Variety (Jun 1943)

51 Wednesday, June 16, 1943 OBITUARIES HENRY LOEW Mcniy Locw, M. brother xtl the late Miirciis Lofew, founder o( Loew's Inc.. died June 13 at the home of his iiifce. Mrs. Dorothy Samson, frahk- lii) Sq.. L. I. He had been ill for auveral months. Mr. Loeu-, in years of service, was the oldest manager on the Loew cir- cuit. In 1904 he entered the business hn nwnaeer of the Loeu Penny Ar- ci^de at 14Tth St. and 3rd Ave., later nioviiiK to a new arcade at 8th Ave. and 23rd. In October, 1910, he was ai>iK>inted manager of Loew's new National Theatre at 149th St. and 3rd Ave., one of the flrst big thea- tres in the Loew chain. He man- aited thai house continuously for the pusi 33 years, becoming widely known to thousands of Bronx movie- goers, especially the children. He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Fanny Weiss, by three nephews. David Loew, Major Arthur Loew and Morton Spring of Loew's Inter- national Department, and a niece, Mrs. Dorothy Samson. iFlriil S{t. LIberaU Garka, 34. trombonist with the presidential talT band, hanged himself with his unifurm beU in a local park, because, note in a pocket said, he was hope- lessly tubercular. CEOBGE F. OBMSBEE George F. Ormsbee, SS, associated with the theatre for 40 years, died June 7 in Jamestown, N. Y. Leaving home at the age of 16, Ormsbee joined the Alice Clement Players and two years later the Mayvellc Marks Co. In 1917, he VAN J. MEUNO .as, farmrr vaadfYllllaB' »wt Manlral C«m*dy Mar IHf<l Jim let ifHrvlrnI by wltr, thfM bnlltfn. and tfr* ilataf^ came to Jamestown with the Jack X. Lewis Company at the old Lyric, and that autumn organized the Pauline MacLean ajock at the Samuels Opera House. He later played with Proctor stock companies at Albany, Troy' and Schenectady, and later returned to Jamestown to direct the Players' Club. For the past Ave years, Orms bee had presented assembly pro grams in schools throughout the country, his educational plays being ^een by 3.000,000 children in 700 acliools and colleges. . I.T. J. P. McCABTT Lieut. Jami'-i P. McCart.v, 22. son of Peter Mc-Carty of Loew's Thea- tres advertisihii dept.. pilot in U. S. Army Air Forces, was killed June 10 uloMK with Ave other officers, when his bomber was struck by lii!litiiin;i over South Carolina. Arthur Jamci Thamat, 67, died in San Antonio.' June tU. Thomas was an employee nf the Interstate The- atres for the past 37 years and was maintenance engineer for the Ma- ie>tic theatre. SuMnna E. Dercan, 66. retired concert singer, died in Philadelphia June 10. She had-appeared as soIO' ist with the Mahler Symphony. Con- certs. Survived by sister. Dr. Theodore A. BurDCtt, 63, father of W. R. Burnett. Aim writer, died June 7 in Clcndale. Cal. House Reviews S Continued (rem paie 47 g APOLLO, N. Y. are deftly juggled in \-arlous rou- tines. Eddio Lemons.' comedian, works poorly in one spot with a set of blue and aged gags, and is on again later with straight George Wiltshire and an unbilled girl, for average slanzia of Apollo comedy. Biz big. Wood. I BUTH KAHMANN Ruth Kahmann, 25, pianist and prima ballerina known as Ruth Chanova. died in New Haven, Conn., June 13. Miss Kahmann received her ballet training in Russia under Nijinsky and appeared there for on« season. After touring the continent, she re- turned to this country upon the out- break of the war. In 1939 she ap- peared as the leading ballerina of the Metropolitan Opera Co. Survived by mother and grand- mother. SAM S. LOSH Sam S. Losh. 57, choral director, died June 5 in Fort Worth, Texas. He owned the Losh Institute of Music. Ho produced 'Cavalleria Riisiicana.' 