Variety (Sep 1944)

Wednesday, September 27, 1944 47 Dan Kampel, ex-"Variety, with the Gale agency. Ex-legit p.a. Cpl. Ted Goldsmith, QMC, overseas. Carole Landis east to jpin the "Wilson" stars for the Boston preem. Radio exec Sid Strotz back to the Coast yesterday (Tues.) after 10 days east.': , ',''.'•/•::'■/: ■ '■ '..;.. Muriel Lasky rejoined Frank Law, promotion chief of the Ron ay hotel chain. ,'., ;'.■".- ■'■':' v •;.'.. v Tom Seidel to have the lead in "The Pooka," new Bvock. Pember- ton comedy. Ernie Baron, mimic, back in N . Y. after six months in South Pacific for USO-Camp Shows. / • • Howard Cullman's birthday Satur- day (23) the occasion lor quite a party at his country place. » Jack Douglas, formerly in public- ity in New Britain, Conn., has joined USO-Camp Shows p.a. staff. John Rihgling North, the circus man, yens to be a songwriter and is taking lessons in composition. Irving Rapper, Warner director who recently finished "Rhapsody in Blue" arrived east Saturday (23). Frank N. Phelps, in charge of labor relations for the Warner circuit, on a 10-day tour of the Ohio territory. Charles Caudle, CBS comic, signed by American Civic Opera for com- edy lead in "Naughty Marietta" reV vival. . John Gassner to give two advanced play writing courses at New School for Social Research, starting tomor- row (28). -'. Col. Dixie French recuperating from operation, home on 30-day . leave before rejoining his outfit overseas.. . Charles Parsons directing Taylor Holmes company of "Man Who Came to Dinner" for Jules Leventhal's sub- way circuit. Cecil Lubell leaving USO-Camp Shows' publicity dept. Saturday (30) to be managing editor Of Men's Ap- parel Reporter. Milt Harris, formerly in the Shu- bert office and now manager of the Miami drive-in theatre, running for city council there. John Fredericks leaving "Cath- erine Was Great" cast for lead in USO-Camp Shows overseas troupe ef "Ten Little Indians." Bob and Maxine Clayton retiring from show biz, he to join his father's business while the female half is anticipating: motherhood. Steve Cochran resigned as man' ager of the Mansfield ("Anna Lu- casta"), George Applebv acting for Julian Anhalt, who will handle the house. , Irving Pichel, east for a quickie huddle with his son, Irving. Jr., in the service at Penn State. Came in over the weekend; returned last night ITues.'). •'•'.'•'•'• •"'■.>.'}•' Louis Nizer, Sydney M. Kaye and MacDonald De Witt among lecturers in new course on problems in copy- right law beginning Oct. 5 at Practis- ing Law Institute. . Dinah Shore to. coast for rest be- fore opening her air show. "Dinah's Open House," Birdseye-sponsored, on NBC Oct. 5. Got in last week from oversells USO tour. .„ Janet Saehson, daughter of Arthur Saehson, assistant general sales man- ager for Warners, completely recov- ered from an attack of polio after taking Sister Kenny treatments. Neil F. Agnew. veepee and distri- bution head of Vanguard and David O. Selznick Productions, bought five- story dwelling in E. 80th street, as- sessed at $45,000, from Bank of New •York. Ernesto Lecupna, Cuban composer, due in U, S. this week to work on "Cafe Carioca,'' Latin - American musical to be produced by Marcel Ventura and Lee Cooley. Will also score several pix. '■',.'.'. Jack McManus running cocktail party at Blue Angel Sunday (1), with Harry Stockwell, Anita Alvarez, Dorothy Donegan, Sam Jaffe.Ro- selta LeNoire and Herman Chittison 'Trio, for Joint Anii-Fascist Refugee Committee. Ralph W. Budd, personnel director for Warners, tendered testimonial dinner last week by township' and / defense council of Wyckoff, N. J., in recognition of 18 years of service to the community, where he was mayor and has filled various other posts. He is-moving to Glen Rock, N. J. the Follies, gravely ill with pneumonia. . -. Thomas P. Gale, BBC rep in Mexico, back from a business trek to London. Stella Inda, pie actress, doing dramatic tab, "Smoke Screen," at XEOY (Radio.Mil). Chile has banned