Variety (Jul 1943)

war Activities -Wednesday,.-July 7, 1013 Insiders Figure Col. Al Fresco for Summer ■.Camp Uptom N',' Y,. July 0. Th.o:.'Opry ifou>c'' here, birthplace of This Is The Arhiy.' Imiig Ber- lin". •• all-soldier, srnash. has jnovod outdoors to. a. tremendously improved summer theatre, '•;■■; Scene of.nightly shows for -cruijs entering the reception ; center, the al fresco' theatre boasts hew sidc- \valks. a terraced and soddeT rtudi- en.ee stfetion-and ii new oreh.pit; :' .'■W inter, quarters are a l;u«c reno- vated garage; originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps.' .Washington. July 0. 4-— . ... '■ ''.; — : ■ ; —— A new >-li;'keup in the Army Pic- • . ,.-. . ~ ... ¥T . . , lor-iai s«rvice'.; which - - ai return 1 Camp Upton Opry House' Col. Kirkc B. Lawlon to ils com- mand. ' • redicu-d .here: ;b.v- insiders ..as ihe. result of/lwo. developments last week. ■ first wasthe nomination, of .Brig- adier General William H. Harrison, present chief of the service, to.'niajpr general. Second was the quiet re- turn 01 Army -Pictorial 10 the Signal. Corps, a step which was hot made .public.- ■.;.■'.' '/'-.'"■' : In addition, i.avvion. "who warmly defended the motion picture' indus- try at the Truman' Committee.. is expected to he. nomina ted by Presi- dent Roosevelt, to become Brigadier Central. .;•..■■..;'■'.''■/;;, ' First Hp came when. Harrison jva's;' '/lipped by the President. It,-.- w«s pointed out: in' (he War 'Ijopl. that a njajdr general was not necessary to head the PicloViai Service iind that' Harrison. ■.p: i.'f lhe A; .'. & T. on leave.' was -being groomed, for a • bigger job...■Then' came the return ol the- service to the Signal 'Corps from which it was removed at the time the Truman Committee kicked up its 'Hollywood colonels' issue. From ! that lime ■ until last wf*. Army Pictorial. Service was an- in dependent unit: in-, the Army Service Forces. . Pictorial s Service is now tio.der: the wing of the "Army's new Chief. Signal Officer; Major General •Harry C. Ingles, who. recently suc- ceeded Major General »Dawson Olni- ctead. , . Iii Co). .Lawtori, Hollywood found a real friend who was not afraid to jo. before the- Truman Committee when that body \vas oh a rampage, in order to tell the true : story of all' that- the' industry was/giving and doing; for the war effort: ' • Larry Adler Passes lip 9G Sfint for Cuffo Tour Of Camp Show Dates Chicago. July 6. Larry Adler closed at the Empire Roimi 61 the Palmer House last night, giving i.i)) a 10-week contract at $900 •* week to play offshore for .USO- Camp Show's. - He finished a little over two weeks of his engagement here. '■'.' : '. . . Follpwing an appeal to I lie various; theatrical guilds in an effort to meet the great demand Tor ciilerlai'n- ers overseas, the local USO-Camp Show office signed up several other pel formers; for offshore stints in- cluding Bob-Evans, Morris and Ryan, Johnny' Perkins. Tommy Martin. Rita Roper, flay Marsh, Stan Erick- scti. Trudy Simmons. Joe and. Jane McKeiina and the. Albins. MAJOR LORENTZ BACK, THEN OVERSEAS AGAIN Major Pare Loreniz, rormer docu- mentary . picture writcr-dire^m- piodncer. returned last w-eck fi-nhi North Africa and Hie. Near East with hi* U. S, Army Air Forces iilni unit, which, is attached to the air trans- port command. He goes : to t-lie Coast this week to cut (he flying service footage' his linii pho- tographed during the TunisVn cam- paign;- The . films are -hot public showing, but will be used exclu- sivelyfor.pilot instruction."' Lorenti-/ will probably return .cast In a week or two' arid'-- is then slated to be sent overseas 'again with , his unit, which : includes'most.,of. tech- nical crew- that was with .'him wji'en hCfcWrs a producer ni RKO and. be- fore IhaL when ..he wrnio and di- rected pictures for ' (lie Govern, nieiii. Meanwhile, his breach of. eon-' tract sint against RKO. based on Hie ..studio's cancellation, /.his partly completed ■Nimie. Age. and DreO- patiou' lea:ure., ' "peiidini; the ' courts.'' ' : . WJZ, N. T., Troupers Have Long Been Giving Shows for the Wounded Editor. .