'I Pagliacci.' and 'Faust.' In Lcipzii;. L<tsh studied under Friiz von Boss. He also was a stu- dent of M. D. Ewald. Custav Schrick. Arthur Nikisch and Hans Sitl. Surv ived by widow, ■ brother and aijter. KDWARD MICHAEL FOLEY Edtvard Michael Foley, 70. owner ol Fdley and Burks Shows, died in Siin Francisco. June 7. A native of Petaluma and a vel- eiaii showman, Foley organized the ciiriiival 32 years ago. It made its headquarters in Oakland and grew fr.im a small dog and pony trick into one of the biggest of the Cali- fitrnia outdoor shows. Foley wo."! a member of the Show- men's League. DAVE MANLEY Da\e Manlcy, 60. former vaude pciiornier. died in California. Ho h:id appeared in vaude for 25 years piipr to-rclirement in 1930. He had also (tone some picture work in Hollywood. Sui-vi\-cd by widow and'two sons. SYLVIA BBEAMEB S.\;vi3 Breamcr. 40, former film actress, died in New York June 7. She had appeared with Thomas Mcigh^n and Charles Ray in silent picluics. Survived by sister and brother. ORIENTAL, CHI Chicago, June 11 Sonny Dunham and Orch (16) u<ir/i Dan Darcv, Dorothy Claire, Lee Sinn t tl«mau Bailey, Collins & Peterson. 9 Taylor Kids; 'It's a Great Life' (Col). Plenty of music and warbling this week with Sonuy Dunham's band and two singers, Lee Sims and Ilomay Bailey and some trumpet playing by Marty Collins. Only act that doesn't blow a horn is the Five Taylor Kids who substituted' for the Winters Sisters, late on arriving. Dunham's band is sizzling. Noth' ing fancy about the arrangements but Ihe jive hounds get plenty when the band gives and Dunham blows his trumpet. Featured numbers are 'Blue Skies.' 'By- the Light of the Silvery Moon.' and "Cyp-sy Love Sons' all done in swing. The organ ization's two soloist.^, balladcer Don Darcy doing 'Old Black Magic' and 'Lei's Get Lost' and Dorothy Claire, strictly on the solid side, with 'Hip, Hip Hooray.' 'If I Could Be With You.' 'Strip Polka' and 'Why Don' Yuu Do Right'." chalked up Individ ual hits. Throughout the band's routines Dunham's expert trumpet ing and trnmboning dominates. Five Taylor Kids, ranging from Ave to 12 year.s. open show and dis- play cleverness in a crack line of tumblini(. aerial somersaults, spirals, pyramidini! and other acrobatics lhai merited terriflc applause. Collins and Peterson keep them laughing with a steady line of chat- lei. Highlight is Collins' trumpet playing, getting through 'When Day Is Done' despite a hotfoot planted by Peterson and Dunham, and then Rives imprcs.sions of Harry Jnmcs and Clyde McCoy doing 'Sugar Blues.' A hit. Lee Sims and Ilomay Bailey do 'Donkey Serenade.' 'As Time Goes By.' Ravel's 'Bolero' and encored wilh 'Tea for Two.' All numbers spollichted Sims' piano playing. Off to big hand. Morg. demonstration of • pocket-size ma- chine gun. Fox essays a poll of av- erage citizens on question whether America should tie up with a post- war world federation of nations to keep the peace, but it's too limited to prove much. South America Agurcs importantly this week in the footage, the Argen- tine revolt being covered mostly with stock shots. One clip deals wilh President Roosevelt's visit several years ago, showing enthusiastic crowds. On the domestic front coal strike developments are pictured against background of D. R. talk from his desk at the White House. Most ef- fective is narration from a letter from a soldier lying wounded in an Army Aeld hospital In New Guinea. In the non-war Aeld Count Fleet romps home with largest volume ol domestic footage. 