Variety (May 1943)

Wednesday, Mmj 5, 1<MS iqsqsiJUUNy MaFtha s Stiddng with die Boys As evidence of tht Mcrlflcea being made by Almltes in their determl* nation to serve: via the morale effort in entertaining servicemen. USO- Camp Shows. Inc., pointf with pride to the saga of Martha Raye. Actress, currently carrying on In the Biue tab 'desert units' on the Goasi. committing heraelt to weelcend stints in the desert areas ot South California and Arizona, has but earned $S.000 in two radio guest ' •hots since last October, wbein she embarlced on the now-famous off- shore tour to remain In North Africa for several months. With Miss Raye's income normally in the 19.000 a week bracltet. it's pointed out, •he's slili confronted With the problem' of meeting payments on last year's income taxes and the fact that you can't pay off via the morale effort, say the USO-CSI axecs, is a tribute to the willingness of one ot the top fllmilea to devote seven full months to cuffo assignments cheering the fighting boya. And she's boolced for four more weelcs on th e desert stlnta. . - Cainp Shows Units Doing Sfulf As Morak BdUor-Uppo^ FANS SEEM TO E Froman, Markoff, Lorraine Launchii^ Suits Vs. Pan-^AiDi in Gipper Crash Newest phase of USO-Camp Show ♦ aciivity developed by prexy Abe LastfoKel. currently on the Coast, is the 'desert uiiiU' making weeltend •wings ot the camps In the desert areas of Arizona and southern Cali- fornia. LastfoKel. back at his desk In New York for . several days last week ftrior to hopping back to the Coast to complete liis USO activities there, divulged the desert atea setup and told of the enthusiastic response with which it was meeting among the servicemen. With probably the greatest con- centration <ir soldiers currently sta- tioned in the desert zones. It was found that the periodic visits of the Red. White and Blue circuit units were insufrtcient. leaving long lapses between sliow.*. As a result. Lastfogel and the Hol- lywood Victory Committee mapped out an extra-curricula schedule in which nini personalities agreed to go out ainely or in Blue tab units on weekends and do an entire show at the various military posts. One ot tha first to volunteer was Martha Raye. despite tlie arduous strain of her North African femme task force stint, from wliich she recently re- turned. In some Instances stars are heading their own companies in the swing of the desert camps. To ex- pedite these desert shows, talent heads, producers. SAG reps., etc., are meetinR once weekly and have already effected bookings eight weeks in a(>.vance. .Idea is similar to that inaugu- rated b.v Broadway legit, vaude and nitery talent in forming Sunday 1 lils boolced via Camp Shows Into posts aloiiit the Atlantic seaboard. Wm FIRE DESTROYS WALTER READE HOME Los.': of more than $40,000 is esti- mated to hiive been sustained b.v Waller Rcade in the destroyal by fire Wediie.-ida.v night (28) of a 25- room house he owns at Deal, N. J. One of the showplares of New Jer- sey, the housr \va.<! unoccupied and origin of the lire is unknown. Rcade, ivlio iivos on another estate at Deal, had not tenanted the 25- roomer lor about seven years but has rciiied it scveial summer.*. He is a thcalro circuit owner. A. C. Blumenthal In Takeover of Mex Hotel Mexico City, April 27. The Hotel Retorma. one ot the leading local hoslelries, is soon to change owner.-;. A. C- Blumenthal. who opened Ciro's. swank nitery. in the hotel Jan. 11 and made that venline a success, has told 'Va- riety' he is to become the Reforma's proprietor on or about June 1. Alberto Panis. ex-minister of fi- nance, and h\/i son. Ricardo. owner ot Clasa, . Mexico's largest pix aUidios. have decided to relinquish ownership of the Reforma. Money Involved is not revealed, but it is known that the hotel's current value is around $5,000,000 (Mex.)—$1,050.