Variety (Jun 1945)

{jy 2 DOWN AND 1 TO GO - - ON TO TOKYO! M* //if '/,'/» ff«r Bonds W'arT*M Fuhlislied Weekly at 164 West 4Cth Street, New lork 19, N. Jf„ by Variety, Inc. Annual subscription, $10. Single copies. 2I>con (a. Entered as •oeiimi-cla.ss matter December 22, 1W06, at the Post OfHge at New VorU, N.' Y., under tbe act of March 'i. 11(70. fOPKBIOUT, IMS, BX VARIETY. INC. Al.l. KIOHTS KKSEKVE1) VOL. 158 No 13 NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 6, 1945 PRICE 25 CENTS GFs in England Develop British Films and Stars for U. S. Audiences | 124 Clicks of 83 Premieres Sock Over American GI's arc helping to es- tablish British film stars and are also teaching British producers something about the. kind, of films which will have the best b. o. chances in the United States. That's according to J. Arthur Rank, British film leader, who controls about 60 r i of the stu- dios in England, some 860 theatres in the best situations, and a vast dis- tribution organization. British producers feel that if American doughboys go for a Brit- ish screen player over there, then kindred Americans would likely re- spond in the same way in the U. S. The players drawing maximum res- ponse from U. S. servicemen in England are those who will be es- tablished most quickly as stars in pictures aimed for the worldwide ami particularly the U. S. theatres. Discussing trade aspects following his arrival in N. Y. from Canada last Monday (4), Rank said that he. personally, does not believe in film quotas. "If we can't make a profit against open competition then we (Continued on page 28) Mike Todd, in London, Takes Job Seriously In Sizing Up GI Program By BOB MUSEt London. May 25. The uniform must make a difl'er- .ehce, tor : Mike Todd pulled into town decked in olive green oh a Wat- Dept. mission, and of all the show-folk who have'slithered through, this war-weary metropolis the erst- while ebullient, boy-wonder producer was the most intense, the most seri- ous. Todd made it clear he was here strictly in an official capacity, and outside of one fast gander at the early-lo-bed nightlife spent: . Ws ■t i hi e compiling. . recommendations (continued on page 4) . Leigh Brews One first post-VE Day spectacular to resume its Broadway career lights up Monday (11) when the famed cartoon sign at 7th ave. and 46th st, returns for first time since the blackout. First tung- sten display will be sponsored by Schaefer Brewing Co. : Bill for the Douglas Leigh spec will include (a) raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, (b) a dancing short with either Rosario & An- tonio or Ray Bolger. and (c) a comedy goodwill short titled "Hi, Neighbor." Coney Jingling Hot Do-Re-Mi By JO HANSON Shrewd and practiced outdoor amusement ■ operators - at -Coney Island predict a jackpot 1945 sea- son at New York's principal seaside resort. With wartime restrictions on lights lifted, the boardwalk and Surf avenue game, ride and food at- tractions expect to do biz in fire- engine red if the weatherman doesn't let them down too heavily. There's heavy moola in the deep pockets of the proletariat, judging by the way the masses behaved Memorial Day (May 30), official (Continued oh .page 44 K' ; SHERWOOD WORKING ON FDR BIOG FOR METRO? Deal initiated by Metro with play- wright Robert E. Sherwood many months ago to write an original yarn for the studio has reportedly been closed. Understood that Sherwood is being retained for a. 13-week period for a fee of $125,000 aiid that he's to prepare a script about Franklin De- lano Roosevelt. Negotiations with Sherwood were opened and carried oh in line with the policy adopted by Metro editori- al department execs to line up name writers via cash retainers. Sidney Kingsley, Carl Sandburg and several others were given cash advances against future literary deliveries. Kinsley's deal was for around $150,000, also providing for about the same length of time as Sherwood at the studio. .Sandburg cud his writing away from the studio. 'Bell Bottom Trousers/ Old Sea Chantey, Rings The Bell as a Pop Hit . A sailors' chantey of obscure origin may yet become the ''Made- moiselle from Armehtieres." of World | War II. The song, even before mak- iing the best, .seller lists, has been ;known to sailing men for many ! years. With the added stanzas .im- provised, by Gi's and . high school (Continued on page 46.' NETWORK NABOBS DUE FOR EUROPEAN TOUR Washington. June 5. - Ctrl. Ed Kirby. head of Army PRO radio branch, has announced that high officials of radio are going overseas after film execs now tour- ing former Nazi concentration camps have returned. . The radiomen's trip will not cover atrocity camps, Kirby said, but will be a general tour of war-smashed Europe so that they may gain useful information in programming shows on European conditions and on steps to be taken in the re-education of Germany NEXT SEASON? Demands