-Variety': ! Waited to : compllineut- you on yotir editorial ,i/f ■ Wednesday,' June .SO, eiitilied • Wonrided- Need--Laugh's:' We agree .ipO'i that.of all; the morale work 'to.--which the : cnlerUiinment world can contribute its services, the ho.-pital and Sick Bay shut-ins cle- : serve, at, this time, and hence for- \yard, primary considtratton. When 'Variety'- honored . station WJZ vyith its 15)42 SbojymanageiDfuf . Award' for ^Entertainment. Services to; War Workei-.i. the WJZ Victory TrOop w-as not at all content to rest on.Its new laurels... Not oiily did the large group of patriotic'; WJZ and Blue Network' artists continue ils un- selfish efforts—at industrial war plants., both : for the. swing-shifters and day-laborers, at Army. Navy. Marine, Coait Guard and Merchant Marine Bases, at War Blind; rallies, and at Canteen: entertainment—bul we immediately began to bl-iiig "conir pletc halt-hour shows into huspitai wards; and . rull-hoiir-and-a-half shows onto/ hospital -auditorium' stages. In February; 1943. our. <an'g^ en- tertained at the. Sick .. Tor the Army Air Forces Technical Training ■..■Continued on page, 20) Ted Hammerstein's Dual Job With USO-Camp Shows . Ted Hammerslein, field supervisor for USO-Camp Shows, Inc., has been brought into (lie. homeofficc in N. Y., .where lie"U'iLSsi.-:t Harry Delmar in selling up domestic and over-, seas unit productions. On vlie offshore .-e:up, cyrrenily most hectic because of the: incrcas-. iug demand for the morale stints on the global, lighting fronts. Hammer- stein'will al< work with'.Lou Wolf- son. who. recently took over opera- tion of the Overseas Division. Wing's Service Ribbons ' American.'Theatre Wing is. giv- ing service ribbons to. volunteer •workers who- have 'contributed, their sci-a ices for the past-year. The first, to be. 'decorated' are those who have .been' active in . the Wine's N. Y. Stage Door C.-inteen. Tlie bars are. in Ihe form of siriped : ribbons, siiniiar. to; those given soldiers and saiibr.; . • who have bccii. in wnV. action. -.'" p.eniiuul for Iheiscryicc bars-is heavy, there/being around 2,000 . eniitled to receive the ribbons, ; but iiot eiioii;'!) have, been se- cured as " ' to-all Miose ■ ■' eligible.. 'Ballyhoo' OpensjOn ; Camp Show Circuit; Burns-and41)en Tour . Newest unit to swing on I the Camp Shows, circuit under the re- vamped schedule: maiii available more musical .shows (or a I. fresco appearances . 'Ballyhoo." Unit iced off Saturday ;i3.) jtl Cani|) Eii- dicotl. ' Willi June. Prcisser lopping (he jras't.'- Latter stays'- out v\ ith the .-.'how until July 13. - Others in., east include Gloria Parker, and all-girl band. Kini Loo Sisters, Ai; GoVdon; Canlicld Smitli, Joe Phillips- *• Marion Colby, and a line of six gii'Js. George Burns and Gracie Allen join the Blackstone unil' as voliiiileer performers for a series'or dates ex- lending from July . 16 io . July. 29.. Coiriedy leain bows in r.t Camp Cal- lan, Sah :iJicgp,{ anil will play six- ciriiip^; an.(f iiavy' bases oh the COasf. It's.'their lirst lime out ,;Tor Camp Shows as part of a:unit. although last" season .:lhey . did a number : of 'perspnalily' dales in the east. Also slated for tours during! July are Judy Oarlaiid. Paul' Luka);. Rob- ert Young. Kaliiryn Grayson, Donna Drake.