Variety (Sep 1942)

VeJnesJay, Scpicmber 16, 1942 CHATTER^ 8S Ray Milland In from the Coast. Laurence Schwab up from Miami Beocta. Edward G. Robinson in town after a tour of OSO-Army camps. Jimmy Stroocfc's Bianca (Blackie) eositumed road companies of 'Junior iUss.' Mrs Murray Phillips, widow of the casting agent, opening her own office. Paul Whiteman sojourning three weeks east, before returning to Hol- lywood. Mort Blumenstock in Chicago on nublicity-adverttsing matters for Warners. ■Laura Deane Dutlon. nitery and radio songsUess, up for ■ 20th-Fox tcreen test. Yeoman Billy Reed, ex-emcee and Bltery atajger, giving Main St. ■ fast 10-day whirl Publicist George D. Lotlman. long ailing, back home after a critical op. at the Park East bosp. Passportitis kept one USO unit from clippering to Bermuda to en- tertain U. S. troops there. Bob Hussey, in charge of radio eontracts for the Par studio, came in ^iday (11) for two weeks. Max Magribs, ex-'Variety' corre- mondent in Berlin, is now Corp. iSaenus, Army Air Base, Syracuse. \^n Murray, currently in 'Sons O' FuD,' is seeking an out on her fontnct with Walter Badielor. WOR's Henry Morgan proBled in next week's Satevepost as 'Morgan flie Maleficent,' by John Durant. Guy who jabbed Clifl Hall in face with broken beer glass got five to 10 jean. Hall lost sight of one eye. Publicist Harry Sobol on tbe Coast to open Hollywood branch. Ted Hartman holding down eastern end. Roy Rogers, cowT>oy film player, will be featured in rodeo at Madi- son Square Garden, opening Oct 7. Agma, a nag named after the American Guild of Musical Artists, won Brat start at Aqueduct last week. Alex Card, the theatrical carica- turist, loins the Navy next week, go- ing into the Quartermaster depart' ment l)r. Miguel. Elias. George M. Cohan's pnysician. into army. Dr Roland Grausman taking over his practice. Leda Bauer, N. Y. story depart ment head for RKO. back from the Coast after conferring with Charles Koemer. Broadway and Tin Pan Alley pals toasted Mose Gumble Monday at T9ots Shor's on the occasion of his birthday. Joe Vital* turned down by Army because of physical condition. He •xpectcd to be iuducted on birthday last week. Bud Netter. son of Leon Netter, Par theatre executive, at Holy Cross college studying for a commission in the Navy. Hla Raines, WsEhington U. little theatre actress, who was tested by Warner Bros, on the Coast, east for a possible play. Quentin Reynolds, Collier's War correspondent, back from London. Win linger here before getting an- other assignment. Pvt. Max Wilk. son of Jake Wilk, eastern story head for Warner Bros., Just been made clasEiflcalion clerk at Camp Upton, L. I. Harry Royster. who operates the upstate N. Y. (Netco circuit) the- atres for Par, was in town Monday (14) on operating matters. John Stein, former press agent for the late Texas Guinan, is coordina- tor of entertainment for 4th Inter- ceptor Command, San Francisco. BoxofTice staff at the Broadway for This Is the Army,' has little time for lunch, so Arnold Reuben delivers it to them daily himself, and it's on the cuff. • Mrs. W. Averell (Marie) Harriman hostessing a going-away shindig next week for agent Mark Hanna. gone OWI, and due to sail for London shortly. Robert Leonard, formerly one of yr<Mieville'8 best roue characters, at- tracted managerial attention by his recent performance in 'The New Moon" at Carnegie HalL Next idea for nearby overseas en- tertainment will be a name band plus some sock single, since the sMdier-boy jukebox addicts go •trong for the jive maestros. The Freddie Fitzsinunons bowling •Jley in Brooklyn, financed by Donald Flamm, is paying out like a slot machine. Being enlarged to 40 alleys, the largest in that sector. Afflo-ican Theatre Wing will give a testimonial luncheon in hotuir of Irving Berlin, the cast and staff of This Is The Army' Friday (18) at theAstor hotel: notables will attend. The 'Aryans Under the Skin' num- ber has been dropped from the sec- ond act of This Is the Army.' at the Broadway. It ridiculed tbe Nazi claun of feUow Aryan' status for the Japs. Bob Goldstein. 