Variety (Oct 1942)

Wednesday, October 28, 1942 GHATTEB 5S Broadway Vernon Duke, composer, now in Coast Guard. Louis Calta doing nitery column for N.Y. Times. AlBD Cross (and Dunn) lost mother In Chicago last week. Harold Hodner, Warner theatre execTreturned from Chicago. Staee Door Canteen has been slickrt up with new coat ot paint Elmer Rice to Coast for two weeks to huddle with Arthur Homblow, Jr. Dusky songstress Lena Home fol- lows Morton Downey into the Savoy- Plaza. George Alabama Florida has writ- ten his 'life story." Also opened pub- licity offices. Guy Bolton has written new play but went to Coast for six weeks at Metro studios. Lillian Jenkln.s, assistant publicity director, Madison Square Garden, in Polyclinic hospiUl, flu. Sol Lesser back to the Coast to sUrt shooting 'Stage Door Canteen,* which he's producmg. Sheila Graham (Westbrook), for- mer film columnist, to the Coast on a visit with her daughter, Wendy. Hildcgarde Newton joined USO- Camp Shows flackery under Maxwell Fox Halls from Boston office of the USO. The Motion Picture Letter of the film business, issue No. 4 for October, devotes much space to the salvage drive. •Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse are writing a new ending for their 'Strip for Action' comedy at the National. W. Stewart McDonald, Warner theatre executive, returned to the homeofflce from Ohio yesterday (Tuesday). Organist Lew White has a piece of Torgy and Bess.' Now going into a Balto legit stock Idea, with rotating guest stars. Francis Harmon, executive vice- chairman of the film industry's War Activities Committee, ill at the Regent hospital. Al Jolson figured out he's flown 110,000 miles in war entertainment bips alone in Alaska, Caribbean and England-Ireland. New Ronnie's Steak House on Slst owned by Ronnie Crooks, of Wall Street, and Joe Heller, owner of several Miami spots. Paul Martin, Morning Telegraph's columnist, in West Side hospital due to kickback of injuries suffered years ago in an auto accident. Fox Movietone newsreel celebrated its 25th anniversary last week. Also the date 15 years ago when Movie- tone launched first sound interviews. Fred Finkelhoffe, Jr., due into the Army. Just to make sure, his bride has hung a huge identiflcation tag on his wrist watch 'return to Ella Lo- gan.' Benny Fields tested by Metro for Gentlemen Be Seated' (which may also be called "Mr. Bones'), forth- coming saga of minstrelsy, .starring Mickey Rooney. Arthur Mayer is writing friends plugging Henry Epstein in the com- ing election. Epstein is running for •ttomey-general of N. Y. state on the Democratic ticket. Mary A. Bergen, formerly of the staff of the Stanley theatre, Pitts- burgh, has shifted to the Warner h.o. to join the personnel department under Ralph W. Budd. Robert Craven out of 'Claudia,' St James, to become war ambulance driver, Guy Spaull replacing. Rob- «rt Shayne out of same ca.^t. re- placed by Richard Kentlrick. Robert Douglas. English actor who has been seen on Broadway in 'Brief Moment' and other ^lays. is cur- rently in New York on furlough. V t '"^'"''er of the Fleet Air Arm. Robert S. Benjamin, counsel for Mthe Labs and Producers Releasing t-orp., is now a first lieutenant in the U. S. Army signal corps. He was a ^rtaer in Phillips. Nizer. Benjamin In the last three weeks 14 adole.s- ^nt femmes on the Par lot have re- placed as many youths, who have moved into uniforms or factories, aecs report the female of the mes- «nger IS more speedy and accurate "wn the male. fi&f?!'*' Coldwyn arrives today iwed.) from Sun Valley, Idaho, for ;J"-<;?y stay in New York to con- inli*"*" ^'"'sn Hellman on an orig- jnal yarn. Don Hartman. of Gold- *yn studio production staff, arrives a few days later. ^,^™rgie Price, now at La Conga. X i 8et married at noon on Oct .31 So. whose dad, George Marshall owns the Washington Red- In Sr wedding will lake place penhouse apartment ;y5"^e Pecora officiating. Immedi- ■wy after, the group will leave for the racetrack. 