Variety (Mar 1945)

WAS ACTIVITIES W«Jacfltay, Marek 7, 1945 Red Cross m March IS N. Y. Teeoff With Times Square Demonstration Theatre collection campaign lor Red Cross tees off In New York on faarch 15 In Times Square with a demonstration to be staged at the Statue of Liberty. Plans are to pre- ■ent a pageant with children of the -various United Nations appearing in their native costumes. Brooklyn rally is scheduled for - March 14, while the Queens Chapter Red Cross Parade and Rally has been set for March 17. In Dallas more than 200 exhibitor and distribution reps attended cam- paign meeting last week to map ?ilans for participation in the mo- ion picture industry's drive from March 15-21. Plans were mapped to •nsure maximum collections in some MO theatres in Texas. Industry Red Cross meeting in Boston late last month drew attend- ance of more than 250 . exhib and distribution reps. It was revealed that 520 of New .England's 715 thea- tres had pledged cooperation in the campaign and others were expected, to line up before the drive tees off. In Kansas City it has been an- nounced that 360 theatres had pledged Red Cross participation as compared With 309 pledges at' the same time last year. In St Louis. Albert Stetson, co- ordinator of war activities for Fan- chon & Marco and the St. Louis Amusement Co., pledged $3,000 gifts from each corporation. $1^00 from 70O employees and $22,500 in audi- ence collections. Announcement was also made of a contribution of $1,000 from Local 143,-Motion Picture Ma- chine Operators; J320 from Warner Bros.; $150 from Republic: $1,000 from Paramount; $280 from Na- tional Screen Service; $225 from Universal Reports from Nebraska, Washing- ton, California and Ohio, indicate virtually 100% cooperation by thea- tre operators in those areas. • HeJIywee* Becer* Indicated Hollywood, March 6. First returns on the film industry's 1845 Red Cross drive, only three days after the start, showed 5,562 subscriptions out of a totaH of 25,000 potential donors. Early figures in- dicated a - high total, according to Walter Wanger, chairman of the Hollywood branch of the campaign. Largest number of studio con- tributors were reported from Metro,. ■With Universal a close runner-up. Salute to Hollywood Victory Committee Read Into Congress I Record Washington, March 6. The'war record of the Hollywood Victory Committee.was placed in the Congressional Record last week by Rep. Gordon L. McDoriough, Holly, wood's new congressman. "I would like to recount briefly a" few of the services they have ren- dered to our armed forces on all bat- tlefronts of the world." he said in the statement. . • "Members of the Hollywood Vic- tory Committee have: traveled 4,- 000,000 miles; made 37,979 free ap- pearances; sent 139 guest stars to ap- pear on the fighting "fronts; provided 341 actor players for 324 camp and hospital shows; given 1,510 one-night stands at embarkation points; helped the War Dept. Armed Forces Radio Service with making-1,574 entertain- ment transcriptions; volunteered the. services of 233 actors and musicians, in six War Loan Bond Selling drives; made 100 broadcasts and transcrip- tions for CIA A; cooperated with the War Activities. Committee of the motion picture industry in producing 37 film shorts for distribution in 16,- 000 theatres; assisted the Red Cross, Infantile Paralysis Foundation. War Chest, Army Emergency Relief Fund, Navy Relief Society; kept up this show every day for three years. "Their services have brought smiles and happiness to the boys at the front when keeping up morale was a tough job for their command- ing' officers. They all deserve credit and applause tor their work. They are good American citizens and have done their best by lending their tal- ents to help win the war." Tot Nefrt Sports Start Set for Overseas Jarat; Draft Boards Nil Two A Negro sports unit—tint of iti kind—is finally going overseas for USO-Camp Shows this month, with, however, two outstanding athletes forced to stay behind by arbitrary rulings of local draft board* Group will include Henry Arm- strong, prize-fighter; Kenny Wash- ington, former AIl-Araerican foot- ball star .at U.CXA; Joe Lillard, one-time All-American footballer at Oregon U.; Bill Yancey* well-known baseball and basketball player, and Dan Burley, sportswriter on Amster- dam IN. Y.. City> News. Nixed stars are Jesse Owens, ex-Olympic track star, and Brud Holland, former Cor- nell All-American end. Holland, who is employed