Variety (Sep 1945)

We<1ii<'«<l«y« Scplcniber 5, 1945 51 Literati St. L. GuUd*« Own-iPapcr : More than 100 members of the St. Louis Newspaper Guild who were notiHed on Aug. 16 t>y publishers of \he Post'Disptttch (.Pulitzer), Stai- Tiines and Globe-Democrtit that their )Wv would be stopped for an in- cle'diiite period because ot the strike of: carnens-piessmen-fly men that stopped publication, launched their own sheet Saturday U) with $10,000 loitntd by the American Newispaper Guild. The: cairiers, who :are not maUing -distribution -for the new p<-.pei, thiew a picket line around the printing' shop, but union printers, oboying orders ui£ c.\ecs of their lo- cals, who said the act of the earriers w.is unauthorized, pa.ssed (hrou!>h and hni-shed up thou- work. The iir.-Jt edition ot Ihc St. Louis News, tsi'i of the new publication, was a foui-page affau. hit the -.titet .il :noon and was tollowed by: a second roilion at .'5 pm The paper is beins; . sold on, downtown and residential .s.icet comeis by dcdleis not .iJlilidt- ed with the earners. The act of printiTig Ihcir own pub- lifatioiY lollowed rf'icction by mein- bers ot the Guild ot the publi.shers' (ilTor.to pay ui fult to Aug. 31 if the Guild would arbitrate the f(ue.stion of continuance ot pay while the «.ti ike—lasts- The Guild has taken the position that tlie publishers have MDlated a tlaubc m their conliact which piovides theie shall be no liivolls becau.se ot economy leusons ami .maintain ;that the act of .the jniblisher.s wa.s solely due to that uj-,on They sJUl they have been locked out. The Guild paper IS being supplied wiih iiatfonal and international news by Tiansiadio Piess-and e.\ecs oE the Guild aie dickeiing for UP Seivice I'he paper will bt sold (or 5c ; the . same rale applyinf? to the Sunday edition becau.se ot the lack of comics . and a magazine .section. The 'Sun- , day edilioh was .eifiht pages and will .go. lo 16 if the WLB grants an ap.. 'plication for a news print quota. The publication was enabled to get under- vay by the WLB s grant of .a basic rufion for a now publication. The WLB. which previously had nixed a request for a news print cju'Ota, will meet during the current week to' take another stab at the problem. Thomas B. Shefmaiii itiusic crix of the-Posi-Dispatch is m.e. of the iiCiv publication: Foster Eaton, asst. c.o. Of the Star-Time.s,, is, c,e., John Tlotchei ot the Post-Dispatch, li news editori and Howard Pienmg ot the Post-Dispatch is adveilisin, manasei. IXS' Pfflstwar ronieupp.incr :: .-(Jfhcr press aS,sociation : feces " watched uneasily as without bdncfit ot lanfare. International News .Serv- ice slid .smoothly into a well-oiled groove ot postwar operation, grca.scd with gold accwmulatcd ' during a healthy wartime growth. Maior press a.ssociations raced for . foreign clients when- the. V-E trum- pet sounded. ; INS . had already .whipped them' 111 Italy with 62 clients. When the smoke cleared la.st week, 1N& again was running neck and neck for win money with ].') clients in France—and 40 in Swe- den,, to which it added 55 in South and Central America. The Seymour Berkson client-gath- ering secret: hire the best teatuie writers m the business—spread them Jreely throughout the world. The : plan: a steady flow of-top-notch news and feature matetial to sustain icad- et and listcnei interest for INS newspaper