Variety (May 1946)

MISCELLANY Wednesday, May 1, 1946 Bid Robinson Kudosed By All Show Business on 60th Airai of Terp Bow By JOG COHEN ♦ Bill Robinson acknowledged l>is fiuili anni in showlJUsiness Monday 1291 at a celebration at the Zanzibar. N. Y., in what is regarded as one of . the greatest turnout;'ever accorded , a performer on Broadway. Tribute ' paid by show-business Was a token of - the 'industry's -regard for the 67- year-old Bojangl.es. i. Main honors heaped upon Robin- . son. aside from all Ihe kind words • thai went over WEAF. N. Y., included the presentation or a plaque by. Gene Buck, president of the American So- ciety of Composers. Authors and Publishers and award of a life-' time membership "in ihe American Guild of Variety Artists by Dave I Fox. secretary of the N. Y. AGVA local who represented Matt Shclvcy, . talent union's national administra- tor. The event evoked some nostalgic moments to showbiz oldtimers. Those | turning out included performers j many years in retirement. Among them Maude Nugent, who composed "Sweet Rosie .O'Grady"; Lucy Daly Ward, Billy Gould, Tom Smith' i.fc Austin)':. Mae Murray, now a lec- turer, and Harland Dixon (Doyle &) (Continued on page. 63) 16m Prints for Private Use Now Written Into Film Names' Contracts I New gimmick being demanded in ' contracts by Hollywood stars, direc- j tors, writers and producers is that they be provided with a 16m print | o£ their pictures for their "Ales." Most companies agree to. the provi- sion, since the cost is minor. Result of this new demand has ; been the growth of large-scale intra- mural 16m circuits. Each of the prints does the rounds of a good .many of its owner's pals before it finally end up in his "files." In re- turn for lending his friends a print of his picture, they, of course, will send over a print of their latest as soon as it is ready. So the. circuit soon reaches a formidable size. There has been no dificulty todate on prints getting permanently out of the hands of Iheir owners, al- though that is a growing concern on the pari of the' companies, with the ■ films doing so much traveling. Whole deal on providing such prints prob- ably will be scotched if any are found to have slipped'into the black market.. , The 16m circuits are a variation of 35m circuits in the homes of top Industry execs and stars. ' A num- ber of them have their own projec- tion Vooms find borrow Dims from the studios on a more or less regu- lar basis. Sports Shorts Plane chartering outfits afford- ing fast .transportation for sports devotees in various localities have developed recently, . de- signed to supplant ihe former special train trips. First of such projects starts. Saturday t'4) when planes from New York, Chicago and other points fly to luc Kentucky Derby, returning immediately after the races. Cost of the trip includes a ticket to the track. Similar plane trips will be available for the Louis- Conn light, flights starting at 'Chicago. St. Louis, Detroit and Pittsburgh and .returning to the points of origin an. hour after the bout ends. Trip from. Chicago and return will cost $130 and' passengers may reserve tickets for the flight. Century Air Trans- port group has tied up around 3.000 tiokets at various prices for its patrons. Figured Ihe gross on Ihe flights alone by that outfit will top $300,000. Yankee ball club management has held out 4.000 Louis-Conn fight tickets, which are available to fans who have bought season bo.xes at the Stadium. Price for front lop tier box tickets is $100. same as oh the field. ■ Yankee Stadium's private club- room facilities, opening- two hours before game time, closing l'j hours after each home'game, with hot lunches to be served soon to members and ' their guests. . , The Berle-ing Point By Milton Berle 202nd WEEK ! KEN MURRAY'S "BLACKOUTS OF 1M6" El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, Cal. '!) linies for me, ainl Iho cur- rent show Ik the.Host yet." , DICK POWELL. Manyfilm, Radioites In Civilian Advisory Group Washington, April 30. Prominent film and radio people are included in the list of 58 persons appointed last week by Navy Secre- tary James Forrestal to a new Navy Civilian Advisory Committee. Among them are: Gene