Variety (May 1946)

Wednesday, May 1, 1946 Broadway Spyros Skouras leaving for the Coast this \veekend. ; inurid Bergman and Hedda Hop. currently visiting here. P Joe Roberts back on the job after .v i i owly missing pneumonia. ■ Tcnnista" Sarah Palfrey Cooke to do summer stock this, season. Charles C. Moskowitz back at his dc * after vacationing in .Miami Percy Hoskins, Jack Hylton's g.m., due in on the Queen Mary, May 10. ■ Howard-"Hoyt. Metro's eastern play ciiilor. and his wife now vacationing '"MeUo'dircctor Eddie Buzzelt. first time cast in three years on vacation, bedded by cold. . , , . Joey Adams sending out belated E-asler gilts—tie with labels reading, "Stolen from Joey Adams." . . Tliere will be a new press depart- ment for the new skating revue at Center, due to open in June. Adrian Scott and wife. Anne Shir- jcy■'■•leaving for the Coast today (Wed ). Ditto Ethel Barrymoro. Zelma Brookov. Warners', eastern talent scout, heading for Coast May Mi Tor confabs with studio execs, Mrs. N. Peter Rathvon arrived in N Y. yesterday (Tuesday) on a week to '10i days' personal business trip. • Composer and publisher of "Sym- I 'phonic." respectively Alstone and Francis'Salabcrt. in from France. . The Jack Bcnnys have "reserved the'third' ginrummy table. at the Stork' for May 14 when they get . "Louis H. Aborn, of Tams-Witmark, imd Hermine Friedman, of the Em- pire Broadcasting Co., to Wed, - in June. ■''..•■'■ Victor Payne-Jennings, elegit pro- ducer, aiid Mrs. Nancy Coblcigh Joa- huiinsen, planning a Bermuda mar- riaso. ,,. . . Fred (Red) Spooner publicizing plane flights to Kentucky derby. Rene (Sorrel) Carroll one of the ■ flight hostesses. Olseii and Johnson have sent out calendars with greetings for next Christmas, saving they were late for the 1945 Yuletide CHATTER 71 planning little thea- Fredcrick H. stage comeback via loci tres. Bob Edwards, vocalist with Sammy Watkins' orch at-Hollcnden, laid up for a couple of weeks by throat trouble. Karl Bernstein, advance man for "This Too Shall Pass.'r got his signals mixed. Checked into tftwn prepared to do business and then discovered the show isn't. even booked for Cleveland. Miami Beach By Larry Sallows? Julie Oslvins heads new show at Kitty Davis. Neil Fontaine set to open at Club Bali Fridays i3». Don Richards orch set for Flagler Gardens. May 12. Joan .Adair joined show at Ben Gaines Blackamoor room. Bobby Escoto. Cuban singer, into Carribean hotel's Starlight Patio. Hal Thornton, comic, back at Club 22. . Buddy. Walker held over at Club Bali. Art Mooney.. orch. leader who re- cently' disbanded his unit, in town for a rest, Jesse Block (Block and Sully) ticketed to follow Sammy While at Kilhy Davis. , Nina Wilcox Putnam in town and may stay the summer. Writing series of mag articles. Blue Angel, swank room which shuttered "early, in year will reopen at end of summer.' Paddock club inaugurates Iryout nights for AGVA talent tbnight'll). Acts will be paid pro-rata. ' Belli.Challis renewed by Bill Jor- dan Bar or Musjc, marking her third year in the spot, ■Ben Gijoss. N. Y. Daily News radio ed in town for a few days on way back from- Key West fishing trip. ' Jerry. Cooper into Clover Club ne.rl week, with Phil and Mildred Crape set for show to follow June 5. Rome Italian film mags played up "Out- law" squabble and Chaplin's latest fatherhood. De Sicca-Besozzi Co.* has clicked In Milan with Bill Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life." "Saludos Amigos," just released in Italy, won unanimous praise and requests for more from a public who had seen no Disney features since "Snow White." "Pinocchio" is being dubbed, but it will be some lime before being ready for distribution. "Fantasia" is ready and awaiting license from government. Roman .Church going air out to influence theatre audiences, with establishment of several professional organizations which must devote themselves to production of moral and quasi-religious works. Locally there are now three, connected with the Catholic Theatre Cciiler: The Arlistica. Operaia. the Francescani dr Via delllmpero, arid the group directed by Nando Tambcrlani. . Caney