and radio station client points from typical pic ■ mag in contents and attitude. Meanwhile, Hobo News continues to grace the nation's newsstands, and gross the nation s dimes to the tune of 110,000 weekly. An annual, retailing for 50e., will make an ap-^ pearance shortly. CHATTEK INS staffer Jack Oestreicher ready- ing 'The World I.s My Beat'' for Duell, Sloan & Pearce.. Ray Bearse,"erstwhile-news scribe, book dealer an(J publi.sher, has oe- buted a new magm Boston called the Moderator. Andrew. Tully, who resigned from Boston Traveler after returning Horn war correspondence overseas, has loincd staff o£ New Yoik Woild- Ttlegiam as ieatuie wiitei. Jack . H.. Pollack, Government gho.stwriter since Pearl Harbor, has resigned to become Wa.sliington edi- | tor of This Week mag; and to com plete a play about the nations capi tal pleni\ punch Headed by La Rosa tbtiadii imd Vanoye Aikens and leatuiing Tommy Gomez in a i,n.ikc intei pi elation, number makes a sock elosei toi act one It is ntvei matched in stan/a two Othei teip clicks are a wash-day routine and a .corn-sort.uig number. - . Store has a wisttul, at times plain- tive, iindeicuuent, bettei tunes in this mood beinui uMl fiipi- Movin' Slow" and 'Diy °lff^^n?ntr?^ " "'f soloed by Fianklin and HamWraCk- son, 1 espectively On the lightei side. Longs Woman Is a Ba.scal" pro^ vides the scoie's only proMinily to a show-stopper Ceienionial and in- cidental vocalizing get okaj tio.it- ment Irom Charles Welch and Wil- liam, C. Smith. A catchy number.' Basket, Make a Ba.sket" and a ditty t.tgged "Sometimes I Wish ' get ineffectual lendition trom Miss Dun- ham. - Production is attractive from a technical standpoint Plenty ot coin has been used to advr.nta- e m lighting, and costumes Scenes poi- tiay a \aiitty ot backerounds irtpg- ing from a wake to a dance ritual, allow ng keway foi latitude in cOb tume as well as scenic effects ,■ lioirci ■ OBITUARIES FRANK CRAVEN Prank Craven, ,70, veteran actor, .playwright and director, died Sept. 1 of a ,heart ailment at his home in Beverly Hills, Cal Craven was born in Boston and made his - first, stage. fi'ppearanco . -as one ot the children m ."'The .Sih-cr King." His .stage c.\-perience in- cluded;' rnahy years ,-m slock and tiaveling legits and clim,i\ed wilh his success in 'Oui Town,' in \\hith he had the role ot the narrator. He plai'ed-=-thb--sa-iiTie^ai4 -ii'i^the --sev^e version-ot,-,the play. His screen career extended over a period of more than 20 vcars. cnir- mg which he played top roles in nu-- merous pictures and collabovatcd on the scripts of various films In which he appealed ^ His more recent pictures were I "Our, Town," Lesser, production; ' LIOM L MOWGUS Lionel Monagus, Negro actor. wIto played the role of the priest m Anna Lucasta' (Mansfield, N Y( died Monday (.3) at the Harlem hos- pital, N Y following a Mioke ■ :Mohiigus, 'who \vii8^->arn , fii ,Gara- ' , ca.s, Vchezucia, :;cnme here- to this countiy at an eai ly age and joired Ihe La)a\eao Players in Harlem He subsequently appeared m 'Bunnin' Wild ' "Old Man Satan." 