Variety (Jan 1943)

January 6, 1M3 Thtriy-Bevenlh UStilEff Anniversary VAUDEVILLE 209 Chrs Model War Effort Aniiiseiiient and Recreation Division Has Three .Centers for Servicemen By HAL HALPERIN Chicago Jan. 3. About eight months before Pearl Harbor, a half dozen representatives of show business gathered for din- ner at Henrici's to discuss the part the entertainment biz would play jo America when war came. They ^ew we would be in it—but when? It was remembered that in the first World War show business did an outstanding job, but was cheated of all credit. This was effected by people in high political places and varied social spheres. These gentry made use of show business and were credited for the work done by amusement persoruiel. That same night two of the men at the dinner ran into John Malloy, executive editor of the Chicago Herald-American. He was toW about the conversation and the objective —to bring shows to army camps and navy bases In the midwest and that a considerable sum of money would be needed which could not produce a proBt. Malloy was sympathetic and understanding—within the half-hour he was completely sM. His paper, the Hearst Herald - Examiner, he stated, would bankroll the shows if the tljeatrical contingent would han- dle all details. It was specified that nobody but performers would receive pay.* Plans were drawn and put into operntion. A few weeks later shows began to move. The first was truly a 'pioneer,' meeting with many hardships, traveling in overnight busses. Another unit followed in two weeks—^then another. With .the summer there came intensifled movement of troops and a develop- ment of special training. This re- sulted in these shows being tem- porarily postponed. It is beHeved the Hearst Herald-American took a loss of around $20,000. 1 ie-St«ry Centre I About that Ume the Oface of Ci- vilian Defense was formed with Mayor Edward J. Kelly of Chicago as Chairman. Between him and Barnett Hodes, as corporation coun- sel, the Chicago Servicemen's Cen- ter came Into being. They took over a 18-story build- ing, formerly belonging to the Elks and transformed it into a place where men from the armed forces could while away their time while on 'passes' and furloughs. Kelly and corporation cotmsel Hodes appraised the situation well, noting that Chi- cago was a vital population center covering a large area. This meant it would become the gathering place for anywhere from 60,000 to lOO.OOO servicemen on 'weekends'. They were anxious to keep the men happy and their morale high. This they did by furnishing a place where the boys could gather to sing, dance, see shows and escape boredom. At first they catered to between 2,000 to 3,000 men each weekend. Pretty soon the Qgure rose to 8.000— to 7,000—to 8,000. Its fbme spread and the project gained momentum. By this time there were four floors in use out of the 16 in the building. Outside financial support had to be enlisted. It was realized that no better way to sell this project to the public could be found than through show business. Mayor Kelly called a meet- ing of Chicago's leading showmen. He placed the responsibility for the center squarely In their laps. They believed it was not a job for a selected few. but could only be ac- complished by everybody in show business in Chicago aided by other interests. All of the amusement and recreation business was contacted; theatrical guilds and unions; all of thi. casting and booking agencies. j™ey were asked to participate. Over 70 people, each representing his particular field, were called to- gether by general invitation. At this meeting an executive board was voted and each group, such as unions represenUng radio, vaude- V'le, motion picture theatres, book- *|fs. music composers, etc., set up their own board, and selected their ">*'n chairmen. The first executive comhnittee was composed of John Balaban, head of Baiaban & Katz; James Coston, representing Warner Bros, theatres, as well as other theatrical circuits " Chicago; Jack Kirsch, of Allied Theatre.s, representing over one-hundred independent houses in the state; Edwin Silverman, of the Essaness Circuit, and the writer of 'Variety.' Money was pledged to keep the Amusement and Recreation Division functioning without obligat- ing it to any outsiders for funds. Shows were produced and put into the Servicemen's Center on every Saturday and Sunday afternoon. James C. Petrillo, international pres- ident of the American Federation of Musicians and also president of the Chicago local, save them his sanc- tion and entruslr 1 the clearance of musicians to E('.. nrd Benkcrt and Carl Baumann, secretary and vice- president of the Chicago local. Frank Olsen gave thr full support of the stagehands union < local No. 2). John Smith, of the Operators Union, provided everything mechanically needed for the showing of motion pictures. No 'name' band to play