Variety (Feb 1943)

IVilneflday, Fcbrnty 14» 1949 CHATTEB 4S Broadway . town'! drinking hablti. aucb M, and Mnnal loca- jake Wilk (WB) to Hot Ipringi, Ark , fov a rest. ^ Les Thompson, of Hayi olficot back from Hollywood. Harry Carey arrived from tna Coast Friday tl9). Penny Arcade sUrted In the Timei Square area. 47th and Seventh ava. John Weber, of Par'a wastMn story department, in from tha Coast to **Beii'" Sampllner, with the Ideal Studio.-!, in Hospital .'for Joint Dls- •ases for an operation. Mark LarkinT MPPDA field rep for the New England area, starting oberations out of Boston, ^ve Cipton, publicity director for Columbia, is at Mt. Slnal hospital fol- lowing an operation for gallstonw. Martha Scott, who arrived In N. V. SatOrday 120), will not return to the Coast to fulfllt a picture assignment until April. ^ . , w , Engagement announced of Isabel Mary Schaefer, daughter of George J Schaefer. to John J. Cahlll. U. S. Naval Reserves, ^ ^ _ F. L. Harley, 30th-Fox managing director in Great Britain, still recov- ering his health in the U. S. prior to hi.<i return to London. A committee has been formed at Warners to line up employees for blood transfusions, with Samuel Kahn of the h.o. as chairman. Crane Hoiuiseman. WPB copy ed- itor and former Compton agency copy- writer, authored a legit script which Herman Shumlin Is consider- ing. Alec Moss, Par exploitation head, and S. Barret McCormlck, RKO pub- licity-advertising director,' are both serving on Supreme court juries In. N. Y. . . Sully Chase, formerly production a.vlstant in the Dwight wiman and Howard Lindiwy-RuSsell Crouse of- tees, now ditto for Thcron Bam- berger, Mort Blumenstock left over the weekend for Wa.vhington and Tampa to make arrangements for premieres In both cities of 'Air Force.' He will be away about a week. Marjorie Knapp, doubling into the Pierre's Cotillion Room from 'Star and Garter.' has eliminated her din- ner show; too close making sched- ules both ways. The Barrys added to round out the early session. Dorothy Ross is still' doing pub- licity for Casbnh. not Spencer Hare, as reported last week. Hare is han- dling promotion and advertising and servmg as personal assistant to Max Cassvan. owner of the nite'ry. The 12th regiment In the State Guard, known as the Times Square regiment, is out after new recruits. Will Vblen. eastern Warner exploi- teer, is handling applications at the regiment's armory oh 62d street. Lt. Col. Darryl Zanuck is turning over all proceeds from Tunis Expe- dition.' autobiog dealing with his ex- periences during the North African ■Invasion, to the Army Emergency Rflicf Fund. Damon Runyon has written I he foreword. 1. Robfrt Broder. now a private flr.il class with the 67th Medical Reiiimrnt. i.<i .scheduled to come up from Abilene. Texas, March 1 for a 10-day furlough on Broadway. Broder, until his induction n theatri- ^ cal attorney, is seeking material for a regimcnlul show. New Rlalto dickerini; for a Chi- cago show, through Ray Lyte. Rex Storey conducted the festivi- ties at a reiient army .show, and is plotting an all-star army revue, from the newly discovered talent dug up in various posts. , Transportation stymied several Mex and Argentine stars from mak- ing personal appearances at the Tropical theatre. Former lush money territory, these promoters are eyeing the town with anticipation with plenty gold flowing here now. Senor Canosa. of Havana, brought his all-blonde revue here, and did top business. Gals shaped up good, a little on the hefty side, but with picture hats and gown and three nude.s, they did okay after the show, less year that Panama has Just en' dured. Phoney masquerading under moni' ker of one of the Ink Spots, and in the army here, was apprehended . and exposed. Funny part of it is he really had the stuff, and could hit the high ones equally as good as the boy in the Spots. Colored colony unmasked him when he began mak- ing touches. Eleven o'clock curfew for soldiers killed off the lucrative midnight show biz In several of the houses here. Soldier trade used to eat the flickers up. sexy stuff and nudism stuff, and clever bally sold it to plenty admissions. 