by Sun Shipbuilding, was definitely refused permission to leave his defense job to go overseas, despite its morale value. Owens, who has defense job with Ford Motors, Detroit, was originally refused okay by his home- town (Columbus, O.) draft board, who threatened to reclassify him as 1-A if he quit his job for the over- seas trip. Later he was okayed on a three-month deferment, only to be held up again last week, when local board passed the buck to Ohio state selective service, who in .turn passed decision to Michigan state selective service because he works in that state, board Anally saying no. Kenny Washington's draft board held up . approval of his going, pending an Army physical wherein he was classified 4-F. Then it grant- ed deferment. Refusal to give. deferments for overseas- morale trips is based on reluctance of some draft boards, to take men out of defense jobs. Not only can't men be taken, as a rule, out of defense plants; they can't even be taken out of a post- office job. Camp Snows tried to do this, sometime back tor. a man for their overseas legiter "Porgy and Bess,** w ithout success. TODHTS ttRMAN FILM CHORE MAY BE LTD. Hollywood, March ft ■ Robert Riskin, OWI Overseas Mo- tion Picture chief, had ho comment on Billy Wilder's being offered job as head of entertainment in Germany. Riskin pointed out, however, that job didn't mean control of all Germany. Whoever gets post Will only be top entertainment man in area allotted to United States at Yalta conference. Sectors controlled by British and Russians will undoubtedly have their ewn 'appointees from respective coun- tries, he stated. Area given to U.S. as control zone is Southern Ger- many and Austria. SalBte to Warner* Senator Albert B. Chandler, of Kentucky, in an address which was printed in the Congressional Record* commenting ph the $7,000,000 turned over by Harry M. Warner to Army Emergency Relief from "This Is the Army" showings, stated "This is an event almost without precedent It reflects credit not only on the. mo- tion picture industry but on the whole of American industry a* well as.that one of our great companies, should, give up a large portion of its profits for Army Emergency Relief." Text of Warner's letter to Gen. George- C. Marshall was. inserted in the Congressional Record. Clayton Hamilton Joins USO ; Ross Vice Fox Clayton Hamilton, vet playwright and critic, has joined USO-Camp Shows' New York headquarters as administrative .assistant to veepee Kawzehee. Phillips, on.salaried basis. Is also writing- a book; in addi- tion to emceeing *Brownstone The- atre" airer over Mutual. ' George Ross, former N. Y, World- Telegram Broadway columnist and amusement editor, took over Monday <5) as publicity director at USO- Camp Shows New York headquar- ters, succeeding- Maxwell Fox.. Fox, "completing three years as £.a. with Camp Shows, plans re- entering commercial pubj. : -ity field. Pit Aid Peace as WeO AsWar t SaysCeI.Cewai " Holly wood. March 6. Greatest morale factor among American, servicemen is the motion picture, according to Lieut. Col. Lynn Cowan, motion picture officer for three years in Geo. MacArth.ur's command. In addition, he declared, the film will be an equally great fac- tor in rehabilitation • after the war. Currently agaiting reassignment at Santa Barbara, Lieut. Col. Cowan made his report through the Public Information Committee of the film industry. He said, in part: "Just as films, have maintained home ties for our soldiers every where, they will bring the peoples of the world back to the trends of world affairs. . America and her al- lies face the problem) of overcoming the effects at yearsi of propaganda in liberated countries; and nothing cut do that job as can the screen." RK0's Newsline Break Hollywood. March 6". Navy is lending RKO 26 Marines, geleased from the Cabaiiatuaii prison •amp- on. Luzon,' for the opening e*4uence of "The Invisible Army," glory'of Filipino guerrilla, warfare. Stadias,i» rushing wotk an the plc- . tire to cask the curreat interest is tte Plnlffl a n Navy Sets Up Talent Program As Aiswer to Morale Problem 9th Ak Force Unit Returns From O^seas ToMakeBoidTov The Ninth' Air Force Skyblazers unit, one of the first overseas enter- tainment'units set up by the Army, has been returned to this country and wilt probably go on a bond-sell- ing tour. Outfit, consisting of a dozen enlisted men headed by Sgt. Harry Bernle, an emcee and dancer in civilian life, was organized 'in