20th Ulent scout, slated to go in as a private. An air base .colonel meantime has requested nim as morale officer, and if that comes through, the biUing may be C*Pt., Robert Goldstein. While hubby BlU White is OWI- ins in London. Ruth Morris and their adopted baby arc with Mrs, William Morris, Sr., at their Saranac retreat Abe Lastfogel, g.m. of the Morris agency, visited them this past week. Emcee Bill Steel* into the Air Corps as specialist on morale. Steele has been long with Walter Jacobs' lord (and Lake) Tarleton hotels; a:i:d Jimmy Hitz, manager at the Miami Beach Tarleton, is also slated to go in; expects a commission. Al Rosen, who produced "Good Night Ladies,'now at the Blackstone, Chicago, is going to banquet certain pals who would not invest in Ladies' or become his backers: Agent Howard Lang finally put up the money for the production. A modem Hall of Fame in carica- ture was unveiled yesterday after- noon (15) in the Green Room of the Hotel Edison, simultaneously with the establishment there of a Victory Lunch-time (Canteen by the Ameri- can Women's Voluntary Services. Sketches done in color by Sam Norkin. on Tommy Bodkin here to count up the cash for "This Is the Army.' Lt Richard Barthelmess dined with Donald Crisp at La Salle Du- bois. George Bruce of Metro's writing staff here for script okay on 'Salute to the Marines.' La Conga opens Friday (18) as newest night club. Few miles be- yond District line on Baltimore Pike. Gerald IVimble becomes manager of Hotel 248e.* Served at Claridge, Atlantic City, until Air Corps took it over. Greer Garson at Doctors hospital for a rest. Became too emotional and very tired in a strenuous war bonds tour. Watson Barrett, who designed Eddie Dowling's current one-act plays, here to do a decorating job for Stage Door Canteen. Charlie Grimes, of the Metropoli' ton theatre, made Maryland man ager for Warner houses. Takes the late Guy Wonders post John Shubert ttecomet; a captain in the Specialist Corps. Will devote his time to providing shows for camps off the beaten path. Edward Arnold and Fay Bainter due in from Hollywood for the world premiere of 'War and Mrs. Hadley.*^ Opens here with $1,000,000 war bonds unvoiling night of Sept. 23 Johnny Payette, Warners' zone manager, dines old friends of George M. Cohan at the Raleigh tonight (Wednesday). Eddie Plohn. Frank P. Morse, Eddie Keller, and John Jay Daly invited to meet the critics. Ken Reichard. who has just joined the Earle orchestra from Mai Hal- lett's band, sprained his ankle first show Saturday. Leader Joe I/»m- bardi took over the percu.ssion job, with C. Fred Clarke on the podium. London Kaniai Gtf By B. E. Hertan Bette Davis here for war bond i-ally. Lynn Bari and Ronald Colman talked at victory rally in Kansas City, Kan. Chuck Foster orchestra now play- ing in the Terrace Grill, Hotel Muehlebach. Carl Willis (Hazell). former an- nouncer at KCKN. received his wings and a commission in air corps in Roswell. N. M. _ Emil Petti orchestra, in from Chi- cago for the first anniversary week of the Drum Room at the Hotel President, is lieing held over at fJie spot. Although officially closed for the season. Fairyland Park is reopening for weekends during September, with Harlan Leonard band in ball- room. _ , _ ,. „ The Kansas City (Kan.) Police Re- lief Association is sponsoring a six- day rodeo, produced by Fred Alvord. in the arena at the American Royal building. New Hit CI By Borald M. B«B« Dan Cummings leaves Paramount for service duty. War drain nicking personnel of Yale drama dept. plenty. Lee Shubert back on Svinday vaude-band grind again. Shubert is announcing a week of 'Junior Miss' for Oct. 19. Ted Teschner has shed tbe Bijou for a Toledo managerial post. Vincent Palmieri doing local the- atre rally m.c. duty these days. Ensign Sam Byrd hopped in lor a look at Stony C*eek. where he straw hatted in IMl. Tterry Reynolds, one-time the.