Markey, Robert Montgomery. Niles Tram- mell, NBC prexy: Frank Stanton, CBS prexy; Robert C. Hinckley, v.p. of ABC; J. Raymond Walsh, of Sta- tion WMCA, New York, and Gard- ner Cowles, Jr.. head of the Cowlcs radio and publishing empire. Many others in the group arc writers and in the publishing biz; indicating that one of the things the Navy has on its mind is a better public relations job. "Fundamental aim of the commit- tee,'' it was explained, "is to advjsc the Navy on matters of policy and program dealing with the non-mili- tary phases of a serviceman's life." 50,000 Capacity Stadium And 15,000 Civic Aud On Toronto's Bldg. Agenda Toronto. April 30. ! A new War Memorial Stadium 'seating 50.000 and a Civic Auditorium ; lo hold 15.000 people, are included ' in the postwar plans .for the new setup of the Canadian National Ex- i hibilion, according to Elwood Hughes, ! general manager. The promise fol- lowed a fire a few days ago which : caused $250,000 damage when the j present- grandstand was two-thirds destroyed. The postwar program of 1 the C. N. E. has the support of Mayor j Bob Saunders of Toronto, j Since the outbreak of war. the I Expo buildings and 387 acres of | grounds have been used as a training centre for army and air men and is still a demobilization point: but a re-building plan aims at transform- ing the setup into one of the finest annual exhibitions in. North Amer- ica. Several existing buildings will be demolished and replaced with modernistic structures, some to be erected by the C. N. E. and others by industrial trade groups. Bell Tele- phone Co. of Canada and the Toronto ; Transportation Commission propose j to put up their own buildings. I Plans also include new elevated | motor highways. , up-to-date land- ! scaping and the installation of many ! fountains throughout .the grounds. I Use will also be made of the Lake | Ontario waterfront for elaborate '.'aquatics. The famed Royal Canadian | Dragoons barracks, built in 1840, arc ! to be torn down; according to present j plans but it is expected there'will j be citizens' revolt on this proposal, ; offset by transforming the fort-like | structures into a military museum as ja further C. N. E. attraction-draw. ! Railways have promised not to oper- ate .coal-burning locomotives in the : vicinity during the resumption of . the annual two-weeks' exposition cx- ! peeled to be held again in 1947. Jap Inflation KO To Geishas Biz Tokyo, April 30. Prices in the Geisha girl market are soaring so wildly that the busi- ness is in danger of being wiped out for lack of customers. Black market labs, are prevailing with one guest for one evening . costing, the big- hearted host about 2,000 yen. With financial restrictions freezing all bank accounts, there's hardly anyone around with that kind of coin lo spend on such non-essentials. Price of 2.000 yen per person per evening —without privileges—means $133 in American money, although its actual purchasing power is about $25 That's still high compared to the did days when a call on a Geisha in Tokyo's best houses cost only 10.75 yen an evening or about $2.75 Amer ican style. A man with a family of five is permitted . nowadays lo withdraw only 500 yen a month from his ac- count and get paid the same amount frdm his employer—legally. Plenty of chisellers are in currency here who get around the restrictions by swinging it on . the expense account. But there aren't enough of this type lo kscp the Geisha racket going in high. ARMY AND NAVY DEPTS. CITE US0-CAMP SHOWS Washington,. April 30. War. and Navy Departments issued a citation Tuesday i30) to the USO- Camp Shows, .Inc., Tor their, work in" connection with the war efforts. Jointly cited were other groups af- filiated to the USO including the YMCA, National Catholic Com- munity Service, Jewish Welfare Board. YWCA, the Salvation Army, and the National Travelers Aid. ■ USO-Camp Shows was commended for providing live entertainment for the armed forces in training, in hos- pitals, on outpost duties and in com- bat areas around the world! The agency was honored for contributing directly to the morale of the men and women on all fighting fronts. More than 5.000 USO performers were sent overseas and entertain- ment was