Variety (Dec 1942)

Wednesday! December S, 1942 VAUDEVILLE 4S Leon-Eddie s Reps, 4-A s Committee Meet Again Today to Mull Solution Representatives of Leon St Eddie's nitery In New York met with a negotiating committee appointed by the Associated Actors & Artistes of America Monday evening (30) to discuss a settlement of the 4A's itrilie vs. the nitery over its refusal to sign a new pact with the Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists, a 4A's affiliate. New contract upped the cafe's classiScatlon and mini- mums to what the club felt was an exorbitant point. The conferees met at the offices of the American Guild of Musical Artists, another 4A's affiliate, and broke up after a couple of hours with the proviso that they'd recon- vene today (2). Representatives of the musicians Union did not. attend, although they were responsible for bringing the opposing groups to- gether. Also absent were reps of the stagehands. The musicians union came into the scene after a voluntary group of name players, representing all the 4A's unions and headed by Danny Kaye, Ray Bol- ger, Clifton Webb, Lawrence Tib- bett and James Cagney, among others, called upon William Fein- berg, of Local 802, to request his support. Meanwhile, Tibbett had contacted James Petrillo, AFM prexy, and arranged for his sup- port. Understood that the mu- sicians brought the nitery into the conference with the 4A's negotiating committee by ejtplaining the mu- sicians would have to honor the piclcets if no contract was signed. The 4A's committee, consisting of Tibbett, as chairman; Walter Greaza, Emily Holt, Henry Jaffe and Flor- ence Marston, occasioned much surprise in the trade due to the lack of any actual AGVA representation. "Tibbett Is pr6z of AGMA and the American Federation of Radio Artists. Greaza has been adminis- SAMMY BIRCH P.S.—This IB "OFF THE RECORD." RECENTLY COMPLETED 21 WEEKS HURRICANE, N. Y. CURRENTLY (Nov. 26) LOEWS STATE New York THANKS to TED LEWIS and JESSE KAYE Tcnonal Manaiament HARRY GREEN 1619 BVay New .York City THEATRICAL BOOKING AGENTS WANTED MALE OR FEMALE Experienced in night clubs, the- atres, one-nighters and band work, for the artist bureau of well-known radio station. Must be dependable. Write full quali- fications. Rox 182, Variety 154 West 46th St- New York trator of AGVA via a loan' from Actors Equity and la oonsldered an Equity man. Mrs. Holt 1« an AFRA exec; Jaffe li the AFRA attorney, Mrs. Marston, the New York rep for the Screen Actors Guild. The original committee appointed by the 4A's to meet with Ijeon 8c Eddie's was staffed by Greaza, Mrs. Marston, Dave Fox, AGVA national delegate, and headed by Jonas Sll- verstone, national counsel for AGVA. Complete charge of the L-E dis- pute had been thrust upon Silver- stone by the 4A's. He was In- strumental In organizing the com- mittee of stars which brought the musicians into the picture. The revamp of this committee, es' pecialiy iii the dropping of Silver stone, all apparently at the re- quest of Tibbett, came as a sur- prise. It may presage a change in the attitude of the 4A's, which originally voted the nitery unfair, and established the new wage scale and working conditions for the club. The lack of AGVA representa- tion on committees which are ne gotiating AGVA contracts also is puzzling. First sign of a break in the strike came last week when the New York local of the musicians union otrlered Bob Allen, orch leader at the Hotel Pennsylvania, N. Y., not to appear at the nitery's "Celebrity Night' Nov. 29. Spot had released publicity and mailed promotion pieces ballylng ap- pearance of the band leader. Musi clans have been asked to support AGVA in its dispute with the club, The 4A's at its Friday (27) meet- ing found Monty WooUey guilty of crossing the picket line twice dur- ing the past month. His explanation that it was done unwittingly was ac cepted along with his promise not to repeat the offense. Appeal for Fimds So Negro Soldiers Can Be Entertained Shortage of Stew Juice Has Pitt Cafes b a Stew Pittsburgh, Dec. 1. Shortage of booze in the lower- price brackets has smaller innkeep- ers here in a stew, and they're wondering how long they can keep operating if situation doesn't change any. Boys who run the minor cafes and night clubs point out that prac- tically three-quarters of their bar trade Is on the cheaper brands, and with these at a premium now, spots fltjure in a short time their liquor licenses won't be worth a nickel a dozen. Depleted stocks in the less ex- pensive bottled goods have the state stores here imposing rationing of a sort on purchasers. Individuals can't get more than two packages at a time, regardless of whether they're pints or quarts, and retailers have also been cut dowa accordingly. Higher-price booze is still plentiful ar.