<n>. due fbr retirement after 20 years as fire dept theatre Inspector. Harry Rlchman, Bert Wheeler, Carol Bruce and Henny Youngmon headlined last Saturday's bond rally .on central Green. Vinrinia Gilmore bedded with a cold whUe here with Charles Laugh- too and Ann Rutherford on 'Stars Over America,' bond caravan. Flanagan and Allen touring own vaudeville unit for four week. Boosey & Hawkes profits have in- creased this year from $127,000 to $138,500. /Tom Arnold is after Bruce Trent, vocalist with Jack Payne band, to play in 'DuBarry Was a Lady' op- posite Frances Day. Alfred Esdaile has bought entire 'Big Top' revue from Charles Coch- ran, which he intends to tour the sticks with provincial cast. Evelyn Barr, Cechoslovakian artist with ENSA. is sought for the Eric Maschwitz 'More New Faces' revue, which Jack Hylton is sponsoring. Roy and John Boulton finished Thunder Rock' for Metro and re- joined Crown Films, which is Min- istry of Information unit making government films. Richard Tauber doing a hideaway in Torquay to learn his part in "Old Chelsea.' of which he is part author and in which he is starring. Bernard Deltont producing. William Uenshall is to appeal against judgment in suit he recently lost against Sid Field, the revue art- ist, whom he claimed he had under another year's contract Next Flanagan and Allen picture for British National is "Theatre Royai' with John Baxter directing. Shooting to start first week in De- cember at Rock studios, Elstree. Vredenburg Inglesby, sole backer of the International Ballet, is a Dutch business man whose hobby is ballet. Mona Inglesby, his daughter, is the premiere dancer of the company. Marlene Dorsay, claiming to have played 'Folies Bergere' before the war, is doing takeoff of Phyllis Dixey, England's ace stripper, and has been served with writ for in- fringement Bernard Delfont has bought new farce written by Walter Ellis titled 'Sleeping CM' in which he will star Gene (Terrard. Show opens Sept. 28 at Hippodrome. Nottingham, with rest of tour to follow. Jack Hylton has leased the Winter Garden for seven years, with Hylton permitted to give four weeks' notice to terminate contract Theatre was originally to have been a Hylton- Tom Arnold joint venture. Lyons' corner house (Maison Lyons), in Shaftesbury avenue, which has been closed since last I.,ondon blitz, has been taken over by the government for American troops. Will be operated as dub-eatery. Prior to returning to America, Al J o 1 s o n. Merle Oberon, Patricia Morison, Frank McHuRh and Allen Jenkins wilt give t\-o concerts for American troops Sept 20, with one of the shows to be broadcast by BBC to all troops. Walter Mycroft. former production head of Associated British Picture Corp, dickering for film rights of Other People's Houses,' by Lynn Baxter, which was recently pro duced by Bernard Delfont in the West End. Lee Ephraira has headache with Claudia.' which is now touring the sticks and due at St. Martin's thea- tre this month. Nova Piltteam playing lead is held to be unsuited for part with Ephraim trying hard to get Mary McGuire to replace. Ambrose's 'Merry Go Round, starring Dorothy Carless, Leslie Clarew. Harry Seltzer, Three in Harmony and the Ambrose Octet, resumes its vaudeville tour, open- ing at Ilford for Hyams Bros, shortly, with Stoll and Moss dates to follow. Morton Lewis, son of 'Kid' Lewis, former English boxing champ, who has been over in Hollywood crank- ing for Warners, is badi, now work- ing in 'Halt, Who's Here,' Columbia George Formby storrer. which storied shooting at Denham Aug. 31. Marcel Vamet directing. Collins tt Grade have lined up new road show headed by Maurice Colleano family and Elsie Bower (who became Mrs. Colleano re- cently) which opens at (Chatham, with Moss. Stoll and General Thea- tres dates to follow. Show already Ixftiked six months into 1043. Having completed musical score for Gainsborough Films' 'King Arthur Was a Gentleman,' storring Arthur Askey. Manning Sherwin has been commissioned to write score for 'Miss London, Ltd,' the next starrer company is doing for Askey. Shooting storte Oct. 1 at Islington studios. Owen Nares last his younger son. Geoffrey, who was killed on active service. He was ? lieutenant in the Royal Lancers. Appeared on the stoge in various roles but was more interested in the scenic and decora- tive side, and designed settings for 'Candida.' 