and his rumba-junta open ! at Mickey Michaals Cadillac hotel Wife of Mickey Freeman, son of j tonight ill with show featuring Lou- Interstate circuit's Charlie Freeman among those (hat came over from England two weeks ago. Bob Wcitmari, managing director of the Paramount, returned to the job Monday (29) after being bedded two weeks with a bad case of flu. Sidney Buchman, Columbia exec producer, huddling here with How- ard Fast on the novelist's "The Last Frontier," which Buchman will pro-- ■ duce. Nelson Barclift. who staged dances for "This Is the Army" and current Orson Welles' "Around the World." has dance-director bids from RKO and Paramount. Lehman Engel. "Call Me Mister" balonist, signed with Decca to com- pose and conduct musical Score for a Waller Huston album of poems about Abraham Lincoln. Mordecai Gorelik, designer re- cently returned from seven months at GI school' at Biarritz, is being paged by Jim Cassidy for production designer on "See What I Mean?". Dane Clark, under contract to Warners, slated to arrive east Satur- day ill) for appearance on two radio frograms: Reader's Digest show May 2 and Theatre of Romance May 14: Jules iCartier's) Glaenzer threw his "Annie Get Your Gun." party for the delayed Rodgers-Hammerstein- Berhii-Fields musical just the same last Thursday, despite the postpone- ment. . Travel bureaus, war-stymied, bull- 'shly busy in anticipation of big summer travel. France particularly postwar goal with some 150.000! for plane, boat Saxon and Phil and-Mildred Crane Looks like mid-season hereabouts, what with Don Ameche and the missus stopping over at the Roney Plazaon the way to Havana l25th). Leland Hay ward. Margaret Sullavan, Jennifer Jones and David Se:znick at . the same hostelry as is Tilda Thanar. Argentine film star and the Lazar Wechslers ihe's the Swiss t film producer). Pittsburgh By Hal Cohen Sterling. ex-GI. will Joyce, the singer, ■ make June Roger Marion bride. Almost 100 members of Ipcal lent going to N. Y. for Variety Club, con- vention. Bob Cochran, WCAE announcer, recovering from emergency appen- dectomy. Chuck Webster, local actor, fea lured in "Counterspy" show over the networks „.._... Eddie Kaplan, burlesk comic, at piogiams: Readers Digest show May Do n Metz' club in Oakland with his 1Z and Theatre of Romance Mav 14: (j tt . n im jt Blackie Forrester is making up a special plane party for the Conn Louis right. Garv Gray has twitched to the Onyx Club after a 110-week stay at Don Metz' snot. Lennie Martin, an arranger for Bernie Armstrong, forming his own five-piece combo. reservations" for plane, "boat"and ' Pal,i JLa,,e - ,ocal dancer, married hotel space. - j Detroit shoe man and honeymooning Bob Rosen, veteran Loew manager South America. hi charge of the Sheridan for many years, has returned from Florida lollowing recuperation from an in- testinal ailment which orginally had him hospitalized in N. Y. Man biles dog note: Aslor theatre manager Maurice Maurer (also the next-door Victoria lessee), in ap- preciation Tor the fine campaign ielzniik s thou publicist Jack Gold- stem gave the house on ••Spell- bound.' 1 girted the now RKO special eastern publicity rep with a Capc- nart'combination.' . °Kear Hammerslein 2d leaving with wife May 7 for Australia dc- MJile delay in opening of "Annie Get i „..».. Your .Gun." On return, will stop on Loasl for conferences on Anita Loos' letter "Happy Birthday" lo be done next fall with Helen Hayes as well as resume work at 20th-Fox on his grandfather's filnibiog. Chicago Miseha Mischukuir. concerlmaster of the NBC. Symphonv." partied by Ihe Arts Club Friday '2(B). Frankie "Sugar Chile'.' Robinson signed by the Chicago theatre to fill tlic Frank Sinatra' spot beginning May 10. - ' Mike Todd hosted newsmen at Don the Beachcomber's in celebration of the way "Up : in Central Park" is clicking. Herb Pauley, former ballroom op, replaces Joe Callaii as head of the Chi office of Frederick Brothers' band dept. Phil Regan's son. Joseph, recently but of the AAF, propping for a stint at Notre Dame. ' ' John Weicher. Chi Symphony orch's cohccrlmaster. appointed con- ductor of the