Variety (May 1946)

W«lne«lay, May 15, 1946 VAUDEVHJLB 89 AGVA-Pitt Nitery Owners Maintain Unbendhig Positions in Bond Fight Pittsburgh, May 14. ■¥ First week of American Guild of Variety Artists Talent ban against more than 20 local oafes lor failure l0 gign basic minimum agreements or post cash security bond, passed without a move on either side to ei He differences. According to ■tileries, biz has been affected only iliUhlly, and savings on entertain- ment have more than made up for drop in revenue. Solid froift being put up by local Nile Club Owners Guild has so far showed no signs of cracking, with most of the bigger places, which or- <lin'arlly have floor shows, putting in extra musical units to pull up the slack. Nixon Cafe, Villa Madrid and ton Melz' Casino are now. giving customers continuous' music, with two and three different'-bands;. - Only spot to post a cash bond was Holel : Summit, near Unionlown, principally a resort place which uses acts during the summer season. There's been, some tendency on the part of the Guild to let a couple of members go ahead and post, the cash bond since these places, like Nile Court of Fun, ddh't have dancing and go in exclusively for nut-house lype of entertainment..'' That'll be acted on at a meeting this week. Otherwise; however, member clubs me.slicking together. Guild only lately became a going concern, with the election of Joe Licbcr. ex-GI,' as executive secre- tary. So far there have been no picketing or nileries placed on I her unfair list, but there have been hints from Nat Nazarro, Jr.; who heads AGVA here, that this may come shortly. Terrace Room of ^.William Perm, -hotel continues to be only local spot with floor shows. Nazarro said it hadn't been asked to post a bond be- cause inn's a part of the Staller chain and any negotiations would be strictly '.between .. AGVA national headquarters and Statler biggies in N. Y. Rogers & Moss, English Skaters, Here for Tollies' First ice-skating talent to be* im- ported since before the war is the team of Anne Rogers and John Moss from England. Duo arrived 'last week to play the Shipstad and John- son "Ice Follies." Deal was made by Walter Brown, manager of the Bos- ton Garden's, who has been in Eng- land signing talent. Brown, while in Britain, also signed Colin and Joyce Bosley, an- other blades- pair scheduled to ar- rive shortly. This team will be as- signed to the Arena Managers' show, Ice-Capades." Fred Barry, London-Born, Held by Immigration In Fla., En Route From Rid Miami Beach, May 14. Fred Barry, of the dance-team Fred and Elaine Barry, is being ddlained by U. S. immigration of- ficials here pending investigation of his citizenship.' Barry returned last week from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he worked for three days- at the Casino Copacabana, which was forced to suspend shows because of Brazilian government ban on gamb- ling. Barry is under surveillance be- cause of his leaving the country without permission of immigration authorities. He's in custody of TACA Airways which flew the talent from Brazil. Barry claims that while London- born, he assumed he was a citizen because of the fact that his father was naturalized before he reached 21. Matter Was complicated because of the fact that citizenship papers could not be found after, his fathers death, and further mixup came with revelation that Barry had gone to Nassau-in '1941''claiming American citizenship then. Barry claims that matter , will be cleared up by the. fact that investigation of records at the Port of Entry, Buffalo. N. Y.. will show legal entry inlo this coun- try of the entire Barry family. While under surveillance, Barry is staying at h Beach hotel. Savo's AGVA Claim Vs. Miami Nitery Hits Unusual Legal Snags Unusual angles have cropped up in controversy between Jimmy Sayo, pantocomic, and E. M. Loew, opera- tor of the Latin Quarter, Miami, who Savp claims owes him $3,200 on an unfinished contract due to the pre- mature closing of the' nitery last March 23. Savo had been booked' into spot for three weeks at $2,000 per and had still 10 .days (6 go on con- tract when the L. -Q. shuttered. Savo filed claim for amount due with American Guild of Variety Ar- tists, which had a blanket bond of $4,000 deposited by Loew to cover performers' salaries. When union attempted to process and pay . Savo out of the bond Loew protested the