the Mexican pix "Bloodstain" and "Five Minutes of Love" on grounds of undesirabiiity. Carlos Niebla, local M-G manager, and Felipe Gregorio Castillo, head pic censor, back from business'trip to N. Y, ' Arturo de Cordoba back from Hollywood to work in a pic /that Mauricio de la Serha will produce and meg. Alfonso Brito readying a company for the presentation of Mexican plays in Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Alexander Salkind has inked Amanda Ledesiha, actress, for five years with his pic producing com- pany, Procinex. Film columnists congratulating Norman Foster, who has been meg- ging down here for some time, on his excellent Spanish. Gilmore Brown, Pasadena Play- house director, vacationing here, feted by • Fernando Wagner, Pan American Theatre director.. . . . '»•':•■.-."■ Civic government clamping down on theatres, cinemas and . other amusement places on standee viola- tions. Recent law prohibits. Stephan Berni. crack Russian horseman who did some doubling tor the late Douglas Fairbanks, play- ing a Mexican cowboy in pic, "The Day I Loved You." Films Pyda yanked "Lady Winder- mere's Fan," first Mexican pic ver- sion of the Oscar Wilde classic, to allow 20th-Fox to have screen for "Purple Heart" at the Cine Palacio Chino. '..'.'■/ ".'•..'•/■ •;;'. „ ;••'■ and her husband, David Clyde, be- came American citizens. . , Hugh Harman, cartoon producer, appointed . Marcel Fabian to repre- sent the company in France.' Jack Grant resigned as claims chief for Screen Actors Guild to join Republic's casting department. ,:. Jack Wagner planed for Peru on assignment from the Office of Co- ordinator of Latin American Affairs. Leon Frohikess, Joseph Santley and Tay Garnett elected board mem- bers of the Motion Picture Relief Fund. . Gerald B. Biirtnett resigned as senior censor of the Los Angeles Board of Review to become a war correspondent. Matt Shelvey. national director of the American Guild of Variety Ar- tists, due this week to close contracts with "Ice Capades" and "Ice Follies." Mexico City By D. t. Grahame .Margo visiting and may do some pic work. .Ernesto Vilphes inked to make a pic in Chile. . 1. Pix juves affecting Frank Sinatra style cravat. v _ Odnpposoff giving recitals at the Palace of Fine Arts. . : , „',{*? G " iza , r and wife left for Hollywood after a stint in Mexican Howell, concert violinist, giving recitals at the Palace of Fine Americo Mancmi. empresario of Hollywood Sally Bliss laid up with bronchitis. Milton Feldman bedded by sciatica. ' j ..:..'■ -'•..• ,'.■ Sally Haines divorced Bud Wolfe in Mexico.: Gradwell Sears in far United Art- ists huddles..; :. .', Gail Patrick to Norfolk, Va., with her Navy husband. Louis B. Mayer's condition report- ed greatly improved. Bill Pierce bought a new home'in San Fernando Valley. Jack Wildberg, Broadway pro- ducer, in town on biz.. '/ .' Lucille Lamarr changed her film name to Lucille Byron. James Cagney bought a hunk of real estate on Sunset blvd. "' Gabe York home from the hospital after a cataract operation. Spike Jones returned from an overseas tour with his band.. Lester Cowan to Washington with a script for Government okay. ■ . Gus Eyssell in town-booking pic- tures for Radio City Music Hall. Sol Hiirok east for the opening of the: Ballet Theatre season at Met. Angna Enters east oh a tour cov- ering the U. S.j Canada and Haiti. Spyros Skouras in from N. Y. for huddles' with Joseph M. Schenck. Joseph Moskowitz in from New York for 20th-Fox studio confabs. ■ /Dr.' Lloyd C. Douglas,' author of "The Robe," laid up with pneumonia. Lieut. Robert Taylor doing a com- mentary on a Navy picture at 20th- Fox ' Pvt. Marcus Loew II and Ethel Snyder announced their engagement to wed. Mrs, Dick Foran, former Carol Gallagher of the films, filed suit for divorce. Spencer Tracy landed in Honolulu to entertain wounded servicemen in hospitals." V Rosalind Russell hospitalized for a complete rest before resuming pic- ture work. Dolores, orchestra leader, to Mex- ico City to talk Spanish-language picture deals. Mrs. Betty Hofmarfn.»vife of Josef Hofmann, concert pianist, injured in an. auto crash. Charles Garland, out of the Army, joined the radio department of Berg and Allenberg. Walter Compton returned to his UA advertising chore-after two months' illness. '•• Robert S. Wolff, managing director for RKO in England, in town for studio huddles. * Bill Dunham combined with Rob- ert E. Satterfield as the Satferfield- Dunham.agency. ,.'