'Houses were dark after' 11 p.mf*anyway, and was gravy to ops. English sailors and American «:ldiers and .sailors, usually a deli- cate problem to handle in the clubs here, turned into one of the sur- prises of the century, when they gave nut with the brotherly love routine, instead of brawling all over me place. War certainly drew them together, in a enmmon cause. >few International hotel with roof garden, using band and dancing un- ner the tropical stars, will rcvolu- tlonize tbf tlon In rutam» opposlta RR itaUon will euU all Am trad*. Plenty bara, alr-condHlonod, and with thrao cock- tail lounia% looka to a brlMht futuro, ModemlslU atructur* and imartly appointed. 20tli-Fox I CanUniHd fraai page • w^Ji block la now boing nominated among fllmi that hava baen complatad. Twantletb baa fight costly pro- duction* eomplatcd at present. Con- nors went out to aaa them a couple weeka ago and from among this group will ba mad* up another block of flvt taaturea, company pol- icy being to adhere to the decree form of aelling In blocks of that size. The eight plcturea are 'Moon Is Down.' 'HeUo. Frisco, Hello,' 'My Friend Flicka,' YTortey Island,' 'Crash Dive,' 'Tonight We Raid Calais,' 'Stormy Weather' and 'School for Sabotage,' laat-mentloned of which will be given a' new title. Several of these pictures are In Technicolor and represent large Investments, ranging from $1,000,000 to $1,700,000. Three of them approximate the lat' ter amount In negative cost. Soon to come off the aasembly line are 'Heaven Can Wait,' 'Jane Eyre,' Bomber's Moon,' 'I Escapied From Hong Kong,' 'Sweet Rosie O'Grady.' ■Song of Bemadette,' 'Winter Time,' 'Claudia' and 'Guadalcanal Diary,' all of which are in production or imme- diately set to go in. In addition to product' already In the cupboard, these will substantially help. 20th to build up a backlog that creates odds in favor of the company's ability to make delivery next season < 1033-44) of as many as 42 pictures, whereas all other distributors may and very probably will be much lower. C*BtUifea«le8 Of course, any unforeseen tighten- ing of rawstock allotments and man- power difficulties may make It neces- sary to draw In the belt. Connors shares the hope of other industry executives that there will not be any further restrictions on rawstock but appends that this is )u«t hope. He adds, however, that the War Produc- tion Board has indicated unofficially that it cherishes the optimistic view that another cut will not be neces- sary. However. It is pointed out that this Is the only country among the United Nations which la making raw Aim and that in addition to the stock required for use In the making of training ftlmf and the like, the Gov- ernment has taken over a lot of the equipment used In the manufacture of Aim. Many of the machines ordinarily iised to make 39 mm. Aim have been diverted for the purpose of producing special Government flim. such as aero slock. X-ray, etc. The 20th sales chief poldts out that while there has been no Anal 'direc- tive from Washington with respect to deferments, the manpower prob- lem is an inlen.sely serious one not only s. far as the studios are con- cerned but. in his own domain, with respect to sales. With exchanges being gutted of men, women are being placed In their jobs and are doing all right. Connors noted. Company has three head bookers in skirts and seven adsnlcs managers who wear high herl shoes, as well as 14 additional women who were promoted in the Aeld forces from shipping rooms or other lesser positions during the past two weeks. Among the 90 women now doing men's work In 2(tth-Fox branches, .several of them are head of the dollar-delivery departments. More than 30 girls have been pro- moted from the .so-called 'backroom' shipping departments. Head bookers, whom Connors says can handle the tougher exhibs the same as men. are Elizabeth Bacon at the New Orleans exchange, Florence Patkc. St. Louis, and Mrs. Sar.