Variety (Dec 1942)

44 Wednesday, December 30, 1942 Literati Times Tried to Hold Kleran John I Jack) Kicran, erudite spoils coluinnisl. has left ll.e N. Y. Times and has joined the Sun, new assign- ?enl call.n« for a general column ot commont. Kieran wished lo do a similar Mi.U for the T.mes which has no such department Edwin L. James, the manafiinfe editor and Arthur Hays Sulzberger, V^^^'J'^l^l- ^cTc opposed 10 Kieran-s withdrawal and he was oircred a book reviewing post Hit declined, feeling that he might throw someone else out of a job. Kierins reason for giving up sporls commentating is that he no longer bos the time to d=v°l^ " that work in the manner he thinks t should be done. Writer never h?s de^nded on the slants of others and alwavs allended the various sports events lo gel his own material. He was most pain-takiftg in Prepanng his column, not infrequently arriv- ing at his office at 10 a.m. and de- voting the day to it. After the death of Bob Davis the Sun propositioned Kieran, who will fill that niche. Writer figures he can sit in his Rivcrdale home and turn out any number ol columns on general topics at his convenience, sans office routine. Kieran s weekly radio appearance on •Information Please' doubtless figures in his de- cision to curtail his newspaper time. Earnings from the program are much above the newspaper salary, but Kieran is a man to whom money is not important. Kieran joined the Times first in 1915 at the age of 23. but they wouldn l let him in the sports de- parlmonl and Jimmy Dawson, then the office boy, would tote a battered typewriter for him to a cubby hole where he wrote notes on golf. He left to enlist in the Army during the first World War. Upon his return he went on the staff of the Tribune, then the American and in ISl/ re- joined the Times, to develop into one of the world's ace commentators. There were originally three Kieran brothers on the Times, but the other two left some tijne ago. James Kieran resigned to become secreUry to Mayor LaGuardia, but quit after one too many fights. Leo Kieran •was aviation editor and is now with a magazine devoted to that field. Whether the Times will have a reg- ular- sports columnist again has not been decided. Arthur Daley has been writing the column for several days. John Drebinger and Allison Danzig are possibilities. Newspaper Clrcolations Up Despite the fact that the American public kept its ear closely attuned to radio news commentators, it didn't keep them from buying their daily newspapers in greater quantity than ever before in U. S. history in '42. Audit Bureau of Circulation figures released in December lor the six- month period ending Sept. 30, 1942. and cross-scctionally analyzed by Editor & Publisher, revealed an up- turn in total U. S. daily newspaper circulation of 2.3% from the previ- ous year. Figures lend to carry out a con- tention that radio men have made since the radio-newspaper feud first started. News commentators, the broadcasters have maintained, don't hurt newspaper circulations, but help. Morning papers gained slightly more than evening sheets. The a.m. upswing was 2.91% against 1.87% for the p.m.'s. Oddly enough, while the rest of the country was climbing. New York city papers dropped a total of 10,000 copies a day. Total daily circulation of the eight major Manhattan pa- pers, plus the Bronx Home New!!, comes to 5,163.922. as compared with 5.173.053 for the same six-month pe- riod of 1941. Totals don't include PM: not an ABC member. • Biggest N. Y. gainer of daily cir- culation was the Mirror, which went up 27.000. Journal-American was next with 14,000. Then came the Post with 11,000 and the News 6,000. Herald Tribune was the biggest loser, dropping 20,000. Other losses registered were World-Telefgram 18.000. Ti.ncs 15,000, and Sun 13,000. New York Sunday circulation went along with the tide of the nation. They showed an increase of 375,000. News got the heavy part of that ' with 200,000. followed by the Mirror with 143.000. In Chicago, Marshall Field's new Sun nipped about 60,000 off the Tribune, reaching a circulation of 277.023 for the six-month period. Trib was left with a mere 1,005,992. , Clii Sun to Cut Salaries 30% I Chicatio Sun m.inagcment notified I cmplo.vcrs llial there would not only bo a 30'. cut in salaries after the fus-t of the year, but that many em- ployers would be dropped from the | payroll. This is the (list tightcnnifi up of the Sun s operating structure. The Sun raised it.