^. the class spots aren't being affected, although they may be later, but the operators of the joints and semi-joints are screaming bloody murder and see the handwriting on the wall. State Liquor Control Board so far hasn't come through with a satisfactory explanation, other than the old one of 'war conditions,' and some operators are figuring on banding together and appealing to the Federal government for a so- h tion to their problem. Wirtz Agreement to Negotiate Wins Stay on AGVA Action Vs. Henie Show In Indpls.; Settlement Believed Near Dispute which has been pending, between Arthur Wirtz and the Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists over a basic agreement sought for 'Stars on Ice', Center. BadW City, was vjr tually cleared up n, inaimiapoits last week as the result of a squeeze move by the Screen Actors Guild. In that city the opening of Sonja Henie in 'Hollywood Ice Revue of 1943' was threatened for a time, but bowed in on schedule Thursday (26) after Wirtz agreed to consider a contract, with certain stipulations. SAG acted as an affiliate of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America, which had declared the Henie show and 'Stars' unfair. Miss Henie is associated with Wirtz on the managerial end of both attractions. Neither the salary scale nor working conditions of the Henie revue was involved, it simply being a matter of a "Stars' contract. SAG threatened to bar Miss Henie and others in her show from the Hollywood studios unless the 'Stars' situation was cleared up. Detroit, Dec. 1. Governor Murray Van Wagoner and Governor-elect Harry F. Kelly both are appealing to the State De- fense Finance Committee to unfasten the purse-strings for funds to finance the trips of Negro women to enter- tain colored soldiers stationed at Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Both the old and the new top men of Michigan are acting on behalf of the USO, which has appealed for up- ward of $2,000 for the trips. What points up the situation is that there is no Negro population at the city in Michigan's Upper Pen- insula where the Negro troops were brought in to guard the vital Great Lakes locks. "Their entertainment problem is a serious one,' Gov. Van Wagoner pointed out to the State convnittee which controls such spending. The USO has arranged for Negro girls, orchestras and entertainers to make the long trip up-State following one successful junket earlier. ICE FOLLIES' BIG 70G IN CLEVELAND Cleveland, Dec. 1. Built up by Thanksgiving week crowds, 'Ice Follies of 1943' roped a strong $70,000 at $2.20 top at the Arena last week. Three of the eight performances were near sellouts. Arena's next ice spectacle is to be 'Ice Capades,' set for return one week stand Feb. 14, as result of its heavy clicko on initial week. Grotto circus, staged by Orrin Davenport, toplining Capt. Terry Jacobs' cat act, also booked By Lou Herget for the local sports auditorium Jan. 10-24. THIS IS ONE ESCAPE TRICK HE MISSED ON Detroit, Dec. 1. William (Hungry Bill) Gniposky, escape artist, couldn't get out of Uncle Sams clutches. He has been all over the country with carnivals and in small-time vaudeville show- ing the folks how to wriggle out of ropes, handcuffs and boxes. He go so good that be wriggled out of the Canadian Army after serving one day and slipped out of the U.S. Army after serving a week. He must have figured he was pretty good by then for he also registered twice under the draft, both times using phony names. However, he slipped once too o. en and the FBI nailed him here. He is in jail charged with false draft registration, failing to report for the draft and desertion. The FBI said he wouldn't be able to resume his escape career for from one to five years. Dale Harkness, piani.st and former band leader, into Music Bar, Pitts- burgh, as a single. Toronto Girl, 18, Signed by Tollies' Toronto, Dec. 1. During engagement here of Ship stad and Johnson's 'Ice Follies, impresarios signed up Mary Robin ette, 18, after an audition. Makes six members of the Toronto Skat ing Club on the 'Follies' payroll; Osborne Colson, Frances Claudet, Shirley Halsted, Norah McCarthy Margaret Richardson and Mary Robinette. Colson, Claudet and Mc- Carthy are getting top billing in 'cur- rent "43 edition. Other two are in the ensembles. 