Variety (Sep 1942)

46 Wednesday^ S«pt«iiibe|> 9* 11942 O BIT U ARIE S NED WATBURN Ned Wayburn, 68, died at his home In N. Y. Sept. 2. Details in legit section. HARBISON GRET FISKE Like the late Ned Wayburn, Har- rison Grey Fiske. 81, former news- paperman and showman who died lest Thursday (3) in N. Y., belongel lo another era in the theatre. He started as a reporter and critic in New Jersey, switching to the N. Y. Star, then the Dramatic Mirror. Beth were theatrical sheets and both hove long been defunct. Fiske was wed to Minnie Maddern la 1891. She then assumed the name of Fiske for the stage. Under h's direction she was the first to score in Ibsen dramas, appearing in 'Ghosts,' 'Hedda Gabler' and 'A Doll's House.' Mrs. Fiske also starred in notable other successes for her husband Li Buch plays as Tess of the DUuber- vllles," 'Leah Kleschner,' 'Salvation Nell,' 'Becky Sharp' and 'Mary of Mngdala,' those plays establishing her among the top actresses of America. She died in 1932. Fiske also presented the late Otis Skinner in 'Kismet.' Skinner also appeared with Mrs. Fiske and Hen- rietta Grossman in "The Merry Wives of Windsor.' Later shows in which he presented his wife were ■Ladles of the Jury,' 'Mrs. MaUprop' and 'Mrs. Bumpstead Leigh.' Fiske died in a one-room apart- ment on West eeth street, where he had been writing his autobiography. I. WALTER BVBEN J. Walter Ruben, 43, film producer, died Sept. 4 in Hollywood following a three-week battle against a heart ailment. At his bedside was his wife, Virginia Bruce, whom he first met when he directed her in a Metro pic- ture in 1937. Graduate of Columbia University, where he studied psychology and drama, Ruben started his profession- al career as a stage actor, later moving into fiction writing, publicity and film scripting. As a screen writer, starting in 1924, h'e turned in a long list of plays, among which were 'Under the Tonto Rim,* 'Dead Game,' 'Check and Double Check,' •No Other Woman,' 'Public Defend- er,' 'Shooting Straight' and 'White Shoulders.' As a director he piloted •Java Head,' 'Rift Raff.' Trouble for Two,' 'Old Hutch,' 'The Old Soak,' Thoroughbreds Don't Cry' and 'Bad Man of Brimstone,' among others. Upped to producership by Metro In 1939, he l^ame identified with the Wallace Beery films and the 'Maisie' series. Among his productions were Thunder Afloat,' 'Congo Maisie,' •Flight Command,' *20 Mule Team,' •Gold Rush Maisie' and 'Maisie Was a I,ady.' His last picture, still to be shown, was the biography of Andrew Johnson, successor to Abraham Lin- coln as President, titled 'Tennessee Johnson.' Funeral services, followed by cremation, were held Sept. 6 at Forest Lawn, Glendale, Cal. BEBNABD B. BTMAN Bernard B. Hyman, 47, Metro production executive, died Sunday nitht (6) at his Mandeville Canyon home as the result of a heart at- tack. Stricken several weeks ago, Hyman's illness was not thought to have been serious. Hyman entered the film business In 1919 after serving in World War I as a captain in the Army Tank Corps. He started as a film sales- man for Triangle, later becoming company's branch manager in New Orleans and then Omaha. He then turned to the production end of p.'Ctures, joining Universal's script department, after his original, 'Con- fidence,' produced in 1921, was a suc- cess. He was mp.de editorial as- sistant to Irving Thalberg, and when Litter moved to Metro in 1924, Hy- man went along as a producer. Among his credits are such pie- tiives as The Cossack,' 'Stamboul Quest." 'Red Dust,' 'Rasputin and the Empress,' Trader Horn,' 'San Francisco,' 'Conquest' and The Cieat Waltz.' Survived by widow, mother and bi other. done on his 12,000-acre ranch near Pryor, Mont., where he was sur- rounded by cowboys, horses and cat- tle as models. A year ago he moved to Hollywood to write film stories, but illness forced him to stop work last spring. Best known of his tales of the ranges were 'Lone Cowboy,'' 'Scor- pion,' 'Sand,' 'Home Ranch,' 'Sun- up' and 'Smoky,' which was screened by Fox in 1933. WILL JAMES Will James, SO, cowboy artist and writer, died Sept. 3 in Hollywood after several months' illness. AI though orphaned in childhood and without formal schooling, he wrote 20 books and scores of short stories of western life and illustrated them with his own rugged style of art Most of James' later work was TEDDIE GERARD Tcddic Gerard, 52, former Ameri- can dancing and singmg star, died Aug. 31 in London. Born in Buenos Aires as Teresa Cabre, Miss Gerard made her first stage appearance in N. Y. as a chorus girl in 'Havana' at the Casino theatre in 1909. She won popularity in Europe during the First World War, appearing In London in The Wedding Glide' and in E. Phillips Oppenheim's 'Eclipse.' She