- 000 (U. S. 1. The Pauls, who built the Reforma and have run it since its opening in 1935. are understood to Ije desirous ot concentrating on the film busi- ness. Good Timing? Witnesses swear that when Frank Dunn, of WOR, N. Y., an- noimced John L. Lawis' order calling off the coal strike, the bulletin, which was read during tha 0:30-10 p. m. 'Remember' musical stanza, interrupted an apropos tune: 'Between the Devil and- tha Deep Blue Sea.' Slip Mickey to CaL Gin-Marriage Lar, Gretnas Get Clipped Sacramento. May 4. Two of Hollywood's favorite Gretna Greens. Las Vegas, Nev., and Yuma. Ariz., get tough breaks through the California legislature's bill calling for the repeal ot the 'gin-marriage' law. When Governor Warren signs the bill, passed by both houses, the boys and gals can walk right out of a nitery and sign until death-do-us-part contracts, with op' tions. Under the old California law, Youiig Lochlnvar was required to curb his romantic fervor until such time as the duly appointed authori ties paused and reflected on the case, rrosperlive bride and groom were accorded suiflcient time to re cover from the alcoholic allure and the subsequent hangoveir before cn tering the sacred state of matrimon.v. Some of the weddings fell apart and some clung together, as they do 'n all .sortnrs of the United States, ex ccpt tliiit a Hollywood divorce make.'! Vw One while Mr. and Mrs. Joe Corn can break their marital chiihis Willi no more than a brief paraiii-aph i!\ the Om.->ha News-Bee. Meanwhile Las Vegas and Yuma are gelling along in hiuh gear with- out the aid of Hollywood elope- ments. So miMty war plants have sprung up in the Southwest that the Ctounly Clerk and the Ju.<iice of the PcH'.-e are probably working swing sliin.s. on R.-B.&B. CIRCUS NIXES ITSELF AS PIC SUBJECT One of the hol'.esi siory Idcss tor films is on*- ba.«ed on the Ringllng- Barnuni 4 Bailey Circus. All p;o(Tors have been nixed by the Rinnlini;-:: just 'nol inleresied." is their ailiuide. flt;iiriMg the Ulin inside sUilT might disilUi>ii)n the cir- cus fans and hurl ihf b.o.. hence not worth it a( any pi-lce. Viewed a* ene'af the most ilg- nifleant wartime trends It the grow- ing aadlenea awareness at the p«- lltlcal Implleallont which underlie war Dim* today. No longer, say soma of the top film execs, is it nec- essary ta cloak the more serious thoughts and aspects behind a melo- dramatic yarn or sugarcoat the mes- sages to the public. It's a case at American Him audiences coming ot age and understanding the deeper motives sparking world chaos. With the passing of isolationism and the realization of the far-reach- ing effects of the. global war. the flimgoing public, it's now felt, has become fully aware of the vast in- terest in the economic and political situations that mold their lives. With the dropping of the formula story tabu, say the execs, there is a lessening ot other fetters. For in- stance, they say. such terms as 'Fas- cists' and 'appeasers' can l>c used without fear of offending and are coming more and more Into common film usage. It's seen. too. as reflect- ing Hollywood's appreciation of the fact that America's Mlmgoers .ire ready and willing to .see the truth and want it unadulterated. Broader Issues That Hollywood studios have be- come fully convinced of the newly awakened interest of the public in the political aspects of the global war is seen in the deep interest mani- fested in such books as Wendell Willkie's 'One World' for fllmization. and the overtures already initiated looking tOA^ard the Aiming of 'My 10 Years in Japan.' the diary of Joseph Grew. ex-Ambassador to Japan, even before the War Dept. has okayed it;; release in book form. Also seen as a manifestation of the trend is the Warner Bros, fllmi- zation of Joseph C. Davies' 'Mission to Moscow.' which is virtually a po- litical treatise with no attempt made to mask it behind