'Message from Malta,' OtAce of War Informatibn short, and 'Eagles of the Navy,' re- cruiting subject made by Warners in Technicolor, both pointed and capa- bly pt-oduced, round out the reel. Mori. MARRIAGES Helen Hyatt to LL Robt. L. Beutel in Dcs Moines. Iowa, Jun<v 3. Groom was on staff of WKAT at Miami Beach before entering (he service. Virginia Wcnaas to Lt. William Grcenwall in Des Moines. Iowa, June 5. Bride is member of Three Chimes radio act. Mary Kathleen McKee to Capt. Arthur V. Jones, at Santa Ana. Cal., June 10. Groom was Aim and radio writer before going into the Army. Bertha Jane Keller to Cpl. Stcphan Rodnok. Jr., in Pittsburgh. June 2. Groom is son of Pitt theatre owner and was manager for. father before going into service. Dorothy Mitchell to Jay Gould June 9 in Beverly Hills. Bride is widow of Sidney Mitchell, song- writer; groom is legit actor. Shirley Pillar to Bobby Kaufman June 11 In Los Angeles. Groom is KFWB (Hollywood) account execu- tfve. Lee Wiley to Jess Stacy in Beverly Hills, Cal.. June 7. Bride is the radio singer; groom is pianist in Benny Coodman's band. Margie Whittington to Sgt. Stephen Tomilowitcz in Great Neck, N. Y., November 12. 1942. Bride is former Zlegfeld showgirl. Joan Phelps to Larry Lesueur, June 15. in New York. Bride is with the British Ministry of Information in New York: groom, a foreign correspondent for CBS, is due'to be sent to England soon. Literati Contlnaed from page 12 EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSREELS) Events are moving loo fast for the jiewsreeU wilh result that much of war material appears to be familiar because of previous widely repeated radio-newspaper coverage. Par's <rov- erape of Ihe victory in Tunis, un- duubledly inspiring, appears remote ill the liwhl of more recent develop- mcni.'i. Foolaiie includes shots of Briti.-i- Eighth. American. French. Indian and other Allied forces on pa- rade, reviewed by Allied generals. War clips predominate. Included in the Jap bailie sequences is the cleaniip on Attn (Part. U. S. air power plastering Ki.ska (Par), and >liois of disease-ridden, emaciated Jap prisoners iPathci being given flrsUclass medical care in American Army hospital. Fur Ihe rest, there are various clips on Army training and maneuvers, WAVES praclicing wrestling. Gov. Harold Slassen joining the Navy, hii novel. 'Destination Tokyo.' to be published by Appleton-Century. Arthur H. Timmins married, and the scHbhler and his new bride, who was Lovina Allison, will live in Br<M>klyn. Ted Strauss, second string Aim critic for the New York Times, on a leave of absence to write a book on the Alcan highway. F. S. Norman, the publisher con- sultant, has joined Newsweek in an exec capacity. Will concern himself with post-war publishing posslbill- tic.-i. Lowell Redllngs shifted from iiports to drama and Alms on Holly wood Citizen News, succeeding James Francis Crow, who joined Warners publicity staff. Alfred Human, managing editor of Musical Courier, was recipient of honorary degree of Doctor of Music conferred Monday' (14) by the Cin^ cinnati College of Music. Bernarr Macfaddcn's revival of his Physical Culture mag off for the duration. Joe Wiegers. who was to have edited it. Js back with the Mac- fadden publishing organization. Edward Thompson Anishcd 'Dixie Nightingale.' his second novel, for publication by Macrea-Smith. Phil- adelphia. Story is based on the career of Florence Mills, colored entertainer of the 1920's. Ruth Moore leaves Time mag this week to join the women's page stall of the Washington Post, to be near her husband. Cpl. George Kossoff. legit actor, known on Broadway as Gregory Morton. He's with the Camp Lee <Va. i Special Service Of Ace. Thomas Lennon. for the la.st 12 years a Hollywood scripter and fre- quent contributor lo the slick maga zinu.s. packed his kit after the recent death of his wife and rclurned to his Arst love. the.sports resk. Previously on the Post-Enquirer, a Hearst pub- licatton. Lennon went with the Oak land Tribune, which recently lost Art Cohn, its sports editor, to the INS war correspondent department. Lee Dunbar Is now sports editor, with Lennon doing a daily column. Suhbrock's Circus Woes CenU^!lM from page I parking lot adjoining the Roxy the- atre. New York, failed to open as skeddcd last Wednesday night (0). Since then there has been a steady succession of postponements and in- dications ye.Merday (Tuesday) were (hat unle&s