'Georee and Margaret' and The Con.'itant Wife.' tinental. Hotel Jefferson, last season, returns for another stand tonight (16). lATSE, Local No. 143, through Robert Thomsen, purchased $400,000 of war bonds in recent drive. It was the largest single sale during the campaign. Nat E. Steinberg, St. Louis man- ager for Republic Pictures, is ar- ranging a special preview of "The Flying Tigers' at Fanchon Si Marco's St Louis theatre Tuesday <22). R C. Lightfoot is making head- quarters here for the newly created film checking territory for Vita- graph, Inc. St Louis was formerly under the Jurisdiction of D. S. Ram- dell in Chicago. Leonard Ceeley. who starred for several seasons at the Municipal Theatre Assn's Forest Park theatre, guest of honor at a dinner thrown by friends as he opened an engage- ment at the Crystal Terraoe, Park Plaza hotel Elizabeth Stone, former inspector for UA, has been named booker for' Producers Releasing Corp., headed by Noah Bloomer. Another addi- tion lo Bloomer's sales staff is Guy Pi.sani, former manager of the Co- lumbia theatre here. Chicago Bing Crosby a Chicago visitor, spendmg large part of his stay at local racetrack.~ Film Bookers Club plans jaml>oree and dinner at Kungshohn Restaur ant on Sept 24. Syd Eckman, Metro booker, has gone into the Signal Corps, stationed in Lexington, Ky. Harry Thomas, eastern sales man- ager for Monogram, a Chicago vis- itor on company business. Jane ' Wyman, Eddie Was.serman and Gabe York ' in town for cam- paigning in connection with the War Bond Drive. Nat Natbanson. salesman in Chi office of United Artists, has become branch manager for the company in Milwaukee. Bea Blumenthal of Ad-Art Dis play solicited two truckloads of cakes, cookies, cigarets and candy from Film Row execs for the Chi- cago Servicemen's Center. In its third year. 'Gone With the Wind' has played 7S Chicago thea' tres and is currently showing simul- taneously at 29 houses outside the Loop area at popular prices. . Over 300 Cfficago motion picture salesmen, branch and district man agers met last week at the Warner Assembly Hall to listen to Arthur Fischer, of Treasury Dept, deliver pep tolk on September iMnd sale and outline future plans. PhOiMpliia By SI fihalU St Loos Br Saa X. Hars't John X. Quinn. local manager of Loew's. in a local hospiUI. Forest Park Highlands, the major amusement park here, shuttered for the season. Fred Calvin. New York, in town preparing bally for local showing of the Lou Gehrig flicker, "The Pride of the Yankees.' Nick Sluurt's orch, which played a flve-wcek enaasement at Club Con Ruth Schoening of the KYW staff x.ill merge soon with Richard Mar tin, in officers' training school in Maryland. Bob Barry, Inquirer Washington correspondent, commissioned a cap tain in the Marine Corps. Val Irving, who had a long stay at the Club Bali last year, back in town with a couple of vaude dates here and in Camden. Joe Fuhrman, local rep for Berlin Music and brother of Bandleader Clsinnet Fuhrman," set to be in- ducted this week. Virginia Davis. daughter of Maestro Meyer Davis, gets the ingenue part in 'Susan and God' when Ilka Chase's troupe hits the Boad. Howard Cushman, Record staffer and former press agent for Federal Theatre in New York, joins the staff of the Rockefeller Inter-American Affairs Committee. Hollywood By Le* Reei Leon Algranti, Metro home-office auditor, here. Abe Kaplan, independent circuit owner, ailing. Cab C^alleway spotted into Or- pheum. Oct. SO. Bob Lawson. of National Screen, entered the Navy. Clyde Lucas underlined for Prom Ballroom. Sept 25-27. Jack Thoma, Columbia exploiteer, in briefly from Chicago. Lorraine Stern now her father's assitont at Majestic exchange. Hal Halperin, ('Variety') in from Chicago for medical attention. Old Log. strawhat theatre, held over 'Meet the Wife' second week. Paul Allen, former local nitery and theatre singer, now in Army. Local theatres worried over im- pending taxicab .service curUilmeot. Cyril Lebedoff. National .Screen salesman, legally changed name to Lee. Eddie OMhrane, formerly of War- ners, now with armed forces in Great Britain. Peggy Diggins coming in from Hollywood in place of Jean Parker with Laurel li Hardy and Richard Arlen for war bond rally here. Ray Herbeck orchestra into Mari- gold BaUcopm here, for one-nighter Following