< daily price to 3 cents on Monday i28) on pressure bv the Chii-ago Tribune, which re- fused to let it have the service of the Ci!v New.s lube system unless it compiled. Agreeing to the raise the Sun gels the tube system service and the election returns. (hi Trlb I'ps Price Effective Monday (28) the Chieago Tribune, which heretofore sold in the cily and suburbs for 2 cents, upped its price to 3 cents. Reason given by the paper for the boost was that war has caused in- creased cost in production and dis- tribution of newspapers. All Chicago evening papeis go to 4c with the exception of Chicago Times, tab, which will remain at 3c. McCaleb Back At N.Y. Mirror Kenneth McCaleb. N. Y. Sunday Mirror magazine editor, is on the cable desk at the Mirror while recuperating from his long hospital siege resulting from a fall from a window several monlhs ago. Charles Wagner, former book editor, is handling the Sunday mag post, while Frank Quinn is doing film reviews for the Sunday Mirror. Plays on B'way Continued from page *^ S SWEET CHARITY Kline are others who deserve ineri- toriou.s mention. Associated with Bloomingdale in what is called a 'George Abbott pro- duction' are Lee Shuberl. Eddie Small and Monroe Grenthal. with Brechcr also having a piece the show. Rose. Ruth Draper S. Iluioh prP!t<»nl« . ulh Draper In flvti rliui-ni-l«M- itkelrho,* «t I'iinen Hall <r<-nn(>rlv LIUli^ IhoiiitH). .\. Y.. lil-ilay entfUKCnKiil opening L>fi-. L*,'!. '4*J: %'J.!yO lop. After an absence of two years from the New York stage. Ruth Draper opened a 10-day holidav en- gagement at Times Hall on West 44th street Christmas night. Miss Draper is presenting a series of Ave char- acter sketches, all of which have been worn thin through constant repetition. Not even the Yuletide spirit, or a deep-rooted appreciation for a laie and individual talent, could suR'use the audience with a sufficient glow to conceal the all-tco obvious fact that Miss Draper was striving to keep alive a decadent set of char- acters. More's the pity, since as a char- acter actress she continues to expand with the year.s. This she again force- fully demonstrates by her inimitable mimicry as she sets about creating her brilliant illusions. With a drop and a mere chair oc two as props, she nevertheless manages to people her stage with an abundance of char- acters—but ot a vintage that has long outlived its ii.<efulness as entertain- ment. Miss Draper needs fresh ma- terial attuned to current conditions and present-day thinking. Her op- portunities to enrich the .^tage. and her audiences, are countless, but cer- tainly aot with the heirlooms she's still dishing out. Aside from the nostalgia they evoke, such oft?repeated brevities as 'A Children's Party in Philadelphia.' 'In a Church in Italy.' 'A Dalmatian Peasant in the Hall of a New York Hospital' and 'On the Porch in a Maine Coast Village' have little or nothing to commend them tod.iy. More successful, however, is her hilarious sketch entit'ed 'A Class in Greek Poise' which, aside from its comic a.spocts. has a certain quality of timeliness about it. In subsequent programs during her N. Y. slay. Miss Draper is dusting off a number of other oldies. Ros"e. Shops.' He doesn't explain the lengthened title, but probably it doc.sn I niiitler. The show seems destined for only a brief stay. •New Faces' isn't any fun. Well, hardly anv. It has what is supposed 10 be :i .sly premise—that Govern- ment priorities have pievenled the presenl;itioi) of a large production. 11 has the uiual attempt at topical s;itire and it n.s.suredly does have new face.s. But fresh, eager faces anil li;-isk staging fail to save ama- tcurisli inalerial. Only seasoned slars cv.ukl do that. Of the .songs, the only half-way memorable ones ore •Shoos.' by Will Irwin and June Carroll; "Love, Are You Raising Your Head.' by Lee Wainor and Miss .Carroll, and Ir- win's 'Hey, Gal." There is also an amusing song-sketch, 'Ten Pcrcent- eis,' about Broadway agents. Among the .