tlie city of Chicago has failed to appear at the Servicemen's Centre. The music publishers have thus promoted and put on special shows and the mem- bers of American Federation of Radio Artists put on 'Radio Antics,' a show cast with top air talent in the Chicago area. Organizations outside of ^how btisi- ness willingly cooperate with the Amusement & Recreation Division. The problem of transportation for performers to camps was solved by Benjamin Weintraub, of the Chicago Motor Coach Co.; the collection and distribution of all free tickets is handled through the Treasurers Union; the provision of opera and concert music and talent was as- sumed by J. C. Thoitipson. Enlarged Setnp The Servicemen's Center was outgrown and the 16-story build- ing was found inadequate. The i.uditorium hotel and Theatre were takep over by Mayor Kelly and this lo-story building is now devoted 100% to the care of servicemen. In it there are three floors of dormi- tories, a general office, stage for amateur theatricals and the running of films, a floor for barn dancing and waltzing. There is a large play- room with ping-pong tables, an archery range and small hand-bowl- ing games as well as a library, writ- ing room and bachelor club rooms. Tl:ere is a special room where men may relax and 'whittle', as well as a supply of artist's materials for those men so inclined. Stenograph- ers are on hand at all times and the boys can dictate letters home free of charge. On Saturday and Sunday the greatest activity occurs on the third floor, for the canteen is located there. It has handled 11,000 men In one day and as many as 18,000 sand- wiches have been served. Practically every great star of stage or screen that comes to Chi- cago or passes through and has lei- sure time has been brought to the Servicemen's Centre and has usually stayed to perform. The Hollywood Caravan was turned over to the Amusement & Recreation Division as the scene of its performances for Chicago. HOW to WIN Laffs in Camps > By HERB SHRINER » .What do the boys in the Army camps like in the way of humor? Well, mister, what do you like? Yeah, we're asking you—the guy who is still wearing civvies. Be- cause the feller in khaki is a feller in civvies who got a 1-A card. He still likes the same kind of elbow- tickling. He'll still laugh like any- thing when you tell him something funny, and he'll still walk out if you give him tiie who-was-thal-woman routine. Well, mebbe he won'l walk out, 'cause now he's got man- ners, and he realizes that the actors are there on the cuff to give him a good time. But he won't laugh! And brother. Hitler should work with an audience who won't laugh! A lotta soldiers have told me that while they appreciate the .services of the USO-Camp Shows, individual visits, and all that stuff, they would appreciate it a lot more if the corny comics would stay in bed. Here's how one feller figured it out for me: 'It's this way,' he said. 'For a couple of weeks, we get bombarded with advertising and publicity, all about the big star who's coming to enter- tain us this Saturday night Natural- ly we're tickled, because if there's anything a soldier in an Army camp with 394)90 others needs, it's a good laugh. There's very little humor in a top sergeant's conversation all day long. We want to have a helluva time laughing with the visiting fun- maker, and we're potentially the best audience he's ever had. So what happens? U the guy's a star, he digs out his way-back routines. And if he's not a star, which he most of .the time isn't, then, brother, that door seems miles awayl Of course, there are some really bigtimers who come out here and sock 'em across, God bless them. But they are too few and far be- tween. Ain't I got a nerve, squawk- ing about something they give me for nothing? But if you tell "em we're not morons mebbe they'll get a little better response when they play our way again.' Well, that's what this feUer- said, and from my own experience in these Army camps, I'd say that sorta sums up the general feeling all around the bean circuit First of all, your jokes have gotta be good. These guys aren't in Ice- land. They have radios. They go to the local movies. They read the funny papers. They know that gag Hope pulled on the air the other night. And they know what Abbott said to Costello in that new movie. So don't try to give 'em somebody else's routine. The chances are, they've heard it from the original, and the chances are that it sounded much better through the loudspeaker. 