provided occupation forces in Germany and Japan and to mili- tary personnel awaiting shipment home. Finally got to see the circus. . .Horses in the ring! lions In the cage and wolves in the balcony.. .One of the painted clowns broke out in a rash. First time.I ever saw measles in Technicolor.. .There must be a sliorwige of help at the circus. . .when we went in Gargantua was taking liel«Mv.. Atone of the sideshows they .have a three-headed man who's-always having arguments with himself.. .His right head is a Republican, his left head in a Democrat and the middle one keeps saying, "Comes the revolution, you'll vote my way!" The Great Wit Way Appeared at the Cancer Drive Show with Ed Sullivan, who has played so many benefit banquets that when he sees a plate of chicken a la king he gets up and makes a speech. , A Broadway press -agent's best asset is his lie-ability. If shapely Carole Land is ever gets he* own radio program, il should'be called The Good Wool hoiir. ■ Harvey Stone asked me how old my baby Vicki is. . .1 told him, '.'400 diapers." ; ' Broadway is a place where you .buy. a sandwich named after someone .you'd rather bile in person. Would you call a. sustaining .program a layoff set to music? With the summer season approaching, I . know an actor who has just gone from Social Security to Social Director. " My mother is going into the hat business!. She has one. number that features a live pigeon on lop. of the hat. . .If you don't pay the bill—ihe hat Hies back to the shoppe. There's No Truth To the Rumor That Dinah Shore! is taking singing lessons from Sadie Banks That Maxie Roscnbloom had pleats put in his cauliflower car. . .That Leo Du'ro- che'r has been named a delegate to the UN.. That Leonard .Lyons allows Bennett Cerf to proof-read his column.. That the reason Tony Canzoneri does so well in nightclubs is 'cause he borrows Oscar Levant's IQ. ..That Bob.Crosby is trying lo lose his hair—so he can look more like Bing. COast-to-Coastlng My brother ft he one who can't Sleep because he dreams that he's work- ing l beat the first, four races yesterday/at Jamaica.. he didn't get there until the 5th. * Overheard at Ciro's bar in New York: "Well, here's looking at you— which is why I need this drink." ' > No wonder Solly Violinsky is so happy...he says he's laying off for more money this year than'he did last year. . ' Peggy Joyce couldn't decide between marriage or a career, so she. made a career out of marriage. Understand' the owner of the Coney Island Flea Circus lost- his whole act during the winter...he's going to have to start from scratch. Sidney Greenslreet, to help Ihe people in Europe, has given up his usual amount of bread...that lakes care of three, countries already. Know a radio producer who'looks so tired he could put a. benzedrine to sleep. ' Hangnail Descriptions Pauletle Goddard's sweaters: 100% woolf!. ..Ann Corio: Nnder gender... Tommy Manville: Cashanova!.. Rita Hay worth: • A Gilda'd Lily.. .N. Y. Giants: Ott and bothered!.. .Borscht'Circuit Comics: li derniH-dozcn . W. C. Fields: Quick-hie! Berled Eff* Hal Block saw a show on Broadway that was so bad four empty seals got up and walked out. . Since one critic called me a "screwball" I've been getting offers to play third base for Mexico. . ■ < , ■ Know a nightclub comic who's getting laughs without a prizefighter. There's one agent in town that handles' only girls.. .and they've got the fingerprints to prove it. : Sure miss the Jim Wong troupe with me at the Carnival. . .my laundry looks awful! Jan Murray was squelching a heckler who was giggling in Ihe wrong places. ..The heckler quipped back, "Look, Murray, it you can ad-lib vour jokes, 1 can ad-lib my laughs." . * 'Addenda This week Bill Robinson celebrated'the 60lh anniversary of his dancing ...I celebrated the 60th anniversary of my material. Porter Joins the 3 B's Hofty wood, April 30! Cole Porter finally landed on the same program with Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Occasion was the an- nual concert Monday (29) given by children of film folk who are pupils of music teacher Leila Perry. Boris KarldfT's daughter played "Don't Fence Me In." Other film notables . represented were daughters of Joan Crawford and