Variety (Oct 1945)

MISCELLANY P^RIETY WYdnosday, October 3, 1915 Rep. Powell Taking Beef to Truman On D.A.R. BrnshofF of Wife, Hazel Scott had the Washington, Oct. 2. ♦ Evidence that the Daughters of the • American Revolution haven't learned j anything since 1939, when, .they ; barred Negro contralto Marian An- j' dcrson from'giving a recital in Con- , stilution Hall, Washington's concert emporium which they own, was j given Sunday (30) with the report that Negro pianist Hazel Scott similarly been ' refused use of Jiall for a concert. - Charge was made by Charles P. McClanc, Miss Scott's manager, in- Philadelphia, where Miss S.co.t ap- peared Friday (28) irt a. concert at the Academy of Music. McClanc • said Fred Hand, the hall's manager, offered him an Oct. 20 date by phone, but later, when learning Miss. Scott was Negro, refused .permission. "Me* seemed, most apologetic," McClanc said, "going so far as to offer his as- sistance in securing another hall'. lie told me he had been, of such assist- ance to Paul Robeson, but was in- sistent that Constitution Hall defi- nitely^ was out." Hand refused to confirm or deny the story, advising he couldn't -s ate policy, of the D.A.R.. on use of the hall by Negroes, and saying that no contract, had been signed, . Rep. Adam C. Powell, 3x1, Negro Democrat, from New York, who is Miss Scott's husband, has appealed the ban to Pres. Truman, asking the latter to ti;ke •immediate action" in the matter. ; This Week's Football Bv TED MUSING is ;i72iid WEEK ! KEN MURRAY'S "BLACKOUTS OF 1915" El Capitan Theatre, Hollywoodj_Cal. • stage enlcruuninent at. it* best, 'liliiiiivouts'' has everything a good imisiral shouUI h;i,Ve.' EDGAR BERGEN. HAYDENS HEROISM DISCLOSED BY OSS Washington, Oct. 2. Office of Strategic Services took the wraps off a little more of its work last week to disclose that} his ailment and willing to appear TO DANCE IN U. S. Appearance in America of Vaslav Nijinsky, famed ballet dancer who retired 25 years ago following a mental illness, is imminent, according to impresario Sol Hurok.. Noted Rus- sian, now living in Austria, is re- ported practically recovered from screen star Sterling Hayden, now Capt. John Hamilton of the-Marines, was one of its most daring opera- tives in Europe. Hayden, husband of Madeleine Carroll and a schooner skipper be- fore going into pictures, operated a j state'Dept.-on small fishing boat along the Dal- matian coast, helping downed The boat jtrts In Yugoslavia and ] parachuted under Hurok's aegis with the hitter's Ballet Theatre in the U. S: Hurok wired an offer, which was accepted by the dancer's Wife, Romola Nijin- sky. Hurok is now working with the visa. Nijinsky was to come to the U.S. for medical treatment when the war EX-FAIRBANKS TWIN DIVORCED IN DETROIT Detroit, Oct. 2. Mrs. Marion F. Smith, one of Fair- banks twins of "Ziegfcld Follies" fame, was granted a divorce from Gordon K. Smith, s wealthy Detroit industrialist.- Mrs. Smith charged her husband with striking her and with excessive drinking. Judge Joseph Moynihan, in ap- proving the split, granted Mrs. Smith ■?5,000 cash and ordered a trust fund established from which she'll receive 951.000 a month alimony. Mother's Suicide Has Una Merkel Still 111 Hollywood. Oct. 2. Una Merkel is suffering from a nervous condition attributed to shock of her mother's suicide in New York seven months ago. Under medical care in a Glendale rest home, it's expected she will be able to resume work in six to seven weeks as her condition is reported not serious by the attending physician. and partisans Greece. Hayden also Yugoslavia on one occasion to es- tablish contact with Allied airmen Now 55. he is reported in tine physical condition Allied aviators to safety, —„, k t also carried supplies, to, OSS; agents I \iiiLVdUally in'd- still able to assume certain bal ■ let roles, as for instance the title role of "Petrouchka." which he Gen. Marshall Pins Merit Medal on Berlin for 'TITA' Irving Berlin was awarded the Medal of Merit yesterday (l) by Gen. George C. Marshall, Army Chief of Staff, for Berlin's assistance to the Army Emergency Relief Fund. Specifically it was Berlin's "This Is the Army" which was responsible for the award. The medal was presented at the direction of President Truman for "highly meritorious service." The all-Army musical earned more than S9.000.000 oh the stage and screen for the relief fund. '-..;.-. "I shall always feel deeply grati- fied for all your efforts," said Mar- shall in pinning on the medal in the Pentagon building. Citation was read by Maj.'Gen. Edward F. Witzell. Mrs. Berlin was present. created at its first performance in Paris in 1911. Unlikely Nijinsky would arrive in . time for Ballet Theatre's fall N. Y. season at (he. Metropolitan Opera House next month, but he might go-' on tour or appear during the spring season. 