Variety (Jun 1946)

y^ln^Mlav, June 26,, 1946 CyitTTER 63 Broadway 'Marilyn Maxwell back to the Co4st -i^rweek's vacation in the east. cwec for Action ready ng.twocom- pa?ieffo? iis one^actei;. "Triple Dam- *^Phn Began west t'o. dp the l^a^n. Mbfiogram^s "Sweetheart of, Slgtna ^£'ree billard; Jr.. back it his M^Ud h-o desk alter a Maine vaca- "°vic Shapiro CDn§tellatloned;-*re8t after two weeks east on business- ^"rtleSi v Peck -diie east next Week to apl^ar i" Bunrtner stock at Cape Cod, Mass: • • ■ ■ - • William J: Kelly, suffering^ with jirtMitis. under .treatment at Lenox Hill-hospital. • / • • ■ .: ■ - . Lou Schoriceit, ticket broker,; and "his wife, Lillian, off to Coast tot s« weeks'vacation. . Gene Buck and Pat O'BHen re- elected president and y;p. of Catho- 'i= Al°£pK"j,%ff and families re- .uSnual'teid^'up the Hud- <on today tWed.). . , ■ Michael Myerberg back home after three weeks in Presbyterian ho.sp for checkups. ; Barney Klawans was hospitolized with an eye infection but is back On "^yfrl-U'drn^kenting "Mr. Win- kle's Holiday." nl the Aquarette, for- mer World's Fairgrounds. / , Boris Aronson to design sets and costumes for Nat Karson's musical, "The Sweet Bye and Bye.' Lew Bricc became the papa of a girl last month. Says the kid looks like Fahnic, .'ans her schnoz. Paul DiiUzell received greetings from prominent showmen on the oc- casion of his 70th birthday last week. Nicholas Bros, midtiight cocktail parly backstage at the Bock where they are featured in "St. Louis Wom- an.". , ~ . . Billy Rose reported preparing to do a syndicated column, gimmick being that the showman will do it without pay. ' , • „ ^. . "Caesar and Cleopatra," high- budget J. Arthur Rank spectacle, pieems in N. Y. at the Winter Gar den. Aug. 15. ■ : Robert . E. Sherwood and wife sailed to England last week, where the' playivright will work on his book on the late Harry Hopkins, Arnold Grant, prexy of Arrow- head Productions (Mervyn LeRoy) heading for the Coast over the week- end to spend the summer there. - Herbert Kenwith to direct gUest performances of Dame May Whitty In "Night Must Fall" with various strawhal companies this summer. Major William B. Brown, with the ' Morris agency In Beverly Hills, out of the service and. planed for the Coast to return to the Morris office, Paul Tausig travel agency, • fre- quently used as a forvirarding address by acts abroad, trying to.lbcate sev- eral performers for whom it has mail.' . .• Dr.Herbert Graf,.stage director for the Metropolitan Opera, engaged by Metro to stage opernttc sequences for "This Time for Keeps" (Lauritz Mel- chior). Arnold Kirkcby, operator ol the Sherry - Netherlands and Warwick hotels. N. Y., has purchased the War Wick hotel, Philiadelphia, for a re ported $4,000,000.. Jack (and) Benny rummage stand on the 6th avenue corner of Variety street makes for a curious billing, especially .IS Messrs. Jack St Benny have the "and" written very faintly. Clarence Dcrwcnt. Sawyer Folk. George Frccdlcy, Einil Friedlander. John Golden, Billy Rose and Marga- ret. Webster elected to board of American National Theatre and Academy. Wlien Benny Mcroff drove in from Philadelphia the nijtht of the Conn- Louis fight, prior to his Thursday opening at the State, he had to doze in his. car, being unable to get into any hotel. W. C. Ament. managing news ed of Pathe Newsreel. John LeVein, news editor, and Al Butterfleld, spe- cial feature writer, received "best new.'sreel" award from the Headlin- crs Club in Atlantic City. ..Army has awarded its Bronze Medal to National Theatres' George P..Skoura."! for his work as a civilian with The Ornce of Strategic Services from April to December. 