'Roll on Sweet Chauot,' Lew Leslie's 'Black- 011 di Dl 19.13" aud-iiPeep Show!.: r\MES B FFTZGEftALD Laniis Blame Fit/geiald, )3 ,is- sistant to Jack Bryson. Hays otfice representative in Washington. D. C, died Aug )0 in Chevy Chase, M<,ij- land. He had been in poor he.ilth (ot Mv months lollowing an np la- tion. Besides bein," active aide to Mencken lontiiMied fi-oin page 1 Mencken began to take an interest iii; ■■VaiUely'';\and Us wfty- of writing EiigJish as early- iis ,1919, at ,\vhich time he a.sked Stanton, Leeds, then on "Variety" (now with N. Y. World, Telegrarn,),(:to seitfl ,-l,iim e.\'a.mples of variations from usual English: Soon after that ,;he, began writing of Jack Conway as "one of the great natural vvits of- piir time.'' In- Engfaiid and later 111 France.: Mencken s books drew attention to ■'Varietys' style and cau.sed it to be studied. But the French attempt , to translate "Stix iNix Hi.x Pix into French caused consternation on the bouksaids be- Ciiu.se it read '"Morceaux de bois nie pa.ysans au cinema, in others words {"leces o( wood refuse to have-any- thing, to do with larmers in picture theatres" New Orleans Colli Milled fi'oin page 1 Schwaif?, pie-ident of Maison Blanche, one-of the. largest -local de- ();-irlment stores, is ■ head- Of- the ,Hroup. E. V. Richards, head-of the Paraiiiount-Richards theaii^e; ehain. Is one ot the dlrectpr.s. ,- - • ' The end of the War is bi'ingiilg back Mardi, Gras, thovoiighbred rac- ing, the cotrtrlul Spring Fiesta, and 1 h e bi .sg e.st, tlieali- ic;i I'^Topei'a a ifd ni li - sic , seasonsin the-i'city's History. Mai'dt Gras wiU; be on March 5, 1946. ■ AIthoiigh the end of the; war .w'ifli. Japan' 'has, ,brotigh't.v'.Uii..eniployi«ent thrbu.ijli war p,iaht .etitbacks., l'c;'der.s here are not alarmed,-since :obs are literally clamoring to be tilled. Play Out of Town Continued from page 48 Honor Fourth Estate ■, Otflcers and men ot the Fourth Air Force at Fresno, Gill., have detucaled a new Nor-throp P-61-C Black Widow , ntght fighter plane to the memory ot 38 wai eon espondents listed as casualties in the reoent global .con- flict, The fiist plane in a new seties - o£ night fighters was christened the Fourth Estate by the widow ol cor- respondent Stanley Guiiii,; kilted by Jap bombers m Leyte last vear. Fourth estaters memorialized in the dedTca11011 ceremonies mcluded Erme Pyle, Tom Treanor, Jack Singed^ Raymond Clapper, John Ca&bman and- others who gave their lives while covering the war. Hobo News Pic M.IK Hobo News, .,tietching foith its • paws in search of new publication channels, will shortly enter the pic- iuie magazine held. Mag, so far un- |)atterned, is expected to "deviate' Madwme .Svt'njjfnli Boston Aug 30 \ M!M .: *l'lMiiiiji-s.' ,.lil^(-ii(-tioo ■ t(C <--uini.!«iy. b.v I'el.i-i- ..'l-*»iiiHiu»vii'.ll.;" -j>i!-H!ti'it ■ l,y. 1 rf.i,iiin-il ..Miniiell; f-UnKs-'li>' 'l^l-.'ii'rli.:rif'., ;-.Ai,,' Urt-sS' Uo(-f.-.s iheyli-ftj ijlj>.u<^.p.sl.e.|-, -.\i;irfr;si, -;All&. -^^t,' ■AI:«ii.i|lin ..'.,;-K.-.i,5.;;f;iifeljl,(\>\-btiijil'i'. .,Vl^'\;^ lllN•^^:-|l^l,iil}lif;^l Ifi-i^ii ii. , JllJjJ.,.-., ;ii!j.iUii!; -,,.... iiid ni-in' .tiiaiiSiifiic' 'i'liiiy' si(i«in;f A.,.). .,:Vi',-.,Vl,..Kli'kvl.iii'li'i .\ji>,'fl;i; i;VliiiK >i\t'h>!-!.ilii.l'l('l.<-!Mi»--,j.ii-,j'l('riii'Jti .1)1-. l''lclnlui!:,, ,. .- :,.', ..».'.SIri'rvl.-lliitifiain A little, m.oi'C comedy and a little less hyprioti.sm ,(or po.ssibly rnore of the, latter applied to the -audience to piit it, into happier franie of inind) would help this thin laice by Peter TomanoMth. which finishes ofl Milo Thomas' fust season at Bass Rocks Mfne. .Sveiigali is a lady hcxer who tries to wOo back; .her foi'mei; lifis- band after he has been married five years to - a more conventional charmer: It's ; ..a , ,vci?y .'can venicnt- iriethod iC you.