-.•-.;.. Mrs. Wanda lberni filed a counter divorce suit against Louis Alborni. Spanish film actor. Dinah Shore returned from a seven-week tour of soldier enter- tainment in France. Jules Levy in town for huddles with Abbott & Costello over a one- picture commitment. Harry Novak, general manager for Warners in Argentina, conferring with Jack L. Warner. • Fay H'olrtcn. British-born actress. Chicago . Annual election of officers of Va- riety Club of Illinois will be held Oct. 9. ..- ''■/ Sylvia Froas replaces Ella Mae Morse in the Ted , Lewis-produced show at the Latin Quarter; Gene KrUpa slated for a two- month stay at: the College Inn in the Hotel Sherman, starting Oct. 6. Rose Bowl, former riite club, closed for several months, reopened by Rudy . Krause and Jess Jacobs as "Trade Winds," cocktail lounge. Marcus Glaser, longtime associate of Charley Hogan in vaudeville booking here, has returned to that job alter receiving an Army medi- cal discharge. ^. . '. k Autumn Revue will move into the Walnut Room of the Bismarck hotel Friday, Oct. 9. with Helene & Hayes, Martin Barnett, and Benny Strong's band featuring songstress Adrienne. New show at the Marine Dining Room of the Ectgewater Beach hotel features Emit Vandas' orchestra, the Dorothy Hild Dancers, Frank Pari puppets, Nirska, and Mardoni and Louise. •'•'':'■ .'.':."-...', ;: .:' •:.'■:-.• Michael Todd spent two days here last week auditioning chorus peo- ple, showgirls and dancers for his three productions, "Up in Central Park," "Star and Garter," and his Victor Herbert musical. Glen Gray and Casa Loma or- chestra will supply music for the re-openirig of the Boulevard Room of the Stevens hotel. Show, pro- duced by Anthony Nelle, will feature a line of 12 precision dancers from St. Louis Municipal Opera Company. Other acts not been set. OB ITU A R I ES Bob Hope CoMinued from pace 1 5; mission to the auditorium was via purchase of. War Savings Stamps at Toronto drugstores, with house scaled at $4 top but customers re- taining their stamps and Pepsodent paying the Gardens rental. All seats had been sold in a whirl- wind campaign when, Hope asked where the 1,400 servicemen were to be seated as stipulated in the con- tract. Druggist's committee had overlooked this in their ticket-sell- ing enthusiasm with Hope thereupon stating that they must be seated down front or he wouldn't go on. Frantic appeals then went out from here to Pepsodent and the agency to have Hope ease off but latter unable to placate the comic. Result was that a block of 1,400 seats was set off for the servicemen in the choic- est front-center location, civilian seat-holders being shunted back or to the. sides in the general seating arrangement chaos, while others had to stand because of the sellout. MARRIAGES Carol Kemler to . 5\ Sgt. Elihu I Winter, New York, Aug. 26. Groom Was former asst. story editor at Uni- versal before joining armed forces. / Karen Conrad to Pittman S. Corry. Atlanta, Ga , Sept. 11. Bride is ballet dancer; groom is i,clor, ,. Peggy Ryan .10 Roger Patrick, Chi- cago. Sept. 5. Groom i.s WGN staff announcer. Gloria Dw . to. Jack Slrajham, Hollywood, Sept. 23. Bride is a dancer; groom .an orchestra leader. BIRTHS 5-Sgt and Mrs Arthur E. Fallen, daughter, Pittsburgh./. Sept. 16. Father, is/to Tier WWSW announcer, now. overseas, Mr. and Mls, Johnny Green, daughter, Hollywood, Sept. 22. Mother is Bunny Waters of the films; father is .composer and musical su- pervisor at Metro. ■ ; -Mr. and Mrs. Noel Sanders, son, Detroit; Sep - .. 