1944, War I^epnrtment Ivns anhouncod. National Negro Congress is setting up. a Cultural Division to work in art fields, helping employment of Negroes, offering info on Negroes, and ferreting out prejudicial male- iial on Negroes in plays, pix, radio programs and books, all-day outing today iWed) at T.,..;(;shorc Country Club. Westp.iv. (■..!>. with more than 800 '■>;ii,it)y(,.;: ,: |jt,.teci to attend, ac- •'■I'liii!; w. Kdd!.- Hyman. theatre ■•'•.i,:iiian of thie Par Pep I U'li.y (-•. . . (.•oinmiltee. by Cain Park's open-air strawhat- ter. Harvey .M. Brenner, operator of Giro's,' Miami Beach, 'vacationing here. Elmer Wiener folded his coiicei-t booking office to try his luck in New York. -. . ■ /.^ George • Duffy's hand ' deserting Terrac.e Room for the Statler' in V^ashinf^on. Al Sutphin promoting 'a new ball park next to his Arena, .home of ice shows, rodeos and cifcuses.' Trederic McCohheil. of Play Kouse. guest-directing "Drunkard" ' revival- at Valleevue- straw-hatter. ' Frdnk Hayhesi ex - bandmastei\' loined' Gebirge StSrney's' crew at' Bronze Room as first violinist.-. Herbert Elweil; music critic of 'Plain Dealer, awarded honorary de- grees by-Western Reserve Univer-. sity. ■ ■ ■ / ■ Benny Rubin, out of army,., bought Imperial Film Exchange from Max Jacobs. Rubin was formerly branch manager for PRC. Charles Raymond, Loew's division manager, recovered from long ill- ness and due back on job after va- cation at Cape Cod. On . his first home-town ballroom date Ray Anthony's orch . drew crowd of 1,600 at $1.50 top,^ a June record for Lloyd .Meyer's Aragoii. William' Donnelly from Boston' made assistant manager at. Palace,' Replacing John Flynn, upped to re- lief manager for local RKO houses. LondoD Australia By Erie Gorrlck. Here Mclhtyre, Universal topper back from U;S.' was given . industry luncheon in Brisbane. Whitehall Productions' "Youth at the Helm" at Minerva, Sydney. Local cast is headed by-Ron Randell. Dr; Edgar Bainlon. long in. charge of the Sydney Conservatorium, is returning, to London.- No successor named as yet. Independent Theatre is presenting 'Invisible Circus;" a satire o'n com- mercial . radio by Sumner Lbcke- Ellio^tt. Play might have U.S. pios- sibilitics. CharlesMunro will back Eric Por- ter, yoiing film pi-oducer, in his next pic, as yet untitled. Poirter'a first bid, "Son is Born," will be given local bookings by- GUT; . Will Mahoney is drawing terrific biz in vaude at Tivoli. Sydney, after boff Melbourne run.. With Mahoney are Evie Hayes, Gardner & Kane, John Marvin; Irving & Girdwood, Alec. Kellaway, Lynne Golding. Claude Carter; director of Film- craft Laboratories, Sydney, is on a looksee trip to London and U.S. Car- ter will -make special survey of the 16m setup abroad, plus the latest strides in color and processing de- velopments.. Charles B. - Newbery,. Republic's foreign rep, left Melbourne for Bom- bay after an Aussie .stay of ; six months. He will work his \yay back to N; Y. Ray Rowe is home office rep for Republic' here. Product is distributed by British Empi>-e Films. . Dave Martin, topper of Tivoli vaude loop, anticipates being able to import new acts from U. S. and Britain this year via the air route. Martin hopes government will exit coin takeaway ban shortly. Sandy Powell, British comic, is the first big booking. Bucks Coonty, Pa. By Sol Jacobson Paul McQralb and Liilu Mae Hub hard weokcnd guests of Theron Bainbergcis. Sam naphaclson. spoii.^c and daughter in last week to gander rc- litled "Ja.son." Lyn Alha, Playhouse p.a.. flew home to Kan<as City Wed. il9), to be at bedside of ailing brother. S. I. Newhoiisc, owner of Jersey and Long Island chain of dailies, commuting weekends to Harburton. N. J., home. Ken Nicholson and Charlie Robin r son collabing at Raven Rock on com- edy based On Helen Hokiiison's New Yorker club dames. Mary MacArlhur hu.