Sunbrock plays ball with AGVA and satisAes the de- mands of N. Y. License Comniis- sloner Paul Moss and ihe building Inspectors (a run-in with the Are dept. over exits has been ironed out), the half-brlck-half-tent 'big top' 6n West 50th street may remain shuttered and the backers left hold- ing the bag. Sunbrock now says he'll open to- night (Wednesday), but AGVA execs say that's merely wishful thinking unless he comes across with $10,000 cash to meet salaries of acts that have been left cooling their heels since last Wednesday and an Do Elephants Forget? The still stalled Larry Sun- brock circus, under canvas in the parking lot back of the Roxy. theatre. N. Y., has theatre at- taches squawking; 'While the gas fumes BG.(be- fore gas-rationing) were not ex- actly Chanel No. S. the atma<:- phere of'late smells like a 1924 western 'B' picture.' said one exec. The elephants are stabled on side streets adjacent to the Roxy in former garages, now devoid of automobiles. additional $10,000 cash bond pasted lo cover the following week's sal- aries. If, says AGVA, Sunbrock fails to open, the vaude union will level an attachment against him and Big Top, Inc., preventing him doing biz in N. Y. or elsewhere until he pays up. 'Wbal About Oar Pay?' Meanwhile, the acts, many of them brought in from various parts of the country after Sunbrock's assurance that he'd post a bond with AGVA to cover their salaries, want to know what's what on the salaries, esti- mated by AGVA at about $10,000, promised them for the week's layoff. Sunbrock Monday (14) tried to work out a deal with Matt Shelvey, na- tional AGVA administrator, asking if AGVA would agree to a half- salary arrangement for the acts covering the week's layoff. AGVA retorted that's something for the performers to decide themselves, that AGVA wasn't going to be put on the spot, and. furthermore. It would see that the acts didn't go on unless Sunbrock posted an additional bond lo cover salaries in advance. Claimed further that Sunbrock owes his labor crew about $9,000. The acts, meanwhile, are doing a burn—bolh literally and Aguratively —for in silling around under the 'big top' waiting for something dcAnile to happen, a number are complaining that it's a veritable roasting oven, wilh no provisions made for air circulation except by raising the curtain Aaps around tiio entire tenl. Sunbrock's construction gang says there'll be plenty of fresh air once they gel rolling. Circus reportedly represents an investment of $200,000, with Sun- brock claiming to AGVA that $50,- 000 of it is his own coin. When the circus failed lo open Wednesday (8) Sunbrock announced the rigging wasn't ready. This was at least partially the reason, but there was ^Iso trouble with the Are dept. over sufficient exits, the building dept. was concerned over the stringing of the cables support- ing the big top (reportedly the chief stumbling block in holding up the ciiy license), and AGVA had warned the acts not to open unless the cash bond was posted. Failed Again Friday Sunbrock said he'd open Friday Ml), but again gave the same ex- cuse—not ready. The building dept. was still demanding (hat its condi- tions be met. The 'Hey. Rube' act. which AGVA execs claim was pi'c-arranged so (hal Sunbrock could call in the police and hurl charges of 'union racketeering.' occurred Thursday night (10) after the State Mediation Board arranged a conference on the circus grounds between Sunbrock, Shelvey, Rosenthal and Dave Fox, AGVA's N. Y. local director, to iron out the differences over AGVA's de- mands for a cash bond. When the AGVA execs walk(id into Sunbrock's ofllce, he was surrounded by half a dozen men, former say. Almost im- mediately after Rosenthal began to speak, Sunbrock arose, shouting AGVA was interfering with his biisine-ss, and reportedly struck out at the lawyer, grazing his chin. As Shelvey stepped in to hold Sun- broc^k back, Sunbrock sounded the 'Rube' call and a dozen more of Sunbrock's henchmen stcpi^d into the office, the AGVAites relate. Af- ter some bickering, however, order was restored, but efforts to reach a solution in the impasse failed, Sun- brock refusing to meet the compro- mise terms laid down by AGVA. Sunbrock's story differs. The pro- moter admits taking a crack at Ro- senthal, .but claims that the AGVA counsel was the aggressor. There Was no 'Hey, Rube' act at all,' saya Sunbrock in defense. 