Variety (Mar 1943)

Much 10, OBITUARIES |ci<mb:ned Hi? intoi'ost in liis show bi/. ■lond fill- ktfcpixK alive ll>e trndilioii AMC'E NIELSEN - Alice Niolson. 60. former operatic star rur whom Victor Hi'rherl wrnio m liimbrrjiuks by foslivals he sei TIlc Forliiiie Teller." and it> I'il up in furnu'r himlu-r towns with Ihf number. 'Gypsv Love Sonc' die.! in ' luixwds usually tiu nod ovei to tin- N. Y. March 8. She wa< one the ; local chiucho.s outstanding personalities of boili t|u< j light opera and fiian.l opera .staue-^ ■ at the heiKht of her career. While sinftinB in • a Kan^a* City church choir at the asso of Ifl Miss Nielsen's voice attracted attoruion. She married the church ori;ani>t and began a tt)in- with a church concert Most f:niuius of the festivals he nauKui'Aied are in W.isc<msin and Michigan, with one nt Edenville, in the latter .'late, pulling upward of lOU.nOO sp'eeiators annually. FR.^NK U. THROOP Frank Dwight Throop. «14. pre.ti' company. The tour " failed in St. | dent of the Ci-ntral Stales Broadcasi- Joseph. Mo.. leaving the young ^iiig-1 inj. Co.. Omaha, and al-sn head of the er .stranded. To relieve the plight , kFOR Broadcasting Co. and the of herself and her husband, she isang j Cornbcli Broadcasting t'o.. l)Oth Lin- In an Eden Mu.sce to obtain funds i coin. iNelv. ilied in Lincoln March 4. with which they could get to San 1 Throop at the time of his death Francisco. In 'Fri.-:co she joined the Burton Stanley Opera Co.. making her ttrst profe.'isional appearance a> Yum Yum in The Mikado." Then came engagements with the Bostonians. While this company was playing a N. Y. engagement. Mrs. Victor Her- bert heard Miss Nielsen sing and prevailed upon the composer to en- gage her for the leading role in 'The Serenaders.' Herbert wrote 'The Fortune Teller" and 'The Singing Girl' for Miss Nielsen during the season of 1898-99. Grand opera then attracted Miss Nielsen. She studied In Italy and made her opera debut In Naplesin-WOJ: - < - In 1904 she sang opposite Caruso In 'The Marriage of Figaro.' After a career In Europe she returned to the U. S.. making her debut with the Met opera In 1909. Later she became a member of the Boston Opera Co.. and was its biggest star from 1910 to 1015. In 1017 she formed the Alice Nielsen opera co. and toured the U. S. A son and daughter survive. was al.so publisher of the Lincoln Star and v.p. and director of the Lee Syndicate, publishers of news- papers in Ifuva, Nebraska. Illinois. Missouri and Wisconsin. Seven years after he had .started his newspaper career as a reporter on (he Musca- tine I Iowa I Journal, he became pub- li.'iher of the paper. He was a mem- ber of the A.ssociated Press and a former president of the Inland Daily Pre.ss Assn. Two daughters survive. dition by the municipal band and eight other musical groups of Ramos" llut^landillg composiiions featured (lie funeral which .S.OOO persons at- tendeil. AM.EN T. RAVER .WWn T. Haver, prominent outdoor shiiuman 23 yeais ago and later en- g,igi-il in exhibiting road show Alms, ilie.' in Youngsiown, 0„ March 6, In limit, in as.-iociatioii with his brother, Harry, he was an executive of a 25- cur carnival which travelled the west and luirlhweAi. .•\fler leaving the Carnival business Raver opened a chain of restaurants in ihe west. Later he rejoined his brother in business and together ihey agenied and managed several road dim attractions. Willow, son and daughter survive. the Chicago terrllorx. tllad In Chi- cago March 5. Melber of Nelson B. Ball, Wash- ington Post drafna erillo, died In | Washington March Mother of Chester Amberg, assist- ant ma'nager of Oriental theatra, Chicago, died March 7 In Chicago. TTLER BROOKE Tyler Brooke, 52, stager and screen actor tor 30 years, died March 2 in Hollywood of monoxide poisoning. Death was recorded b:* the police as JOSE A. FEBBETRA. Jose A. Ferreyra, veteran Argcn- .0?. film .