was. a dancing partner to Harry Pilcer in Paris, succeeding Gaby Deslys. Miss Gerard appeared in The Cave Girl,' a motion picture in 1921, and in 1923 she played in David L'Strange's 'The Rat' at the Colonial theatre, N. Y. JEAN CAVALLAZZI FASSIO Jean Cavallazzi Fassio, 76, former circus and vaudeville performer, died recently in Liachute, Quebec, Can. A native of Italy, Fassio had brought his wife and four children, all acrobatic performers, to America as members of the Barnum <c Bailey circus about 25 years ago. The troupe had appeared at the New York Hippodrome for four years and also played in Cincinnati. Fassio retired as a performer upon the death of his wife, and in 1925 turned to operating his own picture theatre In Lachute. At his death he also owned the Capitol theatre, Brownsville, Canada. Three sons survive. HABBT C. DOTLE Harry C. Doyle, 44, for years in the theatrical business and who un- til his fatal illness operated a the- atrical booking office in the Grand theatre building. Canton, O., died Aug. 31 in St. Francis hospital, Co- lumbusr O. He had operated the Doyle theatre, now the Uptown, and the old Broadway, In Columbus, for 14 years. He had also been with the John B. Rogers Producing Co. Survived by widow, mother, three brothers and a sister. PAUL H. LA STATO Paul H. La Stayo, 44, president and general manager of the Bremer Broadcasting Co., operator of WAAT. Newark, died Sept. 6 in Jersey City. One of the first radio operators in New Jersey, he became secretary of the Bremer Co. at its inception in 1926 and took over the position of president and general manager three years later. Surviving are his widow, mother, son, daughter, two sisters and a brother. JOHN CHAPIN MOSHER John Chapin Mosher, 50, film critic of The New Yorker magazine, died Sept. 3 in New York of heart ailment Mosher has been associated with the New Yorker since 1928 and be- came its film critic after the first two years. A collection of sketches by Mosher published in The New Yorker were printed in book form under the title 'Celibate of Twilight' in 1940. Mother and two sisters survive. WILSON F. PERO Wilson F. Pero, 63, former sword- swallower and juggler with the Ring- ling circus, died last week at City hospital, St. Louis, after a three- month illness. An entertainer for more than 40 years, Pero was active until he be- came ill. During recent years he ap- peared as a juggler at county fairs and carnivals in the midwest. Widow, three daughters and a son survive. HALSET MOHR Halsey Mohr, 59, former hit song writer and vaudevillian, died in N. Y., Aug. 29, of a heart attack. Among the numbers to his credit were 'Liberty Bell,' which scored during the first World War, and another of his standouts was 'They're Wearing 'Em Higher in Hawaii.' He appeared in two-a-day as part of the Kimberly and Mohr act, later appearing with Mae Fields as Mohr and Fields. TwoUsoghters^urvtve.- JOHN C. MANNING John C. Manning, 72, concert pi- anist, died at his home in San Fran- cisco. A soloist with the Boston Sym- phony orchestra for years. Manning founded the Manning School of Music in San Ffancisco in 1914, and conducted it until his death. He had given hundreds of recitals on the Pacific Coast. MME. CLIFFORD Mme. Clifford (Mrs. Karl Bauer), 5.~>, circus sword swallower, died Sept. 3 in a Canton, O., hospital after an illness of a month. Before her retirement from the circus and vaudeville stage some years ago she was featured with the Ringling cir- cus. Survived by her husband, for- mer circus acrobat, and two daugh- ters. MAJOR W. J. O'CALLAGHAN Major W. J. O'Callaghan, 68, com- poser of military marches and re- tired army bandmaster, died Sept. 3 in Culver, Ind. O'Callaghan was formerly a di- rector of music at the Culver Mili- tary Academy and was the com- poser of the official U. & 6th Cavalry March. Widow and three daughters survive. WALTER PATEBSON Walter Patersbn, 31, radio actor, committed suicide by monoxide gas Sept. 2 in Hollywood. Formerly on the British stage, Paterson entered radio in San Fran- cisco 12 years ago. For the last six years he played the role of Nicholas Lacy in 'One Man's Family.' MOBBIS''ISliAEL Morris Israel, 50, former Cleve- land theatre owner, died Sept. 1 in Cleveland. He built and managed the old Erie, nabe house. In recent years he operated a grocery store. Survived by father, widow, daugh- ter, son and four brothers. WILLIAM J. BLACK William J. Black, 45, owner of the Star theatre. East Liverpool, O., film house, died Aug. 31 in Salem, O., city hospital. Mother, two brothers and four sisters survive. BENE HUBERT Rene Hubert, 32, Trench violinist, died in July In Marseille, France. Surviving Is his mother, in Paris; a brother. Marcel Hut>ert, a cellist, N. Y.; and