former managing editor of the old Canton (O.) Daily News, died Sept. 4. He was previously editor of Ravenn^ (O.) Republican. Albert J. flare, 91, former editor and publisher of the Marysville (O.) Journal, and associated with Okla- homa newspapers for some years, died Aug. 31 in Tulsa, Okla., leaving two daughters and a son. CHATTER Phyllis Bentley, English authoress active in British Ministry of Info, has been shifted to the American Division and is due in U. S. in De- cember. Eddie Johnson, Chicago Tribune's color page editor, in Hollywood for three weeks. Don Thompson ganderlng Holly- wood studios for the St. Louis Post Dispatch. First of Dixie's woman editors, as newsmen continue to flock into armed forces, is Blanche Jones, named editor-in-chief of North Georgia Tribune at Canton. 'He's tied up tighter than a Hearst contract' is an idiom in syndicate circles, referring to the tough pacts usually drawn with feature writers and cartoonists. Robin Garland is new photo ed- itor ot Satevepost, vice George Kother. Al Strasser resigned as Liberty mag art editor. is a fine example ot the control of the industry which Washington seeks to Impose but exhibitors do not seem to remember that it Is wise to look before they leap.' This distrlb executive, who has been getting around the country considerably of late, says that he has talked to many exhibitors who have been threatening to complain to Washington about rentals In the hope that some ceiling or limitations are set. Instead of exhibitor organizations passing resolutions ot one kind or another, he has sought to spread the gospel that if a theatre operator wants' a 10 or 15% profit perhaps he should first try to become a better showman and get more out of the product he buys than he has been. SUrted In UMPI When committees were working on the framing of the UMPI plan, some representatives of exhib asso- ciations sought to write a rental control clause into the plan. The distributors refused to consider any proposals along that line and in the event actual plans get under way in Washington for a ceiling they are expected to battle any such move with figures as well as "other am munition. While reminding that many exhibs may not realize the dangers inherent in getting Federal control of film- buying costs because it would doubt less lead to other regulation, a dis tributor source stresses that if they want a ceiling based on a reasonable profit, the distribs are also going to insist on a similar profit. Not only that but declared that there are many cases where one exhib may now be paying $75 for a film but another operating a theatre of comparable importance in a simi lar town is paying $100 or more. Were any ceiling to be sought, dis- tribs would naturally insist that the man getting film a less cost be pulled up to a comparative level with others having operations of the same character. Also, distributor feeling is that the distrib Is entitled to the same ratio ot profit as the exhibitor who plays his film Speaking for his company, one ot the Big Five under the decree, a sales executive stated that it an exhibitor is being hurt the company is very willing to make an equitable adjustment and all along this past season has been doing so where jus tifled. However, now and then it Is dis- covered that exhibs try to take ad' vantage on adjustment policies. One recently claimed he was In bad shape and had to have an adjust ment. A careful analysis of rent- als, gross, etc., showed that he was making a profit of 22% after pay- ing himself a salary. 'I see no reason,' the distributor exec added, 'why we should sell under the market unless the ex hibitor is actually sustaining a loss. STANLEY, PITT was singing over Pittsburgh stations and with Pittsburgh bands. Breese's lineup consists of five saxes, three trombones, three trum- pete, guitar, bass, drums and piano, and boys make a lot ot good music. Swell comedy novelty comes early in •Keep 'Em SmiUng,' with the gang mugging it neatly, and Kay Allen, formerly with late Bunny Berlgan, mops up on 'Pennsylvania Polka, •Take Me' and 'Summertime.' Gal's both able and decorative, and has unusually strong pipes. 