>:tling props tor Playhouse until she debuts wiih mother. Helen Hayes. July 15 iii "Alice-Sit-By-The-Fire;' Herb Brodkin .signed as new Play- house designer. Ralph Alswanc checked out for Broadway chore. John Koeiiig filled in for week. Cle?e)and By Glenn C. Pollen Ca^c^^' "i.'JSins back at Continental Omar Ranney. Press drama critic, PcnninK book on zoology. PI w "? Adelman, ojivner Lenny's v-iuo. shopping for nitery site in L. A. iarmer Takes Wife" being done Cab Calloway is expected here shortly on goodwill tour. . Charles Cochran on sick list again, and ordered to rest by his doctor, Harry'Welchman, wife and daugh- ter off -to Switzerland for vacation-. ' June Clyde expected here, middle July and ,may do a play in the West End, ■ Beverley Hichols' house in Hamp- stead is up for sale, with vender asking $40,000. . Doris Walcrs gcttinfe over dppen-' dectomy operation -in the Royal Nor- thern hospital. William MoUison. considering offer to produce .an opere.tta at Oskqr's theatre. Stockholm. . , Within a few hours of delivery,. Helena Pickatd; wife of Sir Cedric Hardwickei, hsid her new car stolen.- : Carol Coombs,- the actress, is of- fering her little island-in the Baham- as for sale,, with first offej of $12,000 accepted. Serge Lifar, after being refused ptfrmit to come over ,to stage the New MOnte Carlo Ballet ht Cam- bridge theatre, finally received per- mit. ., , ■ "Red Roses for Me" makes its fourth move when it changes oyer from New theatre to Wyndham's, Jiine 24, replacing I'The Years Be-. tween." ' . ■ ' : British ActorsV Equity clamouring for competitive organization- to be setup to the BBC. Claims that BBC's monopoly is the cause of . cheap fees for artists. Jasmine Bligh, who was with tele- vision till outbreak of war. and re- cently returned to the BBC when tele was resumed, is miring July 9 due to ill health. Will Fyffe, recovered, from his leg operation, opened his newly ac- quired Russack's hotel, SL Andrew's, with a gold key and 'due Scottish ceremonial, June 1. Jack Hylton has booked Ray .Veh-i tura and orch for a icouple of band recitals at Adelphi theatre June -30. This will be- first foreign band- im- portation since the war. Opera season at the Cambridge theatre by the New-London 'Opera, company started with "La .Boheme" June 12, with Lester . Ferguson, American tenor,, scoring big hit. . Arturo Toscanini returning to. London, and . will conduct the La Scala Orchestra of "Milan, which has never played here, for one concert July 3 at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Censor finally relented .over the use of the word "abortion", in the plav "Pick-Up Girl," now being shown orivately, and it may move into West End if a theatre becomes available. ' Sir Seymour Hicks and his wife back in Londori after five years in South Africa.. He. went out there in 1941; resigned his post as controller of ENSA. and stayed as lecturer for the British Council. ITMA, BBC's ace feature, will be replaced by feature starring Fred Emney, Claude Hulbert and Enid Trevor (Mrs. Claude Hulbert) early in July. Ted Kavahagh. who scripted ITMA, is preparing script for new feature. Winston Churchill and 23 MPs represent' the opposition parties to the Government's decision, to renew the BBC's charter when it eJipires. claiming that renewal should ;be in- vestigated by Select Committee of House of Commons and House of Lords. "La Boheme" charity show at the Cambridge theatre, in aid of Re- uirncd Prisoners of War Fund, held on June 12, which was attended by Princess Elizabeth, realized SIO.OOO. Show was given jointly by new Lon- don Opera co. and new Monte Carlo biillct CO. W. Macqueen-Pope joined O.