a sister. Mile. Yvonne Hubert, a pianist in Montreal. DENNIS H. BEABDON Dennis M. Reardon, Mass. theatre- msn, died recently in Holyoke, Mass., where he had managed the Globe theatre for years. Before that he managed neighborhood film houses i-1 the Springfield area. LEONARD E. BEBGMAN Leonard E. Bergman, 57, died at the Doctor's hospital, N. Y., Sept. 5, a victim of cancer. Details in legit section. Mrs. Fan! White, 32, wife of the Pciramount homeoflice exploiteer, died in New York Thursday morn- ing (6) of a heart attack. She had been suffering for some time with a cardiac ailment. Eueene McGary, 69, pioneer set designer, died Sept. 2 in Hollywood. His most recent work was at Para- mount. Mrs. Ethel M. Pbtky, daughter of the late Shakespearean actor, Robert B.-Mantell, died Sept. 2 In Atlantic Highlands, N. J. Frances Sharp Goodlett, 40, wife of Sebe Goodlett, National Screen sa'.esman, died Wednesday in a Raton. N. M., hospital. Soldier Talent S^sContlnued from pate '^^s backs, the entire combined enter- tainment coming through the same loudspeaker system. For instance, one of the basic scripts being readied would have a soldier sleeping in the barracks and dreaming of Dorothy Lamour. Whereupon a specially prepared record would be cut in, with Miss Lumour taking the soldier to a Hollywood party, where he would meet a number of stars. All voices on the record would be authentic, having been waxed by the players themselves: As far as possible, the material spoken by the stars would jflv^tvft yUiiatinnt nnii personalities familiar to the soldiers. Flashbacks to Broadway Other basic scripts would call for one of the soldiers to express curiosity about what shows were playing on Broadway at the time, o:- to read a letter from home com- menting on one of the New York plays. At that point, the soldiers 01 stage would hold their positions ill dimmed light, while recordings ot hit tunes from the mus^pal shows or highlight scenes from the straight plays would be heard. In every case, the recordings would be made b.' the actual performers who did them on Broadway. Another angle of the same Idea might have one of the soldiers re- calling a favorite scene from a hit show of the past. In that case the recording of the proper scene or number would be interpolated. Still another of the basic scripts would involve a revue or minstrel show by the soldiers themselves. In that case, recordings of such stars as Fred Allen, Jack Benny. Ed Wynn, etc., would be used as Interpolated specialty spots. The Idea of combining live and recorded entertainment into the same production was first used-In that way several years ago when Frank did a show for an Assn. of National Advertisers' conven- tion. Its principal advantage is that it retains the spontaneity of a live show, yet adds the per- sonalities and talent of star per- formers. In addition. It gives the unknowns among the live entertain- ers the kick of performing with the stars. And it also has the ad- vantage of heightening interest be- caOse the men are entertaining themselves, instead ' of merely watching shows presented by oth- ers. Working with Frank on the project are Beatrice (Mrs. George S.) Kauf- man and Sgt. Ezra Stone. Also cooperating are James Sauter, of the United Theafrlcal War Activi- ties Committee, and Rex Stout, of the Writers War Board. William S. Paley,. president of CBS, is con- tributing the network's production and recording facilities. MARRIAGES Dedie Velde to Beatrice La Rosee, in New York, Aug. 29. Groom is stage and screen actor. Estelle Olshane to Morris King, In Louisville, Ky., Sept. 6. Groom is violinist. Verdun Mclnnis to Audrey Dodds, in Ottawa, Aug. 29. Groom is trumpeter with Len Hopkins' band, Canadian outfit. Norma Fischer to Bruce E. Ander- son, in Las Vegas, Nev., Sept 1. Bride is radio singer. Edith Herbert to Vaughn O'Ne.ill, in Cleveland, Sept 6. He's the Pe'nn, Pittsburgh, assistant manager who was recently elevated to manager- ship of t«ew's State in'Cleveland. Alice R'ohrbacker to ErnesT^GTay, in Pittsliurgh, Sept 2. She's halt of the nitery dance team ot Chick and Chickie Allison. Carolyn Schnurer to Lieut. Mal- colm Meyer, in Pittsburgh, Sept 1. She's with the Rep exchange. Helen McGowan to Mark Warnow, Sept. 6, in Peekskill, N. Y. Cere- mony was performed by Judge Johnny White, otherwise profes- sional manager of Remick Music Co. It's maestro Warnow's second mar- riage. He has three children from his first. Kay Miller' to Irving Taylor, in Los Angeles, Sept. 4. Groom is a songwriter; bride has been soloist with several dance bands and also danced in pictures. Al DeVito to Rita DeVere, Sept. 3, in Omaha. Bride Is dancer, groom Is comedian, both with Benny Meroff's 'Funzaflre' vaude unit