'I've never pulled one in my, life. When Rosen- thal started to reel off a long legal document, I asked him to cut short and get down to brass tacks becauise I had a hard day. Rosenthal got bel- ligerent and said he was running the conference, not me. There was no ganging up. because we kept a man posted outside to see that no one interfered.' Sunbrock iivslsted everything would be sot for an opening this week and claimed only M"', of the acts were identiAcd with AGVA. 'The acU are (ihecking oul of AGVA, anyway.' he maintained, 'and are forming their own circus perform- ers' union by aoplying for a charier to the AFL. They feel AGVA's for nitery entertainers. not circus people: that the same conditions don't apply.' Workmen were still grappling with the cable -supports late yester- day (Tuesday). Difficulties arose, loo. last week over Sunbrock's use of wild ani- mals, including lions, tigers and ele- phants, which are being quartered in two garages on Slst street, op- posite the circus grounds. License Commissioner Moss is strenuously opposed to the use of the animals. Indications are that when and it the circus does open, the wild ani- mals won't be used. Didn't Have $1«,M« When, early last week. AGVA confronted Sunbrock wilh a demand that he post a $10,000 cash bond, in view of the fact that 70'*; of the acts are listed by AGVA as members of the vaude union, the promoter re- plied there wasn't that kind of coin around. AGVA said 'how coine?' i>ointing to the initial 200G investment and Sunbrock's pur- ported claim that he himself put up $50,000. Shelvey Anally agreed to cut the cash bond to $5,000 if Sun- brock would agree to pay off the a(;ls twice a week. AGVA could get no satisfaction from Sunbrock. lat- ter countering wilh a proposal to post $2,500 in cash, plus a letter of guaranty from one whom he said would be liable for the other $2,500. AGVA upon investigation learned that the man who was to furnish (he letter of credit was not interested. Sunbrock's headaches over tha circus dale back several ynonths, with the big top originall.v skoddiid to open April 23. .At that time, however, there were squawks from tlie .surrounding hotels, the Roxy theatre. Radio City, the Sixth Ave- nue Assn. and even the police de- partment, the latter maintaining it would create traffic jams. BIRTHS Mr. and Mi-.i. Jerry Horwin. son. in Hollywood. June 7. Father is screen wri(cr and playwright now with Douglas Aii'crafl. Mr. and Mr.«. Rudy Navari. .son. ia Pittsburgh. May 30. Father is a Pitt exhib. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Sacks, daughter, in tiOs Angele.s. June 9. Fnlher I* in William Morris agency legal de- partment. Mr. and Mr.«. Harold DieWilt. trip- lets. June 4 in Jackson Heights, L. I. One died. Mother is (he former Kilty Lufrano. sec to Alec Moss and Carl Clausen at Paramount pub- licity-advertising department. Ml', and Mrs. Lambert Bceuwke.i,. son. in Detroit May 24. Father is .sales promotion head at S(a(ion WXYZ. Mr. and Mrs. James Hayes, son. in New York May 14. Falher is with OWI. Mother is Shirfey Zak, legit actress. Mr. and Mrs. Jan Savitt. daughter, in N. Y.. June 14. Father is the bandleader. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur H. Hayes, daughter. In New Rochclle, N. Y.. June II. Father is general manager of WABC. N. Y.