-swald Sioll in directorship of a new com- pany, Contributory Plays, Lid. Their first presentation to be adoplfilion bv Jonquil Antony, of Jane Austen's "Sense and Sensibility," to be di- rected by John Wyse. Marie Lohr will head cast. Dickens' House; Bloomsbury, is re- opening June 22. House has been closed since war, with most of Dick- ens' relics having been transferred into .the country. Opening ceremony Ir.kes place same time as conference of the Dickens Fellowship at which Heni-yvCharle<!, Dickens, grandson of novelist, will be elected pi'cxy. last week. honoring Ave employees in the . D.. C. branch who reached their silver anniversary with the outfit. - The Alfred Drake-John Munday modernization of Goldoni's "The Liar," skedded for Broadway next season, first .saw light of day in a showcase production of-JD. C.'s f^med Catholic 'U. drama course. ; W. P. jN. Edwards just. arrived here to replace Harold Butler as head' of the British ' Information Services here. Edwards was former- ly ditector of the :overseas division of the British.Board of Trade.. Hollywood Phil Regan inked-into.the; Mayfair Roo'tn Sept.'13. ' Mack Miller in beating the drums for the Bob Hope show.' '-Papa" Bouehe gottig fuU-hlast at the suburban .Villa Venice. Abe Lynian visiting his birthplace here betwe'en trains, JI. Y.-bdund. Dick Drake, Vine 'Gardens comic, will do a string of vaiide dates in the Ea.st this faU, Allan Jones in to audition a new radio show with .Gil L.-imb and Ray. Siijatra's orch. . - Niiptial-bbund Barbara Hale 'and Bill Williams lunched the film orix at the Congress. . Lconore Rae,' Chi .singer, signed by St. Louis Muni Opera for three weeks this suinmer. ' - ' Sam Gcrson; gen. manager for the Shuberts here, celebrated his: 40th wedding anni last week. Arlenc Sundquist,"Miss-Plastics of '46": and former College Inn Model, off to Metro and contract.- ' : Faye Emerson here with hubby Elliott Roosevelt for his speech be- fore Cinema Lodge of B'nai B'rith. : Fannie. Hurst in to speak to the Nat'l. Federation- of Women's Clubs on "Polities and the Sleeping Beau- ty.": ' ' ■ "Ice-Capades" owner John Harris and skater Doniia' Atwood doing the town 'twixt 'Siiper Chief and Cen- tury, Jim Gaui;. chief electrician for Warner Bros, theatres, named Graiid Knight of the Fort Dearborn council, K. of C. Par exchange hosted the Women's Clubs coiivehtion with a screening of 'Searching Wind" . at the Eighth Street theatre. Martha Raye gifted with DeVry 16m camera and projector by Ralph Berger after her long run at the Latin Quarter: Orch. leader Josef Cherniav-sky and organist Bill Bennett have composed a musical score based on the life Of P. T. Barnum. . Lawyer-personal manager. Phil Davis off to Hollywood to make pitches'for filming of a script of his, "Marriage Guaranteed." National Allied prez Jack Kirsch bypassed the Atlantic City conven- tion to attend fiineral of William Alvin Steffes in Minneapolis. • . Joe Lavandicr, night city ed of City News Bureau, will be toasted at a party in his. honor.for 42 years of newspapeV service with the outfit Sat. (29). ■ Jimmy"Professor Backwards" Edr mond.son, resting up in Jacksonville following his 19-week stint for NBC and prior to his Baker hotel, Dallas, opening July 15. Signed for Ravinia Park concerts here this summer are Jarmila Novot- na, Jacques Gordon Quartet, Al- beneri Trio, Leon Flcisher, Nathan Milstein and George Szell. Bob Hope ill with his unit for a Coliseum stand. Ca.st includes. Skin- nay Ennis and