Variety (Jul 1946)

MISCELLANY Wednesday, July 3, 1946 NBC Vs. fix Me of Credits' Breaks Out Anew; Metro Showdown "Battle of Credits" between pic-* tuie sludi'oS and NBC has broken out anew with issuance of orders by Clarence Menser, v.p. in charge of network programs, that only films in which the star appears can be plugged on its shows. Showdown came last Sunday when Metro in- actor s" will filed for probate in Us W. S. Hart Disinherits Both His Wife and Son William S. Hart, Jr, 24, only child of the late western film star, was specifically disinherited in the sisted on an extraneous picture credit on the Frank Morgan show. Jt was darkly hinted that M-G might pull Morgan off the program but NBC relented and allowed the plug when Morgan's agreement with Buthrauff & Ryan, Berg-Allenberg and American Tobacco pointed up the acceptance by all parties of the picture mention. Ruling against such off-side plugs was made some years ago, in which all major chains were parties, but ' it has never been strictly enforced. NBCs objection is to such credits as: Funk -Morgan appears through the courtesy of : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of "Easy to Wed." Mor- een dc^ not appear in the picture. Understood that Metro will de- mand the inclusion of such credits when one of its contractees' appear^ ing on radio has no current picture to plug. Studio allows it is entitled to one picture plug for permitting its players to do radio work. NBC takes the stand that inasmuch as a star has, no connection with a pic- ture there is no reason to plug some other studio property. If NBC enforces its new ruling it Is believed Metro will withhold its stars from radio. And, the trade holds, "as Metro goes, so go . the others." When the edict was first laid down, CBS agreed to go along, but at KNX, Hollywood, it was said that there was no objection to an exchange of credits and the network would be rational about it, holding that film stars add to the prestige of a show. Some months ago NBC cracked down on another form of "sneak" credits when Gruen and Bulova watches were gifted to writers and producers of a program which al- lowed a mention of the timepiece. It was written into comedy shows on a quip routine. Sidney N. Strotz, western division Angeles on June 27. Also there was no mention or provision made for his former wife, Winifred Westover Hurt; former screen actress who divorced him in Reno in 1926. "I have made no provision in this will for my son," the will said," for the reason that I have amply pro- vided for him during my lifetime." The will was dated Sept. 9, 1944. In case of a contest the will provided a specific bequest of $1 for any con- testant: Young Hart recently lost a court fight over guardianship of his father's estate, estimated at nearly $1,000,000. He was appointed co- guardian of his father's person, after charging his father was not receiv- ing proper care, but a friend of the actor (Hart died June 23), was named guardian of the estate. Bulk of the estate was left to Los Angeles County and fraternal and charitable organizations. Special bequests included: To Frances V Viereck, of Westport, Conn, a sister, $50,000; Mary Ellen Hegewaning and Beatrice Hegewan- ing. Hunt, grand nieces, $5,000 each. The Lambs, Players Club and Masquers clubs got $5,000 each; Actors Fund, N. Y, ditto; St. John's Church, L. A., $2,000; .Father Neal Dodd Foundation, $3,000. and the Braille Institute of America, Inc. $2,000. ' Actor's will was drawn by Fred- erick Hemley, of New York, his per sonal attorney for years. It was also stated that when the former wife of the actor obtained her divorce Hart had given her a trust fund of. $103,000. A trust fund of $100,000 had also been set up for their son. It is believed that Mrs. Hart used the proceeds from her trust fund in an effort to regain, popularity as a film star. I She cannot contest any will Hart left though her son has a legal right The Berle-ing Point By Milton Berle 211th WEEK! KEN MURRAY'S [ "BLACKOUTS OF 1946". El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, Cel. Walter Winchell eays "An Orchid. Capnclty houses always." Well, tomorrow is the Fourth of July. I remember how, years ago on the Fourth, my father used to hold the punk until I got old enough to stand up by myself. Last