Variety (Nov 1943)

SCREEN STAGE WR1ETY Published Weekly M M>\ \W«t.4ttlh Street, Xi*w York 1.9. N, Y-, hy V:i i i<My. Inc. A1111 u":i 1 nuhsi : r i i*f i*Mi. f in. :>ini;h. ciiplf!*. 2,5 renin Entered mm la-cuiiii-Hrtss Hfr I>•■<■»» in Ium- 1 duo," hi i liw l'ti^l -onrit-t* "sit X--u' \ m k. N.. V:. umii-r (In* tit Muri-li if, COrVRUillT, JH4S, HV VAKIKTV, 1N<\ AIX KHJII I H. NKSKHVKlr VOL. 152 No. 8 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1943 PRICE 25 CENTS B.0.s for Ice Shows Getting Hotter; $5,000,000 for Tollies/ icecapades' 'Hitting a new high, in popularity. Ice shows booked into the nation's arenas are heading (or record grosses, and on the basis of b o. re- ceipts already chalked up. are far beyond the coin intake registered at this time last year. Currently louring are 'Ice FolUes of 1944:' the Roy Shipstad show, which just wound up a five and a half week run at . the Pan-Pa- cific Auditorium. Los Angeles, and 'Icecapades,' which recently closed art engagement at Madison Square Gar- den. N. Y., and is'now playing the Arena, Philadelphia. Despite the off- season September booking into Madison Square Garden, the latter show in 19 days grossed upwards of $200.000.' which was 20"r belter than last year's gross. However. Lop interest in the ice shows is being 'manifested' on the road, particularly on the Coast, with both the Shipslad show and 'Ice- capades' headed for total season's grosses , estimated at $5,000:000, rep- resenting a $1,000,000 increase oyer last year. 'Ice Follies.' which opens at the Arena. Chicago on Friday (3). garnered grosses of approximately $90,000 a week in its L. A. engage- ment. Total'haul for the I,. A. run bettered $500,000, .largest gross ever hit by a show in. a single run. Final week's gross went to $100,000. Throughout its summer, engagement (Continued on page 3(i) MRS. WM. FOX BUYS UP PATENTS FOR POSTWAR Mrs. William Fox. wife of the founder and former head ol the Fox Film Corp.. is buying up patents of all kinds as a post-war investment, according to insiders. She has special representatives who contact inventors- receiving patent okays from ■ .Washington. These are published each month in a patents journal, together with specific information as to the nature of the. patents. Here's a Ripley: Charges Camp Shows Too Sexy? Washington. Nov. Is the type .of enlc.rlainmcnt now. being offered to Army camps in this country by live ialrnt tun bawdy and.raw-? 'Army Tinv.v.' a weekly journal circulated in the-..camps, thinks so in an editorial called 'Lei's Keep It Clean. Hollywood:' Why only Hollywood is selected ror. the rap is not made, clear but the edi- torial in the currenl issue comments: 'Unfortunately, the soldiers'- use of the picluresque!'Armv profanity has been misii..erproted by many rmy show entertainers. Again ii ma'yrbo that the wide publicity given pin-up pictures has given an' unforltinale twist to the entertainers''--thinking, as many have pervcVtcd id'-as that the (Continued on page 4!>) Negro Bands Getting Big Play on B'way There are more top-»o(ch Negro orchestras on Broadway currently thaiv at any previous time. Duke Ellington, at the Capitol, theatre for the past couple weeks, was joined last week by Louis Armstrong, who opened at Loew s Slate, and Lionel Hampton and John Kirby. Who opened'the same night at the Famous Door. Don Redman is at the Cafe Zanzibar. Count Basie replaces Armstrong in the-lineup Friday-night 15) when he opens at the Lincoln hotel, N. Y.. his first major hotel job in the. city. Armstrong closes at the Slate today (Wed.). Yank Tempo Sets Post-War Pattern for Legit and Vaude Producers Who Find British Public 'Likes 'Em Hot' U. S. TALENT FAVORED Overseas Press Cue Early Peace Recent discussions among mem-1 bcrs of the Overseas Press Club re-j fleet conviction among many former j European war .correspondents that the curtain Is- likely to ring down upon the European theatre of mili- tary operations in the near future. Several have staled that they would not accept assignments in the west- ern battle areas for the reason thai the conflict may soon be over. National magazine executives. I meantime.also .envisaging possibility! of a sudden cession of-'hostilities! (pointed up over Ihc past weekend j by Britain's Ambassador to the U. S.. | Lord Halifax i. report that most of, the important .advertising'' agencies-.! are not prepared with, any 'peace', copy. As a result a sudden drop in; national magazine advertising is ar.-j ticipaled peiidin ' readjustment of i schedules. It is reported, however, that some- agencies have been preparing ■ copy j to lake care of a .transition from- war lo peacetime advertising. The theatre in Great Britain in re- cent months has been going through a period of : transition out of which is emerging an Anglo-American flavor that's Keyed in tenipo and ap- peal to Broadway and Yank audi- ence. U. S. showmen, reluming from England either as performers, as administrators in guiding USO- Camp Shows activities at British bases, of-in other show biz capacities allied with the war-effort, report it as the first clear evidence of the manner in which the British .theatre pattern is shaping up for the post- war era. It's a pattern, they report, in which (he American influenceand approach to show biz methods has already left its - deep imprint. TJiey see. too, in (Continued on page 3(i) Hold That Thirst Liquor retail stores in New York| and nationally are no longer/remain-; ing open, all evening for that stray' drunk in the night. A 7 p.nl; shut 1 down is the rule, a.