Variety (Oct 1945)

Wednesday, October 17, 1945 55 Literati Certainly a Bit Biz Just what boom business publish-' ing companies have enjoyed in the j ; ,st two or three years is strikingly iifleeted by the rapid advance in shares o( several leading publica- tions'. Probably the greatest ad- vance was scored by Time stock, which has gone up from $19 in 1942 to its current price of around $120. Esquire, Inc., listed on the N. Y. Curb, lias gone to $17.25 this year f 10 m a low of $7.75, and from a lower figure last year.. Stock pays (10c. cash dividend. Curtis Publish- in g lias soared from less than $1 to S24. Cuneo Press' advance -also has been sensational, climbing from a few cents to $50 per share. bulletin which, with the October issue, is being printed like a regular mag. Original articles by Emil Ludwig, Booth Tarkmgton, James R. Young, Sigrid Undset and' one by the editor highlight the edition. ■ Smorgasbord Slant Victor Skaarup, "Variety's" mugg in Copenhagen, and Kris Whither have just issued in the Danish capital a book on "Slang. USA" published by Forlaget Commodore. It's a com- pendium of Yank slang with Danish translations (some of them quite curious) with source credits to Ring Lardner. Damon Runyon, Walter Winchell and "Variety," Joe." Mayor F. LaGuardia may re- ceive an award for his civic admin- istration. Affair will be broadcast for an hour via NBC. Settle San Antonio Strike. A seven-week strike of printers at S;m Antonio's three daily news- papers ended Thursday ill) night when an agreement was reached between the publishers and the. International Typographical Union. Printers had walked off their jobs Aug. 26. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. All papers had been printing photo-engraved edi- tions .-since the walkout. Expanded. Liberty Liberty mag, capitalizing on end of paper rationing, has a 116-page issue on Oct. 27 first step in Liberty postwar-expansion plans. Edward Maher, editor, says the new- Liberty will have more text, pis, hew serial cartoon strip and an enlarged "Camera Eye" section. Corwin's 3d Book Henry Holt Co. will publish Nor- man Corwin's third book, "Untitled and Others." book to contain "On A Note of Triumph," "Passport for Adam,'' "Undecided Molecule," two of the series of eight scripts Corwin did with Robert Young, and tour from' a-series done in England. Book 'will"'be out in January. • Note ot Triumph" was published separately by Simon fc Schuster by arrangements with Holt. 4 Stripe* Editions Left With the closing down Sunday 114) of the London edition of Stars and Stripes. GI daily newspaper, only four editions are left in Europe. Two of these, one published at Pfungstadt and another at Altdorf, both in Germany, will be consoli- dated into one German edition which is likely to carry on for some time for occupation troops. The Paris edition is expected to close in December, while the Rome edition should fold by Christmas. / V The Pacific editions, most of which were started recently, will also go a long time, for benefit of troops sta- tioned in that area. At one time there were as many as 30 or 40. S&S editions throughout Europe, opening and closing ; as rapidly as troop movements necessitated. In the last six months there have been six, Nice and London being latest casual- ties. ; 'Red' Lewis' Big Sales Sinclair Lewis' latest novel, "Cass Timberlane,"- in % its first week of publication, has already passed a mark that his previous three best sellers, "Babbitt," "Main Street" and "Ai rpwsmith," only attained in six months. Novel, published by. Random House had advance order of 114,000 coiiies. Book of the Month Clubjtin one week took another 405,000 copies. When the publishers re- ceived a reorder ot 12,000 copies the first week, in addition to the 114^000 advance sale, they wondered what brought that about. Likeliest an- swer was. the stores must have mis- calculated on book's demand, and hence put in a quick restock order; Metro' already is working on the pic version. - Raison's, Pollock's Books Two pixers have bust out with books. One is Milton liaison, cx- B'way p.a. and H'wood scenarist, whose "Nobody Loves a Dead Man"' has just been published by Murray >>t Gee, Hollywood. It's a N. Y.