-ih Young. Washington. Mrs. Young was the Arst and only female booker 20th-Fox had prior to the manpower crisis. LoadoB arle Tenipest left $39,000 estate. Ob Arden, formerly one of Joe I'a crooners, has joined Ambrose's aggregation. Syd and Max Harrison replaced Hal Monty in 'Venus Comes to Town,' Whitehall theatre revue. Scott Sanders is leading comic in revival of Charles Cocbran's 'Big Top,' being done by Eric Wollhelm. Closed since September, 1039, when war abut all show plays, Tivoli in the Strand, a Gaumont-British key house, opens shortly. Diana Wynyard, who is appearing in 'Watch on the Rhine,' married Aim director Cnow army captain) Carol Reed ln London recently. Herchel Henlere back on the Gen- eral Theatres circuit after 12 years. Substituting for the Ca'irolis, who are in pantomime at Coventry. Perctval Mackey has been ap- pointed prexy of the dance band sec- tion of the musicians' union, replac- ing Jack Hylton, resigned. Jewel and Warriss have comedy leads in new Vera Lynn picture which Ben Henry is producing for Columbia. Shooting at Denham. Sidney Burns to stage tent circus in Oxfoird street. West End of Lon- don, for season starting in May, mak- ing Arst open-air circus in West End. Ivor Novella giving a s|>eclal per- formance of his musical. 'The Danc- ing years,' at the Adelphia March 19 in aid of the Royal Air Force Benev- olent Fund. Bonar Colleano, Jr., nephew .of Con Colleano, is engaged .to Pearl Carr,. one of the Three iA Harmony, cur- rently in 'Bib and Tucker,' the Pal- ladium revue. Ruby Mille. an interested specta- tor of revival of 'A Little Bit of FlulT at Ambassadors Feb. 4. She was star of original in 1919, when It ran for three years. George Black's and Harry Cohen'a revival of 'Damaged Goods' has proved auch a hit m the provinces that a nurnber two cmnpany is being organized, with a London show to be done sometime in March. Walter W. Ellis convalescing and completing new play, 'The Devil'a Own,' which- has been acquired by Collins It Grade. Latter also ac- quired 'Other People's Troubles,' by Lynne Dexter, author of 'Other People's Houses.' 'Houses* to be tried out in April. Little theulre. is readyiiig the cii.^t for an eight-performance pri->pn;.i- tion of 'The Beautiful Pouplr.' Lciid.-: will be handled by H. HuiilinKlon HoDywood .M Donahue, band leader, bought a home. Bliss. Francis Pcschke. Merle Huulits. I ' 'n'"!"',. . • j Stephen Tammany. Boltv Jonlim. I .„B'^V Itamplon joined RKO's casU Bunon M^sef"'- A'"" Cur.i.. re-ciassLled 4F be. World preem of 'My , Country.' "^H.T. "1""^. composed by Corp. Rudolph Uhlii! Fort Leonard Wood. Mo., copped an ovation when played by the St. Louis uriiiy for physical reasons. Joseph Cotlen back from Broad- dorp. Uh g. German-born but now igi,^.oment to Richard Qulne. a naturalized citizen, was in the Finchon Royer returned from audience and twice was called to the bu.siness trip to New York stage to be cheered. By Hal Cohen Vaughn Monroe loses his trumpet ace. Bobby Nichols, to the army soon. Ladies' Theatrical Club raised $700 at a beneflt for Variety Club Can- teen. Al Ross, clown at Mereurs' Nut House, took his Arst physical laat Pvt. Melvyn Douglas, aUtloned at nearby Washington, Pa., spends bis weekends here. Mrs. Harry Seed coming around okay at MonteAore Hospital after serious operation. Cora Sue Collins at Nixon in 'Junior Miss' and on Barry screen in 'Johnny Doughboy.' Theatres in tri-state district col- lected more than $70,000 in recent United Nations Drive. Clarence Eiseman, one-time mana- ger of United ArtlsU exchange here, has joined WB »aJ^« force in Cleve- land. Norma Shea, local danc«r and graduate of Carnegie Tech drama school. ,in show at Benny Davis' new N.Y. nitery. Brian McDonald, chief barker of local Variety Club couldn't make na- tional convention in Chicago on ac- count of his i.ir show. Jane Ellen Ball, former actress, has given up her School of the The- atre nere for the duration to go with the American Red Cross as a Acid worker. Ehe's already In England. Jim Murray. KDKA publicist and erstwhile sports announcer, making Ave-minute sports transcriptions for shc'twaving to American troops overseas at request of War Depart ment. Sailors Love Blues ^= CoBtlBued from pace 1 sss Adeline.' the sundput request among the visiting Britishers stationed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. When