of the Army tor profes- sional talent, to appear overseas at Pacific war fronts, plus European oc- cupation and redeployment centers, are so heavy that managers fear they will have casting trouble for next season's shows. Hollywood is expect- ed to supply a fair share of players to Broadway, but name artists of all amusement divisions are slated to join the USO-Camp Shows ranks, while hundreds of average actors are also being signed. Some shows proposed by USO may not &a overseas because of USO's in T sistence that all hands guarantee to remain for six months. Stars who have contracts for next season are willing to take the assignment during the summer, and it is up to USO to revise its stance on the six-month guarantee. Claimed that a high per- centage of players who join the USO at this time will doubtless lose the chance of a season's work because of (Continued on page 2) Outdoor Vaude In Ball Parks If present plan? materialize,'it'll be an even bet that the crowds jamming street cars and buses to tbe ball parks will be on their way to a vaude show instead of a baseball game. • Promoters lured by/the heavy gate that can be obtained at baseball stadia are looking into the possibility of staging variety concerts there on the days that the diamond isn't used for sports. The plan has already been tried successfully in the south and is now traveling, in the direction of New England. ' Frank Dubinsky. a concert - pro- (Continued on page 48). : . Broadways 1944-45 Legit Season Kronenberger Winnah! Louis Kronenberger, of PM. has won the 1944-45 "Variety" boxscore of New York drama critics. Lewis Nichols of the Times was second. Details in Legitimate depart- ment. Chi Bleats Vs. B way Producers By MIKE CONNOLLY Chicago, -June 5. Broadway producers are getting slapped around plenty by Chicago drama critics these days, which isn't unusual for Chi. A week's eullings from the columns include these diatribes: Bob Casey, News: "New York has the answer—Chicago is really a hick town / populated" by theatregoiiig saps who will pay hard cash for any- thing that Broadway's custodians of the old culture choose to send out here." | Claudia Cassjdy, Tribune: "Billing . (Continued on page 15) By JACK PULASKI Broadway's top theatre year since the start of the war was recorded during the season of 1944-45, which technically terminated Saturday (2). Not: only did legit production spurt way over 1943-44 but the number of successes increased considerably, The hit parade was so pronounced that some showmen rate the season as the best in a decade. There were 83 new shows presented—not counting 14 which quit out of town —and of the total. 24 clicked. Half of that number were smash hits. Occasionally one or two attrac- tions are produced which play for several seasons but among the bell- ringers of '44-45, there are live straight plays predicted to score runs of two years or more. Includ- ing five revivals and repeat engage- ments, Broadway's total number of shows went over the 100 mark. The - (Continued on page 48)- THESPS WILL TOUR TO PLUG LASTING PEACE Theatre, film and radio personal- ities are preparing to barnstorm the country on behalf of peace and a. strong United Nations Organization, as /outlined yesterday (TUes.) , by Edward Chpdorov. . C'hodorov was one of tn» sneakers at a luncheon at the Astof hotel. N...Y,. called by Fredric March, treasurer of . the. Independent Citi- zens Committee of 'the. Arts, Sci- ences and Professions. The luncheon -was called primarily for the purpose of raising funds for flic work of the committee which started out as a political group in the last Presidential campaign, but has broadened its interests to in- clude civic affairs. Other speakers in addition to C'hodorov were .1. (Continued on page 50) Is It $150 Worth Of Junk or 9G of Art?: Lbs Angeles, June 5. Fritz Hcnkels, sculptor; filed suit ' against Fox-West Coast Theatres, demanding $9,930 for his statuary that once stood in the forecourt of the Grauman's Egyptian theatre on"; Hollywood Blvd. . ', ;. F-WC attorneys, answered that it. cost $150 to hire a junkman to haul ] the .statues to the city dump. Pixers Producing L. A. Welcome Show For Patton, Doolittle Hollywood, June 5, Mervyn LeRoy has been selected by Mayor Bowron to produce a show at the Coliseum Saturday night (9), climaxing the welcome back to the U. S. of Generals George K. Patton and James H. Doolittle. Y. Frank Freeman is representing the film industry and has placed all facilities of the studios and talent at the city's disposal.. Writers are lending their'talent for the drama- tized spectacle being readied to pre- ' cede the introduction of the two gen- erals, ' /■ • : ' ' ■ -. -.. . Flacks have also gone on loanout from the.Hays office and studios to give the event a heavy ploy. FOII TELKVISI<» The Hour Of Charm All-Girl Orchestra and Choir Conducted Uy Phil Spitalny