-Hol- lywood whodunit with a drama crick as the dick. ' Publicist Lbuis Pollock (United Artists, etc.) has whipped up "Stork Bites Man," with pictures by Carl Rose (who had dittoed for Bob Hope's, Bennett Cerf's and others' books). World publishes at $1 a copy and even an old maid will like the adventures of the author and Cleta 'Mrs. P), not to mention Rose's very ■ funny pictures. Abel. Authors Guild Tiff : Revolt is reported brewing in the Authors Guild, which is a branch of the Authors League of America, with an insurgent group trying to unseat Rex Stout, League head, as well as Luise Sillcox, exec secretary. (Latter is a well-paid post, though Stout's job is gratis,) Claimed League holds no monthly meetings, and shows no activity whatever. There should be a meeting end of October or early November, for elections, at which time insurgents plan minning John W. Vandercook for Stout's post. Stout had been re- nominated (usually tantamount to election) but new group plans some fireworks. Billy Rose's S2.5t Logic "Mr. Rose of Broadway," "The "Mighty Atom," "The Bantam Bar- num" or "King ' of the Diamond Horseshoe" are among the titles for Billy Rose's biog "which Maurice Zo- lotow is scripting for Random House publication. Rose favors the latter on the theory, as he puts it, "If I can sell dolls for $6 in my saloon, my life should be worth $2.50 to a lot of people.'* Under his deal Rf»se retains , all screen rights to his life—Jesse Lasky once discussed a "Life of Billy Rose" for the movies—with author Zolotow getting lOt>';/ of the royal- ties. Rose has a limited veto power on any of the script, in which case Ben Hecht becomes the arbiter, and whatever he says sticks, willi no beef.s from the subject or the author. CHATTER New semi-monthly in Greenwich Village, "Village Chatter," edited by Marguerite F. La Belle. 'George Frazier has signed con- tract with Random House for a book of his Life mag profiles. Radio scripter Arthur Henley scripted "How To Be A Radio Coiji- edy Writer" for Facts magazine, Phiiip Van Doren Stern and Free- man Lewis elected veepees of Pocket Books, Inc., by board of directors, - Idwal Jones completed his 21st book, "High Bonnet," story of French chefs, for publication by Prentice- Hall. Erskine Johnson's book-of Holly- wood personalities, "Stars in My Hair," will be in the bookstalls shortly. ■>• George T. Delacorte, Jr., chief of Del Publications, spent a week in Hollywood gandering the film sit- uation. Hal Mills. ex-Shanghai 'Variety" mugg, has returned to China after a stint on the San Diego (Calif.) Tribune-Sun. v . Bob Jeffers and Jack Anderson collaborating on a newspaper strip based on imaginary adventures of Vera Vague. New Home Library has skedded for publication this month "Plot Outlines of 100 Famous Plays" by Van H. Cartmell. David Brown, recently discharged from the Army, has rejoined Liberty as an editor. Had been on military leave for last two years. Lee Van Atta. INS war corre- spondent in the Pacific almost since Pearl Harbor, in N. Y. for a brief visit before returning to Tokyo. Gorham Munson, trade-book edi- tor Of Prentice-Hall, Inc., giving his 36th course on professional writing at New School for Social Research, N. Y. Alice Thompson, formerly with Conde Nast and Look, new executive editor of Seventeen. She has been contributing to the mag since its in- ception a year ago ZEKE COLVAN Zeke Colvan, 65, reputedly best known legit stage manager, died Oct. 9 at his Hollywood home, fDllQwilij heart attack. Once with the Shu- berts and later with Florcriz Zeig- fcld, Colvan -stage-managed produc- tion of "Show Boat," "Rio Rita," "Rosalie," "Three Musketeers," "Whoopee," "Simp I e Simon," "Smiles" and "Ziegfeld Follies." • Moving out of the Broadway sec- tor, he functioned as general stage manager of 97 productions for the St. Louis Municipal Opera. Colvan had lived in partial retirement in Hollywood for the past five years, meanwhile handling productions for the Los Angeles Lij>ht Opera and the Dallas and Detroit Municipal Operas. While working in Detroit early this year he was stricken with an ill- ness from which he never recovered. In-addition-to 'Stage work, he wrote a textbook for students of the drama, "Face the Footlights." Surviving are his widow, Doris, former actress, and a sister. RICHARD F. BERGEN Richard F. Bergen, 50, booking agent, died in Chicago, Oct. 12. He had been in show business in Chi- cago lor about 25 years starting with the Keith-Orphcum office as a pub- licity man and later becoming a booker with RKO. At one lime he was a*partncr of Al Borde in the Central Booking Office and for awhile was, booker for Balabati & Katz. In 1939 he be- came associated with the WLS Art- ists Bureau where he was employed when he died. Survived by a widow, sOn and daughter. . SAMUEL R. GAINES « Samuel Richard Gaines, 75, com- poser, dropped dead in Boston, Oct. 9. He Had just left friends and was on his way home when stricken. He had composed many musical works, mostly songs and chorales. For a time, he had been an organist at a N. Y. synagogue and later was a soloist at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, also in N. Y. His compositions included "Home," "The Corn Song," "Cambria." an