1 for Air Corps dance at the Lord Tarle- ton hotel there was turned down last week. Gal is Mary Lou Yahner. Seems she had a previous engage- ment. It made P. 1 news. But all was not lost, for Gable. Miss Yahner turned up at his dance, too, shortly before the good-night waltz. By LCB Recs Armida held over at Turf night club. Fats Waller orchestra into Happy Hour niterie. Hotel Radisson's Lounge Pierre has Frankie Gleson's orchestra. Curly's nitery has Oakley Yale, ac- cordionist for floor show headliner. L. E. GoWhammer, RKO district manager, back =n harness after pneumonia. Lyle Bay and Dan Stimmler of National Screen entered U. S. mer- chant marine. Alvin eliminates Thursday night performances to permit burlesque roadshows to ma'c-; jump to Kansas City. Kenneth Rogers in from San Antonio to take post of Alvin (road- show burlesque) producer, replacing Jean Evol. Minneapolis Symhony orchestra's first concert of new season was at Fort Snelling induction center under USO auspices. Val Van Tilburg and Vernon Mc- Reavy, localites, have organized in- door circus headed by Terrell Jaeobs' wild animals. Harry Hamburg, Paramount's Des Moines branch manager, here to confer with Harold Field on deal for letter's Iowa circuit. David Evidon, son of Warners' ad sales manager, promoted to first class torpedo man with submarine crew at Pearl Harbor. Three new acts into the Hotel Nicollet Minnesota Terrace's Moor show with Tony Di Pardo's orchpstra are Rex Weber, Kay Vcrnoi\ and Jules and Joanne Walton. By SI Shaltz Bob Wieting has been named film editor of WIBG. Lee Kyser, WIP vocalist, is doubling during the day at a local shipyard. For the first time in more than a decade, Philly had four legit open- ings Monday (20). Jerry Gaghan, in charge of T. J. LaBrum publicity office, now han- dling Shangri-La publicity. Lou Yessner, operator of Shangri- La, reveals he started at a pitch stand on site of his nitery 30 years ago. A two-weeks' engagement of Gil- bert and Sullivan operas has been eencilled in for the Forrest starting lec. 7. Sigmund Romberg and Irving Berlin were guests of the press at two luncheons held simultaneously Wednesday (21). Washington Louis Prima into the Victory room of the Hotel Roosevelt Nov. 3. Capitol theatre orchestra featur- iiiK this week 'I've Got a Right to Love,' by Lt Mel Wettergreen. Blue Barron's band, engaged foi (he Hotel Willard's HaUoween fes- tivities. Hou.<« will .set up cocktail lounge adjoining the ballroom. Lunts did a Sunday night stunt at Stage Door Canteen. Alfred donned the apron of a busboy and Lynn Fon- tanne officiated .socially with Joseph E. Davics of State department. Rick La Falce of Warners' pub- licity department wouldn't take no from his draft board. Asked for a review, got it goes in for non-com- bat duty. Dorothy Lamour volunteered to be first Hollywood star for 1943 Birth- day Ball Celebration. No decision yet as to whether there'll be a Jan. 31 big night. Variety Club initialed District Commissioner John Russell Young to honorary membership. Carter Barron and 'John J. Payette were Kings for a Day at ibe luncheon. Hotel 2400 now staffed by person- nel put on the loose when Air Corps took over Atlantic City hotels. Roy Comfort and his Riviera Guardsmen arc the red-coated musicians who formerly played Mayfair Lounge. Claridge hotel. Glasses clicked last week and hors d'ouvres were passed for Sam Ga- lanty's 'You Were Never Lovelier' party at Variety Club; Leo Brady of 'Count Me In' at Carlton; Adolphc Menjou and Ralph Bellamy at Carl- ton; Johnny Long at Neptune Room, and Veronica Lake at Carlton. Buenos Aires By Ray Josephs 'B^ •?*'^^'*'"y. who does a .specia wngside Seat at War Front' for Newsreel Theatres, Inc. (Embassy tl,« II'c" " "''St lieutenant in W» u^.' '^""y Air Corps. He h wen chief editorial writer on tl as the N V n wr riir.V .1"^ Mirror for some time. J''Kely that McCrary may serve at S«t, as liaison officer .between the n »5<l„British Air forces, v*^"^ 9^lJ.