-can work It mari tally,, but in this ca.se,it doesn't make for the very be.st .sort of evening in the theatre. .Valiant ,.slri'\-iiigs ,of actor.s,' tail-to compensate lor , too thin , and loose a plot. ,': : Hei,ene tieBerthon; as the h,ypnptist- iK sediictive-looking and lairly con- \ihcihg. Her ta,i-,siet, .Kirk'LiiciiK. ful- fills a light a.-isignmenl. As the sec- ond wile, filfinche Gladslbnc hits high nbtes'in" hy-sterics. and Leighla ,V,'hipper -'wins' ;many laughs, sadly needed, as aiiiaid.; Milton Wood.and, Sam.Banh.siffl sustiiin minor parts. ,' .'■ Ddi'ie. ■; Marcus Loew September .>lh, 1927 "Dreaming Out Loud,'' for R,KO m Bryson on; all legislative matters in 1941, "Tlie Lady Fiom Cheyenne' I the national capital, Fitzgeiald had: for Universal; "The Richest Man in j been secretary, ot the Wa.shingion lown ' lor . Columbia:: "We. Amen- Film Board of Trade for year.s. cans." Pathe-FHA: "Human Comedy'' Survived by widow and one son. - and "Harngan s Kid ' for M-G-M in v 1943i and, numerous othei-s, ■■ . EUGENE J.. COUR , ^ I At the age of 30 he grst wrote for r Eugene J. Gour. vet Chicago news- the iheatie. a sketch tor a Lambs papei photogiapher and founder of Gambol, "The Cuise of Cam s,' The , Local 666, International Photogtapli- ' sketch was well lectued and Craven , ers of the Motion Pictule Industvy, Decided to tiy playwiiting In 1D14 died Aus< 29 in Fontana, Wis. he wrote 'Too Many Coolcs,'' an im-J Cour wag'employed both by the mediate success and 'This W.iy old ClD Post and Journal, and later. Out. ' Both eiiiioyed long runs m was midwest editor for Pathe Newsi' New \oik and on the load Then ' Suivived by widow, son, daughter, followed his "The Fust Yeai,' for ' u^tei and brother, John Golden. - , - - j- - -, ; ■•■ . --, , For Golden he also wrote and directed the hit, "Spite Corner.' The I combination ot Golden and Graven ■..ai'i'v iiH«l •l«>au *Easlon Pa Sept 3 I'If!.* iiiiililpi ."ji'. pi^Mlii>->-iiiit .or-iljn .nil ill i lirpf ..frf-|-s. .(f,-t.'('- srcrH'iri ;1».V >lii.lli,-l>-> ."''l-iilll'i: .itiMl ,lli«'ti;i>f|;, [l«-i-iiyi,i-. 'l?ii-l-t'H-.l ' '.by: - W't'iich-II, f'+tilTltiK: -■sVniiiTji;'.; .,r';'n^twir-:.VT,-^^^^ ■ .M 1 |,|nV|-i.r|l,,iv -i)illV-l'1li,\-|i«ll,'-->:, .lullaiul, .V. J., -NiiK. :.'S:--'v.; .ifliMi.li, J,i-ii>l, '■■-j.i.-.i-:-.,.-. ■'■ >.ntf..|^ Mii'Jiiifl Si rllfi ..1^.'. . liiiys Slirfiin'n iliiV^: .-\'inii'(,-- ,iiii'")'irti'II l.nns .-,.:...V...,.;C/-. . . . .r:fi \ I'l.TifCn i.-iintirt'...... .... . l><iis: JnlivLsiiii Viiiiilil . I'hil S.IIU1 I Id . . vi ii\ MiMlcn IN FOND IMEMOKY OF MY DEAR FRIEND FRANK CRUMIT Who Oisd S«pt«inber 7, 1943 JERRY VOGEL the heTghts in its field should be shunted aside in favor of mediocrity m another held: A .similar vein ap- plu's to work of Long. At show s premiere, his: nimble legs were al- most completely under' wrap.s and only on one occasion wras he hand- ed a vocal assignment that did )us- tice to iv;s lalenlos. The combined effect ol Miss Dunham s and Long's efforts IS a case ot realization drop-r ping vvelt below anticipation. ' Carib Song' better make up its mind whether it wants to gamble on coming through as a dramatic