Ingrid Bergman, also children of Orson Welles, Vincent Price, Larry Adlcr, Henry Ginsberg and Arthur Schwartz. More Taxis the Key To Harlem's Cafe Revival i Appearance of new taxis' in.'New . York is reviving hopes of Harlem nilery ops that ofay trade will soon be (.raveling uptown to Ihe sepia sector cafes. They claim once there are enough cabs to hike care of the entire, town, ihcn while patronage will be . turning up in increasing numbers. Meantime the Harlem cafes are doing big business because' Most top clubs are spending heavy dough oh their shows. Ethel Waters, la Cotton. Club fave in the '20s, Will make her first '-Harlem nitery ap- pearance in sometime at the Club Earun. May 8.. on a bill with Hot- Lips Page orch. " Bing Sells Del Mar Holdings for $481,250 Hollywood, April 30. Bing Crosby sold his interests in the Del Mar Turf Club lb "a new company headed.by Charles H. Carr, currently U. S. attorney for South- ern California. Chairman of the board and one of ihe chief stock- holders is Arnold M. Grant. Other board members are Jerry Gieslcr, former head of the State Racing Commission; Mike Todd, stage and film producer: and Donald B. Smith, chief of Del Mar Charities. Crosby was paid $481,250: for his 875 shares of stock. New combina- tion, bought the controlling interest, 1,100 shares, for a total of $640,000. Precedent When Harry Kurnilz. Holly- wood scripter now in New York, first heard of the Imperial the- atre <N. Y.) mishap, because of the faulty girders, which de- layed the premiere of "Annie Get Your Gun," he observed: "This is probably Ihe first lime in legit history where something besides the book needs lighten- ing-" e Air-Legit Stint Floors Iron-Man Godfrey Arthur Godfrey, carrying a back- breaking schedule of nearly four hours of broadcasting' daily, plus his chore as intra-skit gabber on the le- giter "Three to Make Ready" (Adcl- phi, N. Y ), collapsed Monday morn* ing.'29.K an hour before he was to start a new network show on CBS. Godfrey's radio schedule, which ante-dated his tie-in with ll^e revue at. the Adelphi, was until this, week as . follows: 6 lo 7:45 a.m. over WABC, N. Y.; 7:50 to 9:10 a.m. over WTOP. Washington, D. C. fed live from a CBS studio in New York: then 9:15 to 10 a.m. over the CBS net. Monday (29) Godfrey dropped his former network spot, and was ready to start at a new time. 1.1-11:30 a.m.. being showcased by CBS opposite the NBC Fred Waring program. He finished his Washington stint al.9:10. and shortly thereafter collapsed. 0 Carmichael's Biog To Tied With Decca Album of 'Star Dust' In a musical autobiog, tilled " Star Dust' Road," Hoagy Carmiehael. au- thor of that pop song will go back lo his University of Indiana days when Paul McNutt and Wendell Willkie were his classmates. The songsmith, with the aid of Eustace Cockerill, is rushing the book for fall publication. . Carmiehael will treat a lot with the late Bix Beiderbecke and also with Howard Allen, now assistant 10 the president of Johns-ManviHc,. when, as Wad Allen, he was a pio- neer saxist.. New idea In-book merchandising', will be a Decca album, 'similarly titled, to be released coincidental with the Rinehart & Co. book pub- lication. Lee Bowman's Pneumonia Forces Him Out of Pic Hollywood, April 'Id. Pneumonia attack of Lee Bo v. . ..n forced the actor out of Ihe "Rio" at Columbia and he has been i>~ placed by Keenan Wyiin. r.a::«'* moves over to Columbia from M<ir<>. Bowman; has been declared oiil ut danger by physicians, 'although nii- ;ihi(i.to work. BETTY FIELD'S BEST Betty Field, who withdrew from i "Dream Girl," current Broadway hit, j leaves for Bermuda this week to rest • for an indefinite period. Miss Field was replaced, in fhe j lead role by Haila Stoddard on Mon- i day i29J. • METRO'S TOD SLOAN BIOG . Hollywood. April 30. Metro will film Tod Sloan's biog- raphy from the story of the lop ' jockey by Fred Palmer. I • Title slated is "Monkey On a I Stick." • Stars Fly to Mex Festival Hollywood. April'»«. Three Hollywood names; Aim Sheridan. Walter Pidgeon and Yvoii-r no de Carlo, planed to Mexico O.'ily :<) represent the American 'li.hn m- i:u.try in the Springtime Festival. Celebration, May 1-5. is in obsei v- I iince bl Mexico's independence.