Variety (May 1945)

54 Wednesday, May 30, 1945 Literati In Re: Joe Kamp Last week "Variety" reported •bout a pamphlet entitled, "With Lotions of Love," published by Joseph P. Kamp, and a frank smear on Walter Winchell. T!ie report re ferred to Kamp as one of the de- fendants in the mass trial of ac- cused seditionists in Washington last year. Latter statement was in- correct. Kamp -was not a defendant in that trial. Tlie mag Time is involved in the Kamp pamphlet, since* inside front cover of booklet reproduced a page from a 1943 issue of Time, with Winchell's picture. Time Immediate ly wired Winchell disclaiming .the Kamp tiein, applied for an injunc tion, and got a temporary restrain- ing order against Kamp. A hearing on Time's application, which also asks that Kamp's booklet be im pounded and destroyed, is to be held by Junj 22. Meanwhile, by order of Federal Judge Rifkin, In N. Y., Kamp is stopped from! circulating the pamphlet. Time had asked Winchell, also, to announce its disclaimer. To date, Winchell, who's been feuding with the Luce outfit, hasn't answered that request. Cause for Mania Indeed Dear Mr. Editor: I'm the guy that represented your rag "in Buffalo for 25 years—re- member? You know what kind of a softie I am for mistakes—like Pu- laski with "On the Town" or Bige- low with "Green Pastures" or Ras- coe with anything. But boy, how I do object to being fouled up liter- arily—extra and gratuitously. . Long time ago I caught a show for your journal and remarked in my review that one of the char- acters was a "manic-depressive." That one went round and round, and came out in the next issue on the stands as "maniac-depressive." I nearly swallowed my tongue de- pressor but charged it up to some dope of a press reader. I was wrong. Last week, I caught another quiv- ering dramatic cadaver yclept "Mo- ment of Importance." Again I re- marked that a character in it was a "manic-depressive." Again it went round and round and in this week's issue up it comes once more as "maniac-depressive."- Now I know— I should have stood in bed! You see, Mr. Editor, my trouble is an inferiority complex. When I'm ^galled, what I see looks red. So listen—the word is "manic." My pet psychiatrist told me so—and anyhow it says here in my medical Thesa- urus. So please, please stop torment- ing me. A quarter of a century of that "Variety" double-acrostic talk has fouled me up plenty. But lay off, brother, or-you may be-right. Leave my "manic" alone—it might turn to be "maniac," and then what? Hoping you are the same, Sid Burton. Takes Over Chi Columns Adele Hoskins, city desker on Chi Daily News, takes over film and radio columns this week from Carl Guldager, who graduates to con ducting the sheet's "Here Is Chicago" gab column, recently run by Ward Caille. Miss Hoskins started her news- paper career as secretary to Mike Kennedy, Sunday" editor of the Chi Tribune. ■■' Pageant to Resume Monthly Pageant, now on stands with a June-July combined issue, will ditto with an August-September issue out July 10,' then resume on a monthly basis in the fall with its October is- sue (out Sept. 10). Aug.-Sept. mag wiil still have material selected by its old editors, with masthead listing neither old nor new staffers, the October issue being first actually under the Ver- non Pope-John Hackett editorship. Sharp departure in makeup and con- tent is expected under new regime. Sinclair's 'Bright Path' Publishers' contracts for his' "Bright Paths to-Adventure" have just been signed by Gordon Sin- clair, globe-girdling reporter and former "Variety" mugg. The 75,000- word tome, with 24 fotos and line drawings, will be brought out Oct. 10 by McClelland & Stewart, To- ronto, and Doubleday-Doran, New York. Consists of straight action stories, aimed at the older boy, and omits any love interest, etc. Some of the yarns are rewrites of his "Today's Adventure" series , which . Sinclair has been doing five days a week on coast-to-coasl Canadian network for three years with Shredded Wheat as sponsor. Eaton's and Simpson's, Toronto's two largest department stores, have each signed for 3,000 copies of first Canadian edition with options on subsequent Canadian editions. '■•;'■■ ; Dailies Clamor for H'wooit Copy Newspapers throughout the coun try are yelling for more Hollywood news and features, with the slack ening of war tidings since V-E Day. United Press bureau in Los An geles is concentrating heavily on motion picture coverage and reports a demand for faster service. It is good news to the film studios whose newspaper space has been cut heav ily since Pearl Harbor. New Kind of Bible Bally Frank Ross, producing "The Robe" for RKO, signed a contract to pro- vide Consolidated Book Publishers with color stills from the