'Bill of RIghta' is In the glee club manner led by Steve Bauers, base player, and bright modern arrangement of an oldie, 'Rosette,' has John Crosby taking the sax lead. Breese himself is much more of a showman than he used to be, has lot ot poise and gen- erally makes himself useful as well as a peg tor the light novelty stuff. All in all, he has a band now that can hold its own and deliver the money's worth on any deluxe stage. Three Stooges, of course, are still the Three Stooges. They've been selling the same routine tor nearly a decade now and there's actually no reason why they should change It, if the enthusiasm of this afternoon's crowd for their burlesque quarter- hour can be taken as a criterion Cash customers lapped up every- thing they did. Berrys tied the show up in knots, as they always do, with their stro'ng eccentric legmania. Biz big. Cohen. CAPITOL, WASH. Week's New Shorts ^^^^ ContlBned from page n ^^^^ Ceiling Threat sCoBtlnoed from pace the Government and ask for a ceiling on rentals. At the same time, the Cincinnati organization, headed by Wess Huss, president, went on record against increased admissions and ex- tended playing time as contractual demands. In New England On top of this action, reported that Independent Exhibitors, Inc., of New England, of which Nathan Yamins is leader, stands ready to gird tor a fight in favor of legislation fixing ceilings on film rentals. This organi- zation was one of three which re- jected the United Motion Picture In- dustry plan and bombarded the De- partment of Justice with appeals to kill It for many and varied reasons. Commenting on the adverse action taken by Thurman Arnold, assistant attorney general, with respect to the UMPI sales proposals, a high distri- bution official, discussing the rent- .- als situation points out that 'Arnold cast headed by Paul Kelly, Anne Nagel and other familiar feature players, this is about the most enter- taining serial out of this studio in years. It comes closer to being adult tare than recent efforts, too. Only on a few occasions does the action limp into old-style serialization. This chapter concerns the efforts of the U. S. Secret Service to combat an Axis sabotage ring. It centers around a new secret formula for making synthetic rubber tires and efforts ot the ring to steal the plans. Yarn has Dan Barton (Paul Kelly) getting discharged from the police force as lieutenant in order to aid the U. S. terret out this sabotage ring. Trim performances by Kelly and Anne Nagel are h^ed by Spencer Bennett's nicely paced direction. Introduction of a blackboard lec ture, supposedly by a U. S. Army officer, to explain how codes are de- ciphered enhances this serial. It's an added strip (scheduled for every chapter) that inculcates great ex ploitation possibilities. 'Old Blackout Joe* (Phantasy car toon comedy. Col, 8 mins.)—Mild cartoon entry showing efforts of a Harlem blackout warden to make hi< district 100% perfect. Tries too hard tor laughs. Thin Idea fairly well executed. Wear, F-WC Charity Nights Los Angeles, Sept. 8. Series of 100 midnight shows for the benefit ot American Legion char- ities will be put on in Fox-West Coast houses throughout California Legionnaires will sell the ticketa, with F-WC donating the houses and staffs. House Reviews SContliined from page 3^ from Manila who tells of her In- ternment there and the hardships undergone. Miss tiong photographs and speaks well. Among other things, she's quite a looker. Par made the exclusive. The sporto column Includes a night football game In Chicago, a grid tussle in Los Angeles and train- ing ot college football players at Villanova, P^i, * Show includes a short, "Men ot the Sky' (WB), plus the usuftl weekly specials with Tex McCrary and H. V. Kaltenborn, latter recent- ly back from England and Russia. "rary this week discusses the four Rolheyelt sons who are In the serv- ice ami pays nice tribute to them. Char. Washington, Sept. 6. Jay C. Flippen, Diosa Costello, Diamond Bros. (3), The Divans, Rhythm Rockets, Sam Jack Kauf- man's House Orch; 'Footlipht Sere node' (20th). This is 50 fast minutes of show, with emphasis on comedy, some of it a little too indigo tor a Sunday at ternoon audience. Rhythm Rockets' first routine Is an introductory for the Divans, two smooth ballroom dancers with num bers that demonstrate grace and rhythm. Fun entrance tor emcee Jay C. Flippen, with two medieval heralds blowing a Bronx cheer on the trumpets. A couple ot Flippen nifties, and then the Diamond Doys are brought on for customary knock- about. . Most ot their patter, on the nance side, went flat as a flapjack with the Sabbath crowd. End up with fast dancing routine and heavy applause tor the challenge steps. Revival of the old George White 'Scandals' skit, "The Stand-in', straight from the alfalfa fields. Sam Jack Kaufman sheds dignity to be the stooge who gets the meringue in the face and the bucket of water, Diamond Bros., Flippen and Dolly Gallo help out in this, which adds up to several ears ot corn. But the audience went solidly for the hokum. Flippen had 'em going with his monolog, but the Statue ot Liberty joke should be parked for the dura tion^ Just two raw for these times Diosa Costello, the Latin bombshell, moves an extra drummer on the stage tor her