(Urattor. died, recently., in -Buenos" Aires after a long illness. He was a pioneer in the Latin fllm industry and his pictures were shown in the early days not only in Latin-America but in Europe, Ferreyra started In the silent era with 'El Tango, de la Muerte' In the days when writing, directing and oc casionally photography were all part of a director"s job.. He was given credit for the development of mahy Latin stars who appeared in such Alms as 'Campo Afu6ra,' "La Vuelta al Pago.* 'Paloma Rubia,' 'La Gaucha' and 'Buenos Aires, Ciudad de En- suedo." IIB l«*l*a memMy •! Mr <l«ir kntttaerl '♦CHINKO" (ThiiiiinH Kii'ixi Wlio frit >ale«p F«li. 19lt:, anal will •Ivrayn be r»ni-mlii>rr>d wtili lo»> br Kohrrt Cramirril Kuni, Julitt KMX, Mm. Nu Rslimrr. William | Cwmwril Km». TfiM>- Kmi. suicide after he was found dead In his car at his North Hollywood home. Friends say he 'was melan choly because of unemployment, having been unable to get studio work In many months. As a light comic, juvenile and dancer, Brooke appeared in many Broadway musicals. He was starred in George Ledercr's 'Angel Face both in this country and in England. Other musicals he appeared in in dude 'Wildflower,' 'No, . No, Nan nette' and 'Rose Maid," He was aC' tive in pictures for several years, having at one time been under con tract to Hal Roach. In recent year: he played bit parts. He was a mem ber of the executive board of the Masquers and one of its most activ member.s. Surviving are his widow and son by a former marriage, Lieut Tyler Brooke, Jr.. of the Air Force. ROY.\L J.AMES BYRON Royal James Byron, 98. former legit and silent fllm actor, died in Trenton March 4 after a heart attack in tl-.o State House. For the past 15 years he had been a contact man for RKO I'lieatre department ■ on main- tenaiiue matters. Byron went on the stage when he was a boy. After having played vaudeville he appeared in several Broadway productions, including The Master.' He appeared in Alms produced by the old Vitagraph Co. Mother aiid a son survive. ROBERT D. LIVELY Robert D, Lively, 38, fornwr actor and scenarist, died in a N. Y. hotel March 4. At the time of his death he was a consultant in the Army Signal Corps photographic center, Astoria. N. Y. Lively's most lm|>ortant contribu- tion to Alms was his collaboration with Ru.ssel Crou.se in writing the screen play, "The Croat Victor Her- bert." He had also collaborated with his wife, the former Belly Laidlaw, on a number of Aim pla.vs, including 'Danger on the Air.' 'East Side Kids.' 'Yukon Flight," 'Personal Secretary' and 'Isle of Destiny." After starting on the legitimate stage in N. Y,. Lively gave up this acting career to become a writer. He wrote' for Gaumont-British Alms, and the British Broadcasting Co, before going to Holij'wood. Widow, mother and two brothers survive. GRACE KERNOOOD Mrs. Grace Kerngood, 81. former light opera-copcert singer and stage actress, died in North Greenbush, Y., March 2. After singing in a Troy church, she went to New York, where she made her professional debut, while still in her teens! She toured the U. S. many times and Anally went to England, where she clicked' as a lyric singer. There she married, retired from the stage and lived In London. About 10 years ago, following the death of her hus- band, she returned to Troy. Mrs. Kerngood appeared with De Wolfe Hopper. John Drew and other stars. GEORGE C. WARBEN George C. Warren, former drama critic for the San Francisco Chron- icle and a onetime theatre manager, died recently in Frisco, where he had lived since his retirement in 1025. Warren wrote the San Francisco chapter in Burns Mantle's annual 'Best Plays' for years. Just before he retired, his memoirs of the thea- tre were published in serial form in the Chronicle. He was a drama critic in Chicago and Omaha before going to Frisco, and