Africa before the USO dispatched overseas units.. Since organization in 1M2, Sky- blazers have? played the front lines in virtually every ETO campaign. . Sgt. Bernie and Bob Panichi, clari- netist, were awarded bronze stars, Others in the unit included Austin Fownley, tenor; Jack Kahn and Bob Clements, pianist; Tex Perrln, cow- boy singer and guitarist; Ralpkt Schlane, impersonator; Jack Wil- liams, cemic. and an arch including Charles Brown, trumpet; Al Good-, man, drummer, and George, Doll, bass. . Skyblazers carried full-sized ar-. senal white traveling. Chas. H CoreTree Agaa Charles- H. Core, United Artists manager m the'Philippines;, and his wife and .daughter, were among the Americans recently freed;- from the Japanese prison camps in Manila by Gen Douglas MacArthur's forces, ac- cording to a War Dept.. announce- ment. The family was taken prisoner by the Japs shortly after Pearl Harbor. Li. Scully OK Lt. John Scully, Jr., son of John Scully,. New England district sales manager for Universal, has. been freed: from, a German prison camp by the Russians in their pu9h toward Berlin, according to official , word re- ceived by the farpily. Scully, Sr„. Is a toother of W. A. Scully, v.p, and general sales, manager for U at the homeofBce,. BYPASS'MSG IN GIBKLYNTRYOUT 'Three-Day Past," fourth Army Special Services blueprint show test- ed at Fort Hamilton. Brooklyn, Thursday (I), is weakest of the lot. Sketches for the most part are rou- tine, music on the whole disappoint- ing and the whole production, unin- spired. Impression seems to be that of a quick throw-together, with too many cooks and no co-oidinating factor. Show is first to use music com- posed outside the Army, songs being provided by an impressive array af tunesmiths. Only the title song; bal- lad by Oscar Hammerstein, 2d, and George W. Meyer (and sung pleas- ingly by Pfe. Thomas Sellaro) is of hit calibre. Opener,. "A Day Gone," rhythm number by Irvin Graham and Bob Saur, and reprised several times, has a certain snap; AHie Wru- bel's "Best of All" is a good swing number, and Bert Shatter and Ervin Drake's "Jungle Stage Door Can teen" has some good music Of the sketches written by .Special Services staff only "Lie Down Strike" is of top grade, although "Broadway" - and "Sergeant Pagti acd" are also amusing. Last-named, adapted by Russell Bennett and Rob- ert Simon,, has a fine tenor in CpT. Elwood Garrison to help the parody along. T/5'Ioha C. Olson, son of comedian. Ole Olseh, is responsible largely for the "Lie Down Strike' success. Pvt. Harry Barbarkoft is a mildly entertaining comic in several .'other sketches, although distinctly overworked T/3 Milton Stem staged the show foe Special. Services: with a pickup cast at Fort Hamilton. W- O. Edward Sadowski conducts the. GI- orchestra. ■ Bron Capt. Kresch Kitted In Italy; Was With WB Philadelphia, March ft Capt. D. Benjamin Kresch, former member of the Warner Bros, legal staff here, was killed' in an airplane crash In Italy Feb. 2, it was learned here last week. Capt. Kxescn waa attached to the Intelligence Division, Air Transport Command Kresch wa* a prominent member of the Variety Club, Tent 19, once serving; as attorney fo r {he organi: " 20th U Hoi Loan Hollywood, March ft Uncle Sam*s Seventh War Lean, as well as Canada's Eighth Victory Loan, will be plugged by "The AU- Star Bond Rally," currently in pro- duction at SWh-Fox, with. Michael Audley directing. All-star cast consists of Vivian Blaine, Jeanne Crain, Bing Crosby. Linda Darnell, Betty Grable, June Haver,, Bob Hope, Harry James, Buster Keaton, Faye.Marlow, Harpo Marx, Fibber McGee and Molly, Carmen Miranda, Sheila Ryan, Frank Sinatra and Martha Stewart. Added to Bond Staff J. Edward Shugrue, director of the pix and special events of the War Finance Division, U. S. Treasury,, added Adolph J. ■ Silverstein to his staff. Latter a former member of Hal Home staff of the 20jk-Fox and re- cently discharged from U. S. Army. He will serve as assistant to Max E. Yoiingsteln in publicizing the activi- ties and promotions of the depart- ment in connection with forthcoming War Loan Drivest HypoUlPbioLaads Liberated Frooi Jobs Hollywood, March 8. Prints of pictures subtitled, nar- rated or dubbed into Korean and Chinese dialects-are being readied by the Psychological Warfare Division of the Army for distribution ba Far East countries; sueh> as Korea, Man- churia and Formosa as soon as they are liberated. For more than 10 years films