symphony's training school, Civic Orch, Kermit Bloomgarden in for a checkup on the Chi company of "Deep Are the Roots." Arthur Wirtz taking bids on con- struction costs of a two-story addi- tion to the-Chi Sludium. . Margaret Hayes to replace K. T. Stevens in the Coast < formerly Chi) company of "Voice of the Turtle." Gypsy ROse Lee modeled a $20,000 mink coat at the fashion show in the Hotel Continental's New Horizon last week. Johnny Weissmueller tack home in Chi for a few days, and huddling with swimming coach Bill Bachrach at the Illinois Athletic Club. Shirley Molohon. Chi's "Miss Pho- I of lash of '46," back in town after a stint for International Pix in "Dark Mirror" and Columbia in "Down to Earth." ' Allan Jones inked into the Oriental theatre Thursday «2), following re- cent Chez Paifee date; From Ihere he goes to Beverly Hills Club, Cin ciniiati. Paul Bui'stein and Lillian Lux here for two performances at the Opera House of the Louis Frciman-Sholem Secunda Yiddish musical, "Hard to Be Honest." Swedish actress Karin Eckhind here etiroule to N. Y. for a month's vacation. Plans to make some more pix on the west coast and then back to Sweden. Thomas Mann, who celebrated be ■coming an American citizen two weeks ago, making n satisfactory re- covery here from an operation for a chest ailment. Jack Kirsch, Allied States' prez. packing for trip to White House cere monies honoring the film industry's 24 collection kings of this year's Red Cross theatre drive. Besides visiting his homeland. Vic ances sold out month in advance of May engagement. Minnesota Amus. Co. reopened State in Virginia, Minn., giving town second first-run house. Hotel Nicollet Minnesota Terrace has Bob Evans, Delmar & Denise and Frankie Gelsone orch. Annual Northwest Sportsmen's Show set new high record, drawing 180,000 customers for week. Bill Woods, former Par booker and now out-of-town exhibitor, in Vet- erans' hospital here for operation. : Informal poll of business concerns revealed heavy majority in favor of daylight savings; and matter is now in city council's hands. ' ' < Clyde Cutter, formerly with. M-G and more recently a theatre man- ager, joining 20th-Fox as booker, re- placing Carl Naslund, resigned. Washington By Florence S. Low* Ted Gamble in town doing his able best for the British loan. Eric Johnston hops to the Coast soon after farewells at the Chamber of Commerce meet in Atlantic City, May 2. . The Little theatre out in front as D. C. winner in .'46 Red Cross drive, which makes Little's manager. Eric Shihkel, local; rep in 24-Hour Club. Also Coast bound in the near fu- ture is Arch Mercey, whp officially took over past week as- government 'iaison with film industry in OWMR. Gene. Autry's visitors at the S-Q Ranch Rodeo here included Repub- lic's prexy, Jimmy. Grainger, setting at rest rumors of a rift, and: Smiley Burnett, who took a bow at the show. Metro will beat the drums for Green Years" with personal ap- pearance of Charles Cobiirh at a brass hat screening of . the pic. Coburn is handily on the scene in Merry Wives of Windsor." Shakeup in town's drama desks cause of much eyebrow raising here this week. Don Craig, recently re- turned from the Army to his old stand at the Daily News, has gone over to Times'Herald. Betty Hynes. who took . over there . when . John Maynard went to .King Features, re- turns to the - society page. Tom Donnelly, a News staffer, replaces Craig in the.drama slot on the News. Pryde -Shannon, back from the war.* and Alice Daye. have resumed their juggling act. Carl Wyman. recently Out of the j lor Borge will do a liltle fiind-raismg service, elected president of the KDKA Club for 1946. Gabe Rubin and his bride finally got away for a Miami honeymoon couple of weeks late. Etzi Covato last, week celebrated 46lh birthday and 20th anui as a lo- cal nitery impresario. With closing of Symph Season, liclcelseller Percy Roberts has gone i to a b.o. cage at Forbes Field. Bob Prince's morning news show KQV "for- Harris Amus. Co. rades from the air waves this week- end. Cleveland Caracas, Venezuela By <;icnn C. Pollen Gene Aulry opening scsquicciifen- nial ioden at Arena Friday (3)." Tilhe Srhencker renamed Terry fa'",? °" opelptla bow « l Alpine Vii- ■ Marly Caihe, booker with Frank' nes office, recovered from minor 0.' ""1111011, . ."