had mananged the old Mc Vlcker's theitre. Chicago, for the Shuberts. JOHN ARTHUR COBURN John Arthur Coburn, 74, founder ot Coburn's Greater Minstrels and head of the troupe for 40 years, died in- Daytotia Beac h. ■ Fl a ., March 8 - Death occured at 11:43 a.m.. the exact time Coburn had started street par- ades tor his show for four decades. He had retired with the advent of sound pictures. Surviving are his widow and a daughter, Leota Cordatl Coburn, Chicago cl\ ic opera sopraino. SUSIE MARION Susie Marion. BS'.'rormer stage ac tress whose real name was Elizabeth Marvin, died in N. Y. March 6. She was a member of the Francis Wil- son opera company and had appeared jn 'Buggies of Red Gap' and The Shephard King.* In recent years Miss Marion lived at the Actors' Fund home, EnglC' wood. N. J. BIRTHS Mr..and Mr^. Dave Elton, daiJgh- ter. Fob. 28. iii Hollywood. Father is NBC director. Mr.- and Mrs. John Ryder, daugh- ter. March 1. In Los Angeles, Father is Hollywood office manager ot Mil- ton Biow agency: mother is the for- mer Grace Al worth, radio commen- tator; Mr. and Mrs. Billy Leach, daugh- ter, in N, Y.. March 1. Father sings ith Guy Lombardo band. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sharpe, daughter, in Denver last week. He's engineer at .station KFEL there. Mr. and Mrs. Wingy Manone, son, in Hollywood March 5. Father is the bandleader. Corp, and Mrs. Joe L. Brown, daughter, hi Hollywood March 7. Father is son ot Joe E. Brown. Aim comedian, now entorlaining troops in the South PaciAc. Mr. and Mrs. Robert BloomAeld. son, in Philadelphia recently. Father Is continuity director al WPEN, Philly. Mr, and Mrs. Neil Fontaine, daugh- ter. In Philadelphia, March 3. Father is ex-bandleader and vocalist: now aylstant p ianaaer at Hoiol Wallnn I .i..! i.» «nino Arm.y PfUnp onrf jii.. roof: mother former showgal in Hcllzapoppin.' Mr. and Mrs. Tom'Varrone, daugh- ter. In Philadelpnia recently. Father is pianist In WlP sttidlo band. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rice, daugh- ter, in San Francisco, March 1, Father la press agent tor the Em- bassy theatre, Frisco. Mr, and Mrs, Richard Beck, daugh- ter. In Chicago, March 1. Father Is in contact department of Warners theatres Chicago office. JULIA PENFIELD BASTEDO Julia PenAeld Bastedo, 47. sO' prano. who appeared in concerts here and abroad, died in N. Y. ro' cently. She had studied in France and Italy before going on the con cert stage. After engagements abroad she gave several concerts In Town Hall, N. Y. Husband, two daughters and a son survive. FBANK L. WIXO.M Frank L. Wixom, 79. former circus operator who founded the Lumber- Jack Festivals in the mid-west, died March 6 in Saginaw, Mich. After hav- ing played his cjrcus In small towns prior to the turn of the century, he later went Into the utility business, being head of the Wolverine Power Co. at the time of his death JACK KELLY Jack Kelly, 65, last of Michigan's tent showmen, died In St. Lawrence hospital, Lansing. March 5 followint; a short illncs.--. He was known throughout the state for more than 35 years, his dramatic stock con^pany annually playing the small towns in a tent. Skippy LcMore, head of another ot the state troupes which divided the area with Kelly, died a year ago Kelly, who had been on the legiii mate stage in the east, trouped for more than 47 years and graduated many stars and players from his tent show companies. WINFIELD SCOTT RUTH Winfleld Scott Ruth, formerly aS' soeiated with circuses and carnivals, died recently. Four days later h sister, Mrs. Eva Budd, passed away A double funeral was held in For Wayne, Ind. SILVANO RAMOS Silvano Ramos. 54, composer the Mexican folklore song, 'Alia en el Rancho Grande' ('Way Down on the Rancho Grande'), theme of smash Mexican pic, died March in his home'town, Celaya, Guana Wixom luaio state, after a long lllne.