Variety (Sep 1942)

Wednesday, September 23, 1942 MISCELLANY 9 ACTORS OVERSEAS Showfolk have done yeoman work thus far in this country's war effort. As bond salesman and as morale stimulants, within the confines of these United States, they have had no equals. Now they must do more—and outside the boundaries of the democracy. An urgent need has arisen—and growing stronger as our A. E. F. steadily grows—^^for volunteer performers to entertain American soldiers, sailors and marines based overseas. Several stars, notably Al Jolson, have already blazed the trail, to the Caribbean, Alaska and Ireland, but they represent only a trickle of what is and will be needed. Keeping the morale of our armed forces overseas at a high pitch is of secondary importance only to carrying a gun itself. Thousands upon thousands of uniformed men based in foreign U. S. camps, most of them many miles from urban centres, hunger for relaxation and American performers can fill that void best. The personal contact of visiting name performers has proven a stimulant of immeasurable value to the servicemen. The effect can perhaps best be described by the revere;ice that this country's World War I A. E. F. held Elsie Janis, who, to this day, is still glorified by the U. S. veterans of that struggle. The frank enthusiasm of American soldiers overseas for the personal appearances of Jolson, Ray Bolger, Joe E. Brown, Merle Oberon, Bob Hope, Edgar Bergen, et al., is a more recent illustration of the great contribution of such volun- teer entertainers. They gave the U. S. servicemen something that, in its moral effect, is probably as important as ammunition in the battles to come. And, like ammunition and other war materials, the supply of entertainment overseas must steadily grow—to all points wherever American uniformed men are stationed in this global war. Dangers there are; hardships and great sacrifices, too, by the Ihowfolk who undertake such overseas tours. But it's a great service and acutely recognized as such by the War and Navy departments in Washington. Both have expressed desires for more and more overseas shows. A tour of U. S. overseas encampments is the most important contribution to the war effort that an entertainer can make. It's not likely that the showfolk will sidestep, any more than they did in 1917-18, when virtually every name performer volunteered. Hundreds then went to France. . Many of them performed right in the front-line trenches; in dugout theatres; in knee- deep mud and with shellfire as orchestral accompaniment. Surely this generation of actor is just as courageous and self-sacritic.ng. See Baritone Robert Weede As Possible 'Singing Wallace Beery' Metro and Paramount will both screen t&t Robert Weede, baritone of the Met opera and former soloist at the Radio City Music Hall. Both companies, according to reports, have the same idea, to exploit the S8-year-old baritone as a 'singing Wallace Beery,' since the southerner ■ resembles Beery physically. Weede will be screen tested by both while in California for the San Francisco Opera Company, where he opens the season Oct. 9 in 'Alda.' Ha sang 'Faust' and 'Pagliaccl' in Montreal last v/eek, and he, Jan Peerce and Jean Tennyson will con- tinue the Celanese Hour, 'Greater Moments in Music' from the Coast under the baton of Gaetano Merola, Oct. 14-28. Weede opens a 25 date concert tour Nov. 1 in San Diego, working his way back to the Met. Zasu Pitts in 'Murder' PitUburgh, Sept. 22, Zasu PiUs winds up her p.a. tour this week at Stanley, where she closes Thursday night (24). Goes direct from Pittsburgh to New York for rehearsals of her first Broadway show, 'Her First Murder,' which Victor Payne-Jennings and Marlon Gerlng are producing under letter's direction. "Murder," comedy mystery adapted from novel by Terry Chanslor, opens tryout engagement in Princeton, N. J, Oct. 4. Ui.O.'s Lastfogel Lines Up More Overseas Talent At the behest of the War and Navy DepartmenU, both of which are acutely conscious of the terrific morale uplift in having American entertainers tour U. S. overtCBS bases, USO-Camp Shows, Inc., is rushing plans for more show units to visit the scattered A. E. Fs. Abe Lastfogel on Monday (21) dispatched telegrams to 100 performers asking them to hold themselves in readiness to make overseas journeys. Up to yesterday (Tuesday) Last- fogel had not gotten all the replies, but those that did come in were all acceptances. All of those who have been asked have already toured, or are touring U. S. army camps and have been 'cleared' by the authorities as okay to tour the offshore bases. As per- formers volunteer for such services, their records and backgrounds are checked before they can make the trips—a natural procedure to pre- vent possible leakage of vital Infor- mation to the enemy. Pending completion of plans, Last- fogel could not state just how many overseas show units are planned just now. PIX FROM SPAIN TOAflGENTINA Trade Treaty Paves the Way for Flood of Fascist Propaganda From Old to New World ACCENT ON FILMS Buenos Aires, Sept. 19. First of what's expected to be a flood of Spanish plcts, many of them doped with propaganda, is already en route here as the result of re- cently completed Argentine-Spain film pact. Treaty, worked out by a super- powered Spanish trade mission, headed by Don Eduardo Aunos, was handled as-a special deal accom- panying a general two-year' Argen- tine-Spain agreement, niere was considerable opposish to the pact in general from both Washington and London, but local government. Ig- noring allegations in the pro-demo- cratic press that Madrid was merely acting as purchasing agent for Ber- lin, went ahead nevertheless. Gen- (Continued on page 52) Gracie Fields' Radio, Nitery AndfdmsSet Grade Fields is set for her first regular niche in American radio. The account is Pall Mall and it will be the 9:55-10 p.m. period across the board on the Blue network, starting Oct. 12. It will be a song and story five times a week. RuthraufT St Ryan is the agency. Metro Picture Hollywood, Sept. 