union had no right to interfere in controversy since Savo had not held an AGVA contract and moreover had signed as Jimmy Savo, Inc., in- stead of as an individual. AGVA had to agree that Jimmy Savo, Inc., Was not a member of . talent union but that Jimmy Savo. as individual, was. After series of conferences be- tween AGVA and Loew's attorney,' latter offered settlement of $1,600. half '-original'..amount, which Savo has refused to accept. He slates he will sue for full amount in court. Meanwhile AGVA has censured Arthur Fischer, who pa'cted the date, for failure to use regulation AGVA- conlracl in the transaction, which in such case would have empowered the union to collect the full amount. Circuses Blocked Out Of Pitt) No Lote Available Pittsburgh, May 14. - Big Top and the larger carnivals will have to pass up Pittsburgh this year beeause there are no lots available. As a result, town's only circus will be the Policemen's an- nual show at Forbes Field, home of Pittsburgh Pirates, which isn't avail- able to any others. ■ . Ringling show last year , had to play' an out-of-the-way location be- cause its previous sites had been eliminated. It couldn't even get that one this season. MEMPHIS BLOWS TOP WITH COTTON CARNIVAL Memphis, May 14. This is the Mid-Soulh's Jlrst Col- t-un Carnival Week since 1941 and ■the town is blowing its top. Pre- liminaries have.been:building up for [ weeks, win, n 1e r c le actually yetting underway tonight (Tuesday) and continuing through Sunday. _ Bands of Jack Toagardcn, George Olsen and Bernie Cummins are here., f'n- various Carnival balls. Al Wag- • ner's "Cavalcade of Amusements" is. < ■Providing the riverfront miclwav. j, hollies Classic touch tonight when Mem- *" ph;s Symphony Orchestra presents nn;:l convert of season with Donald Dickson, or Metropolitan, as guest i Rox.v. theatre. M soloist. July or Augukt St. L. to Curb 'Set-Up' Spots Catering to Minors St. Louis. May 14. Legislation to regulate ''set-up" night spots, held to be contributing factors 16 juvenile .delinquency, will be enacted by the city and more than 200 such places will henceforth come under the scrutiny of cops, empow- ered by ordinances. Stale Legisla- ture last January passed a bill en- abling citics in the stale to impose license fees and regulations on places not under liquor board con- trol. Excise Commissioner . Arthur H. Badcr in a recommendation to Director of .Public Safely Charles J. Riley lor ordinance 'control of set-up spots, charged some of the places were illegally selling liquor -to teen agers in spots where the. man- agement furnished the setups. Until- the empowering act was passed by the Stale solons. the setup places were open all night because they, did not dispense liquor. Other nileries. which, have liquor licenses, were forced lo close at stipulated hours. Under the new law setup spots may he charged $300 for an annual license. ' ' .:. Zucker-Borde Merger Working Stanford Zucker agency and' the Al Borde office are negotiating to effect a merger. Both offices are presently engaged mainly in book- ings of small bands and cocktail acts, but both similarly handle tal- ent for nitery and vauders. Zucker has a good list of novelty orchestras, too. Once merger is effecied, a Coast .office will be opened and outfit will go in for a wider variety of book- ings. ' Presently, Bordc's'acls are repre- sented in the east by Leon Newman of the Mark Leddy offices. Borde's- main office is in Chicago, and when in N. : Y. himself, Borde is mainly concerned with his legit holdings. He's'' the producer of "Follow the Girls" and is slated to produce an- other musical in the fall. CARMEN AMAYA SUED FOR DUCKING BOOKING ' Buenos Aires, April 26. Hector Quiroga, Chilean im- presario, is filing suit against the fiery gypsy dancer. Carmen Amaya. Quiroga's bum-up against the dancer stems from her refusal to fulfill a contract with him for a tour in Chile, with her company. Miss Amaya pleaded ill-health and a nervous breakdown following on her father's death, which prevents her travelling. Quiroga's claim is based on the fact that, counting on the dancer kecpingj her pledge, he had hired a theatre, ordered sets and engaged a company as a, fill-up around the Amaya troupe, with some of the stand-ins already collecting salaries. Spanish brigade.of vaudeville art- ists continues strong in Buenos Aires. Apart from the