week Jerry Bergen was practicing for the holi- . day. He set off a skyrocket and forgot to let go he wound up doubling between Club 18 and Philadelphia. Tommy Manville says he celebrated the Fourth a long time ago. On every Fourth W. C. Fields celebrates with a Fifth; Charlie Chaplin says he doesn't have to buy a thing with which to celebrate Independence Day. He says he is going to bring all his ex-wives together....then there's bound to be fireworks. But things should be pretty quiet here in town with everyone going away for the weekend. In fact, Grossinger's is so booked up—they're doing the advertising for the Laurels. The Great Wit Way Dwight Wiman is producing the "Little Show" this season. Menasha Skulnik is doing the Second avenue version called the "Little Schmo." Sammy Kaye says that speeding up those coast-to-coast passenger flights has accomplished one great purpose .... .it's cut down gin rummy losses. Horrible thought: What would happen if one of the Jack Cole dancers ever got a stiff neck? * There's No Truth To the Rumor That "Smoky" had its world premiere in Pittsburgh.. . .that Lee Morti- mer's next business venture will be buying oil for the lamps of China.. .. That the Cleveland Indians are now on a strict diet of Pepcodent... .That Dick Tracy based his cartoon character, "Shoulders," on Jackie Miles.... That Senator Claghorn's favorite ballplayer is Dixie Walker... .That Louis Prima is studying to be a jockey... .That George Wood is going to make nose-reels. HaafUll Descriptions Betty Huttori: Clarabr-ty Jane The Glass Menagerie: Taylor-made.... Gabriel Heatier: Polly-analyst... ."Born Yesterday": Punch and Judy. Observation Dept. Orson Welles swears he ran into a man who bragged about being at the Louis-Conn fight. So that radio listeners can get used to reading their mysteries, the Crime BOWES LEAVES BUIK OF HIS ESTATE TO CHURCH Greatest part of Major Edward Bowes' .estate, estimated at $4,500,- 000. has been left for charitable pur- poses, according to his will filed Monday (1) in N. Y. Surrogates Court two weeks after his death. Formal valuation of the estate was put. at "more than $200,000" with I Club is now inserting in each book a middle commercial. Abner Goldstone, friend and attor- ney of Major Bowes, named, execu- tor of the wilL ; - Testament ! was drawn on Feb. 15, 1945: The Major Bowes Fund of St Patrick's Cathedral was designated residuary legatee, which means' well over $3,000,000. Grants of $50,000 each were willed to two persons, one a sister; $20,000 apiece were left to two nieces; and two persons, one a half-brother, received $5,000' apiece. Three employees received $10,009 each as did one person from - St Louis. Bequests of $10,000 each went to six charitable and religious institu- tions; four received $1,500 apiece and 23 received $1,000. head of NBC, met last week with ; to do so ; Hemley said. When he vis- Metro execs to iron out the diffi- ; jted ^ actor a year ag 0 H art re culty. A compromise will have to iteratcd lha t the $100,000 trust fund be struck as both parties are de- ne established for his son was "all tcimined to stand by their guns. j he .], ever get - : j When Hart's sister and his closest I companion, Mary Ellen, died in 1SM3, ' she left him an estate, of $700,000. Tenants in Hollywood i The lw ° had writlen ™l p ™ ca ! wi , 1 i s - I Last year he sent $100,000 to the WB Ousts Theatrical Hollywood, July 2. Raising their lorgnette to theatri- cal tenants of their Hollywood thea- tre building, Warner Bros, has told many of them their leases won't be renewed. Site will be dressed up with other type tenants, pared into smaller offices or utilized as added space for "needed executive offices" for Warners. First to be given notice was Breg- mah, Vocco & Conn., the music pub- lishers. They must vacate by July 31. Others, including manager Har- ry Norwood, Mills Music, L. Wolfe Gilbert and reportedly, many others, have been given the word to seek space elsewhere. No amount of pleas directly to Warners has helped. It's understood that the landlord is displeased with some tenants, that there are objec- tions to subletting and other frowned-upon practices. Connecticut Humane Society and directed it be used to establish in her memory a shelter for small animals at WestporL Remains of the