<'s. Ren WILLIAM J, BARRETT William J. Barrett, 65, mid-west tage hand and union business agent died ot a heart attack March 0 in Omaha. He had been in show busi ness for more than 40 years, and was once stage manager for Theodore Roberts. He was a charter member of the Omaha lATSE. No. 42. Widow, three brothers and two sisters survive. RAYMOND BLANK Raymond Blank. 32, son of A. H. Blank head ot the TrI-States Thea tre Corp. and Central State Theatre Corp.. DCS Moines, a Paramount partnership, died there March 7 after being ill for sometime. He had been associated w-ith Tri-State. Survived by parents and one brother. Myron, who holds an exec utive operating po.st in the Blank circuit. Abe M. Rydell. 63. died ot a heart attack in N. Y. March 8. He was brother of Lou Rydell. 'Variety' advertising manitger. Another brother. Sam. is manager ot the RKO Franklin. Bronx. N. Y. Also survived by widow, son and two daughters. Was as.sociated with Cone Foole & Belding ad agency. Mrs, Leila Kennedy Hutchcns, 76, mother of John K. lUitchcns, radio editor of the .'^. Y. Times, died March 2 ill New .York. Daughter, brother anrt'SLster also survive. Harry Srhnltier, 75, father of Joey Ray, forii^er stage and now Aim aC' tor, and Lou Schivilzcr," agent, died March 2 in Pittsburgh of a hcalrt at tack.' USO Troupers CafMlaiiei from pi|* 1 that was there to meet them, as I knew the wants and needs ot fellow performers, and I tried to do every, thing for them the way I would nave liked to have been received myself. Days before they arrived, William F. Seott, old Hollywood studio man and creator, of the WAMPAS shows of yesterday, and I had been woik- ing out a schema to present' this show to the best advantage; so we took a 40-ft. Air Corps trailer and built a collapsible portable theatre with drapes, foot and border lights, and when the. boys came out to give their Arst performance, they got a terriflc bang out of the.setup. As Put Lane put it, 'Why, there's iiolh- ing like, this ever been done for us before!. Now let's give them a show.' I acted as flrat m.c, introducing Pal Lane, who took over the show, and no theatre any place in the world ever had a more enthusiastic audi- ence than this one. The pertorinvn worked hard and the troops yelled, whistled and applauded like I never heard before. It was a night I'll never forget. When I tell you that nearly every USO trouper had tears in his eyes when the Anale went on, I mean it. Every one of the buys said, 'Wc had'no idea how much the.v needed entertainment and what a show meant to them." Hardahip ef Travel You know, it's easy enough to hop a bus, or car, or train, and- run Mil Rogers, Jr^ iBS^ CoatlBMd frem pit* S bsJ ot training Alms'has cut the train Ing lima by 30 to 80%. "These training Ainu are excellent. The Army could never have made them alone. It takes the full re- sources ot great studios, the skill ot rare technicians, and a judgment which only comes from years of fa- miliarity, to make the type of train- ing Alms which our Army is get- ting. *r P'*"*!^ w'^much for you', to take the work ot our motion pic-' sli'ow, but when you travel thousand* of miles, face transportation prob- lems, mess and billets troubles, no real theatre, just a portable stage and scenery on an Air Corps trailer, and then hear the gang voice their approval. It's a thrill you never had before in your life, and I know— I've played hundreds ot beneAls with Bill Bailey and there is ho beneAt in the. world like the shows the theatrical and motion picture stars are giving now. I read In 'Variety' about Jolson, Jack Benny, Bob Hope and other 'names* who are giving these per- formances. They know what a show means and every member of our great and glorious show business who are doing their bit In bringing entertainment and happiness to the troops are receiving the greatest reward possible, and that Is the ap- plause from the Aghting men of our glorious country. Billing, spot on the bill, publicity don't mean a thing. It's just the knowledge that In some little way you have done your bit to try and help . entertain the boys \vho are ture studios tor granted. We see a patriotic short and forget that this is not just a run-of-the-mill picture; it is a contribution to the war. In total war, morale Is as necessary as munitions. There have been hun- dreds, thousands of pictures which are more than just entertainment; they are a war contribution. Drivaa, Caaip Shaw*, Eta. 