-Liiise Rainer. Betty Hullon and Red: Skelton. . . Yanks in No. Africa See Vaudevillt e a Texas Canips Request More Entcrtainmenr Amarillo, July (i. >Reconiniendii! ions have been for-; w: : ard<'d to the, War ' Depai'tment's .'Special'-, Service ivisio'n to; have theatrical tro(i|>es visit panips in. (he 'I'exas Panhandle' area. - As yet serv- icemen ha\e iio regular program schedule.' 1 '•' ■ ■ Cities making up, ■the Panhandle cireuft- -"would liiTliitli" . lAinuriHo. Dalharl: Cliildress and Pampa'. Vari- ous ,USO-Camp Shows -would: aisii be included, according to liie. plan. ♦ Philly Dedicates Two Al Fresco Canteens - Philadelphia, July 6. Two outdopr. canteens were. dedi- cated for servicemen in Philly. : " •'. American, Theatre Wing opened new al fresco canteen' in courtyard, of Academy, of Music to run as adr junct to canteen in Academyls base- ment. Another open-air spot opened last niglit .(Mon) on Rcyburn Pla^a; op- posite City llail. built by.a combined committee of.CIO-AFL trade-.union- ists with .-ill labor .-'donated: .Funds were provided by Hie USO and the city. The bulk of the USO appropi iation 'SIB.OOO) w iir go fpr-liirilig orches- tras. '-.'.'.." In connection wilhtanteen-s first anniversary an exhibition of photo- graphs showing show biz and po- litico celebs, doing their stints as bus help has been ipened at the Art Alliance. '►♦>♦♦■»« ♦ » » ♦ ♦ «^ USO, Variety Club Join With Civic Leaders On Pitt's Canteen Project Pittsburgh, .iuiy 6. Thealie people in' Pittsburgh have, joined in-'with induslriaUfcLs; union, represcntatives and the cjly at large to open 'one; of the -most outstanding ' clubs in the country -for service iiien —the USO-Variety Club Canteen-- .' ii few steps 'froin tlie Pennsylvania j railroad sjalion. . Of striking modern architectuie, 1 similar hi. the .buildings' seen at t|ie- World's 'Fair;'-'decorated by well- "knowii . professionals, serving free cookies, cake, doughnuts, coffee and soft - drinks, providing beds where men can catch a hap between trains, the .Canteen, whieli.opened May IT. attracts thousands of service men and. women daily. Train an.iounce- inents are made by loiidspeaker from | .the station and broadcast, (o : nil floors of the Canteen.. In, (he Caiile.eh an iloruim. com- plete with stage, movie projector and'soon to have a cabaret -.-.t.vlc - in- terior. - the Variety Club; of Pitts- biirgh puts on nightly enlertainnvent; aiid service then , and women 'who care lo. .dance- can .jitterbug uiilil they dro;>. ' According to arrangemenl., all en-i lerlainmcnt. at . tlie USO-.Variefy ■ Club Canteen '.-.in chiiree of. the. Variety Club of Pillsbui-gh. with I Brian .McDonald as 'ch.ief : barker." j The Variety Club also joins with the ! USO: in providing senior' and ; junior hostesses. Tl^p USO. in turn.: su- ! pervises the ,Canteen. itself aiid : keeps.things running siiioollily. Name bands, such -as■Harry' James. Benny Goodman. and Shep Fields, actors, such as Dennis Morgan. Kath- arine Cornell-, celebrities like Ser- geant '"Barney' fitiss. fighting hero of Guadalcanal, come to. .the;. Canteen through the Variety Club: . Fighters visiting PilLsburgh sometimes train in Ihe. Canteen auditorium so the service .men. can wiitch the workout. .'Continued On page 271 y PFC. I; M, 'BILL'' STKIX Somewhere, in Noi lh Afi ;> a Kdilor. 'Variety': '"■'.'."'■ " ; .. —H^i'eVHlte-^kitcst—'Dro ps li ' )i.