rhythms. Girl tobasco enough, and routine looks as though she envied Cass Daley. Grotesque stuff is similar. The torso-shaking and shiver got 'em though. Trailers close after burlesque bit with Flippen in Charley's Aunt rig. Lobby packed and a lockout. Arfce, EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSBEEL) Official pictures ot the recent Dieppe raid by Commandos and American Rangers, just released by Paramount, highlight the current bill and provide unusual excitement. Some excellent action shota were snared, , Including bombing, dog flghta in the air, fires, the downing of a couple of planes and rescue of pilots. Tacked to the Dieppe sequence Is a clip dealing with Commando raids on Norwegian coastal towns. On the home front Par has photographed Rangers in training. A group ot Rangers in England undergoing rigid training there Is attached to this one. Another fine clip dealing with war action has been released by News ot the Day, which covers a convoy defending Itself from enemy air- craft while enroute from Gibraltar to Malta. Related war items include Winston Churchill In Egypt, launch Ing of the Iowa, the Russian sniper who has bumped off several hun- dred Nazis, graduation of the first group of WAAC, gals joining the WAVES, opening ot the film Indus try's September bond drive and Joseph Grew's warning on Japan as a war power The former ambas sador's talk was Impressive. An exclusive Is a camera Inter- ' view with Frances Long, an evacuee EARLE, WASH. Washington, Sept. 4. Hermanos Wttliams THo, Ken Davidson and Hugh Forgie, Billie Raves, Roxvettes, Joe Lombardi's House Orch; 'Across the Pacific' (WB). These long pictures, supplemented by government shorts and notices plus the reflation newsreel, cuts down the running time tor this stage show. Routine Is 35 minutes with- out any dynamite. Roxyettes open with a slick rou- tine marked by the return of Eileen Ritter, who sings with the mike. 'The badminton experts have worked up neat little act. ' Davidson and Forgie are good showmen, make their session with the rackets and shuttlecock register as fine entertain- ment. If the ^dea is to show bad- minton is not. a sissy game, but a strenuous net sport, it succeeds. Billy Rayes has a good idea, try- ing to mix screen impersonations with juggling. Question Is it he isn't biting off too much. Keeping those balls in the air prevents him from getting the full effect ot his voice over the microphone. His dancing finish is a wow. Hermanos William Trio blends the South American dance tempos with acrobatics. Just so-so. 'Ilie Roxy- ettes close with a stilt dance, very well rehearsed, difficult and a crowd pleaser. Joe Lombardi's band clicks, socking out! an applause overture of favorite Cieorge M. Cohan melodies. Arke. 'Stop Gossip' ^sContinned from page 's^s licenses unless 'you curb loose talk and excessive drinking.'- 'In a joint investigation with other officials we found waiters, bartenders and civilians pumping war workers and army personnel ot valuable mili- tary Information,' he said. 'It may have been innocent, but it also could be used for sabotage. It Is a danger- ous situation and one which the Army cannot tolerate.' ' Previously the State Liquor Con- trol Commission had Indicated that it would put out of biz those tavern keepers who do not abide by strict rules laid down on nitery operation. It now is indicated that several ma- jor spots here may be shuttered. Shows had to be cleaned up, tor one thing, and the augmented rules now ask that spots confine themselves to seeing that the patrons hush up on war talk. 'Everybody will be better off it the clubs keep their minds on their own business—entertainment,' the army spokesman said. F.D.R.'s Cue sContlnued from page i ceremony had ever been such broadcast. Inclusion ot the story ot Lt. Powers' heroism was apparently made by the President at the last minute, after hearing Sunday night's 'They Live Forever' program. Roose- velt Is understood to have Intended announcing the award of the Con- gressional Medal ot Honor to the missing flyer, but had not planned to tell the story at such length. At his suggestion, the Navy got in touch with Telchmann and that part ot the 'Live Forever' program was wired'lo the White House. Incident at first frightened Telch- mann acutely, as he had no idea why the Navy wanted a copy of the script. When it was explained that Washington wanted to see it, he feared that he had included some forbidden material, which had some- how slipped through the Navy public relations men. Subsequent word that It was the White House that wanted the material merely increased Teich- mann's agitation. However, he was finally given a hint to be sure to listen to the President's broadcast.