actor, which were cremated, will be shipped to N. Y., for interment in plot with his late sister in Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn, N. Y. Jeaaette Jars Traffic London, July 2. Jeanette MacDonald sang to a ca- pacity house in recital at Albert Hall Sunday (30) night, being vociferously received. . After several encores, film star was compelled to make a speech. Scares of autograph hunters who besieged her at the stagedoor fol- lowing her appearance, dislocated traffic. JOHN DALL'S STEAWHATS John Dall, recently pae'eed by ' David O. Selznick for "Little Wom- en." with Shirley Temple, arrived in Kew York from the Coast last week for a series of strawhat appearances.. He's due back at the studio around Radio Layoffs ; Continued from page 1 ^5 going on a personal appearance tour Subordinate radio actors, however, who can't afford to do cither, are taking advantage of the existing radio decline to get their feet wet in television. Most of them have never done a tele show before and feel that row's the time to find out what it's all about While tele broadcas'ers still can't match even the slashed salaries of these performers, they can pay at least 50% as much as the radio actor would get if he stuck to the airwaves. Since this is usually enough to live on, the actors are tak- ing the ' plunge. With niteries, vaudeville, etc., also suffering a hot- weather decline, performers from these fields are also invading tele- vision. Tele broadcasters, meanwhile, are taking full advantage of the situa- tion. According to one station man- ager, it's doubtful whether even one in 100 of the converts will emerge as a top video personality. Indus- try continues to believe that the medium will have to develop its own stars, rather than wait for the time when there's enough money in tele- vision to lure the top names from other fields. Several performers, such as comic Doodles Weaver, have Jurgens Tells Pluggers To Sing for Supper Hollywood, July 2. Dick Jurgens. current at Clare mont hotel, Berkeley., seriously has adopted new policy of dealing with songpluggers—he makes 'em march to bandstand mike and regale customers with their tunes before adding them to Jurgens' library First reps to get new treatment were Nat Winecoff, of Southern Music, who obliged with . "Without You", and Jose Granson, of Shapiro Bernstein, who rendered ""There's No One But You". Both, Coast chiefs for their respective firms, were upstate last week on tune- touting trek. A score of years back Winecoff was a pro vocalist fronting a combo, but Granson's groaning was first he ever did in public. When Emery Dcutsch heard of Jurgens' rule, he wired he was coming on behalf of his Emery Mu sic Co.'s "When You Make Love to Me", adding request that he be per- mitted to fiddle the tune, rather than chirp, Jurgens assented. Jimmy Durante claims he's the only .celebrity who looks worse than his caricature,. Abe Lastfogel won't sit on anything but a MORRIS chair. Danny Thomas claims his horse ran so Blow the other day they timed him with a calendar. Joe Erens' definition of alimony: The High Cost of Leaving.. Understand Errol Flynn went to a psychiatrist....not to gel his dreams analyzed.. . .but hushed up. Berled Begs A certain comic claims his mother-in-law is so loud that the FCC is supplying her with call letters. Modem success story: All I am I owe to my bookmaker. Understand that burlesque is coming back without "bumps"....guess it'll be a grind. Eavesdropped at CBS: "He's a guest detective... .sort of an Ellery Queen For a Day." . Songplugger to orchestra leader: "Is this Latin-American song NEW?" "It's so new Mills made it a standard already." My brother (the careful one—he bet Conn to place) says he knows a judge who hands out such tough sentences that he's been called a time salesman for Alcatraz... .Alcatraz... .that's another pen with a lifetime guarantee. Doubling to Mayo's - Minneapolis, July 2. Niteries are finding it easier to book name acts for their floor- shows, and occasionally at a cut, because they can kill two birds with one stone, by playing en- gagement litre and visiting near- by Rochester, Minn., for a Mayo clinic checkup, according to Cc- dric Adams, Star Journal col- umnist. Little Jackie Holler, currently at the Hotel Dyckman Robin Hood Room, is the