Amaya troupe, the Joaquin Perez Fernan- dez company is still raking it in at the Teatro Avenida, and has been signed for a London season, in 1947. Fernando Granada, and Garcia Guirao, of the warbling troupers, are doing s.r.o. business at the Tronio and Goyescas "colmados'' (cafes). Curro Cannons, another gypsy singer, is due to preein in a few days, while Imperio Argentina is expected to add to her film chores by making personal appearances in one of the more important cafes. Mario Visconli, Spanish tenor, is on the voyage from Spain and is slated lo dp cafe and radio chores. Nitery Bookers Look Askance At Lenny Green s Appointment As Rep Of Bill Miller s Two N. Y. Niteries Chi's Rio Cabana Fined 10G for OPA Violations Chicago, May 14. Fine of $10,000 for violating OPA ceilings in sales of food and bever- ages was levied Monday (.13) against Chuck, Bert and Harry Jacobson, operators of the Rib Cabana here. Judge Michael Feinberg, of circuit court made the decision. Judge also issued permanent in- junction ' restraining owners from further selling at over-ceiling prices. CiroV 30-Day Blackout Los Angeles, May J4. 'Thirty-day liquor suspension was slapped on Giro's nitery, starting j June 3. Muling was made by the 'stale Board of Equalization, j Several months ago the night spot, operated by H. D. Hover, was lined Sf.OOO on a. Federal charge of refill-' B'casts Mark 25th Anni Of Chi's Blackstone Cafe Chicago, May 14. Anniversary celebration of the Blackhawk. Chi Loop nitery, mark- ing its 25lh year in biz, featured a revival for one night of "Midnight Flyers" radio program, once .a', regu- lar Monday night remote originating there. Guest stars from most of the top shots in' town made quick ap- pearances. Carried by WGN- Mulual. show also was 20th anni of station's remotes from the boite. It was. staged Monday '13) from 11:15 lo 11:55 p.m., and 12 lo 1 a.m. Show was cmcecd by Lee Bennett, WGN announcer, formerly a singer who worked oil earlier "Midnight Flyer" broadcasts while vocalist with Jari Garbcr, Chuck Foster band, finishing out booking at the bistro, provided music. Nitery was one of'first in Chi lo have radio pickups of its band music. Its original comeuppance raine from the Coon-Sanders orchestra. Lou Walters Knows On Which Side His Bread Can Best Be Buttered Lou.. Walters, operator of the Latin Quarter, N. Y., will play Ted Lewis starting July 14. despite the fact that the bandleader precedes his date there' with four weeks at the Riviera, Ft. Lee, N. J.,, opening May 23. Decision was made Friday (10) at a meeting attended by Wal- ters, Lewis, and Eddie Elkort, of Music Corp. of America. Lewis was to get $4,500 at the L.Q. for himself and two-performers to be selected by him but now. goes in with a full baud at higher coin. He will get S9,- OOO' at the Riviera. Walters originally was peeved al the Riviera booking, feeling that stay at' that spot would take the edge off run at his cafe. However, he will play Lewis anyhow for 12 weeks and an option period. Simultaneously, it was learned that Paul Small has been agenting Lewis elsewhere despite existence of both contracts. Small has already submitted Lewis to Nicky Blair at the Carnival, N. Y., to follow cur- rent Milton Berle. But since Lewis will be occupied until early October at the earliest, it's likely that any battle between MCA and Small over Lewis' booking rights will be held in abeyance until shortly before that time. ' Bill ; Miller,, operator of the Em- bassy, N. Y., who recently purchased the Riviera, Tt. Lee, N. J., has ap- pointed Lenny Green as his . ex- clusive booking representative. The appointment was made as a matter of convenience to Miller inasmuch as operation of both spots will pre- vent him from, devoting too much time .to auditioning talent. Miller aserts that he deliberately selected a comparat.ve unknown since award of booking rights to a major talent agency would tend - to keep acts belonging to other offices out of his spots. . He doesn't want to develop such a situation.. Green last year was in the cafe department of General. Artists Corp., but re- signed to handle Florida bookings independently. He recently returned lo. New York! Nitery industry, however, sees in that Green's retention, a situation comparable to Lou Walters' appoint- ment last year of Ruth Barr as book- ing rep for Latin Quarter, N. Y. That connection was severed