-ketches the heavy 'Welles of Loneliness' about the fabulou.s Or- iOii; 'Skin ot Your Life." a fair spoof of Thornton Wilder and William Saroyan. and an overlong burlesque of a 'Hamlet' Icctuie, by Irwin Corey. Sillman himself opens the show and is on and off in small assign- menl.s throughout. Ann Robinson, billed as a di.scovcry of Louis Arm- strong, is the nearest thing to a hit with her riff singing, a variation ot scat singing. The pro,!!ram asserts she 'creates her own lyrics as she sing.=' and 'improvises melodies much in the same manner as a hot trumpeter ' would.' Anyway,^ ^fiss Robin.son is an ample gal with a wide, tooth-filled mouth and an in- fcctioii.sly casual style of rhythm vocalling. Ot the others, Diane Davis is a luokci'. a pleasant singer and an agile tap dancer. Laura Deane Dut- ton is hampered by indifTerent songs and a forced manner ot vo- calizing. Hie Thompson Ls a livoly dancer, Tony Farrar the ever-pres- ent impersonator, and Use Kevin and .-Mice Pearce occasionally di- verting comediennes. The sellings and costumes are simple, though adequate. Whether or not this 'New Faces' would make the grade at a lower .<;cale is an academic matter—it can hardly do so at the present $3.30 top. It isn't nearly good enough. Doodle Dandy of U. S. A ri;:\ with niitalc. 1>V nr itiii I; riiii,ji<- 1,>- lOlii' Sleuinol,itPr: tlmirr^, l,v T,'*l sttiiwn: .s,^ii!iiuH l,v I.PQ K»»iz: slfik't'il liy I'Hul Tnni-oun; ptiini»l, Jiirquf:* lliwluii- hUI. rr-^ju^nloil hy Junliir Prtiuntms. tin.. In l).<'-ot-i:itiiMi with Clllipri .!n«<i»plixitn. tit I*''!' iheiiiro. N. v.. Der. mi »L' Jli lop. iluik Ilonjiin.iii Kranklln Thnmnt* .lefforMn . .liipl H:t1i,>v Aniip Hulclii.oon.. t^ooiltc C'anily }.pnn K.ihn lll.,k>' Kill<"r urr.-,l All'cro Kiir^I Shi>nk ...Mury WhillK DrII .S;iin Sle<»n Hi*t l.ii,-ky Suir Hnil>;ii-:i Mirhnel llllliil^ nAiniiii I.<hiI Hush .Mi'.S'cllon Airrcil Allxptrn lliim|ihir-v Oiiiiiphrp.v I. 1 Knhii Kll>:al;r'lh Drake Muy W(iicl» Hell H*-niy l-'inrft Rl.-lUf Riroi- llcnjiiiuli) Kriinhlin Budil .. Mir-lKiel Jluiiil Fa.vorably regarded when it was presented last October at Hunter College. N. Y., 'Yankee Doodle ot the U. S. A.' was brought to Broad- way last Saturday (26) for a series of eight holiday matinees through Jan. 2. Presenters are Junior Pro- grams, Inc.. and Gilbert Jn.sephson. It's a reasonably amusing kid show and should do satisfactory business, especially on the wave of the holiday trade. It's bcin on tour In the in- terim. "Yankee Doodle' is a kind of 'It Can't Happen Here.' but with music, dancing and symbolism. It deals with a Iwo-bil Hitler's attempt lo become dictator o( an American town and of how a few patriotic citizens, aided by the spirit of Yankee Doodle come to life, arouse the populace lo save the traditional Yankee freedoms. The story itself is broad enough for a youngster to follow. And it some of the symbolic touches are a trifle obscure for juve spectators, ihere is enough color and movement to compensate. Some of ihe singing is mediocre, but the illustrative dances are good and. In any case, urchins aren't too critical if there's plenty of action, particularly if the adult.': convoying them buy the Doodle Dandy hats and canes that are hawked through the aisles dur- ing intermission. Hobe. NEW FACES OF 1943 book II n \Viili»(*i , ■I line (.* IIIDX^K fikiMili rni'hy. r nliillii t I ^i^niii Vo> . Tuny I n i>lhii:, Ttnl|>l> in t^vo :n-m CI'J fii—nt^-l. Willi il 1> i'i< r« liy Juliii l.iiml: mil:"!.-. I.i'O H-I<liliuniil \\ t i.K nii«l |||.^. .nif.II nnil J. B. n<>AcnbOiK : < •<•'. nni\ nfi\\nKi*. K.lUHr<l ImPioi:: rliii'i-ior, |,:iWi'i>n>-e Miii'dl**; (hiii>-n)t< li'f. \\ ''Miniuii hnrt .l»»lin Wmy ; I.'*'' \\'fliiiPr; iitf^Crtlfd hy I Sitlnmn. :ir KM/. lli«>Hlie. N. Y.. .'. '"I".': HI |:i.:*0 inp (Si-lo (i|>r>nMt»:i. l.<-iinai>l Silliniiii. Ann nol>inxi>ii. I'm i jii. »• I'eai rfl. l)<t^ tn. !>•■: ti.> iMiKon. Illr 'l'liO)ii|t^<in. liMViM. J.ilin I.unrt. l.un.l. I.pwi-. |>iii In OowMnic, nninlliv . Iiwin i.oie>-, Kcni I'MwHidf. Leonard Sillman. who ha<: pre- sented several intimate revues in the past, once or twice with no suc- cess, is back with another, which he calls 'New Faces of 1943 with New Herk Wins = Continued from page 41 — whom the prosecution objected dur- ing the trial. Attorney Dlfferencex Differences between defense al- toineys have developed over fin- ancing. Understood that the show management had put aside $1,000 lo pay possible fines; it then being planned to use that money on be- half of Herk's defense along with that of Samuel Funt and Herman Shapiro, employees of the show who were b1.