^iirles Raymond, son of Loew's m s,oiv manager, has juicy role in p ( ," House's "Janie." ' nrclon Klein out of service and o»--s in Lake wood's repertory comr P«ny as slave manager. ' f n >. r.'i ,S0l 'v Flc »ch, gossip columnist roi Cleveland Press, got off last week o». busman s trip to Europe. A-ansdale Daley, who became Mrs. ' new radio bos* Film ."cashiers handicapped by lack . of small coins. "Esso Reporter." news cast, ex- lends to Maracaibo for ils second outlet in Venezuela, Radio Contihenlal of Caracas and j Ondas Del Lago of Maracaibo mov- • ing into new quarters in May. New film theatre, Acacias, opened, in Sabana Grande section. Owned by Circuilo Venezolano de- Cines. . Opera company composed ..Of Italian refugees living In Latin America, opened at Theater Munici- pal. June O'Day, former musical com- edy ' actress, joins hubby - Lefty Gomez, who Js coaching baseball here. Government appointed V.almore Rodriqiirz of Caracas as minister of I communications, for the education of Danish youths orphaned during the German occupa- tion on his visit to Denmark hi July. Leased for ■ a decade, the Drake hotel returns Wednesday <1) to man-, agement of the owners, with .Edwin L. Brashears as prez and Ben Mar- shall, Jr.. son of the architect and builder, as veepee Leland Hay ward and Bielaigne Windust in for the "State of the Union'" opening, and Alaii .fay Ler ner arid Frederick Loewe here with John C. Wilson for bow of "Day Be fore Spring.'' Janice Kingslow subbed for Hilda Simms in "Anna Lucasla" .one night last week—her first time at bat In the lead role—and did okay. She'll replace Miss Simms when the Jai- ler's, run-of-lhe-play pact runs out, Minneapolis By Lis Rees W. A. Steffcs back after a while in Florida. Oliver' Broughton-, M-C traveling auditor, iir town. Murray Weisbefg back with "To lonaise'- at Lyceum. Djnniug Sisters into Hotel Radis son Flame Room with Gordie Bowen orch. ' D'.Rcy. ventriloquist, into Happy Hour nilcry with Morrie Brennan band. Stale had "Kilty" .invitation screenings for fortuity parlor upcr- which makes him atnrs. Two of Mctnpcrus four perform- Hollywood San Francisco By Te4 Friend Roy Howard in for short visit. Motion Picture Service celebrating 11th anni.. Hilton deal for Hotel St. Francis, reported to have hit legal snag. Dennis Day, Carlton B. Morse and Anthony Smyth, making the seven hills. Gordon Kahn at Mark Hopkins on Atlantic Monthly writing assign- ment. Roz Russell at the St. Francis: also General Omar Bradley and Lt. Gen- eral Ira Eaker. Charles Moran. CBS Pacific Coast sales manager, in town for confer- ence with Wayne Stcrfner, of local office. Bob Goerner. CBS announcer, re- turning May 6 from Arizona, where he has spent past 13 weeks due to ill health. John Charles Thomas and Bill Gargan joined Biiig Crosby in cele- brating Los Angeles night at (he Bohemian Club, April 25. Ken Dailey, of Burt Levey office here, sponsored Shrine show April 25. at Palace hotel, to celebrate 40th anniversary of the circuit. TCPO-NBC's "Hubbub Club" has Rexall Drug Co. as sponsor. Jack Gregson, emcee of show, entertained 500 Richfield dealers at studio cele- brating "Richfield Reporter's" 15th anni. Dr. Peter Goldmark. discoverer of color television, lectured before Radio Engineers Institute. Predicts bright future for it. Also staled that Mt. Wilson In L. A. will have active' stu- dio by end of the year. Mitchell Leisen vacationing oh hia yacht. Bert Granet to Mexico City on va- cation. . .Arthur Lubin vacationing at Palm Springs. ' Joseph Noriega aired in from Mex- ico City. Agnes Mobrehvad vacationing in ■ Las Vegas. Brian Aherne vacationing on his Indio ranch. Martha O'DriscotI laid up with an injured back. Red Skclton to Coronado to enter- tain the sailors. J. J: Shubert in town on combined business and vacation. Mack Gordon and Lee Finburg ■ sunning at Palm Springs.' Peter Cardoza out of the _ Navy and into Warners flackery. ; ,J. K. : "Spike" Wallace