- a means lo con serve booze stocks. The film bunch around ■ Gotham. ! incidentally, is • starting-' to worry : plenty about Xmas booze, finding! that their visual: multiple -caseloads, can't be (11 led.which means that the' pres.-.. vendors, etc.. who usually' receive wet goods for Die holidays.! may be a bit dry this .-i-mc-icr. I Juve Delinquency Spawns A 'Teenster Nitery in Pitt Pittsburgh.. Nov. 2. First private move locally in followup to Hearst papers' campaign against juvenile delinquency is. a "ieensters nite club, operated oh Sat- urday? only by Jack Sullivan, former manager Of the Tommy Car : l.vn band, it:i association With Brent- wood .Junior Women's Club, mem- bers of which act as chaperones. Admission charge of 25c is lo pay for rent of room and jukebox, with soft: drinks sold to the young cus- tomers at cost. It's a non-profit ven- ture. Sullivan and Brentwood wtimen donating. their, time. Former by day is a salesman in a downtown de- partment store. Project naturally has the enthusi- astic backing of 'the local Hearst sheet, the Sun-Telegraph, and-Mock ,qt other neighborhoods, in addition •to"Brentwood, are plotting similar ventures." pcralion may. be; ex- tended to include Friday night as well.- First few.weoks'of the Teen N'igl>! Club drew, overflow crowds o( vnungsiers. urs Pix Role as Postwar Social Force 'Porgy' in 7T.M. Show At Roanoke to Meet Train Because there's only one train nightly out 'of Roanoke, Va., to Raleigh, 'Porgy and Bess' will play a dinner show on the second night of its two-day engagement at the Roanoke Academy of Music, Nov. 16. Instead of the usual 8:45 curtain; the show, will begin at 7 p.m., to allow for a 9:30 closing and sufficient time for haulage so that the mid- night: Roanoke-to-Raleigh special can be met. It's believed to be the first time that a legiler has been forced into a supper show run because of Iran's-, sportation exigencies. 'Porgy' plays Raleigh on following night. Legit Mgrs. See Theatres Ruined By Tax Boost Managers envision virtual ruina- tion of the theatre if the 30% tax is placed on admissions, as was planned by the House Ways and Means com- mittee. Original proposal for the high impost was modified during the committeels deliberations. then placed back-again with the rcsiill that a managerial delegation again visited Washington lale last week, with evident success, it being an- nounced Tuesday <2i that the'admis- sion levy was dropped lo 20"», or double the present-lake. Admission laxes have been saddled upon' show business since the last war. the present I0V nick having (Continued on page 361 t A cycle of films lo be patterned on Vie theme of 'The Four Freedoms,', and which is regarded as the lead- off gesture in an ambitious program mapped by the industry to project itself into the postwar picture is now in process of formulation.. Setup would be an important force in the social and economic reconstruction that will come with peace. Tied in 'with the program is a move by the studios, to establish shorts in the post-war era as a new and vital medium as the .industry's contribution in helping to solve the manifold readjustment'' problems. Some of the industry toppers express themselves as so enthused over the -potentialities' of shorls.that this type of ..film-looms-, lo them as portending an era that may well spell the doom of double features. As one film topper put it: 'The close of the war will bring sober and receptive audi- ences Into the theatre, and because the shorts will deal with topics up- permost in their minds and vital to eveiy-day living, they'll become an integral part of picture fare. And when you consider that the 10,000.- 000 servicemen who will return'to civilian life will have already been ■ introduced through Army orienta- tion pictures to this simple but seri- ous and expressive subject presenta- tion, it's understandable that the post-war. reflective shorts will have. (Continued on page 4G> WHITEMAN-DINAH-BING CONCERTS TO PLUG FUND Scries of gala concerts fealuring Paul White-man. in ah Shore and : Bing Crosby being planned by Abe' [ Laslfogcl of L'SO Camp Shows, pro- ceeds to go l.i the National War Fund. Concerts- would be given throughout the country, at four or five key cities, probably between Nov. 20 and Dec. 1. . Lastfogcl, now on the Coa.-.t making arrangements for the trio. SHERMAN WAS RIGHT! Modistes to ' the swank set. who ■ have been stymied through inability to get former imported fabrics due Id the war. are eyeing show biz cos- im:::ng as a lucrative held to keep establishments running until post- war.