«o convicted but given sus- pended sentences. Sum of $500 was remitted to the Markewich office with the understanding that a simi- lar sum was to be paid. Part ot the money was used to secure the min- utes of the trial. Louis Mandel, a lawyer mentioned Bi handling the 'Wine' fln<inces, Is reported asking the assurance of Markewich that he would be suc- cessful in securing a writ of reason- able doubt. He then referred the matter lo William Klein and Milton R. Weinberger, Shubcrt lawyers. Undersood the latter wanted the return of all money if the motion for a writ before Justice Birnstein was denied, the Klein and Weinberger idea being regarded as most unusual among attorneys. Shuberts operated the closed Ambasador and Lee Shu- bcrt was repjtod to be one of the 'Wine' backers. So far as is known only $500 has been received by Markewich but more money will be needed in ajk peal proceedings, for the printing of the record and requisite fees. Equity has decided to include stage managers in its standard con- tracts and afford them the same protection as. actors in cases of al- leged indecent performance prose- cutions. Contract stipulates that the manager must furnish bail and pay for the defense, although actors are exempt under the penal code from being pro.sceuted. Players, too, must be paid a week's salary if shows are suddenly suspended in indecency proceedings. Failure to comply would make the manager liable to pay Equity $1,000. Legit Business Continued from page 41 ot the week sow an upsurge in business. Improved grosses were also registered the week before Xmas, which was unprecedented. The Yuletide falling on Friday meant a long holiday, and by Satur- day Broadway was jammed with people, most of whom went to the theatre. Run shows saw the best matinee business within a year, with night trade a pushover. This, despite the absence of private motor cars and reported train transportation haz- ards, which were proved to be ex- aggerated. Whatever the gas ra- tioning difficulties, people managed to reach Times Square, and it seemed that New Year's eve was being celebrated a week ahead of time. Straight play leaders stayed vir- tually in the van or close to most of the musicals. Evident leader ot all, except 'Stars on Ice' and 'Rosalinda,' which had an exceptional spurt, was The Pirate' (Lunts) with better than $23,500. it being the best figure ever attained by the stars in a sim- ilar period. A bit behind 'Pirate' were the musical 'Let's Face It' and 'By Jupiter,' by grace of a last-half rush. The Three Sisters,' proved the newest heavy sugar drama with an initial week just under $22,000. 'Without Love' ducked Ihe holiday but grossed well over $21,000. 'Eve of St. Mark' was not materially af- fected and topped $16,000. The Skin of Our Teeth' was off mostly be- cause it laid off two days. (Fur- ther details on grosses page.) With New Year's flnalling the holiday season late this week the annual boxoffice bulge looks all set, with usual boosted holiday eve scales. Managers know what to ex- pect as the old year goes out, yet apprehensive ot what will happen then. Plays Out of Town Continued from paRc K FULL SPEED AHEAD U.S. Roil Call : Continued from page 4 s c^rs Training School at Aberdeen Proving Grounds (Md.), tomorrow (Wed.). Fred Wieling. WIBG announcer, has resigned to join the Navy. Sidney Adlcr, organizer for Philly local ot the American Communica- tions A.ssociatio'i (CIO), has been inducted into the Army. He has been succeeded by Joe Ehrlich. Tom Moore, WIBG an.iouncer, has been commissioned a lieutenant in the Army Air Force. Joe Mansfield A Yeoman Boston, Dec. 29. Joe Man.oflcld. publicity associate to 'Red' King, at local Keith thea- tres, is now a first class yeoman in th. Coast Guard and is stationed at Ihe Custom House here. No succes- sor as yet. Two Mora From RKO Harry Maguire, 15th man from RKO's publicity siatf to enter the armed services, Into the Coast Guard. B. B. Lion, division manager at RKO In Phil Reisman's foreign de- partment, commissioned captain in the Special Service of Supply. No successor yeU there is of it. and there are a few good dance specialties. A local girl, Jacqueline Susan, daughter of a well known Philly artist, is decorative and personable. H. Leopold Spitalny (with Leigh writing the lyrics) com- posed four tongs for Miss Otci o. who is a Cuban prima donna. Other moderate favorites with first-nighters were Boots McKcnna and Barbara Blaine, dancers. The show is nicely sfa^ed if noi exccptiunallv iutistic in Its pictorial side. H'nlcrs. The Wife Takes a Child Boston. Dec. 25. CNimntly In lliieo ;n'i-. i.