a dramatic story. It's another evidence, they argue, of Hollywood having the couraKe to present historic, economic and po- litical situations as incidents of such general value and inlere.st that they stand on their merit and are capable of holding their ground against dra- matic films and escapist comedies. Even in 'Casablanca' <WB>. the execs point out. aside from the flim's potent b.o. dramatic value, there was a general appreciation end under- standing ot the Vichy intriijue and the complete sellout of the high offl- cials to Nazi Germany. USO Insurance As a result of the Lisbon Clip- per tragedy and the crash ot the plane in the Canadian North- west, killing a total of five USO performers and injuring others. Camp Shows execs disclosed Mortday i3) it has obtained in- surance premiums for its per- formers providing the same benefits allowed servicemen. These will provide for SIU.OOO for loss of life: SI.OOO fur medi- cal expenses and $5U a week for 53 weeks of disnbilitv. N.Y. Times May Take Over the 44tli Street For Newsprint Storage > Suits for damages arc pending against Pan-American Airway.^ grow- ing out ot the Lisbon Clipper crash 10 wcck.4 ago which co.st the lives, among others, of Roy tLdrraine &) Rognan and Tamara. and which re- sulted in injuries to Gyp.sy Markoff, Jane Froman. Yvette. Grace Drys- dale and Jeanne Lorraine, wife and partner of Rognan. The pending litigation was dis- closed Monday (3) following the re* turn to N. Y. over the weekend 6f MLVe.-i Murkoff and Froinun. both ot whom face a series of oper;ili(>ii>. and- many additional months of convales- cence as a result of fracture.-, and other serious injurip.-. sustained in lha Ta;;iis river crash while en route to offshore bases to entertain Yank troops for USO-Camp Shows. Inc. Airlines Insured Facing medical and other expenses which, it's believed, will probably run into thou.sunds uf dollars, the performers have been advi.<.cd to in- .-liuite action against Pan-American, in view of the tact that the airline IS covered by insurance. Under the USO-CSr.s blanket public liability policy, the injured victims have alio Deal is reporled on whereby the N. Y. Times would take po.ssession of the 44lh Street theatre property, which is directly adjacent to the publical ion's plant on West 43d street. As no rebuildine is feasible at this time, understood the Times ; ihe benefit of workmen's cumpcnsa is desirous of taking over the prop- lion. Meanwhile, pending reimburse- erty principally as a sloreho',i-p for meni from Pan-American. USO is newsprint. defraying costs for replacing equip- If the property is purchased, deal j mcnl. clothing, etc.. lost in the Clip- ' may not be consummated for several j per crash, months. The 44th Street is owned | Miss Lorraine has already con- by Vincent Astor. who has been dis- ; ferrcd with her lawyer on the iristi- posing of realty in the Times Square zone for some time. House is oper- ated by the Shubcrls under a pcr- centagc-of-the-profits arrangement. It also includes a roof theatre (Bayes). which is virtually in dis- use. Basement fioor is occupied by the Stage Door Canteen and It Is hoped that, if the Times takes over, that spot will not be disturbed. Several years ago the Times pur- cha.-^ed Ihe Little theatre a bit to the west of the 44th Street. Original plan was to raze the house and use- the site as an entrance and exit for Ihe paper's iruck.^. It was decided to shelve that idea and the Little Is now called Times Hall, used for con- cert type of attractions and mect- ing.s. In between the Little and 44th Street is Ihe Sardi building, which changed hands some months ago. tuling of damages in the death of her (Continued on page 12; Coward's Two-Play Rep Opens 6-Week son in London George Abbott Seeks Shirley Temple for *Kiss' George Abbott in cn rouin lo Coa.