\i Stein,; to. let/ you know ■Whin's .Cookin' on the North African 'Range' 1 Kroiii; backstage, iii the ,N. Ari n-aii Theatre of. Operations. ' First p£ ill], may wo ptiblicly .say, we are so happy the African b.iv.i,- pics are pver—Ri,mihiel ■ wnh aII'ii„. foot-races. VVc Wanted lb. gel I{..|„. niel'.s helmet for a souveuii-: bin guess' we'll , have lo be -salisfn-d' w:;|) a iratV-nf-lrt-t tl'UCk-.mibes.- Our laviTFT ite song ; that we iiow dedicate fo Africa, 'Where Do I Go From .Yoii?' ■We arrived iii Africa .with mil- chine- iii one hand and a -Va- liely' in the other Our otitlit eap- iurcil .sonic Germans. :I inuvlioned ihe'm'. in my German (with a Lou Holtz accent). I did find out I'icre are. no kosher delicatessen's i.n; er- lin. When I .send you my copy (i rmi Ihe Y.M.H.A. in Berlin you'll ku.iw llii* kid is really happy;. . ' last '•live enlcrlainmoiir .w' s;i\y ..ovei-. here was Martha,'Rave:.;( giiind trpupei-.. Martha liniiw'.s -.\-hat the.-hoy.- like; and ,she was as wel- ei)iiie-;;s a letter Trom home. V.-uide-- i Con tinned on-page :!7) Hecht Adds Warsaw Ghetto Strife to 'Die' For H'wood Showing When the pageant Jewish persecution by the Nazis.' "We Will Never Die," . opens in llollywooil : July. 21, • il will ■ include a new scene/ by Ben Hecht- dramati/'.ing the recent bloody .Warsaw Clhetlo battle and slarring Ingiiil Berginan and Edward Arnold." ' . Cast of 1,000 volunteer pi'i.fiirmeis' Will -be recruited in Los Angeles. The Coast preem of 'Never 'Die'' has been tentatively set for. July 18 at the Hollywood Bowl. Oilier film stars skedried to appear include Kd- ward G-. Robinson, John Garfield and'Paul Miini if hilie'r's revival of -(.■ounseloi--a1-La\v,' eurrefiily "ii Broadway,/closes . before inid-.liily as expected. It is reporied thai .several .siudios -are"interested in Ilie Hecht scri Uncte Sam's Callboard t Cpl. Harvey's Air Shown Hollywood. July 6.. Cp\. Jack Harvey, with, the 348l)i Air Base Squadron. Long Beach, ts writing and.producing a radio show called ''Wines Over the World,' honoring Die . ' ■ ../Transport Com- mand, ;. Show will he released on the Ccasl over the Blue network and Will. be-:'.recorded..'and' shipped to Yank trans ' 'around (lie :;lobe. Jusl ■-ill lei: h is ;in;ival i);;ck in ihe' U " from Xor Africa.'■ Liireiiti wa.- hvurierl fn '-.abrlh . Meyer, daii'fh'ler «u' fiiiancier cile .\ieyer. Switch Bond Drive Push ,Ov.:ing to Iriiiispijrlalinii. <nl- ties.. persiiiia); .ai)iie;ii-Oiiec.s- of iilm slai's- have lic;wi i liiriiiijilo.cl iii, con- ric(:I.Hiir : '.\y-ilh'.ll.)e''.(>xl.)il)it(ir eainpaiiu) in July to Jiejjj..soli one (iuJIaV's wo' tli of war .stamps to every iic'i-viirin the United Slali-s. ; isl. and KmiJ Brcnkus, bass plaver i>e>v.-reei clips of slars w|l|: Ii- w,\ ' w ho was with Frank Andnni'and'his as-sliuplciiH-Wal liailers iiir ih t drive ' Argentinians; ' ' Inilcadi ' . ' l».Prior to; bis dale with Uncle .am, . Spencer 'ciitley, radio legit and picture aclor.:;.c(iminissioned- a .lieii- lenanl U. S.. Kfeichaut-Marines and already; in- active service. He en- listed only aboiil Uvo weeks ago. raftOi-jtanlziiip ( amp Oreh Pittsburg!,/ July fi. Pvt. Charles Ci-nft, band.-ieader kninvii jnores-.-ionallv as Uanin Kl- Jioll. has beeii. assigned to ' organiKc' caiiip lirchesira al Fi.rl Meade, Md.. where he's hceir .stationed since in- ■liiction.v For nucleus,Klli.ili will use two Pittsburgh; musicians' who Aveiil into the service with. hii.n. Frank Nalale, furlncrely head ■ or Ihe. si roll- ing trio al Union Grill aiid a gnitar- Elliotl had ).he staff band at Hearst .station WCAK and also doubled into Bill Green's Casino on a-dance job. . Jim Glllis In Scott Fii'.d, III. July II: Pfc: . ames P. GiJIis, ex-Broadway actor and singer, has enrolled as a Student here; sit'the radio school of the Ariny Air. Teehnie;i|. Training Conimand. Upon graduation he ll be a radioman-gunner oil a Flying Fortress. John Mitchell. r . .engineer, with WLW-WSAI. iiasseri his physi- cals and dons uniform this;week.. , .Frank, (fliiistie Dons Khaki '■'V'-- .. :■ Seat lie. July fi. ! .: -rank Chrislie, recently pi-oinol'ed': .froii) chief booker ror Evergreen and HainrickTKvergrceiv liiealrcs. "to'linn buyer, left lasl Saturd.