22. Following her engagement at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, Grade Fields comes here to prepare for her Metro picture, 'Down Un- der,' in which she will be co-starred with Charles Laughton. Her second picture will be for United Artists, which her husband, Monty Banks, produces. Jimmy Campbell, former English music publishef^songwriter, is now here working on the screenplay with Fred Thompson. The Hartmans and Freddy Mar- tin's band are slated for the Wal- dorf in January. Mamedian Continues 2-Pic Talks with UA Negotiations between Rouben Mamoulian and United Artists for a two-picture deal annually, pos- sibly one of them a musical, con- tinued early this week following the director's arrival from the Coast. Preliminary discussions cover es- tablishment of two units, each mak- ing one film annually, with Mamou- lian as producer-director heading up both production groups. Setup would call for four writers and composers, latter likely from the A. 8e S. Lyons agency fold which has Jerome Kern and Cole Porter among others. Details are still in the negotiating stage with Lyons due here from the Coast shortly to continue talks with Grad Sears and Ed Raftery. Mamou- lian deal is one of several which Lyons has been talking with UA. Jack Benny unit, already set, was Ms first. Advantageous Use of Films for U. S. Army and Navy hstruction Points Up Values for Post-War Education Revel, Webster Dooing Hollywood, Sept. 22. Harry Revel is teaming up with Paul Webster on the tunes for the Abbott and Costello picture at Uni- versal, 'It Ain't Hay.' Former re- cently split with Mort Greene as songwriting team. Whether the Revel-Webster combo Is to be a permanent partnership will be determined after the Uni- versal assignment. SPHALNY PUED WITH FILM OFFERS Hollywood, Sept. 22. Phil Spitalny can stay here just about as long as he likes on this, his first Coast visit. No sooner had he and his all femme band started working in 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home' at Universal than other offers started pouring in. L. K. Sidney, Metro producer, has had the maestro cornered several times, and 20th-Fox emissaries have been trail- ing him, but so far there have been no dotted line rendezvous. All offers are being weighed per- sonally by Spitalny, however, in- cluding a pitch by Universal for an- other picture. Maestro may keep his band out here longer than the con- templated four weeks as General Electric is favorable to more origi- nations from the glamor capital for its 'Hour of Charm.' LeMaire to Metro As Operations Exec; Tbau Into Army Hollywood, Sept. 22. Rufus LeMaire, assistant to Buddy DcSylva at Paramount for 20 months, moved over to Metro to take over part of the job left vacant through Ben Thau's departure from the Cul- ver City lot to join the Army. LeMaire will split Thau's old duties as coordinator of executive opera- tions with L. K. Sidney, assistant ti Louis B. Mayer, and recently elected assistant treasurer of Loew's, Inc. Thau moved from the New York home office to the Metro studio 17 years ago and handled important executive duties in as.sociation with L. B. Meyer and E. J. Mannix. Among his duties were the negotia- tion of talent and executive con- tracts as well as coordinating com- p.-'ny transactions with other studios. Lil Gish a Star Again Hollywood, Sept. 22. Lillian Gish becomes a film star : again, after a laijse of 10 years. : Advanced stages to which film visual-education has been raised, partially through speedv develop, ment of picture instruction for th» armed forces, may radically alter th^ post-war public educational sys- tern in the opinion of officials a-war* of the remarkable results so far ob- tained in Army and Navy maneu* vers. One phase of military training, which formerly took around, 16 months to complete, has been com> pressed' into approximately seven months due to the speed with which trainees are able to absorb screen education. While /living trainees a quicker and more'Jasting take, via eye-and- ear methods, than they could normally absorb from printed in- structions alone, film is also being used as ammunition saver during practice. Instead of shooting blil- lets when practicing, gunners pull the trigger on a gun that shoots a bedm of light Instructors thereby get a better chance to make cor- rections as understandable or more- (Continued on page 54) Mary Brian Cancels Cleveland, Sept. 22. Indisposition of her dance partner, John Bushallow, forced Mary Brian to cancel current vaude date at tha RKO Palace. Dlosa Costello .was rushed in to replace ex-flim actress on bill that co-featured Jacki* Cooper and Charlie Barnet's orch. . Bushallow sprained his ankle last Wednesday (17) during one of their performances in Dayton, O., only two days before their skedded ap- pearance in Cleveland. Miss Brian tried to get two former dancing partners to substitute for him, but found that both were in army. Ex- pects to resume tour as soon as she breaks in a new dancer. under a new deal with Lester Cowan, Columbia producer, as a re- sult of her return to the screen as a featured player in The Com- mandos Strike at Dawn.' Actress was signed for the star spot in 'The Late Christopher Bean.' another Cowan production, to be filmed after her appearance on the Broadway stage in the Theatre Guild drama, 'Mr. Sycamore.' Trada Mark Resli<(«re<l POUNDED DY 8IME SILVERMAN Pobllalicd n-nkly bj VARIETY. Inr. Sid Silverman. PreBlrlent. 164 Weel 4(ith Street. Now York. N. T. BIlnSCRIPTrON Annual 110 Foreign Ill SInBlo CoplcB IB CTenlB Vol. 148 No. 3 INDEX Bills 46 Chatter 53 Concert-Opei.a 35 Exploitation 15 Film Booking CI i; 18 Film Reviews 8 House Reviews 44 Inside-r-Legit 51 Inside—Music 39 Inside—Orchestras 38 Inside—Pictures 21 Inside—Radio 28 International 16 Legitimate ... 49 Literati 52 Music 39 New Acts 48 Night Club Rcvle«i 47 Obituaries ' M Orchestras 16 Pictures 5 Radio 24 Radio Reviews 32 Vaudeville 42 War Activities 4 DAII.V VAHIETV (PubllHhcd In Hollywood Dally VBrlet.v. I.td.) 110 a year—912 forelen t>7