^'* invitation to a Uni- ^yerslty of Miami coed to attend an 'Army' Pronto — Continued from pa(e 1 ^ at 25c. and SOc. so that as many as possible may enjoy the morale im pact of the soldier revue. Berlin convinced the Army offl cials that toe much would be lost if the show ployed in huge stadiums. He is even concerned about the effect of the show in its current two-week dale at the 5.000-scat Mastbaimi in Philadelphia. Berlin thinks a 2,000-seat theatre large enough, if all the values arc to reach every auditor in the house. Meantime, Casey Robinson lias completed the screen adaptation, which Berlin has approved. Director Michael Curtiz and producer Hal Wallis. with Robinson, are due east soon to huddle with Berlin. Kale Smith, Ginger Bogers Berlin, during the week's layoff of the show last week, huddled with Kale Smith and Ted Collins and will have Miss Smith reenacl in the film 'God Bless America,' which she first introduced. The song, first lime in film form, will be dramatized, as actually happened, from its career in the 1918 soldier show. 'Yip Yip." and its resurrection as the World War 11 patriotic hymn. It was crowded out of 'Yip' and didn't see popularity until a quartcr-of-a-ccn- tury later. Incidcnliilly, the song to date has earned SlO.i.'OOO for the Boy and Girl Scouts of America Founda- tion, to whom all profiU and copy- right have b^n assigned. Ginger Rogers may be the Eileen' of the Stage Door sequence m the show, the only other fcmmc in the cast beside Miss Smith. Marquee names will be 'borrowed' from Uncle Sam for the film version, but Ihc entire all-soldier cast will be em- ployed basically as is. Incidentally, the company have been given new ratings, many of Ihcm master ser- gcanfs, the top non-com brevet. Pampa Film will distribute Iberia's 'El Comisario de Tranco Largo.' Francisco Reich opened Gaumont. new 2,400-seatcr in Congreso zone. Pampa signed Jose Olerra and Pcpita Serrador for coming season. Miguel Gomez Bao added to cast of 'Claro de Luna' at Sono. Pict fea- tures Legrand twins. Lumiton signed Roberto Airaldi for two-year pact and actor Marciso Ibanez for two more. Marcos L. Sanchez named presi- dent of Asociacion de Empresarios Cinematograficos. Venacio A. Ru- biio is v.p. U. S. Negro singer Aubrey Pankey in benefit concert for Comision Sani- taria Argentina de Ayuda a las De- mocracies. Lumiton set Carlos Hugo Chris- lensen for 'Novia de Primavera' ('Spring Bride'), original by Julio Porter. Maria Duval likely for lead. Cia de Teatro Nacional de Comedia will reopen 'Retorno a la Tierra' '(Back to the Soil'), by Ernesto P. Mairae, with Enrique de Rosas di- recting. Francisco Alvarez and Felisa Mary inked for principal roles in 'Los Hijos Artiflciales' CArtiflcial- Chil- dren') at San Miguel. Antonio Mom- plet megging. •Yo Tengo 17 Anos' ("I'm 17 ) passed 50th performance at Teatro Paris. Stars Alfredo Canena. Tulia Ciampoli. Ricardo Canales, Maria Podcstu and Maurice Jouvet. merly at Holel Nixon lounge in Butler, Pa. Patricia Rice, well-known local model, has one of the leads in Catho- lic Theatre Guild's 'Letters to Lucerne.' Pvt. Phil Davis, WCAE continuity chief who was recently inducted, has been assigned to Army recruiting station here. . EdnavGoldbach, asst. in contract department at WB exchange, and Jack Hai^ley, Army medical staff sergeant, married. Lige Brieir Kenyon manager, got his Silver Plaque from M-G for exploitation excellence during Exhibs Forum at MPTO meet John Maganotti taking Spanish lessons, probably the result of all those Latin-American shows he's playing at Villa Madrid. Mrs. Moe Silver back from New York, where she picked up flock of costumes for 'Gay Nineties Revue' her Victory Women will present Friday (30) at Carnegie Music Hall. Chicago Dave Alber in town en route east after visit on Coast. Sydney Goldberg, Metro booker, leaves Oct. 28 for Army. Bill Bishop, Metro press agent, bedded at home with bronchitis. Morris Silver of the William Morris Agency back after being east. Bill Frederick, of Frederick Bros.' New York office, destined for the Army. Irving Yergin, Warners press agent, to Coast for a few weeks' vacation. Sol Jacobson to St. Louis ahead of "Spring Again,' which closes