picture for use in a New Testament to be published after the film is released. Understood the first printing will be 1,000,000 copies. Deal marks the first time a motion picture has been'ex- ploited in Bible printing. I,en Lyons to Europe Leonard Lyons, N. Y. Post column- ist, left Tuesday night (29) to visit London, France, Belgium and Ger- many on a special mission at the in- vitation of the British government. He will be gone four weeks. Previously, Lyons had been re- jected for overseas duty as an Amer- ican war correspondent. WWB's Permanent Stance The Writers' War Board has or- ganized a permanent committee to combat racial stereotyping in fields of literature and entertainment, with Bob Landry as chairman, and Luise Sillcox and Hobe Morrison assisting. Committee will follow up work done in recent survey by Prof. PaulLazas- field, concentrating for present on magazines, to single out for praise or condemnation those mags who avoid or perpetuate racial stereotypes. Action is offshoot of Board's fight against race prejudice as expressed in its Committee to Combat Race Hatreds, also headed by Landry; its endorsement of various documentary films; its material for radio use, and its promotion of books on racial ten- sions, like Gwethalyn Graham's "Earth and High Heaven" and Lil- lian Smith's "Strange Fruit." CHATTER A. P. Tedesco joined Grosset & Dunlap as art director on June 4. Melchior Lengyel will have six of his film scripts published by-Henry Holt & Co. George Jessel wrote "We Shoot at Sunrise" and "I'm the Star," for publication by Colliers in August. Ernest Rogers, Atlanta Journal as- sociate editor, in Hollywood as guest ot Vincent Sherman, his former re- porter. Frank Gruber started another series of "Johnny Frelcher"' mys- tery novels for publication by Far- rar & Rinehart. Bud Hutton and Andy Rooney, editors of Stars & Stripes, have writ- ten a book by that title. Farrar & Rinehart will publish. Major W. E. Hussman, ed of Eu- ropean edition of Yank, back in Arkansas as asst. pub of chain of papers owned by C. E. Palmer. Ann Thomas completed a novel, "Child Actress," based on' her early experiences while attending new York Professional Children's School. King Features (Hearst) plans con- tinuing Bennett Cerf as a syndicated humor-anthologist, even after the current "Try and Stop Me" scries expires.: ■ ' MacKinlay Kantor completed his screen story, "Glory for Me," for Samuel Goldwyn and returned to France as war correspondent for Collier's. Don Gillette, tradepaper contact for!' Warner Bros, at the homeomce, has an article in the June issue of Coronet magazine titled "Only 5% Win in Wall Street." Marlene Dietrich is profiled in July This Month by Carroll Carroll, radio scripter, article praising ac- tress for remaining in Europe in 'comparative obscurity" to entertain GIs. May's a banner month for WHN Commentator Johannes Steel. His book, "The Future of Europe," has just been published; he has an article in Fact mag, and is doing two for This Month and Bead, rnags, BIRTHS Lieut, and Mrs. Peter Dearing, daughter, New York, May 24. Father was London legit producer-director before, entering British Navy and re- cently directed London production of "Three's a Family," current at the Winter Garden, London. Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Fensin, daugh- ter, Chicago, May 19. Father is prez of Fensin Seating Co, lilt, and Mrs. Norman Nervig, daughter, Hollywood, May 20. Mother is Ardel Wray, RKO writer. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Lange, daughter, New York, last week, Father is with contract dept. of Warners, Mr. and Mrs; Les Peterson, daugh- ter, Hollywood, May 21. Mother is Eleanor Stewart, screen actress father is a Metro flack. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ludcs, son. Holly- wood, May 25. Mother formerly sang with the Music Maids; father assistant sound manager at NBC. Mr. and Mrs. F. Beverly Kelley, daughter, Delaware, O., May 27. Father is head of Ringling, Barnuin & Bailey circus press department. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Cott, son, N. Y., May 25. Father is program manager of WNEW, N. Y. OBITUARIES ] House Reviews 55 Continued from page 48 m Palace, Columbus And she makes the hoofing look too much like work. Jackie Gleason, in closing spot, is good for plenty of laughs. Outstand- ing are his brief impersonations of Charles Laughton, Charles Boyer, Peter Lorre and Errol Flynn. His twist is novel and timing excellent. St <fa. Oriental, * hi Chicago, May 25. Connee BostoeK, Jay Jostyn, Jimmy & Mildred Mulcay. Keaton & Arn/ieW, Martells & Mignon (4), Ray Lang Orchestra (,12>; "Delight- fully Dangerous" (U). •:. ... . With Connee Boswell headlining and Jay Jostyn, "Mr. District Attor- ney" of radio, as an extra added at- traction, current bill stacks up as entertaining fare. Opening show was minus an act when the Martells and Mignon missed train connections. Jimmy and Mildred Mulcay get things underway with some excellent harmonica playing. Both are experts on the instrument and their mouth- ing of' such tunes as "Pagan Love Song," "Saturday Night." "Tiger Rag" and topped by a masterful ren- dition of "Second Hungarian Rhap- sody" are heavy applause getters. A hit. Jay Jostyn is a pleasant surprise to the audience. After getting off to a slow start he impresses by his commanding voice and good appear- ance and winds up with a timely dramatic bit that clicks. Keaton and Arnfield give a touch of good old-time vaudeville with -the amusing routine of the ugly duckling who changes to an attractive young lady as the man sings "Down By the Ohio." Preceeded by some funny chatter, team has little trouble in rolling up healthy 'response. Connee Boswell closes the show and whams them with a well-chosen repertoire of tunes comprising "Sen- timental Journey," "A Little On the Lonely Side," "Dreams," "Candy," "Stormy Weather" and "I'm Begin- ning to See the Light." Encores with "Dinah" and has to beg off with a curtain speech. : Morg. Det. World's Fair ss Continued from page l — park to augment movement through the big parkway. Industry is Understood to be ready- to plank down plenty of coin for the "World of the Future" fair chiefly on a merchandising basis. On the present basis of construction this World's Fair would put a heavy emphasis on the industrial accom- plishment and play down the amusement angle. The big companies ready to' step in behind a World's Fair for Detroit have the idea that the postwar era's interest will focus on. the mechan- istic triumphs which will help shape a better living for the world of to- morrow. It would be a place for American and other industry to spread out their achievements as a means of spreading hope and en- couragement for the building of a better world through, the technologi- cal progress man has made apart from war. While an amusement midway would be a part of the plan it would be secondary to the empha- sis on industry. According to some of the word that seeps out, Detroit's World's Fair would be set up to run for two jw.,-.;..,;/,-:.- ., •.. . .' .„, ' . FERDINAND MUNIER Ferdinand Munier, 55, stage, screen and radio actor, died in Hollywood, May 27, after a heart attack. He be- gan his stage career after leaving Stanford University, where he had studied law. First he appeared in stock and then went into vaude, team- ing with his wife, Charlotte Tread- way. Munier headed his own stock com- pany, which toured the world. He appeared in "Oh Boy." Then he went to the Coast as director for the Henry Duffy Players. He entered pic- tures in the early '30's, first for Fox, and had worked both in films and radio for the last 10 years. His last film performance was in "Diamond Horseshoe," and at the time of his death he was featured in "Count of Monte Cristo," radio show, Munier also played in "Clau- dia," "The Bowery," "Count of Monte Cristo," "Roberta," "Clive of India," "Merry Widow," "Gilded Lily," "China Sea," "Tovarich," "White Angel" "Queen Christina" and "His Family Tree." Survived by widow and daughter. matic stock. He last appeared on Broadway in "Lilly Turner" at the Movosco tliea'tre in 1932 and the previous season was in "On th« Make." . * JEFFERSON HALL Jefferson Hall, 70, vaude and legit actor, died in New York, May 26. Born in Alabama, he began his stage career with the Jerry McAuliffe stock company in Lynn, Mass., in 1899. He appeared with this and other stock companies for several years,-later diverting to vaude, where he ap- peared in a number of dramatic playlets. He later became general stage manager for Max Gordon's legit pro- ductions, also playing minor parts in 'Easy Come, Easy Go" and "The Donovan Affair." Last Broadway ap- pearance was in "Gypsy" in 1931. EMMA POLLACK Emma Pollack, 70, veteran vaude and legit actress, died of a heart ailment in New York May 24. She had retired from the stage 15'years ago. Miss Pollock was probably best known as a member of the vaude team of Kelly and Pollack, in which she appeared with John T. Kelly on most major vaude circuits in the U. S. and in England, Australia and New Zealand. She had also played in several legit productions, includ- ing "Riley and the 400," with Harri- gan and Hart, and with Neil Burgess in "The County Fair." It was in "Riley" that she introduced "Maggie Murphy's Home," which became a hit parader of that decade. During World War I she toured the battlefronts with "Overseas Revue" and remained long after the armistice. Survived by three