'Icecapades' Sock 165G At Gardens, Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Dec. 1. 'Icecapades' grabbed an estimated $165,000 in 20 performances at the Gardens, falling off a bit only at the end, which was expected since it was longest engagement ice carnival ever had here. In addition, show gave two extra Sunday performances for war purposes, netting more than $7,- 000 at one of them for USO-Variety Club Canteen and at the other dis- posing of $250,000 worth of War ISonds through tieup with Station KDKA, whereby tickets were given to purchasers. Gross on last couple of &hows was held down somewhat by manage- ment's offer to admit all service men free, which has become a policy with the local Harris outfit, controlled by John H. Harris, president c" Arena Managers Assn., which owns 'Ice- capades.' Harris theatres are only local houses to admit men in uniform free of charge, others giving them cut-rates. 'Icecapades' contribution to USO- Variety Club Canteen swelled total to nearly S40.000. rest having been obtained from football game be- tween Pittsburgh Steelers. pro club, and an army team from Fort Knox. Ky representatives who claimed that 90% of the company belonged to AGVA, SAG or both, threatened to round them up and take them to California unless Wirtz signed at once, and said that 30 people from the show were with them in an as- sembly room at the Claypool Hotel while the others waited at the ColN seum to see what would happen. Finally, late Wednesday night, Hut- son and Wirtz addressed a company meeting at the Coliseum, explained terms of the agreement, and so the rehearsal was held. Cast had previously been notified by SAG, to which many of the per- formers belong, that its ruling against working for Wirtz still stood. SAG also had guaranteed transpor- tation and financial help to any of its members in the show who need- ed help in case they were called out. Henie Show Goes On In Indpls. Pending Talks Indianapolis, Dec.l. Final settlement of the dispute be- tween AGVA and the Sonja Henie- Arthur M. Wirtz 'Holywood Ice Revue of 1943' was postponed long enough to permit the show to open on schedule here Thursday (26) at the Coliseum. Wirtz, in a telegram to Kenneth Thomson, executive secretary of SAG, which supported AGVA in the controversy, agreed to negotiate a contract with AGVA if it could be proved to represent 51% of his com- pany and to abide by arbitration if terms were not mutually acceptable. The telegram, as released by Thomas R Hutson, state labor com- missioner, read as follows: '// the American Guild of Vari- ety Artists can prove that they have 51% of the cast of the Sonja Henie Hollywood Ice Show as members of their organization in good standing, / tuill meet with you at Chicago within 10 davs thereafter to Tiegottate a contract for said show with you. If we cannot agree to terms of said contract, it is mutually agreed that the dispute tuill be placed before the American Ar- bitration Association at their Chicago office and that both par- ties are to abide by their de- cision.' Thomson accepted by wire, Hutson said, and the show went on. The issue was very much in doubt late Wednesday night, when a final dress rehearsal scheduled for 7 o'clock did not get under way until 11. Bob Edwards and Florine Bale, AGVA Cleve. Palace Sets Jan. Solidly With Name Bands Cleveland, Dec. 1. Name orchestral policy has hit it off so well at the RKO de luxe Palace this season that Clem Pope, local division manager, has booked January solidly with jive bands. Hal Mclntyre's orch is starting the house's "Month Of Jivecopation' on New Year's Day. Following are Bob Allen, week of Jan. 8; Henry Busse, Jan. 15, and Woody Herman, Jan. 22. Sets Acts for Mex Follies Sandy Morrison, former Pacific Coast emcee, is now a cop on the 'Frisco waterfront. Chicago, Dec. 1. Joaquin Gonzalez, representing the Follies Bergere theatre, Mexico City, Is here to buy talent for the new Tollies Bergere Revue' open- ing tiiere on New Year's Eve. Acts engaged Will be guaranteed four weeks with options. Show will cost between $2,500 and $3,000 per week and will have 30 to 40 people. Bookings are being arranged through Phil Phillips, local agent and pro- ducer. PHIL - V Term Contract 20th Century-Fox Studios Paraonal Repr«Mntattv*i FRANK VINCENT Bavarly Hllli, Calif. FrnwuMs BOOKING AGE NCY oiNHAi fxfcurivf orncts LOEW BUIlblNO ANNEX ;IM W. 4Mi »., N. Y.C ■ Mynl 9.7(00 ft