its run at the Selwyn Nov. 7. George West Monogram franchise holder for Cincinnati, St. Louis and Kansas City, in town. Chico Marx played host to Woody Herman, Henry King. Ben Bernie and Art Kassel and Jack Robblns, in from New York. Harry Goldman, former Warner .salesman, stopped at local exchange to say he's slated for Officer's Candi- date School in Miami. Margaret Callahan, remembered as ingenue in 'You Can't Take It With You,' here from New York to join her husband, Lucien Self. Sugar Cooper has left Chico Marx's band to freelance. She is re- placed by Armide, whom Ben Pol- lock brought out here from the Coast two years ago for appearance at the College Inn. Hollywood La Guardia Centlnned from page 1 Pittshnrgh By Hal CobcH Nine women in Dr. Fritz Reiner's Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra this I season. I Wall Framer and the missus back I from a show-shopping spree on ' Broadway. Nelson Maples has replaced Lloyd Fox at the Cork and Bottle, down- ■ town cocktailcry. Ernest Nell, announcer at WJAS- ' KQV for seven years, now with I WHK in Cleveland. Bud Crozier okay again after an automobile accident and has rejoined Baron Elliott's band. Maurice Spitalny airing 'Song ; Without a Name," written by Alicia : Fuller, of the KQV staff. Orville K. Larson, from Western i Reserve U. the new technical di- ■ rector at the Playhouse. Tech drama .school doing Shaw's ■Heartbreak House' under the di- I rection of Mary Morris. Dixie Dunbar closed at Stanley Thursday night (22) and opened al Villa Madrid Monday (2«). , Bill Sartori, U salesman who was a lieutenant in the last war. trying to set his old commission back. Dale Harkne.ss has joined the key- board gang at the Music Bar. He ■ plays for the dinner session. Fred Kelly, local boy with 'This I> Army.' uppcd from corporal to .ser- geant while show was playing home town. Tiny Miller, who's in the show, is also doublini" as press-agent for the Nut House, now that Sid Dickler's in khaki. ' Betty Ellen Morris has replaced I Madelyn Ward on Bernie Arm- strong s Friday nite commercial oyer KDKA. P1ayhou.se Grill now featuring organ music by Jimmy Orncr, for- Gotham has a Music Box Canteen on lower Fifth Avenue, a United Seamen's Service Canteen in the George Washington hotel at Gram- ercy Park and an American Women's Voluntary Services canteen at the Hotel Edison. West S6th St. Canteen Latest entrant in the list of serv- icemen's canteens in N. Y. City will be Front 13' due to open at 13 West 56th Street on Nov. 13. Building was donated by Henri Bendel. coutourier, who is also donating garb for open- ing night fashion show and for sale on first fioor. Second floor is slated to be an intimate nitery and bar. Third floor will be a servicemen's canteen. Mrs. Otto Preminger is lining up the show for the opening weeV. Opening night they hope to sell 100 tables at $100 each. Staff will be vol- unlecrs. with the hope being that the I nilcry will become a profc.ssion.ils' ' hangout. All profits are to go to (he Russian War Relief, with the sponsors, who include Tallulah Bankhead. Elsa Maxwell and Mrs. William Morris. : Jr., insistent that the Russo org is supervising the setup even lo han- dling the books. Grace Hayes laid up with siiui.s. Basil Rathbone laid up with in- fluenza. Mary Pickford recovering from surgery. William Saioyan visiting at Metro, peacefully. Otto Brower celebrated his 25th year in pictures. Fred W. Beetson back from two- week business trip. Smiley Burnette, cowboy actor, adopted a baby girl. Michael Arlen in town for hi.s first film scripting job at Metro. Pcrc Weslmore, temporarily in tha Coast Guard, reclas.sified lA. John O'Connor, Universal exec, vacationing at Palm Springs. Lester Cowan back from three- week business trip to New York. Harold Hopper returned to Wash- ington after huddles with film lead- ers. Ginny Simms and Jane Wyntt .sponsored two Liberty ships at Rich- mond, CaL Upton Close, radio commentator, being sued by his wife for $14,737 in back alimony. Herb Drake, former press agent for Orson Welles, to