opu.s, with music .sifimewhat of a side issue, oi with sluss on the tune-and-teips angle and the straight-stuff subordi- nated.; If the former,' indications are it won t do. It the latter, its ulti- niiite chances depend: on just how far;,, it goes III that; directioii. . As iSt. tliO'e il re. consecutive lightweight se- quences withoiit-'Ihe seinblance ol innstcal interpolation.,and numerous dramatic curtains that ■ fall com- .pJetCly flat. ■ ■ . ; ,,:■ ; Book tells stoiy of life among West Indies natives Localcd in Timidad cast comprises simple lolk who make lip the community, and theme de- picts: iaie of the cornplanter's wife who succumbs-to the village hsher- man and eventually is strangled by her mate; Play has certain dramatic highlights, be.st work in this direc- tion being turned in by William Franklin as the husband. Other thesp chores are adequately accounted for by Mabel Ltvis Meicedes Gllbeit and E'sie iBeniaiiiih^ ' .', Sliow's ,dance. ; topper,-, and, the tiearost approach to;what had been expected- of a Dunham production. IS a Sh.iiigo illual Aliich cai I ICS I "Larry and Jean.' by Maurice Stoller and Richard Dwenger. is not a play with a war theme to cau.se un- due comn-iotion. It is about, a -.sailor, Larry, married a month when he enlisted in 1941. He returns in 1944: his lace badly disligiiied, ,and he- tries to readjust himsell to civilian life and itali^e his dieam ot own- iiig ,a diner. ■•; Larr.y tailed to tell his wife, Jean: about his disligurement. ,or to write her at all, leading her: to believe that he was killed. Ru.ss; a nightclub- operator, falls m love with. her. and lUst as Larry returns, latter hears Jean making a hallwav promise to Russ to marry him: Larry, and Jean finally get together again: he opens his omer with financial aid provided by Ru.ss. though unknown to him, but it tails. In the end. he wre.stles with his problems ( there s a child meantime t and goes teack to hi.s old lOb ;of tlishwashing. .walking out on Jean, who finally marries Ru.s.s. v The young cast docs well especial- ly Phil Sann as Arnold, m the com- edy role. Carl Bensen IS fair as Larrv. , although the; . part ofiers greatcr acting possibilities than he gi\es it Michael as Jean could be walraei but "ibnei Bibeim.in as Ril-s, looks and pins his pait well Loys Malgren. as Stella. Arnolds wife Dots .Johnson as Caiidei and Maiy Hayden as Flo. a blacK-mai keteer in ration: coupoo-s. a!.so do uell Poiil -: ,:;\JAMES,:'WlLS,ON,.„;;,. Jani'es^ Wilson; vet vaude perform- „ , . „ . . , .. er. died at Mineola, L. I.: Aug. 2,5. gave B.oadway such smash hits as „^ ^een in vaude foi many "New , Brooms;' "The 19th Hole. 'i , "Salt Water" and "That's Gratitude." ; Their a.ssocialion lasted for more ; than 25 years i While on the Coa.st Craven played ' major parts in 'Barbary Coast.' I "Vagabond Lady. ' - Car 9.9. and j " lhats Gratitude ' for which he i adapted the screen script trom his | oiiginal play, played the lead and j also directed: He wrote the dialog i lor "Annapolis Farewell ' ;as; well as the dialog tor several l-'iurel. and | ^'j^'^^'^jj^'^Jj^ Hardy picture.?. - He also appeared 111 and 'assisted with the .script of State Fan ' His last appearance on Bioadwny was nv Zoe Akinss comedy. "Mrs. January and Mi Ex,' at the Belasco theatre in 1944. and in which he'co- starred with Billie Burke. Before