Sis- mund Romberg made a guest appear- ance at the navy yard recently, it's pointed out, his 'Lover Come Back to Me' got the evening's top reception. Likewise pointed out that the 'Happy Hour' community sings held weekly on all U. S. battleships show a decided preference for the more saccharine melodies. StLoms By Sam XTHarst The Gaylords are back in a ball- roomology routine at Club Contin- ental. Hotel Jeffcr.son. Mrs. Nick Stuart, wife of the dance band maestro at Club Continental. Hotel Jefferson, christened the light cruiser Biloxi at Newport News. Entertainment Enterprises is spon- soring p.a. of Marian Anderson. Ne- gro contralto, in the opera house of the Municipal Auditorium March H. ; Max Steindcl, cellist with the St. I I,ouis symph for 25 yeiirs. celebrated I the occasion by conducting the toot- ' ers in a special proj^am of his own choice. Mary Wickes. a native, who re- ccntlv flnishL'd her eighth flicker in 15 months In Hollywood. piiu.si;d l:ert (in her way to N. 'V.. where >he has 0 role in "Dancing in the Strec-Ls.' forthcominit Broadway musicnmedy. Municipal Theatre A.«sn. will pre- sent three revivals during forthcom- ing season. They are 'The Great Waltz.' 'The De.sert .SonK' and The Merry W.rtow.' The 2.Sth consecu- tive season lec-i off June 3 with 'Balalaika.' Director Coi'd'in S'm-.nier'. of the Older Bands Continued from pace 1 etc., were shooting upward four to seven years ago they gathered a following of youngsters. 'Years later, a. certain' percentage of tho.se young- sters have remained loyal and have progressed in the business world tu the point where they are Anancially able to follow the band wherever it plays. In addition to these old follnwciv the band continually gathers new 'teen-age fans and also develops patronage from among older people. In the early stages of a t>and's career the latter set never hear much of it. but after a period of important radio commercials (which all top outAts get sooner or later), major theatre bookings, and now Alms, the name becomes familiar. Young,, but nevertheless highly popular outflts. tend to be followed mostly by youngsters, who. ais a rule, pOBsess a minimum of cash. Even if they do go to a major hotel to hear and see a band they don't spend much more than the mini- mum, or cover. I Right to Card || UsBSt CeaMnued from paga S sasil ness, they are being reported to local boards. It Is claimed, all of which causes delays and makes it necessary for them to go before the rationing offlclals to clear them- selves. What particularly places the film salesmen in a spot, arousing suspicion, la that they park their cara In front of or near to theatres. This la particularly true at night, wheii ofAcers or OPA men don't ex- pect men to be out . on business. OPA Checking Further Washington, Feb. 23. Offlce of Price Administration spotters will be devoting special at- tention to theatres, night clubs and other places of amusement In the near future, when the full Impact of the relaxed gasoline restrictions are felt in the near future. OPA announced last Thursday < 18) that motoriats would be allowed as much gasoline as necessary to take them to and from jobs, making the new order oppUvable lo those suffer- ing 'unreasonable hardship' under the previous restrictions. This mean.f a flood of new 'B' and 'C books, and OPA ratloners are worried that .some of the extra gasoline will be poured out for pleasure jaunts and trip.s to hot spots. The checkup, already severe in the 'no pleasure driving' east, is likely to l>ecome even tougher as the spotters check to .<:ee where the extra gas is being used. However. It was indicated that the surveys will go on in other parts of the country, where pleasure driving is permitted, to determine whether the extra rations are being misii.sed. OPA has long contended that most of the non-e.ssential driving is done by those with 'B' and 'C book.*. '.Stop-Offs Legal' Albany. Feb. 23. Marking the first local in.<tance of a more agitre.ssive attitude by thea- tres in calling the .public's attention to the OPA's interpretation of driv- ing that social '.stop-offs arc legal' when the operator docs not ii.