opera, "Daniel Boone." and "Fan- tasy on Russian Folk Songs.".. He had married twice and leaves a widow and two children. TOM O'BRIEN Thomas Brennan, 53, vaudeville performer, known as Tom O'Brien, died at Camp Cooke, Cal„ Oct. 15, following appearance in camp show with his two brothers. Act was part of USO performance featuring Joe E. Brown, Robert Armstrong. Arthur Treacher and Ann Jeffries. O'Brien comedy MAURY BARRETT Maury Barrett, 69. formerly actor and theatre manager, died last week in Bluefield, W. Va.. He was featured singer with Guy Brothers Minstrels and later ..ftp-, peared in "The Seminary Girl" and "Buster Brown." After leaving the stage he man- aged motion picture theatres in Roanoke and Christiansburg, Va., and in 1909 went to Bluefield and opened the ,Bijou and Lyric thea- tres there. He leaves a widow and daughter. WALTER B. COKELL Walter B. Cokell, 57, treasurer for Paramount Pictures, Inc., died Oct. 16 in the Lawrence hospital, Bronx- ville, N. Y.. following a brief illness. He i.s survived by his widow. (Details in Film Section.) team, known in vaudeville as "The S. P ^S^^u U /u man '.£ re '^ n 1 i Runaway Four," had just completed their act and were taking bows Cerft Rolls On Some 31 Hearst and other papers carry the King Features syndication of Bennett Cerf's "Try and Stop Me" gag anthology, which Fred. Dickin- son of the syndicate edits. Cerf's "Try" will be exhausted by Novem- ber, but his new "Laughing Stock." a further collection ot gags, will carry the idea for another six months. ■:.•'.■ '..'■'•'•' ■ Arthur*Kober's 2-ln-l Arthur Kober's two sagas about his "Bella Gross" characters, pre- viously published in two volumes in the U. S. as "Thunder Over the Bronx" and "My Dear Bella," have been combined for English publica- tion by Conjilabtej iXondon) as -"farm Me." Anti-World War III Mac "" Eugene THlinger. erstwhile dircc- iQi'^f-^eseartrr-of—-thc_Saciely for the Prevention of,World WarHir, Inc., edits the organization's monthly Nire Payoff Shirley Cunningham, just back from three years' overseas work with Red Cioss. has tidy sum awaiting her Ir'orh royalties accrued during her overseas stint on her "The Pocket Entertainer." a Pocket Book that has just passed million copy mark. Before joining Red Cross. Miss Cunningham had idea for publishing "Strange Fruit" tub-thumper, has fiction piece, "Cinderella Annie" in current Esquire; a show biz article "Stuffing the Turkey" due *in De- cember Coronet; and a novel ex- pectei in the spring. William Castle, director of the "Whistler," Columbia pic scries, and the more recent "When Strangers Marry," collaborated with flacker Robert Joseph on "Hero's Oak." a folk-tale. Book will be published by The Readers Press on Nov. I. Corey Ford and Alastair Mac- Bain's "Cloak and Dagger," story ot the Office of Strategic Serv- ices, now serializing in Collier's, being published by Random House, with Col. W. J. Donovan doing the special foreword. It's also the first production by U. S. Pictures (Milton Sperling-Joe Bernhardt. Emanuel R. Freedman, who last month returned to the New York Times cable desk after serving mure than three years as assistant chief of the Office of War Information's foreign news bureau in Washington, slated to go to London within the next two. weeks to join the Times bureau there as an editor and cor- respondent. when brother did not return to stage. They found him in wings fatally stricken. Trio were sched- uled to Iqave for New York this week to join Copaeabana overseas touring unit. In addition to brothers, he is sur- vived by a son. HARRY SCOTT Harry Scott. 57, assistant film di- rector, died Oct. 11 in Hollywood following a heart attack. He had been at RKO for three years and worked with Leo McCarey recently on "The Bells of St. Mary's." NORMAN BEREUS Norman Bcrcus, 33, radio singer, died Oct. It, while fishing near Glendale. Cal. He was a member of the Smart Set radio quartet. Fred "Pop** Luff, 81, for 38 years in charge of gate personnel at Pali- sades Amusement Park, N. J., died Oct. 13 at Palisades, N. Y. He started in the amusement business at the turn of the century as contractor for Nick and Joe Schenck and left to go to the Park. Accused Equityites Continued from naye 51 Spanish Refugee Appeal has stead- j that because there was an admission lastly maintained that the rally had | charge or 50c, the Theatre Authority nothing to do with religion, that the ! (theatrical charity), of which he is purpose was to raise funds for J exec sec, would have to get a per- MARRIAGES Spanish Repubhcan refugees in France and other countries." Equity is in a quandary. It hasn't any intention of disciplining Fay for the defense of his faith but the five other players have been "pilloried.' as indicated by hundreds of protest- | ins letters from individuals and or- Garden at 7:30 p.m. and could 1 not, ganizations. An examination of the therefore, have heard the offending pile of communications showed that ! speech, which was heard some three the sentiments were about 50-50 lor hours later, and. again.st'.