shown in those sectors were restrict- ed to the Japanese language. Idea is to undo Nipponese propaganda with the help of films In native dia- lects. Dick Font to England As Aid* to Sid Bernstein Washington, March ft Richard Food, former BIS film chief in N*w York and 1 Washington, leaves, shortly for England to be- come assistant to Sidney Bernstein of the British Ministry of Informa- tion. One of Ford's jobs will be col- lecting information on production- and distribution of official British and Atbed films throughout liberated Europe. Nevile Gardiner, Washington film officer for BIS, also leaves- short Jy for England where he will consult with biggies fit the film division-. N. Y. to L. A. Neil Agnew. Milton. Biow. Guy t EysselT. Lawrence Green. Jose IturbL - Albert Kornfeld. Jack Lait. Aba Lastfbgel Saas E. Morris. Oscar Serlln, George A. Smith. Harry Stevens. .Martin Wagner. Awake finally to the need of en- tertainment among its personnel, ai well as to the tact that it has a seri- ous morale problem on its hands, the U. S. Navy at long last is setting up a program to meet these needs and fill a long-feK void.. Apparently indifferent for oyer two years to gob entertainment while the- Army set up its Special Services division, and went ahead planning GI shows and outside tal- . eht, the Navy has recently' had a change of heart Waking up to the fact that its boot camps are now rest camps for veterans who need enter- tainment as part of .relaxation; aware now of the long id to IB-week stretches an ships at.sea as welt as the long waits on some shore instal- lations, requiring outside stimula- tion; taking cognizance of gripes from the Pachte about. GI entertain- ment .to the neglect of the gobs—the Navy is taking steps to remedy the situation. A skeleton force was set up re- cently in New York to explore- their needs and pot a program into- being, while a mora comprehensive setup is only awaiting Washington ap- proval to go ahead.. A meeting held in New York Friday i2> between Navy officials and well-known Broadway figures representing the Writers* War Board, studied' the sit- uation further and crystallized' a program- with several Ideas. - Meeting Friday was attended by George S. Kaufman, Max Gordon, Russet Grouse, Fatri GaTlico, Oscar Hammerstein Id, Christopher La- Farge, Hobo Morrison and Mrs. Dor- othy Rodgera, representing the Writers' War Board and its Com- mittee for Scripts for Soldier and Sailor Shows, and Commander S. L. Drumm; Lt. Comm. J. Frank Gilday and Lt.'Harold Gross. Drumm, di- rector of Special Services in Bureau of Personnel, and Gilday, in charge of Recreational Services, came up from Washington, for the event. Ceateat ' A contest fox dramatic material-- skits, plays, songs,, monologs—open to Navy, Marine, Coast Guard and Wove personnel, will be launched May 1, closing Aug. 1, with 41 money prizes in war bonds to the winners. The War Board Committee is spon- soring the oontest, with the Navy assisting in circularizing-and publi- cising the event throughout the service. The Navy will also print and distribute the priaawinnlng en- tries; Tha Committee will also as- sist the Navy in locating among the letter's personnel the talent needed te sat up its new entertainment pro- gram. The contest is considered tha opening salvo of tha new Navy en- tertainment program. . Heretofore the Writers* War Board has been sharply turned down when it of- fered material to the Navy for mo- rale use. No organized procedure was in usa for having self-entertain- ment material reach tha gobs, such as the Army had with its Special Services setup. Navy individuals having to write Special Services or the War Board whenever they want- ed scripts or shows. . Navy did noth- ing to encourage shews being put on in camps or barracks, although, they did welcome USO-Camp Shows units (Continued an page SB.) Conors' Lou Tom J. Connors, 20th-Fox v.p., in charge of worldwide sales, Is assum- ing duties of national distributer chairman, of the Seventh. War Lsaa. during the lUteai of Gradwell L Sears, v.p. of United Artists in charge of distribution-. Spyres. Shown*, Mth president advised the War Activities Commit- tee that the entire Mth Century-Fox organization will be available to co- operate with Conaors and back him up In this great patriotic work. L. A. to N. Y. George Bagnall. Bob Bencbley.*. Frank- Boreage, WiH Hays, Henry HerbeL - Ivor Kenway. Don McElwaine. ICorman Moray. Snag WenSs. . Steve SJWngmr,