-it. via Buffalo, where hp pre- viewed the Chicago company of "KisS and Tell.' In Hollywood he will offer Shirley Temple Ihe lead in the Coast com paiiy of this comed.v l it. London. May 4. With his own 'Present Laughter' and 'This Happy Breed' alternating nightly, Noel Coward has launched his six-week London season at tha Haymarket. 'Laughter.' which bowed In April 29, i.i written along farce li:ies and coiKTCrns a prominent actor and his love affairs. It was brilliantly per- formed by the entire company and overwhelmingly applauded by the opening night audience. Coward's second. 'Breed.' v.-hich opened April 30, i.: a cavalcade of the I suburban life which met with le-s enthusiasm anion;: the critics and audience at the preem. Joe McKenna's Primer on Do's, Don'ts For Filmites Essaying USO Tour I ha.-' Jiilin O.-irfleld and Ann Owynnc I 9< added sl.irtei s for lli<> next Selznick Dickers Radio Director for Pictures Axel Gruenbcrg. freelance radio director, has beeii approached by David Selznick regarding a film di- recting contract. Nothing deflnile, however. Already diieeling 'Light of the World' for General Mill.-i and 'Right lo Happiness' for Procter St Gam- ble. Cruenberg also took over di- reclion Monday nighl (3i of 'Coun- ter Spy' for Mail Pouch tobacco. Columbia. S. C. fdiior. 'Variet.v': I a- added sl.irters for Ihi- next cou- 'vViiai with liiillywood now ){ellii:g ] |)le of weeks. They've al.-o worked I ready for an ali-out inva.-.iOM of ihe | with Joan Arthur. Jinx Kalkcnburg. ?riny. navy and marine training | Al'ueri Dekker. Marion .Martin. .M;iria camps Ihioiip.houl t!;c eour.'.ry by i .Moniez. Eddie Foy. j!-.. Chick Ch;iiid- ] honking a couple of big names with I lerjmd Sue nyaii .sihci-jila_rliiig Iheir | each ot the touriiix U.SO-Camp .Shows Inc. uiiiLs. .loe i& Janei .Vlc- Ken.-.a, t.'iiini'.g Ihe USO ciicnils for the pa.>l 10 inoi.lhs. has seen a dozen or so Hollywood names in action ai-.d has prepared a primer on what 10 do and nol lo do on Ihe tours. Joe's eligible to .<ipeiik. inn. Ilo'.'' upcn the actor's side of ihc.~e .shows fur a loni; time and of late he's bi-ei; USO chore.-, in 'Coin' To Town' la.^l .-Cil.-')ll. .New Kind of Show BU Main tlung for a Holly.viioiliie to iMiiember these day.i Is llial c«mp I- a brand nev.- kiiiil of .<],i,\\ biz and a complelfly dilferei.t pa. -01 up. The audience love-: you bc- fo:e yoii ronic out. They cai: aii- preriiite iu.-l wliiil you've been viewiiia Ihe uniformed palron'- side i Ihroimh in lroiibl<\-<irr:c train li.-ivel: svnipalhelically. and wilh soo'l rea- I il.cy kiu,-,v how you've aot lo sweat .son. He took his phy.-ical i-. .'^nr- j I'l set iijiy kind of hotel ;ic.-oniino- folk. Va.. a 'couple of wpck.< back : diilions in the majority ol lov.n.- and and il'.s one o( lho.-e any-diry-now .selupj for ll'.e ex-nilery Lofifer. So- and this bclong-s- in the help w;inled ' (.on-lrucled show sile.s or even the dept.—it you know of a gi>od tomir j more permanent po^t theatre?, and Trailo Murk RobInii:! i:il fOI .\UKI> UV SniK HII.VK!t>IAN I'lihUklinl Wrakly bjr VAHIKTV. liir. Kill KMvoniion, l*r(iHl(li-iil. ISI Woal 4i;tli Slirol. N-vi Viirli. .N T til'IlSCHII'TrO.V Atiniiiil no l<'orelKn. Kiiii.*|.. <*i.|,i..n ; . .Ill I Villi* Vol. l.-iO Mo. 8 INDEX cilie.- near army camps; they ki;ow the hiindicips of working in ha.-lily ar.d terper who ran team up wiih Joe's sLsler Jane get in touch with him. The McKenna.s. long a click act whaf .i more they appreciate Ihe fact that a biitlime Holly .vood star—and .soldiei'.f aie avid movie fans—will lake time out from his or her pic- on 52d street, New Yorkr and the j tiire making to come out and help vaude circuits, are cuirenlly touring j them kill the few free horns ihey with 'Hollywood on-Parade.' which) iContinued on page 2i) D.tIM- V.lRlr.lV (Publl.lhr4 In llolltunoS Br nulv Vti-lelr. !.l.d.l IIS ■ |f««r—lit rarilRn