-iy fur Ihe' Army:, lit? reported at. Fort Lewis for Induction. -No successor iiaiiied. CiaiK hec-flvei'K from Wonnils lieporl • iriiin (he South PaVilic slates that 1*1 ward• j.' Craig. Lieulen- anl, in-; Marines, vh'as. recovered' • from wounds recehed on' (Jiiadal- ciiual. I le is idoniified ..as a' young actor who, alter leaving Culumbia Uiiiversily. in;|(le- his debut '"in 'Johnny Belinda.' prixipceil■': al' the '.tCoiitinued'oi) page 21) • : I L. A. to N. Y. Harry Ak.sl.- Russell BenneIL . Steve Broiciy. George Proup. Har. y Col in. . Tom Connors: . Sam F.-ey. ' ■ Nick Grinde. Betty Ilutlon. Al.Jolson. Dr; Herbrti red Krtlilman. ■ Urieh W. Koingold. .Mary Livin'gcstoiie. - Sam Marx. Murphy. Mclfenry. William sV'Mcilzie.s. N'orinaivMillen./ Murray. SiK-eV. Spyios SkoKras, , l-.ee Stewart. John, Twist. Max W.ilk. N.Y. to L.A. . enoiy: ■ w li ving Berlin. ■ "'Abe Burrows. /.Michiti-I Cinti/. . Julius Kp.stei'n. l'liilip G, Rpsleiii. R.-vdie Harris. Jc-l ry Hoi \yin. Franklin Hughes. . . ; •lackie Ki Ik. Parke L''\:y. : • -.' iVf.'ij. Pare Loreiilz, ; Hotibeo Maiiioiili.-iii.. Fred Otluhan. Bei-narrl L. Schubeil'. Huui Si rombei-g. Ifiil B. 'Waliis. ' .-Carlton Young.- George /aehniy.' U S. SOLDIERS 'ST. MARK' STRONG CLICK IN LONDON . London. July t>. Special seelion 'of the U. S.- .'nny. iii iisijociation "with tlie . liie/ic.n Rid Cross, presented -Eye of Su Mark' Sunday <4) at the'Scala liiea- •tre. There was no boxoffice. tick- els being free to servicemen. ■ Play was admirably produced by Riiity Lane, with Ehsa helping with sel.s. Show was warmly received by servicemen..' and their friends. No- ciiticisms appeared in daijy nev.s- jjaperx; although .there was iio rulin against comment. -Production plays (he Seals for # lour weeks, after which it may li»n- :iie big military camps. N. Y. City Patrol Corps Would Enlist Show Biz Move lo -get additional aclors into the City Patrol Corps.' as a wartiiue necessity in. . protecting the V?*' 1 ri-iiclies of'New York City, has been taken by Charles Reed Jones.' head fir RepublicVOad-piibliciiy,,dc nieni ii'id. a captain, in the Cl'tV. has written Bert Lytell. .presideitl/of Ae.lo.r-S- Eftuily. suggesling eollabora- tion by members of ihe i.ieUiig pro-.- fession. Jones is hopC'td: of■ 'eu'.o.'l- ing a l.-irgivnurnbcr of Equity mem- bers ^('imiiig; oiil that/already > .nienibers 1'roni actors'' ;anl:s are the Corps: lle.pointcd.oiil lliiit not only n\::d- w.iy bill all- uf; N. Y. Cily './"faring , a serious police pi-()blein largely*V<'' eause. or tlie diniout. He cili-d tha'. .the N. Y, police-:force has losi .in;in.V nU'ii 'lo the 'armed: services, v. il'r no." replacements available because ihe type ol ihcii required arc demanded, by the inilifary services. Jones also related that tin' :-ilua- iiiiii is further coVnplicaled because iiiany nien- are - needed .lo guard waler-gatos. reseiS-oirs,. bridges ii'ul other likely targets of saboleurs. The City - Patrol Corps -siipjilenieuls the police in all of -ils;-;duties, nien and women' being lieeded for two shifts, from -. until eighl • i' "i. iind H orn U ' '.'-'until midiiiglit