'Motion pictures have aided all war relief drives, the bond drive.s. the scrap metal drive.s. Tlie indus- try has made pictures on recruiting, defense against saboteurs, against rumors and loose talk, and .on all phases ot the war and the home front. 'One of the most Important mo- rale-builders are the Army camp tours which the motion picture stars are constantly, making. At their own expen.se ot time, money and energy, they have brought humor and fun to army camps from Alaska to North Africa. Monotony and drudgery Here In the Combat Zone it mean* a hundred times more and I want to take this opportunity ot thank- ing USO for sending u-s the show and to thank each member of lliii Unit tor their efforts, cooperation and the 'real trouper' way they ac- cepted all the hardships and condi- tions under which they travel and work. It's tough going but the knowledge of what joy they bring makes the 'going'^easy. My heartfelt thanks to show busi- ness, the greatest gang in the world that never falls when called upon to do their bit. Your Old Vaudeville Pal, Lynn F. Coican, Major, Specialist, 0888017, Overseas Motion Picture OiTicer. MARRIAGES Esther Heller to Lt. Allan Rudick, in Pittsburgh, March 4. Bride is on _ Yacht Club .staff and sister ot Lilllo are as basic a part of army camp.l Jnekie Heller, life as the hard work and sacri- June P. Belle to Pvt. Leonard Ace. It IS a great alleviation to this I Fried, In Pittsburgh. March 3. routine to witness the arrival of profe.s.sional entertainment. and .such a show is greeted with joy and boundles.s appetite by tlie men in the ranks. As one who has sal and relished the.se shows from the Army, private's viewpoint, I want Groom's in cast ot This Is llie Army.' Virginia Crocilla to Sgl. Joseiih Real, in Chicago, March 6. Groom is former assistant manager of War- ners Highland theatre and is home on leave from service in Caledonia: you to know how deeply the men | bride is cashier at the Highland the- appreciate this contribution to them atro. from tho Industry. Margo Corbett to Lieut. Frank 'A little known contrlbulion Of Jeffrey, in Windsor, Ont.. Feb. 27. the indu.stry to the war are the Alms Bride Is secretary to J. E. Campaii, tor men oversca.s and In small de- managing director ot CKLW. fen.vc outposts. Al its own expen.se. Mrs. Monaei Lindlej- Cupil to Dn- the industry has made 16 mm. prints menic Peri, in Reno. March 6. Bride of its current feature pictures. is former stage and screen actress: 'I have been present and have Rfoom is a cowboy, her Atth hus- Molhcr, 88. ol Il:iriy Luslig, for mer Warners L'ls Angeles exchange manager, dicJ March 2 in Holly wood. Mather of Ted Tu<l. Aeld cxploiUi ti'jn representative for Wanieri in .seen the thrill of anlicipalion'which runs through a camp when the port- able projection truck rolls up. From | Iceland, from India, from Egypt., from all over the world, ranking officers write that motion pictures | arc a.s necessary to the men as ra- tion.s. 'This is total war. Il u.se.s propn- gan<la a.* well as bombs: cameras as band. well' as cannon. In this total war, fought by the united will ot a whole peo)>le. the motion picture inrtii.'>lry has done a magnlAcent wartime job. No industry has cooperated more fully with the war, its effort and its purposes.'