Lucille Prim to Major Hal Roach, in Dayton, O., Aug. 31. He's the film producer, now in the Army; she's former ASCAP secretary in Los An- geles. Thelda Victor to Francis Mvtin, in Les Vegas, Nev., Aug. 30. Bride 1? a secretary at Paramount; groom a writer at Columbia. Mary Jane Dewey to William N. Nelson, Aug. 29, in Oak Park, 111. Groom is in WLS promotion dept Wana Wenerholm to Jack Allison at the South Side hospital. Bay Shore, L. I., Sept. 4. Bride is In the chorus of 'By Jupiter' (Shubert, N. Y.); groom was injured recently in a laboratory accident, and so ceremony was performed at his bed- side. Evelyn Ankers to Richard Denning, Sept 6, In Las Vegas, Nev. Both picture players; groom Navy-bound in. three weeks. MluMter Par ^sCoBtlnued from pace With flow of product from its own producers unlikely to start before next spring. Sears is undei'stood' ready to talk deals with other ma- jors, in addition to Par, which might be interested in using the UA distribution forces. No other major deal is ' nminent, however. Should all of the raw stock which UA would have at its disposal next season be used up or earmarked for either its own Independent pro- ducers and/or the Par deal, then any other major company deals would be subject to provision that latter provide their own raw stock. Long Time BolUnr Aside from three pictures shortly going into release ('Moon and Six- pence,' 'Jacare' and 'One of Our Aircraft Is Missing'), flow of any important product for UA releas« from Its own producers is not ex* pected to materialize much befor* the spring, under tentative shooting schedules for the various in- dependent production units. From all indications, David O. Selznick and Sir Alexander Korda will be active this year, though Hunt Stromberg, who is slated for three or four pictures. Is the only UA producer actually shooting. In addition to the Arthur S.- Lyons \inlts (see details herewith), slated to go into production either late this fall or winter, the UA schedule will Include one or two pictures from James Cagn^y, Sol Liesser's 'Stage Door Canteen,' on* from Charles R. Rogers, one from Edward Small, one from Gregor Rablnowlch, one from Arnold Press- burger and one or two from Samuel Bronston. Noel Coward's 'In Which We Serve,' made in Eng- land, is ready for release in the U. S. shortly. UA DIreotora Meet Hollywood, Sept. 8. Conferences looking to the take- over of product of other companies, for release by United Artists, will be continued today with Ed Raftery and Grad Sears participating for UA. Sears has viewed a score ct Paramount films and is said to be receptive to three of the pictures, not western specials, to fill the gap until UA producers get around to delivering their own product. Also attending the meeting for UA will be Loyd Wright, Mary Pick- ford and Charles Chaplin who will examine the situation and get other producers to assent to the purchase of Paramount product BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Al Sendrey, daugh- tei, in Hollywood, Aug. 31. Father is a music arranger. Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Marks, daugh- ter, Aug. 25, in New York. Father is music supervisor for Major Bowes; mother was formerly mu- sician in Smith Sisters' orch. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Teichmann, daughter, Sept 2, in New York. Father is radio writer. Mr. and Mrs. Archibald Braun- fleld, daughter, Sept. 4 in Brooklyn. Fr.ther is business manager ot the Henry Souvaine office, radio pro- ducers. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Anas, daugh- ter, Aug. 21. in Steubenville, Q, Anas is associated with his father, Nick Anas, in the. operation of thea- tres In Steubenville, Holidays Cover and Welrton. W. Va. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Eurist, son, in Los Angeles, Sept. 3. Mother was Betty Proctor ot Warners publicity department Father Is assistant di- rector on same lot Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Janov, daughter, in Hollywood, Aug. 31. Father is chief accountant for David O. Selznick Productions. Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Bracken, daughter, Sept 3, In Beverly Hills. Father Is film-legit actor; mother Is former Connie Nickerson, legit ac- tress. Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Memoy, son. In Hollywood, Sept. 3. Father Is with Universal advertising staff. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Turoldo, son, Aug. 30, in Regina, Sask. Father is manager ot the Grand theatre, Re- gina. Mr. and Mrs. Donald P. Campbell, son, Sept. 4, in New York. Father is a member of the Blue network sales staff. Mr. and Mrs. Meyer Shapiro, daughter. In Toledo, Aug. 29. He's concert master of Toledo Symphony Orchestra.