Happy Hour niterie en- gagement and preceding Memphis hot»l hookine. Fred Seelig joined Universal pub« licit." staff. Milt Stein joined Columbia's pub- licity staff. Michael Breen joined the Bert Levey agency. Kenny Baker ought a California .ch for $27,000. William Farnum recovering from abdominal surgery. S. Barret McCormick in town for RKO studio hudcUes. Keith Richards, screen player, re- c.' -ering from surgery. Betty Grable returned from a tour of Carolina Army camps. Mervyn Leroy back from his vaca- tion at Colorado Springs. Lewis Stone upped to colonelc.v In the California Stete Militia. Joe Perry called to Muskegon, ich., by his mother's illness. Myron Fagan, stage producer, re- covering from an appendretom.v. Martin Lament obtained a re1ra.<« from his player contract at RKO. Priscilla Lane withdrew from The Powers Girl' on account of illnes.<L Margaret Adams Talbot, model, nied suit for divorce against Lyie Talbot Bob Mark checked off the Repub- lic lot after six years as chief of makeup. Joan Valerie divorced Grant Rich- ards in Las Vegas, Nev. Both are in pictures. John Garfield t>ack on the job after a fever contracted on location in Ftorida. Charles P. Skouras of Portland. Ore., on the first leg of a National Tlieatres tour. John Mock sitting in as story edi- tor at Columbia while D. A. Doran is vacationing. George Smith, western division sales manager, in town for Para- mount huddles. Billy De Wolfe, dancing comic, ar- rived from Broadway to break into pictures in 'Dixie.' Joan Leslie back in Hollywood after collapsing in Montana during a War Bond tour. Clifford Odets fined $150 for drunken driving in the Malibu Beach dimout cone. Vlrgina Walker Hawks, former film actress, to Reno to divorce Wil- liam Hawks, producer. Maureen O'SulIivan, taken ill in Britidi Columbia, returning to Hol- lywood to recuperate. Sara Hayes, NBC gridiron oracle, will pick football winners (7) this fall for 'Daily Variety.' Oli -er Hardy bedded with laryn- g'tis, delaying his tour with 'Stars vex America' for a week. Richard Martin, film player, back at RKO after three wedsT confine- ment with yellow jaundice. Bud Abbott and Tjon Costello back In town after selling $75,000,000 > orth of War Bonds on the road. Lieut Ben Chapman, former film writer, in .from the South Seas on furlough from his Army flying job. Herbert J. Yates chedced in from New York for conferences with M. i. Siegel on future production at Re- public. Walter Wanger contributed 300 dossical books to the library of Motion Picture Relief Fund's Coun- try House. Harold Duni)< supervisor for Wiir- ners in the Far East, returned to the studio after months of internment in Shanghai. Ted Withers, chief of Columbia'.? title de|>artment won first prize in the paster contest held by National Defense. Inc. Income tox liens were filed against Howard Hawks, producer, for $30.- 000, and Max w. Finston, studio musician, for $10,600. Elaine Barrie, former wife of John Bairymore, was awarded $3,300. the value of an insurance policy given her by the actor in 1938. Mrs. Gene Autry closlnR her Cali- fornia home and moving to Phoenix. Ariz., to be near her husband, who is stationed at Luke Field. Virginia Bruce Ruben filed a peti- tion for letters of administration to the estote of J. Walter Ruben, who left 'more than $50,000' but no will. Connie Krebs returned to RKO's publicity department after weeks of touring on Midwest War Bond drives, and moved right out again to escort Ginger Rogers on a tour of the Southwest By LcsHe Harris Al Weiss. Olyrapia manager, back from vacation. Reported Army will take over ih* Beachcomber. Cobuirn Clark. 800 Club band leader, into Army. Cloyd Head has joined WQAM staff as news commentator. ' Ira's Su)}per Club will occupy for- mer, Ruby Foo's this season. Jack Kofeod. former Daily News amusement editor, has received his captaincy in Army. Clai-k Gable set for appearance on Army Air Technical Command's radio stanza, 'C^toct' Cesar LaMonica, director of Miami Concert orchestra, has joined Army as band director In Signal Cornw. Ensign Brad Ansley. former wIOD news editor, has been transferred here to handle Navy radio public re- laiinni.