13. Father operates Joy theatre in that city*. Mr. and Mrs. Sol Zatt, son, New Yotk, Sept. 21. Father; is press agent: mother formerly in press .dept. 0! WNKW, % Y. PHIL MORRIS / ; Phil Morris. 58, former agent and booker for Keith-Albee and ''. later RKO circuit, died Sept. 24 in Kew Gardens, Long Island, N. Y. He had been in poor health recently. . Morris had been in the agency and production branch of vaude for about 30 : years. partnered, with Harry Green, he had produced many acts for vaude and handled the busi- ness for many topflight acts. He also made several attempts in the legit field, his last venture being the mu- sical revue, •"Just A Minute," pro- duced in 1928. Morris also had been associated with B. A. Rolfe's Vode- Vision, invention whereby acts could be accompanied . by disc music in- stead .of orchestras in theatres. Idea was intended, for . small outlying spots but union stymied:it. Prior to his death. Morris had been managing Cootie Williams"'.orches- tra. Before that had been with USO* Camp Shows .in maliagerial capacity.'. Widow, son and daughter survive. LOUIS X PARKER Louis Napoleon Parker, 91. com- poser, dramatist and pageantmrsfcr.. died Sept. 21 in Devonshire, Eng- land. '"■('■ He was best known'in America as author of "Disraeli." in which George Arliss had the title role both on the stage and later in films. Among his other plays s<jen in the U. S. were "RbseYnaiy.'' in which John Drew and Maude Adams starred; "Pommander . Walk'" and "The Cardinal,": , . After studying music at the Royal Academy in London, he became a musical instructor and. at. the age of 40, turned to play writing. Early this century he began producing pageants, his "Lily of France" being presented four years running at the national festival in Nancy, France. Parker is survived by two dadgh- ters. ■:/:■'.:■■-■ '. ' : y.-: ' : ; ' : -''.'-*•'' . ; ' .', EDWIN BURKE Edwin Burke, 58, died at the Post Graduate hospital, N. Y., Sept. 26. He was an author Of wide experi- ence extending from vaudeville, th« stage and pictures, ■ After writing any number of sketches for Lewis & Gordon, pre- sented in the twb-a-day, Burke went to Hollywood and was associated with Winfield Sheehan on the Fox lot and his latest studio stmt was in connection with the Eddie; Rick- enbacker film. He wrote the legit play "This Thing Called Love." He was a member of the Lambs and Players clubs. , MICHAEL O'KEEFE >K'> Michael O'Keefe, 72, veteran legit actor and father of Walter O'Keefe, stage and radio comedian, died as re- sult of injuries received in an auto accident Sept. 19 in Miami. O'Keefe had appeared in dramatic stock and later in a number of legit plays until his retirement some years ago. v ' '/.': PVT. JOEY R. MOSS Pvt. Joey R. Moss, 32, was killed in France Aug: 27, according to word from the War Department received by his family in Detroit. Moss had operated Eastwood Park in that city with his brother, Ben, prior to induction. RICHARD MARSHALL* Richard Marshall. 48, stage and screen publicist! died Sept. 26 in Oakland, Cal.. as an aftermath of injuries 'Received when hit by a truck some time ago in Chicago where he was working with "Per- sonal Appearance,'' - Discharged from , the. hospital, Marshall i returned to the Coast where complications set in,. Start- ing his career as a boxoffiee man in San Francisco, worked at various times for Oliver Morosco. Henry Duffy and Ann Nichols, and press- agented the first production of "Abie's Irish Rose.'* on the Coast. He handled publicity for the San Francisco World's Fair and was as- sociated for a time with Fox-West Coast.,.- -..■'./''. .''"•.:'■ .'i'-. :: '.• '.'■.'."', CHAMP N. BELDEN Champ N. Belden. 79. died Sept. 20 in Akron, O. In 1913 he built the Thornton theatre on South Main street, that city, and operated the theatre until his son Park A. Belden, took oyer, management in recent years,/;.:V ' : .. ■' .:■•'.:-'.■/■ .'