ork. Olga San Juan, Eddie Rio. Mildred and Jim Mulcahy, Jack Peeper, the Nilsson Sisters. Mel Cooper and orch move - into the Mayfair Room in August; Arthur Lec Simpkins same time to the Latin Quarter. DeMarlos headline -the Black.stonc hotel's dine-winery start- ing July 12 . European singers signed for the Chi ORcra season, starling Sept. 30, include Carla Ca.stellani, Ferrucio Tagliavini. Gino Bechi, lUlo Tajo, Janino Miehcau, Svet Swanholm. Enro Mascherini. William Saal in from New York. George Lait. joined Columbia's flacV.ery. '. Jack Schwartz in from Broadway business. Sid Rogell to" Mexico City on RKO biismess. ■ ^Anne Jeffreys hoisted to star rat- ing at RKO. Ben Blue in town after a rest in Palm Springs. Maxie Rosenbloom readying a tour of Coast towns. Elliott Nugent to San Francisco to check locations..' Hillary Brooke to.. Colorad o Springs on' vacation. Fib Br'owne, tal6ht agent, hosp'tal- ' ized with, heart trouble.' . Joe Youngerman celebrated his - 20th-year at'Paramount. 'Pauletie Goodard in from -England . to start work at Paramount. . -Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson to. San Franciss'j for USO shows. Le's Frederick out of the Navy and back to his thesp job at RKO. Tony. Gaudio celebrating his 42d anniversary as a cameraman. Adele Mara in town after two week.', of nile'ry work in Cuba. Irene i>o)i \\-uu a (|ivori;e decree from N. C. S(>h. ihcalce inanagei. DiMiiii i;ynii and l:oiry Wil.^on ;m- ncur>v(i-! their rii;-;i>;''iiiorit to ■•.vcd- Fcrde Grofe aw:,r^cd a Doctor of Music decree by. Illinois Wesle-^'an; Linn Unkefer to.Rockford. HI., for the Barbara Hale-Bill Williains wed- ding. .... ■■ 4.' . . ,- • Mrs. Harold J. Peary awarded a divolce from' 'The Great Gilder- sleeve.'' .: Virginia O'Qrlen studying Spanish and Portuguese for a tour Of South America. Charles Einfeld and David Loew moved into new office quarters at Enterprise. . Cobino Wright, Sr., cheeked: in. from N. Y. to aXiiK work in 'The. Razor's Edge." Milton Bren: ;noved his . Capital Productions offices into new quarters on Sunset Strip. . Jack Mankey- to Galveston, to open a'branch office for Bev- Barnett, in- die press agent. Michael Kady painting four large posters in oil for Walter Wanger's "Canyon Passage." Edgar Barrier flew in from N. Y. where he had been working in "The Magnificent Yankee." • Leslie Oliver, Technicolor's Lon- don manager, in town for huddles at the home laboratory. Richard Thorpe returned to Metro after hackground shooting in Michi- gan for"This Time.for Keeps." • Jeriia Reissar in Hollywood for the flrsttime after 10 years as European r-epresentative for David O. rSelz- nick. . Zoltan Korda tossed a parly for cast and crew on completion of 'The Short Happy Life of Francis M?-■ comber." Francis A. Bateman to Denver and Salt Lake City to attend regional conferences for Screen Guild Pro- duction.s. Milt Howe appointed publicity cor ordinator between RKO studio and the homeoffice, with headquarters iii Hollywood. . ■ Paramount pulled a party for lour members of its 25-vear club. Jack Curry I. G. White, E. G. Hurley and Chet Roder. ... Horace Heidt denies buying a local hotel. Claims he has his hands.full with two hostelries he now runs in Las Vegas and Palm Springs. Jackson Wagner returned from Mexico Cit.v where he worked" on English and Spanish/scripts for the John Steinbeck , yarn, "Pearl of La Paz." Dublin Atlantic Ci^ By Joe Walker Cootie William.s here for concert and dancing tor colored Elks in Con- vention halj ballroc^i (21). Jules Pfeffer here to prepare for opening of "Maid of the Ozarks" in the CheLsea Saturday (29). Richard Tucker, Metropolitan Opera -tenor lieie June 22 foi- con- cert at Chel.