-, yciMir^) by Phm-lie iin.I ilriHy l-ililimn. |ir,-i-nu^l by John (■ W'iImmh; ^lilKe,! Ii.* WiInoh: Hi'lllng, Slewiirl ritiiiie.^ : rfiiluii-!i llriuy Hull, Eve- lyn X'lirilen (inil .\e,l,l:i llmTiLrnti; niiened nl Williur. IliiHiin. iLi-. L'.".. (lv.T:, lop. S:iin W'liiinker lli>nr\ Huli Irinii |l;ilr.\ ni|tli- l-;\i>l>n Vnnlen .VilelHhle i:>ilvn l>:ivli I'*rjinre!* Whiinkfi- -Nrilil:! llarrlRan Kllly .Mll.'In-ll lu.ly I-.Trrlah nollvcry Miiii I.ilin Knna KUKonr Mllihi'll I.>|p llcllKfr .Miivlni; .Mini Viiliui M^irlotve Krnni'lh Kiil/. 'I'tiirniy l.rivli U"3:cl .M;iry Orr .\rrlile_ ILihorl llrtlon llriiiii:i liuiiiili^ .Muniihan V M.ii'l llri- Jamn Dr. U.,il.'ll Willliiiii V. iiilnKonll lliih;i4-k • Mi,-li;i,.l Itnrrclt KIcviiio. Miiiy ..\Villl:ii,i Juhnun It looks as though John Wilson will have to inject a blither spirit into 'The Wife Takes a Child' it it i to successfully withstand the buf- fets of Broadway. Although the comedy has appeal for a female au- dience, as il deals entirely with the various problems of caring tor a day-old intunt. the series of domes- tic incidents are wanting in suffi- cient drama or suspense lo hold the attention of those without assorted progeny, to say nothing of those with more than a sinultering of so- phistication. And, as the dialog is not remarkable for its wil (although some of the lines are amusing), the lack ot sufficient olot substance be- comes overly apparent. The situation develops when • young mother brin js her infant home to her own mother when her hus- band disillusions her by tailing to pace the tloor during the birth ot his child, and by enlisting in the j army after the subsequent quarrel. ' As he is himself a doctor who knew (1) that she was all right and (2) that he would have been called in anyway, the girl's rage reveals her- self to be a shallow, silly girl, a fajt borne out by her behaviour throughout. She is thus a heroine of little audience sympathy. Her father is a retired investor who never enjoyed success; her mother is a buyer at Macy's and the family's main support: her aunt hangs about sponging and making quips; her brother and sister-in-law live in the apartment below and crash in and out occasionally. As the girl and her husband are separated at the outset, the first two acts consist entirely of family inci- dents ot a familiar character. The baby cries and nobody but father knows what to do, and he won't do it; the aunt has to give up her room, putting up thereafter on a sofa to the accompaniment of acrid jests; father gets a job in Macy's which makes mother envious: maids come and go, and so on. Finally, on Ihe day the girl's husband returns on furlough, the baby disappears through the drunken misdeeds of a colored maid. It is soon located through its cries, but noi before there has been a good deal of rush- ing about. The cast is superior lo ils male- rial and often sustains inlciest by means ot ils shrew.I delivery ot lines and its knowing accent of the busi- ness. Henry Hull and Evelyn Var- den are especially successful in this regard, while William Wadsworlh as the one truly coincdic character scores for the biggest laugh. Others ot the cast are satisfactory: Lyle Bcllger. Judy Parrish and Nedda Harrigan needing only more sympa- thetic material to show off their wares better. Provided 'The Wife Takes a Child' can draw a predominanllv female audience—and a better title might see to that—it will supply sufficient diversion for a modest success. It is not geared, in any case, for farce, evidently having been designed for the widest possible appeal on the universal atlractim of the theme. Yet even a family comedy needs sophistication and showmanship, for merely peering through the window of somebody else's house, notwith- standing the fascination ot that di- version, is hardly an occupation to consume two hours. F.lie. (Announced (eTiiporari/ u'il/idrou'- ol lor reuision Saliirdav.) Johnny Long and orchestra signed for a musical short at Universal to follow their current work in the Abbott and Costello picture, 'Ob, Doctor.'