3 Centres In Operation The Servicemen's centres have now grown to thice, for a new estab- lishment for colored servicemen is in full operation at 49th and Wabash avenue. The Amusement & Recrea- tion Division has also been charged v/ith the task of entertaining service- men in the Allied forces, Austral- ians, Canadians, New Zealanders and others. Everything lh;ii show business has done through its Amusement & Recreation Division has been voluntary, inspired only by patriot- ism and with the full intent of mak- ing and keeping the industry an integral part of the war efTort. Fair Man In WMC Post Charlotte. N. C. Jan. 3. Dr. J. S. Dorlon hns been appoint- ed regional director of the War Man- power Commission, wilh headquar- ters at Raleigh. N. C. He Ls m.-inagcr of the Stale Fair at Charlotte, the Southern Sliitcs Fair and the Cleveland <N. C.) County Fair. Den't Get Dirty Secondly, they like spicy gags, but don't get dirty. The men are soldiers, sure, but they're not necessarily burlesque patrons. A helluva lot of them can laugh at a. gag that's ttot about dames. When a visiting comic dips deeply into the blue, he not only embarrasses the men, but he flirts with the disfavor of the com- manding officers, whose duty it Is to see that some mother's sons are not exposed to unwholesome enter- tainment. You can scorn if you want to, but that's the way it is. So why not play according to the home team's rules? Another thing, don't stay on too long. It's just as important to walk off while they're still laughing in the Army camps, as it Is at the Para- mount. Some fellers are really anxiou.s to give the boys their money"s worth, and they go on and on. But In most cases there are other performers to follow, apd if each one take.s up extra time, the boys will be doing fanny detail far into the night. And they get up at S a.m. - Don't gel .sentimcnlal on the boys. I saw a comic recently who was bowling Ihe boys over with .-iocko gags, one after another. Then he .suddenly grew scriou.s and gave 'em that old wc-know-yoii-can-<lo-it, college-try routine and the .-joI- diers, who know darn well they're In it. practically begged for Ihcir zpplau.se back. Maybe Cantor can mix humor and sentiment on the radio, but unless your n.nme i.-- Eddie Cantor, don't try il ;il thr Army camp.". A good IhiiiK lor ;i vi^il njj (.oinic to do Is to ac(iuaint hini.-elf. botore going on, with the local f.-ivorllcs— USO-Camp Shows' Big Job And Doing It So Well That $4,000,000 Allotment May Be Doubled By JOE SCHOENFELD It's a far cry from the Over There Theatre League of V/orld War I to the USO-Camp Shows, Inc. of World War II. The former to a great extent was haphazard, ofttimes chaotic, frequently inept in its pur- pose to provide entertainment for men In uniform in the 1917-18 period. USO-CSI, on the other hand, is probably the outstanding contribution by the show business in this conflict so far as upholding the morale of servicemen. Its wide- spread, smooth-running, all-encom- passing circuit of army and naval bases, both within the U. S. and abroad, enrolling thousands of en- tertainers, paid and voluntary, has had no equal in the history of the entertainment world. Not since the heyday of the Keith- Albee circuit has there been such a great use of talent within one season as the USO-CSI has engaged for the current winter program (Nov. 23, 1942 to April 17, 1943). Some 58 units are already playing, and prob- ably another 12 units, making 70 in all, will be touring before April. Within a short time, there will also be at least four to five units of paid talent going overseas on a regu- lar U. S. Army camp circuit in Erig- land and Ireland, and before long it's expected that the Overseas Cir- cuit will spread to every corner of the glot>e where American-service- men are manning strategic fronts. The last list made public by the Office of War Information totalled 32* such bases, some in darkest Africa, others in the far corners of India, one or two in China. It's the proposal that entertainment reach all these troops for . a periodic morale-stimulant—and that is USO- CSI's chore. Bill Dover's London Spot But the England-Ireland route is now the immediate problem and the mapping out of that program was the purpose of Abe Lastfogel's re- cent trip abroad. He made a com- prehensive study of the needs -and requirements of the army bases in Britain, laid his report before the War Department immediately upon his return a few weeks ago, and last week USO appointed Bill Dover, former executive assistant to Darryl Zanuck at 20th-century Fox, to su- pervise the USO-CSI program in Englcnd. Still another American, as field supervisor, has yet to be chosen. Dover will tie the 'chief In Eng- land, with headquarters In London. His immediate task will be to absorb the American Overseas Committee, a volunteer group, that has already t>een doing yeoman entertainment work and, with U. S. volunteer stars going over from this side, will sup- plement the paid talent. the anecdotes, the pet beefs, the tough sarge or officer, the taboos, the town gals' looks, and all those scraps of information which are close to the soldiers' consciousne.ss. Everybody, loves a joke about things or people he knows. So absorb all this camp lore (and, in- cidentally, talk directly to the en- listed men for your Information; the officers may give you what they believe to be item-s of interest cmung the ranks, but the privates themselves know what they're in- terested in), and base your routine on the familiar, the intimate, the things that are their very own. You can still get a laugh by tell- ing how you ordered the command- ing officer to pick up your luggage, as you got off the train, mistaking him for a bellhop, but it's just twice as funny when you say that you spoke thusly to Col. Blank, or what- ever might be the name of the toughe.st staff officer. In other woVd.s, be .specific about your per- .sons ;nid places. If the canteen is called .something else In one par- tlculiir camp. u.sc the local term. The boy.s.wlll think you're really famill.nr with their setup, and ac- cept you as one of their own. It's ,-) m.-irvelous way to establish th,-\t licrsnnal contact. Just do your be.st. keep it clean, iind leave 'em laughing. You're an ;ictor, aren't you? LI we the USO-CSI here, with Lastfogel, who works gratis full- time as its prexy as a notable ex- ample, Dover's setup will gel aid from committees of some of the top showmen In England. Lastfogel ai ranged for that before leaving London. Setting up of the England Route will in all probability jump the USO-CSI budget for the fiscal year, beginning last June 1, to far above the original H000,000 alloted by the Parent USO. Lattcr's board, chair- manned by Walter Hoving, prexy of Lord & Taylor, N. Y. department store, last summer acknowledged the fact that the camp show setup for '42-'43 might take as much as $8,000,- 000. There's no question that the additional coin will be forthcoming. Lastfogel, who voluntarily stepped into. the USO-CSI picture in No- vember, 1941, a 'couple of weeks be- fore Pearl Harbor, has been re- .sponsible for one of the best-work- ing outfits, charity or commercial, in the annals of show business. With the aid of Lawrence Phillips, from the business world, Lastfogel has managed to build up a tremendous .'how route with a minimum of ad- minLstratrve expenses, something like 3.5% of the over-all USO-CSI budgets. This has been made possible by the enlistment of high-priced vol- unteer showmen, including Emll Friedlander (Dazians), Brock Pem- berton, A. J. Balaban, Bert Lytell, the various top nujor circuit book- ers, Jesse Kaye (Loew'sT, Harry Mayer (Warners). Bill Howard (BKO), Harry Levlne (Paramount), Sam Rauch (Roxy), and Lawrence Golde (Edward Sherman agency), Billy Rose, who sit on a Voluntary Talent Advisory Committee, and numerous others. They supplement a well-knit paid booking staff, of which Harry Delmar is the head, with Oeorge Oberland, Bert Wish- new, Dave Schooler and Benny Kuchuk as staff. AD OratU I Lastfogel. works sans salary, has also brought Sam Welsbord over from the William Morris office for full time voluntary USO-CSI work. Lastfogel's secretary- at USO-CSI al.so gets paid strictly from the Mor- ris a.?ency, rather than USO, which makes the contribution from the Morris agency, considering Last- fogel's top executive and Income statu.", the highest of any organiza-. tion or individual to USO. The rapid growth of USO-CSI under Lastfogel is perhaps best evi- dent by compari.son.s. Originally the Citizens Committee, with Vin- ton Freedley as director, the Army camp show routes started wilh nine units on mobile trucks in M,ny. 1941. Harry Delmar was the ori<;inal booker. This route grew to 16 units by August, when the setup was changed to USO-Camp Shows, Inc.. with Eddie Dowling, the actor, replacing Freedley with the title of president. As the Army expanded via enlistments and conscription, the demands for entertainment Krew. The first winter program, from Nov. 23, 1941, to May 16, 1942, consl.stcd of 24 units staying 22 weeks. This winter's program, as mentioned before, already contains 58 unif.s and is still growing, 'Vith .'.hows touring for months the off- .shorc ba-sas in the Caribbean, Alaska and Bermuda. Of the current 58 units, 17 are on the major Red circuit, 17 on the medium White circuit, and 34 on the minor Blue circuit, latter strict- ly small posts and necessitating units of only five or six people. The two 17-unit packages for major cir- cuits each contain 10 variety shows, live plays and two concert troupes. On the Red circuit they play thea- tres seating 1,038; on the White, theiilies seating not less than 602; and on the Blue the houses have a capacity of around 350. Since last year, of course, the shows have been given the servicemen gratis. Plas the paid talent, there has been a tremendous amount of vol- unteer performers, including nearly all the top names and bands in show bii-iness. .^n idea of the ."Cope of Ihe volunteer entertainment is the r;;ct Ih.nt last year 2,239 perform- •inccs were given by volunteer art- i.^its in nil tlold.s.