■':>''■ Carl 1. BcMern, 63, veteran mo- tion picture projectionist, died in Rochester, N. Y M Sept. 18. He learned the business at the Bijou, one of the earliest film theatres, and at the time he was stricken was employed at the BKO Palace. HARRY ABBOTT, JR. Hjirry Abbott. Jr.. 50. brother and business manager of Bud Abbott, and stage producer in his own right, died Sept. 19 in Hollywood. Member of-a circus family. Ab- bott entered sho.wbusiness with his brother as theatre owner and pro- ducer of- stock'companies 'in Roches- ter, Buffalo and Toronto. Retiring from producership in 1940. he moved to Hollywood as Bud's business ad- visor but returned briefly to, the stage production with "Swing Shift Revels" and "Laffin*. Thru" at the Music Box theatre. Hollywood, in 1942. Surviving are his widow, brother and two sisters. EMILY DODD /Emily Dodd, retired legit act".ess who was a * member of the late Charles Frohman's Empire Theatre stock company of the early 90's, died Sept. 21 in Brooklyn, N. Y. One of Mms Dodd's early successes was "Liberty Hall." She later appeared in other plays with Viola , Allen; Henry Miller and May Robson. ■ Miss Dodd, playing the same role created in original production of "Liberty Hall.'' appeared in the play when revived at the Empire 20 years later, being the only member of original cast. Her last stage appear- ance was in "Charm Schoor' at the Comedy theatre, N Y., in 1925. Father of Bob Gessrier, writer and pix prof, at NYU> died in Escanaba, Mich. . -' ■ Mother of maestro Cab Calloway, Mrs. Eulalia Fortune,: 62, died Sept. 24 in Baltimore. * Exchange of News Continued from page 1 MRS. EDWARD C. KAFTERY ' Mrs. Edward .Cm Mark) Raftery, 43,. wife'.of the United"Artists'.presi- dent, and member of the'lawfirm of O'Brien, Driscoll & Raftery, died Sept. 25 at their Forest Hills, N. Y., home. Long '.ailing, . from/ heart trouble, this was complicated by pneumonia. However, while ill for some time, her death was sudden. Besides her widower, three "chit- drn survive, two daughters, 17 and 12, and r boy of t'.a'y ' . ..''.. . :.'.. ' vinced that international radio broadcasting will be a vital factor in keeping the peace." : - ^ OWI Chief Elmer DaviS alsq hit the theme. •;." /: -••'"" "The great technical plant that has been created to carry the 'Voice of America' in wartime will still be here, ready to serve America in time of peace. Precisely what the future of international broadcasting, as conducted from the United States, may be, it is too early to say. Many men, . in the Gqvcrnmcni and in private industry, are giving thought to it, but no final determination has yet been made." He went on to add that "the better we are known abroad, the better will, our national interest be served. ' This followed up the"'Senate-parsed resolution of a week ago, calling for free exchange of news and the an- nouncement of Secretary of State Cordell Hull that he was working for such exchange. Since the 200,000 wJtttc-rs Can reach to every corner of the globe and since other countries will be able : to build similar transmitters . after the war, it is pointed out by experts here, the world is ready for widespread international 'broadcast-, ing. . ■•'■'•.':.'■;•.•'.':■:'• ';'.;'.'//:■'' ■:":■'.' One question, to which Govern- ment officials de not. yet krtnv/ the answer, is whether these stations will be permitted to cany com- mercials plugging American-made goods, after the war. These "Big Bens" of' radio are WLWL, WLWS and WLWR. located about-20 miles nortli. bf Cincinnati They are twice as powerful as Ger- many's, 100,000 watters, heretofore, the biggest, and will operate 20 hours a day, sending messages to Europe, Latin America arid Africa as "The Voice of America." They represent an investment of $1,750,000 rjy the. Crosley Corp. Of the 33 DX-erS heretofore used by OWI and the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs for propaganda broadcasts,, the two most powerful were WLWO and WLWK—each TS.'On watts/.