handle publicity for King Vidor. Brod Crawford, Dennis O'Keefa and Big Boy Williams took their preliminary physicals. Templeton Fox in Hollywood to join her husband. Bob Welch, Jack Benny's radio producer. Edward Small returned from the east where he bought a number of yarns for future filming. Buddy De Sylva sat for a bio- graphical sketch to be written by Ducal O'Laim for Ciillior's. Edward Dmytryk pinch hitting (or Irving Reis who is too ill to direct Hitler's Children' at RKO. Virginia Walker Hawks, former .screen actress, divorced William B. Hawks, producer, in Reno. Constance Bennett returned from a visit with her husband. Corporal Gil- bert Roland, in Washington. Mrs. Howard Hawks su.stained a compound fracture of the ankle when thrown from her horse. Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Herbert Marshall and Gene Lockhart to Can- ada for the Victory Bond Drive. Martin Kosleck hospitalized for treatment of an eye injury received on the 'Chetnik" set at 20th-Fox. Sue Carol continues as agent tor Sheila Ryan for the duration of tht player's contract with 20th-Fox un- der arbitration ruling. Henry King returned to 20th-Fox to resume his director chores after serving with the Civil Aeronautics organization In the east. First Lieut. Sandy Cummings. aide to Brig. Gen. Rufiu Ramey at tha Fort Riley Cavalry School, passinf his furlough in Hollywood. Major Alexander P.' de Seversky east on a lecture tour after complet- ing his first and only film role in 'Victory Through Air Power' at the Walt Disney studio.' Robert B. Hunt formerly with Warners and Universal, now a film writer with th£ Army Air Fore* training film production laboratory at Wright Field. Dayton, O. SL Louis By Sam X. Homt Juke Box Label Continued from page in service. So the newspapers picked ' up move stories and editorials on the ; Juke Box Outlaws.' ' What has the operators here ca.sl- iiig around for a more dignified name again is that the juke spots have been doing a big business but the small fry, getting out of hand. ! have brouqht on public agitation for : a curfew, a cleaning up of the un- 1 .supervised dance centers where the music comes from records or a .straight ordinance ruling out such contrivances under the present '.slot machine' ban. I Once before a new name for juke boxes was sought—in a public con- test—but nobody remembers now ' what the winning name was. It , il never caught on. The boys who I peddle the platter gadgets like lu call themselves coin-machine opera- I tors. 'Ice Follies of 1843,' headed by tht .Shipstads and Johnson, opens a four- day stand In the Arena, starting Thursday (29). Eddie Cochran, slejght-of-hander and monologist, iif currently headlin- j ing floor show at Club Continental, ; Hotel Jefferson. Mrs. Leo Yancey. Sullivan. 111., I whose husband's sight has failed, has I taken over his job as projectionist in I the flicker house they both own. ! Louis P. Lochner, former manager of the Berlin bureau for AP, drew BOO to a lecture at the Y.M.H.A. last week. The admish scale was 7&c. Tony Matreci, manager of the Up- town, has obtelned a non-(om job in the Navy, and Miss E. tiarkin has succeeded him at the flicker house. Conrad Nagel, Bea Wain and the 'Wings Over Jordan* Negro choral group from Cleveland made cuffo p.a. to open local $4,800,000 War Chest drive last week. The hillbilly show sponsored by Davis and Burns, of Memphis, at the Municipal Auditorium last week, drew 12.000 payees, with the house scaled from 40c to 75c. Netted a neat profit A 43-foot model of the U.S.S. Mis- souri was presented by the Motion Picture Industry of St. Louis to the U. S. Navy for recruiting purposes. : Mrs. Sclma O'Hare, mothfer of Lieut. , Eddie O'Hare. St. Louis naval hero. I christened the model on the stage of the Fox theatre. Fanchon & Marco has booked three stage shows for Its downtown de- luxer. Amba.s.sador. One of Maj. Bowe.s' units opens Friday (30) and will be followed by the Andrewi Sisters and Will Osborne's band on Nov. 30 and Billy Rose's 'Diamond Horseshoe Revue' on Nov, 27.