-:ea with Julius Schul- man, violini.st. ' , r- : Dick Oliv'er. press agent for Sam Grisman. beating drums for "Student Prince" start in Ballroom of Audi-, torium, July 2. ' Sam Gumperlz back in town allcr wintering at Saia-sota. Fla.. to lake up duties as general manager of Hamids pier, which opcii.s July 3- H.iR penthouse atop Hotel Senator. . Washington By Florence S. Lowe Edwiiid .'V. Willitord. veepce of Ocncial Aniline and Film Corp.. N. Y.. is latc.'^t member of local Variety, icnt. -, ■ ■ - ■ Jack Safer. Monogram exchange mimager' here.- and his sales staff, off to Chicago for the company s con- vention. Claude Collins, ex-WAC newsreel coordinator, in and but of town these davs on liis new chore as coordinator for the video pool covering the atom bomb tests. . , ; David Palfrcyman. MPA official in charge of Trade Relations dept., who just checked in last week, will trek out to the. Indiana Theatre Owners' convention thi."! week.: Fred Niblo. Jr., homeward bound after 10 days here pow-wowing with UNRRA director Fiorello LaGuardia ;ind government official.':.: In the work.<: i.s a 20th short on hunger. Eddie Fontaine, Par exchange head, ho.sled at the company's party San Francisco Dick Spier to LA oh biz. . Bea Mathews, wife of Frisco col- umnist Herb Caen, off to N. Y. for a two months' visit; Ray Lewis, actor on "Repieat Pci- formance" at RKO, Hollywood bound. Show to go with him. . ■ Paul Speogle, feature writer for Chronicle, signed for 15-minule weekly radio 5piel over KQW. .. Vivian- Vance and husband PhiV Ober to their New Mexico ranch.. foUdwihg end of "Voice of Tgrtle run here. . _„ . Bob Goerner, vet KQW-CBS an- nouncer, and Roberta James, singer at Fairmount Hotel's Cirque Room; married June 15. . Mark Hopkins' Peacock Court, sold out for opening night within five (Jays, following announcement of Hildegarde's two-week engage- ment starting Augst 20. Mark Dunnigan, retiring chairman of Frisco chapter of NABET, guest of honor at dinner given by fellow engineers. To be succeeded by John McCorinell, ABC engineer. William W. Cb.nleston, manager of KPO-NBC building, author of hand-book on theatre air-condition- ing, to be published by Nat'l. Pifisn. of Practical Refrigeration Engineers By Maxwell Sweeney Baritone Michael O'Higgins head- ing for N. Y. and U. S. tour by boat. Lawrence Kent, Gaumont-British Film Corp. exec, has been visiting in Belfast. ^ Directors of Magnet Cinema, Dun- dalk, fined S20 by local court for. failing to reinstate returned service vet in his job. : The Mall Players have a new set- up—^a Ho.spitals Entertainment Unit —to take variety and plays to in- . mates of Dublin hospitals. Still hunting frish scripts and .•itories by Irish authors for film pro- ductions. Two. Cities Films has bought "Uncle Silas" by Sheridan Le Faiui.- - Actres.^ Karcen ("Betty") Allen and radio script-writer, husband Allen • ("Pip") Andrews, holidaying here, planing to N. Y. shortly. Kareen, N. -Y.-born, is to resume her stage career. ' ^ Oscar Rabin jilid band; here to: fill first Irish booking of an outside dance orchestra since 1939, doing big biz at Theatre Royal. While in Ire-' land they will do ; several special bookings for leading daiice spots. Tenor John Feeney. on vacation from N. Y., has been booked for Dublin appearance at Theatre Royal in August. He will also sing at Gal- way before returning to N. Y..^In. September to resume his series for NBC. . , Comedian Mike Nolan, ho.^pital- ized for a year, made his reappear- ance on Dublin stage in "Lord Mayor's Show," annual get-together to raise funds for WAAMA (Writers,? Actors'. Artistis'. Musicians', As,<m)— Ireland's Equity. .