that he had scored a sucee.ss as Judge I Homei W Peabodv m Carl Aliens- | Vanila Carroll, 15, was killed Sat- woiths play, 'Village Green,' in .m^i'iy by a hit and uin diucr :: j.at Ocean City. Md., where .she was His son ,Tohn also a pibminenl <>" vacation She was the daughter actor appealed with him in Seveial the late Noiman Cairoll and niece Broadway successes, notably 'Oiii f-;'' Cai loll, producer, and the Town ' ''""es Caiioll. Craven was a member of. The Players and the Century:Club. Widow and a son survIv:e^hIm, years, appearing as part of team of I Wilson and Pierson and later Inglis id Wilson. Survived by widow. PEGGY 'VtURRAY Peggy Murray, 43, foi mei singer and :dancer in burlesque and carni- vals,-died iri Chicago, Aug. 30. Surf vived by husband. >rR$ GEORGE LEONARD Mrs. George Leonard. 74. veteran legit attitss died Aug Jl at Oi.inge- burg, ,N. y. She had, ;bc.en on the stage for: 40 vcars and was the wile of George' Leonard, al-so a legit actor, w ho iui V ives hei. : Mrs: Leonard began her.theatrical caieei in 1900 in diam.itio stock and alter several seasons with various stock -companies diverted to musical Mothrr, 73, ot Jack Pollyca. of Mct.io HLsert department, died .^ug. .JO in r:^os Angeles. Body was taken to Chicago for intermcjit.-.: -;: . ■lames Roder, 70; - owner of the . Astoi thcatie, Chicago, died in that city on Sept. 1. : Survived by two. brothers. Mother of Elmer Davis, director of Oltioe of War Information, died Sept. J m Ntw^ York. Biother, (lO oi E K iTtdlOShca comedy. She later appeared with I eastern; divi'vin sales manager.'.for MARRIAGES Bettv llutton to Tcd Brisliin. Chi- cago, Sept 2 B' idc IS sci een slai groom IS prez ot Revere Camera Co, Helen Hogue to Harry C. Kopf, Chicago: Sept.- I. Groom is veepee and midwest general manager ot NBC, bride (oi account r\ec for Russell M Seeds Agcy Fiances _ Kulick to Cpl Bainey Frank, Ch';c!:.go. Sept. 1-. Biide is managei ol N Y. exchange oJ Bell Pictuies Montgomery and Stone in The Wiz- ard of Oz ' and "The Red Mill.' al.so itt vthe original production ,of ."The ^lell\ Widow Hci last Bioadway dppeaiance was in Dead End' in 1938, alter which she retired.: BERL BOTWINIK Bell Bot\Mnik, 59, aiithoi play- wright and newspaperman, tiled - in .^Iew York .Aug. 30. At time of , in that city, death he was on,,stall of the ;Jewish Dail Foi ward in N Y whcie he W'a.s a Columnist and at one time,"had. been drama editor of that publica- tion. ■ , ■;■-, ::,■,-.:,,■:•";,- Aside from being author of .several plays produced in Yiddish theatres, scveial ol his no\els had appealed in serial-form, :ln,-the'F<)rwiird. ,' i Metro, died Aug. 26 in Oakland,.CaJ. BIRTHS Mr and Mrs. Jawcs R Cuitis .son , Longview, Texas, Aug. 18 Father IS pie/ of station KFRO in that citj Ml and Mis Chuck Shannon,. daughter Sharon. Fa, Aug 25. .' Father: manages Columbia, > theatre Mr. and >Mr.$. Bob Welch son, Los Angeles, Aug» 31. Fathei is foimei ladio piodUcer now with Aimed Forces Radio .Service m the Pacihc; iiothcr IS Templeton Fox, radio and I st; ge acties.s. I Cpl and Mrs John D Dnno^hi e, I'dntighter, Aug. 29, Springfield, Ma.s's:. I ; He w.ns onq; of the founders,of the, | Fa',her is -former "VariGt;,v' i-ep m * Jewish AWrilors CVub-.aiid,;thc Yitidish ' Sbrihgfield, now .'with A rtny ,N;ews '■plai;|*-l-|ghtS' t.eague.'■:; : ,;: V j.Service. N. . . .