-Eejuity and the other. centagc. No one in authority could okay that arrangement, so the show was scratched, Ferrer merely intro- ducing the artists. Latter thereupon went to their respective theatres for the evening performances. According to them, they departed from the Charlotte Lorelta Aus to Pvt. Vin- cent Bruno, New York, Oct. 14. Bride is former nitery and radio singer; groom batoned his own dance combo before enlisting in army, - Marie Hutchison to Larry Fodse. a book of games, puzzles, quizzes, | Pittsburgh, Oct. 2. Groom is etc.. which she submitted to her McDonald. Pa . theatre manager, bosses on Pocket Books, Bob de L t. Wanda McLaughlin, USNR. to Graff and Pete Howe. Skeptical of Wayne Pseuxzi. .Pittsburgh, Oct. !). idea at first, they decided tp take a Groom j s drummer with Pitt Symph shot at the notion after looking over i Qrch. photostats of the manuscript. "Pock- Ma Vy Mcader to Alex Bucket. Bell et Entertainer" has since become Air'.'Md ..Oct .6 .Groom is asst .mgr. one of company's best sellers. 1 o£ Senate theatre. Hurrisburg, Pa. Sonic prote-stants stated' they would never attend a show in which any ot the quintet appeared. Fact that the rally was headed by co-religionists of high standing should have stopped Fay, it's indi- cated on Broadway, but. he evidently was not aware that Catholics; too. backed the rally. Error, too, was Ferrer Scores Fay Montreal, Oct. 16, Jose: Ferrer, whose production, "Strange Fruit," opened here Satur- day U3),. scored Frank Fay's rap at the appearance of certain Equity members—and "a certain council member"—at Madison Square Gar- den rally against the Franco, gov- ernment. Ferrn: was. of course, "the certain council member." iii the manner in which he made the charges. Matter could have been J c threshed out at a council meeting, !• * «f revealed hel . e that J as an but because the charges were made | Equity member and councillor do News Guild's "Front Page Awards" When the American Newspaper Guild presents its annual "Front Page Awards" at Madison Square | Oct. 11. N Garden. N. Y.. on Dec. '6. Eddie Con- don will be honored for his con- tribution to American jazz. Laurctle Taylor for her role in "Glass Men- agerie," Fredric March for "A Bell for Adano" and Dnnny Kaye (who'll be piped in from Hollywood) for his comedy. . -A... posthumous award to - Ernie. Pyle for his contribution to journal- ism will be presented to his wife or to Bur'ges.s Meredith.who portrayed Pyle in the-film. "The Story of G.I; BIRTHS Mr. and Mi's. Johnny Sinn, son, Y. Father is exec, with Frederic VV. Ziv Co i rsd'o package group. , Mr. and Mrs. Richard Karp. son, Pittsburgh. Oct. 5. Father is on KDKA production staff and musical director of Pittsburgh Opera So- ciety. Mr: and Mrs. John Hagan Holland, ion, Los Angeles, Oct. 10. Father is dialog director at Universal. • Mr. and Mrs. George Siiuton. son. Hollywood. OetrrCFather is 20th- Fox- dircctor-writer. . t an o;ien . meeting, the press \yns ■ afforded a chance to snipe, and the issue, was: steamed. up daily all las', week. Fay's version appears to have been given out to the N, Y. Journal- American the day before Equity's open meeting, and that really start- ed the whole argument. That Equity and its leaders were upbraided, too, .was the result of a hastily phrased press release. Margo. of "Bell For Adano" (Cort); Jean Darling, of "Carousel" (Majestic): David Brooks, of "Bloomer Girl" (Shubert); Luba Malina. of "Marin- ka" iBarrymore), and SonO Osato, of "Orf tlie Town" (Beck), went to the Gardens to entertain the gather- ing pitior to the start of the rally's agenda. Jose Ferrer was to'be m.c. bill the show was called off when Alan Corelli appeared and stated not want to be guilty of the same offense Mr. Fay was by discussing Equity's business in public. There are plenty of things I have to say on the subject—but I believe in let- ting Equity's Council pass on the whole matter first." Variety Bills Continued from pace 3» , Villus* liar* tti'rl .Slono t'jilny l.it.n« .Vtirj'ii hi winn '/,r-U '•) 'JU'V./'F -. *i YOltiUft VHHRintr.1 liij; mil ['mil VI11a>»l IJlbi OmI<i«:iU1 \.Cf> IliW.I T rt i';n rolls. k'k 'vnr /mr/Ifmr Duke KUintfton o r « Lonifp .Ionian Ore tJoVlcfl '*U;it« if- '.Osftio Jtr. .fam'-ft Claun* ilnnitln* urc /Imntrrniaii'K W Sr. .1 Kr«« n iVaynt* Tiu»inn«*'» Adi'ir.nnf*! l*Kf!i»r l!f»la 'vCk*)jj:i 'If-ito .K-.n-'Irm Ore