two weeks ago. At that time, agents, through the Artists Representatives Assn., protested the move to the American Guild of Variety - Artists,- believing it to be a dodge to lower talent costs, by 5%, the usual book- ing office fee. They also felt that Miss Barr s limited experience in that field supported their point. However, it was proved to AGVA's satisfaction that Miss Barr would engage in representing other talent as well, and a franchise was issued. However, Green's experience is already sufficient for an AGVA franchise. He is already engaged in a general agency business. NFPA Develops Fire Prevention Standards As a result of the circus fire in Hartford, Conn., last year, the Na- tional Fire Protection Assn. has issued a new set of regulations and construction standards for outdoor shows in an effort to prevent repeti- tion of the Ringling and Barnum &. Bailey circus fire, which cost 168 lives. In a pamphlet issued by the or- ganization, new standards of con- struction, seating arrangements, electrical installations, fire exits, lighting, load, capacity, etc.. have been issued. New regulations were written by the group at the request . of the NFPA, in cooperation with the Building Officials Conference of America. Copies of the new regula- tions were sent to a committee of outdoor showmen. All members of the circus committee approved the new orders, with the exception of Ringling Bros., who did not vote on the matter. 1st Annua) Chi Fan- Cancelled by Lack Of Labor, Materials Chicago, May 14. First of a series of annual Chicago fairs, planned for next October, has been cancelled by Mayor Fa ward J Kelly because of shortage of labor and material heeded to make North- erly Island, scene of the 1933-34 "Century of Progress," into a suit- able site. Plans to promote the city with an annual "Harvest Festival," on the or- der of New Orleans' Mardi Gras, Pasadena's Tournament of Roses, Philadelphia's Mummers' Parade, etc., haven't been abandoned en- tirely, however. It's poIMted out there are a few more years left in which to pave the way for a "World's Fair to end all World's Fairs" in 1950, which has been in the planning ever since the close of the last fair here. That, incidentally, was the only such exposition ever held in the U. S. that wound up in the black. Corelli Threatens Suit Vs. Miami Columnist Alan Corelli. Theatre Authority executive secretary, says he's ready- ing a suit against a Miami column- ist, who accused him of improper handling of TA funds and auto- cratic control over the Benefit situa- tion. The papers are being filed by Jonas T. Silverslpne, Corelli's per- sonal attorney. The TA board gave Corelli permission lo lake action against the Miami writer. Allan Junes has been Y., to signed for dart hilt Rtnte and Root to piny 10 vvceks of nileries on the Coast. Pair have ', been concentrating on Florida and j Coast dales since Eddie Rool'i dis- I charge from the Navy. Barry Back to Work Bobby Barry, comic, who tem- porarily '.dissolved his vaude act to go into cast of "He Who Gets I Slapped," Theatre . Guild revival j which closed at Boolh theatre, N. Y^ last week, will-revive act for sum ' mer vaude dales. . / I Barry will return to the cast when' "Slapped" goes on tour next .sea- son. N.Y. CAFE GIVES'lN TO AGVA-IATSE PICKETS Murrain's Cafe, Harlem, N. Y., nitery, has settled differences with American 1 Guild of Variety Artists. Ops signed basic pact with talent union calling for scale of $75 for principals and $40 for chorus, latter on six-day week. Cash bond was also posted to secure performers' salaries. ' \ Spot, which .employs septa talent, capitulated to demands of the talent union after AGVA had declared it unfair and threw a picket line around it last week. AGVA's picket line was augmented .by members of the Negro local of International Al- liance of Theatrical Stage Em-, ployees, which insisted upon em- ployment of a stagehand in the cBfe to handle lights and other effects. When nitery made overtures for a truce with AGVA, Matt Shelvey, head of the vaude union, would not okay the truce without stagehand also going in. That was'scltled, too, Tito Guizar to Waldorf Tito Guizar, recently on a concei t lour, has signed to go into the Star- light Roof, Waldorf-Astoria holeL N. Y., June 20. The Hartmans will be on the same layout. Roof opens tonight (Wednesday) with Xavier Cugal's orchestra.