66 POP. VILLAGE'S THEATRE Minneapolis, Oct. 2. Long Lake, S. D., village, in this exchange territory, has a population of oilly 66. Nevertheless, August Nies, a resident there, has obtained priorities for material for a theatre. He'll build it as soOn as labor is available. SCULLY'S SCRAPBOOK j mmmnmH By Frank Scully Benefit Canyon, Sept. 26. One of the big similarities of muggs like me and lugs like you is that \ve don't think the show is over when the curtain comes down. We don't; think it's over until the final gross is counted. In much the same long range way we view world wars. They're not ' over till They're over, and this one is far from over. Even in'the small way that show business has been used as an analgesiquc,The work is not completed: But only a handful realize this. The rest are acting as if the horror called Hitler had never lived, and that moonlight and pretzels are something to remember him by. * In Hollywood'of a Saturday night (221 Crosby, Sinatra and Miss Shore sang, Jack Benny played his violin and .Rubinstein hispiano; Hope. Burns, Haley and Colonua did theirs, and Stokowski 'waved his hands at the Bowl Symphony—all for free. It was to raise funds for entertaining the wounded in the southern California fogbelt. But the Hollywood Canteen has announced it is folding next month, feeling that its work is over. However, the Hollywood Guild and Canteen, as distinguished from the Hollywood Canteen, is not going to close. Mom Lehr- Gu ild head, who was in this work before, the war, during the war, and intends to stay in it after the war, realizes that Hollywood now has a job that may be more important, than its wartime activities. She car- ried oh all during the war magnificently, and until the final months on a shoestring. Yet a week ago a bjock party, exhibition swimming meet and picnic was staged to raise funds, for her post-war work (a similar party a year ago was a terrific success), and 21 persons paid admission to see Weissmuller, the new amateur champ and world's record breaker, Norman Sper, Jr., and others. On the second show ing 18 paid admission, It was - the worst flop of the year and for once Hollywood couldn't blame, it.' on hot weather, picket lines or smog.;- :'•'•.? . . . Single Standard Scully Both at home and abroad the G. I.'s troubles continue to spill over into the "outside" world. There are those wlio take the view thai a benefit performance should never be criticized as a paid performance. • But I have found that if I write for nothing or for dough I am judged by the same hard standard, and I don't see why other performers shouldn't be willing to take the same sort of shellacking it their work is .remiss. If they don't Want to perform at their best it is an easy matter not to per- form at all and (a) either; send a check or.(b) forget the whole matter and live with their conscience.• -.The B-Bag of "Stars and Stripes' reported R.M.K., Hq. 12 Army Gp, as haying returned from "a scheduled U.S.O. performance, at Bad Nau- he'im's famous kurhaus—a performance that never materialized." It seems only 100 men turned up to see the show instead 1 of a capacity house. .' "The U.S.O. parasites turned up their, noses as did the Special Service Staff of XIX Corps." stated R.M.K.. "and two immature first lieutenants stammered various inadequate excuses about the turnout." It was R.M.K.'s contention that every G.I. is worthy of a private performance. I Major Lewis J. Bowen. Special Service Officer, XIX Corps, replied that R.M.K. was completely justified in his criticism. But had not a total stranger interfered, the major contended, the show would have been given as scheduled. The major further stated that the performance was not cancelled by XIX Corps Special Service, '"but by a lieutenant whose sis- ter was a member of the cast and who wanted to spend the afternoon with her." It is quite possible that the guy who cancelled the U.S.O. show in Ger- many may end up the same way. On the other hand, it is equally possible that show business may begin to assert itself and insist that it should not be held accountable for the stupidity of others. For these neglected E. M.'s in far places are our friends and their families are our customers, ana" anybody who goes out of his way to alienate customers is no friend of show business. • The Berle-ing Point ——-By Milton Berle irmy"txSsi toast Hotels* Santa Monica, Oct. 2. Half a dozen local hotels and beach clubs, currently occupied by the Army Air Forces, will be returned I to private ownership this month, ! starting Oct. 5 with the Ocerni Palms ; Hotel. ■'-.: -'' '■ Others to follow are Shangri-La ! Hotel. Oct. 11: Miramar Hotel, Oct. i 13: Grand Hotel, Oct. 16, and Edgfc- 1 water and Del Mar Beach . Clubs, Oct. 2!). Medals for Greasepainters . : . " New York. Editor, "Variety"/ 'Whde Congress is considering the problem of returning servicemen and displaced ex-war workers, why can't it include some form of legis- lation to -award medals to another group that likewise has made heroic contributions in peace as well as.in war. I refer to the member of the entertainment world who, in large numbers, have visited foxhole Cir- cuits at the front as well as training camps on this continent. Many of bur top stars have given tip vaca- tions, lucrative stage, screen and radio contracts,- even, the ordinary comforts of home life to risk their necks as they brought cheer to our servicemen. Yet .there is no award for these.soldiers-in-greasepaint; our Government has not made its grati- tude-articulate. For example, eon- Kider. the contributions of: Bob Hope. Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, Amos 'n' Andy . . . and so many more. LANNY ROSS' PREEM Yokohama, Sept. SO. '-. j Maj. Lanhy Ross, ex-film and . radio star, and a contingent of talent | from the 8th Army, opened the first GI theatre in Yokohama today with | a vaude revue that wowed a packed house. Theatre, one of the two large houses to survive Allied bombings, was officially dedicated by Lieut, Gen. Robert L. Eicbelbergcr. its outstanding entertainers. Surely America is no less proud and ap- preciative of its showbusiness greats. Why not a medal to prove it?.:, ;. Paul F. Stacy. Vets Salute Sinatra Hollywood, Oct. 2. American Veterans Committee has awarded a special commendation to Frank Sinatra for hitter's broadcast of Sept. 19, which had "House I Live In" sketch. "Unreserved commendation and appreciation for the democratic aims which that broadcast sought to at- tain" was given by the vets to Sina- England" confers knighthood upon , tra, sponsors and staff. L. A. to N. Y. Don Belding Victor Borge Patti Brady Georgia Bullock James S. Burke'.i Phil Cohan . Bill Demling Oscar A. Doob Alfred Drake Jimmy Durante Joe Faber Si Fabian Lester Gottlieb Jos: H. Hazen- Harold Hefleran Sonja Henie Paul Hesse George Jesscl William Kcighley Edwin Lester Joseph Lilley Bob Longeriecker Garry Moore Jack Oakie B. S. Pulley Charles Quigley Stanley Richards Hal Roach Buddy Rogers Stanley Rose Art Rush Herb Sanford Dave Siegel Edward Small Howard Smith Jeri Sullivan Deeiris Taylor Emily Vetter Hal Wall is Lucille Watson Snag Werris. Dame May Whitly Boston, Oct. 2. Well, here we are in the wonderful eity-of Boston for the opening of my new show, "Spring in Brazil." Lec Shubert told me, "In Boston you're going to be my ace in the hole. I saw my dressing room and I knew what want. .Mom ..didn't come . tin, (.o. S t» and I'm. -\U^i.,AVi>!;jtjlii)fe^» . . • . ..--v • ■ • r. n' 11.. . ivi wi 11 n itin l 1 in i ii- I'm -. — 9 K-y-^^^^^.-v mmm^yy^ iaiijfft' twice, to be heard orict'".. Got a note from Ed Sullivan who asks, How did you find Boston?" It wasn't hard. 1 got off the train and there it was.. .When we got off the train my brother Frank had to carry the bags. The younger showgirls walked.. .Went down to Boston harbor and saw the exact spot where the Boston tea party was held. I know it was the spot because While Rose labels were still floating in the water. N. Y. to L. Joseph Bernhard Ed Churchill Jay Emanuel Carl Leserman Edward Scolield ." FROM GAGS TO ^SWITCHES Since W. C. Fields has been unable to get his ration of Scotch he's doing- the next best thing. He's wearing kilts.. .Last year in this column I said I developed a southern accent from drinking out of a dixie cup, and so the company (no kidding) sent me a year's supply of drinking cups. . .Know a radio program that's so bad it went off the air owing Hooper three points... Understand that Belle Baker is going to do » takeoff cn Carmen Miranda. Instead of wearing: fruit on her head she's going.to use potato salad and olives...The bar at Toots Shot's was very crowded Saturday night and someone asked where all the people came from. " "The elevator strike is over," suggested Pcler Donald, "they probably just came down".. Abbott and Costello fired one of their radio writers because his jokes were too NEW!. . .Joyce . dropped me a line that our six-week-old baby Vicki laughed for the first time—at Bob Hope's program. Am sending the baby a pair of earmulTs and a stern note to Joyce. THERE'S NO TRUTH TO THE RUMOR: r . That radios in New York City eabs .are, working again. ..That Danvy Kuye yives door prizes to people xrho laugh loudest at his broadcasts... Thai a new stamp to be issued hi/ the Post Office will have Hirotiito s face oh it. . .That, stacked one-by-one. Billy Rose's annuities are taller lhan : lie is. .'.That Gun Lomburdo yets that rhythm by dunkiiio o xjo-yojn « bowl of sour cream:. .Thai Harvey S one plans to re-enlist in the Aryiy rather than write -new material. . .That Humphrey Bogarl sleeps in pajamas Willi horizontal stripes. -Vv.: ■-■■:■-.' CRACKING THE QUIP: George Jessel looking younger than ever before. . .Doesn't look a day over 65. (Tin only kidding Georgie),. .Things are so artificial in Holly- wood that when people put the bite on you they use false teeth. . .A band- leader I know has such a bad case of insomnia he keeps sleeping tablets awake.. NBC's George Wolf reports that Toots Shor-is" going to open another restaurant where celebrities can.come and gape at the tourists. SAILINGS Oct. 1 i New York to London ) Nate Blumberg, Joe Seidclman. Ed Mur- row, Matty Fox (Queen Mary). Oct. 3 (London to . New York i George Wood (Laplandia). Oct. 6 (New York to Paris) Bob Stern (Clipper). TED LEWISES' 30TH The Ted Lewises 'celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary next Sun- day (7) afternoon. The "jazz tragedian" and his Ada will receive at their New York apartment.