sisters. MARTHA CONNERY RICKETTS Martha Connery Ricketts, 63, re- tired legit actress and widow of the late George H. Ricketts, also of the stage, died at Valhalla, N. Y., May 28 She had played in dramatic stock for a number of years, later coming to Broadway to appear in "The County Chairman," with Henry E Dixie in "Mary Jane's Pa" and with Minnie Maddern Fiske in "Erstwhile Susan." Survived by brother and nephew, HORACE B. CARPENTER Horace Bernard Carpenter, 70, stage and screen player, died May 21 in Hollywood after a heart at- tack. An sfctor for more than 50 years. Carpenter entered films as a member of the Famous Players- Lasky Co. and later wrote scenarios for Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. His last screen role was' in "Belle of the Yukon" for RKO-Interna- tional. • ARTHUR SCHM1TK Arthur Schmitz, 48, RKO branch manager in Milwaukee, died sud- denly in that city, May 22, after a heart attack. He had been with RKO since 1923 and was widely known in the film business. He was a salesman until 1927, when named branch manager. Survived by widow, two sons, Capt. Raymond, who flew from Alaska for the funeral, and Lt.- Rob- ert, now in China; and a daughter. MORRIS A. MILLIGAN Morris A. Milligan, 54, former general manager for Paramount in Canada, died May 25 in Toronto af- ter ari operation. Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, Milligan was grad- uated from University of Michigan, and joined Paramount in 1918. He served as house manager in Cal- gary, Winnipeg, Toronto and Cincin- nati, returning to Toronto in 1925 as g.m. for Canada. Milligan resigned in 1941 but returned again to the in- dustry when he bought three houses in Hamilton, Ontario. Eight months ago, he opened another independent in St J John's, Newfoundland, Survived by nephew, John Milli- gan, Army Air Corp, at Dallas, Tex, EFFIE WESTON Effie Weston, 55, vaude actress, who : for a number of years had been teamed with Donald Kerr In act known as Kerr & Weston, died in Chelsea, Mass., May 14. Team had been a featured act on Keith and Orpheum circuits for years. Miss Weston for a time had been partnered with Jessie Brown (Kal- mar & Brown). She had also been in several musicals including "The Passing Show" for the Shuberts and the first "Music Box Revue." She later appeared in a series of pro- duction acts for Lew Cantor and for awhile had done an act with her brother, Bert Weston. . , Survived by brother. CLARA WALTON Mrs, Clara Phillips, 37, known pro-, fessionally as Clara Walton, former singing and dancing star on station WLS' road unit, "Showboat." died in Coldwater, Mich., May 22. She got her start in vaude when she was named "Miss Amarillo, Texas" in a beauty contest at 18. Survived by her husband, a daughter, sister and three brothers. WILLIAM R. BRANDON Wm. R. Brandon, 52, vice-president of the Central Broadcasting Co. died May 18 at Davenport, Iowa. He had been in ill health for several years. He had been with the broadcasting company and station WHO since No- vember, 1931. Survived by his widow, a son, and daughter. . Mrs. Marie MacLennan, 43, former concert singer and composer, died in New York, May-27. She was the widow of Francis MacLennan, op- eratic tenor, who died in 1935. She had retired from concert field some years ago. Daniel Collier, 93, one of the oldest exhibitors in the film business, died last week at Suterville, Pa., after, a long illness. Collier retired from theatre business in Suterville only six or seven years ago. John C. Hare, 79, former dramatic critic of old Philadelphia Item, died in that city, May 23. He also was on the Philadelphia Public and Evening Ledger. Mrs. Paul Iludgin». 45, wife of the Interstate Theatres city manager at Corsieana, Texas, died May 22 in that city. ' William. Schulz, 62. music arranger for Bobbins Music Co., died May 17, in New York.. Survived by widow and two brothers, ■,; EMMETT SHACKELFORD Emmett Shackelford, veteran legit actor, died at Bay Shore, L, I., May 17. In recent years he had been living at the Percy Williams Home, Islip, L. I. He had spent most of his stage career in legit productions after hav- ing gotten his early training in dra- MARRIAGES Nancy Jacobson to Don McGuire, Chicago, May 27. , Groom is film actor. ,• Kaaren Verne to Peter Loire, Las Vegas, Nev., May 25. Groom is War- ner film star; bride is screen player. Caryl Bergman to Herman Muehl- stein, New York, May 22. Bride is former musicomedy actress. Veronica Fredricks to Ensign Hugh A. Warden, U. S. M. S., N. Y., May 23. Bride is legit, radio and screen actress; groom a former musician. Harry James' scenes in "Kitten o» the Keys" at 20th-Fox rushed to per- mit him to leave this week for New York to open June 14 at the Hotel Astor. ,;