-e extra ga.sulinc to detour from his normal course. Fabian ■ Theatres; Warner Theatres, and the city's four inde- pendent hou.°es-Eagle. Coloni.il. Paramount and Royal—joined with several grill.«, tavern.". re.<taurunt». bowling alleys and restaurants, in .cpo.'i.'orinu a rive-column adverti.'-i!- mctit on P. 2 of the Knickcrhockor Sevr-i. The ad '(uotcU from a Wa.^h- iiiglon di.<:patrh which cmphu.~i7.ed Linda Brent, foreign-born screen '. actress, became an American citizen. Foruinio Bonanova to Mexico City : to make a Spanish-language picture. Jeanettc MacDonald hospitalized I with blood poisoning in the left arm, I Patricia Morison paged by Uncle Sam tot R2.104 in back income taxes. I .^1 Vaughn shifted from Lester ' Co Wan productions to' Warners' ■ flackery. James Craig looking for a new house after his valley home burned in the night. George Amy, Academy candidate for ' Aim editing, hospitalized with ;:pDO:Klicitis. George Archibald in town as rep-. re'scntaiive of the British Ministry of In/prmation. Randolph Scott's Illness delaying production of 'Corvettes In Acubi? at Universal. Jean Hersholt to Winter Park, Fla.. to accept an academic degree'from Rollins College. Edwin L. Marin back on his Uni* ver.sal producer-director job after four weeks' illness. Inez June Du Pleasla. dancer, di- vorced Rene R, Du Plessis, gag writer for Bob Hope. Oi>oh Welles back to work at 20lh-Fox after several days oft. with an. old vertebral injury. William Herndon shifted from the Lou Irwin agency to handle stories and writers for John McCormlck. Bob Hope will be rewarded for his bond selling tours at a Boy Scout testimonial Itmcheon Satur- day (27). Home of Sam Lewis, nitery owner, pro- -led by an unpatriotic burglar who took a small safe containing his war bonds. John Ford, former director now a commander in the Navy, on furlough . after campaigning in the Mediter- ranean area. Gilda Gray rejoins Billy Rose'a Diamond Horseshoe revue in Oak- land, Cal, this week after being forced out by Illness. Cornelia Otis Skinner and Emily Kimbrough in town to discuss the Aiming of their book, 'Our Heart* Were Young and Gay.' Monty Brice and Howard Emmetl Rogers organizing The New Yorkers, patterned after the old 90-90 Club, They'll meet monthly at' Dave Chasen's. Betty Grable Imprinted her gams in the cement mausoleum In fore- court of Graimian'a Chinese .theatre as a companion piece to Al Jolson'a knees and Bob Hope's nose. Phihddpliia By 81 Shalta Florence Bernard, EMA prexy, re- covering from strep. Natalie Rowe, ex-Club Bali chor* ine, now driving a hack. Ted Lewis orchestra pencilled in for Sheng-Rl-La early in April. Meyer Davis named to board of directors of Philly Stage Door Can- teen. Harold Hadley, Bulletin feature writer, scripting news show on WFIL. Bca Therwangcr, Sun Ray Gar- dens chanteuse, ailing at the St. Lukes hospital. Howard Cushman. ex-Record scriv- ener, headed for Haiti for the Rocke- feller committee. Johnny Cahill, comic at Frankie Palumbo's, signed to m.c. WCAU's 'Open House' show. Jeff Keen, Record columnist, was feted 'at a luncheon at Kugler's Ar- cadia by local flacks. Dr. Lsaac H. Levy, WCAU v.p., re- ported behind a syndicate seeking to purcha.se the Phillies. Emma May Rot>erts has been ap- pointed radio promotion head of the I Philly. Record, replacing Enid Hager. .Murray Arnold,' former WIP pro* gram director, is assisting In pro- I ducing raoio shows at Camp van ' Dorn. Miss. Chicago AOVA's annual charity ball and .show set (or March 20 at the Sher- man hotel. Stoc(( of Lane Court theatre sold at auction Feb. 23 to settle estate of laic owner, Nate Wolfe. Variety Club held housewarming at it.s Blackstone hotel quarters, and made application for larger space the same day. Joe Miller, owner of the 085 Club, and C.'hautse Shea, former ice skater known as. Lavcrne, off to New York on a belated honeymoon. Abbott and Costello, in friendship movie.-, for roiic-hinenl fiance or other entertainment as 'the driver does rit d»>toiir Irom hi« nfirm-il cour-e.' or lood. a ; ^^-^.^ holding confabs .with " heads of all amusement divisions and laying plans to make the $100,000 I ff „,; fiiiotn.