latest to enter the Mayo clinic before com big here. H'wood Premiere Stars Scotch, Nylons, Kleenex Hollywood, July 2. To a stranger in town it looked like a gala picture premiere at the corner of Hollywood boulevard and Vine street. Flashlights flashed, and » the populace flocked to the well- known corner, probably hoping to Arnold Albert's Quest Arnold Albert, Columbia Pictures I see • Clark Gable in a producer, is in New York looking Lynch with Lana Turner, for story properties. He was until recently a producer at Warner Bros. International May Tap Peter Hayes for fl wood Nunnally Johnson, producer for' International Pictures, is virtually set to tap Peter Lind Hayes for Hollywood. The 31-year-old come- dian and son ot vaudc vet Grace Hayes was 15 years with his mother in vaudeville until his current solo click at the Copacabana, N. Y., nilcry. Johnson may prelude his film- pact with Hayes by also spotting him into "Park Avenue," Max' Gordon's forth- coming legit musical for which Johnson and George S. Kaufman did the book to score by Arthur Schwartz and Ira Gershwin. Let giter is slated for the Broadhuist. Casting problem is replacement for the late Charlie Butterworlh. M0R0SC0 PILOTS 'CHEEK' There was no such clinch—only lines and lines of customers. It was the reopening of the Owl Drug store, a historic spot in Hol- lywood, where countless thesps had worn out their insteps on the curb- Kim Hunter Contract Split by Rank, Int'l Hollywood. July 2. Kim Hunter, American - born . , screen player, currently under con- romantic tract to j_ Artnur Rant jn En g. land, inked a split pact to return to Hollywood to perform under the International banner. Formerly the actress was under joint contract to RKO and David O. Selznick. Sept. 1 Dall, who was in Warner Bros.' | already proved their worth in tele, version of "The Corn Is Green," is so far slated lor "The Hasty Heart at Stockbridge, Mass, next. Monday <8) and at Oohasset, Mass, July 22. vision and the broadcasters think that other personalities will definite- ly emerge from the converts this summer. Hollywood, July 2, Walter Morosco drew production I stone, waiting for a "studio call or a chores on "The Ballad of Furnace hunch on the seventh race at Santa Creek," a musical based in the old Anita. west and slated for autumn filming. . In its new grandeur, after a pe- Ira Wolfert and Valentine Davies riod of reconstruction, the drug wrote the story and will collaborate store opened with three lures— on the screenplay. Not Conn-fident Pittsburgh, July 2. When Bob Hope came here Friday night for his bains term- ing show at the Gardens, be tried to get Billy Conn to go on with him and do the act they did to- gether in. Europe for the soldiers last year. However,. Conn said no because he was afraid his. home town might give him the razz berry after his poor show- ing against Joe Louis. Pitts- burgh Sid's been in virtual hid- ing since his return here and friends say he's reluctant to face anybody. Scotch, nylons and Kleenex. Most I of the block-long standees were 1 feminine, but the males standing in line were not seeking stockings or cleansing tissue. They were emis- saries from nearby saloons, grab- bing bottles of Scotch. The little saloon keepers don't get much Scotch these days. I Kate Smith to Disk For New M-G-M Co. Kate Smith is the first name artist I to be inked by M-G-M's recently I formed disking subsidiary. ^ Deal guarantees her a minimum I of 24 sides a year starting Oct. 1, when her Columbia contract runs lout. Penelope Ward's Buildup Penelope Ward, British screen player, arrived in New York from England last week. Under contract to Sir Alexander Korda, she will work in a Aim for Walter Wanger in Hollywood on a loanout deal. She's expected to leave for the Coast later this week. Broadway legit role is also being sought for Miss Ward by Morris Helprin. Korda's U. S. rep, Korda's aim is to get the American public as .well acquainted as possible with the femme until he' is ready with a picture production for her. ASS OOBIO'S 6TH PIC Ann Corio is due to report to Monogram at the end of this month on a one-picture deal. This will be the peeler's sixth film, . She's currently doing a two-week summer theatre stint in "Sailor Be- ware" in Boston, following a vaudc session at Loew's State, N. Y.