recovering from bronchial pneumonia. Ellen Drew entertaining- J. H. . Bustin, Canadian exhibitor. . Ernest Whitman celebrating his 30th year in show business: George Pylkas resigned as public- ity chief for Planet Pictures. . Erich Remarque will become -an American citizen next month. Phil.Karlson to Louisville to shoot footage on the Kentucky Derby. Bing'Crosby back from Sail Fran- cisco, where he played a benefit. Paul Lukas entertained . Col; George Kovach in Palm Springs. Felix Jackson and Deanna Duibin . in town after gandering Broadway. Jack Beutel, male topper, in "The Outlaw," discharged from the Navy. . Margo to Cleveland for the Frank- lin D. Roosevelt Memorial services. Elsa Lanchester, wife of Charles ' Laughlon. held up and robbed of S45.. Jorge de Castro, Brazilian exhib- itor, ogling the "Rio" set at Colum- bia: Spencer Tracy vacationing in Ari- zona. . James Montgomery Flagg arrived from Newi York for art work .at RKO. Veronica Lake appointed judyc at a charity dog show at Gilmorc Sta- dium. Robinson Barrientos. Chilean film exec, visiting the "Rio" set at Co- lumbia. Red Doff, publicist, and Claire Valensi to marry in Los Angeles June 23. . Henry Ginsberg back at his- Par- amount desk after vacationing- in Phoenix. Ben Kalmenson in from New York this week for production huddles at Warners. Harry H. Thomas. PRC prexy, hosted by company officials on his birthday. Marcoreta Hellman, screen ac- tress, divorced Arthur J. Qucnzcr, musician. Felix Brcssart putting out a shingle as doctor of physiotherapy in Bev- erly Hills. Arnold Moss in from N. Y. for a screen role in "Bella. Donna" at In- ternational. Samuel Machnovitch. treasurer of Universal Pictures, in tOwn for stu- dio confabs. — Sigmund Romberg due in tbwo May 15 to work on the "Sunny River" score. Danny Kaye, Eve Arden and the Goldwyn Girls to- San Francisco for a benefit show. Rasmus Breistein, Warners distrib- utor for Oslo, Norway, in town for studio huddles. William R. Stone resigned as di- rector of labor relations at RKO after four years. . Mike McGreal celebrated his 13th anniversary as head of Warners camera department. Howard Strickling sunning in Phoenix for 10 days. Pauline Starke, star of silent films, visited Bill Powell on the "Life With Father" set at Warners. Pahn Springs By Hank Goldenberg Obituaries Continued from page 7i 26 in Hollywood. Leaves April widow and daughter, Wife, 45. of Harry Burns, come- dian featured with Olsen ft Johnson musical, "Laffing Room Only", died in Philadelphia, April 27. Many of ihe hotels and night spols | in iht . ir wiU fold May I. 1 1,1 " Others sun-broiling: . Anabelle. Benny Rubin, wife and' child, and Raymond Hatlon. Charlie Bullerworlh steps out of Western Airliner into desert heat with an overcoat, yet. , - .„„„., Outdoor diners at Dunisr the Bill ] « ener «J ", ia ? a f er ««■ WHOM. N.. V, Parents of Craig Lawrence, vecpec of the Cowles radio interest and Goodwins, Bob Livingston. Bill Thompson, of the Fibber McGee show, and Eddie Cantor. Lingering loiterers still here. In spite of heat; Howard Hawks. Curry I Zanuck, Gregory Ratoff. Max Gor- don. Rudy Vallee. Leo McCarey. Gary Grant and Howard Hughes looking for a cool, spot in Chi Chi Blue Room. Also Gloria -De Haven, and John Payne, now a threesome! , In the pool at La Quinta Joan Crawford and daughters, also Joan Davis and .daughter. Honeymoon- ing here .is Boris Karloff and new wife, recently wed at Boulder City. Waning season finds : Burgess Meredith; Gat-son Kanin and wife. Ruth Gordon, dining at the Racquet Club. Ditto Rdz Russell and Freddie Brisson, Dick Haymes. Diana Lewis Powell, Charles Slarrett. and Nils Anther. . • • were killed in train Chicago last week. wreck near Father of Polly Malbne, women's commentator ' on WCAE in Pitts- burgh, died suddenly at his home there last week. Father of Phil Zinkand. who con- ducts all-night disk program on WWSW in Pittsburgh, died recently after a. short illness. Father of Joe Besser, vaudc radio comic died . April. 20, in St Louis. Mother, 68, of Alan Corelli. exec secretary of Theatre. Authority, died at Piitchogue, L. I., April 26.