Variety (Jul 1946)

Wednesday, July 10, 1946 CHATTER 55 Broadway Mary Young, wife of Waller Grea- xo. out.ot hospital alter major oper- aJ Gcoi-ac McLaW. of United Book- ing office stall, studying law at "'Charles Strakosch, manager of •■'Harvey'"-<Joc E. Brown), suffering. *&$*&i*ri,.tor Rio by within the next few weeks for • Iwd' months" vacation. ■-. Leonard Spinrad returned to War- ner Bios, h.o. publicity staff follow- „ g . discharge from Army, Modiste shop- of actress G>"ice Menken (Mrs. Bert Lytell): robbed Kin" ured fur 5 valued at $3 000. -JOe Curtis, v.p. in charge of mo- tion picture advertising for Weiss & Gfellcr -. constellation-ed to -Holly-. ^George Brown, chief of Par studio publicity, and Whitcy Sbafer, his irt director, in for gladhanding and homeofflce powwows. . . Ivan Blnck lost his Ford a week ago driving-to Woodstock when car suddenly burst into flames. Black • got out without injury. Chelle Ja'nis. formerly of the Ziegfeld theatre, p u b I i s h i n g a monthly mag. . "Opportunities On Parade." issued in San Francisco, ■ Nicholas Joy, mentioned for. "The Temporary Mrs. Smithy is under contract with the Theatre Guild to appear in "The Iceman Commoth." Irving Berlin clippers in from Bermuda today (Wednesday) for midnight, preview of Parambunl's "Blue Skies," for local music bunch. Bruce Bnlnbah, son of A- J-, hoad- i man at the Boxy, has turned latent scout. His first discovery is Tony Lavelli, accordionist on the current show. Jack Minsler, engaged to direct a revival of "Lady -Windcmere's Fan" for Homer Curran, Lewis and Young, in San Francisco, planed in from London. Sol Lesser hosted 425 delegates and guests at RKO convention to • "State of the Union" and "Three to Make Ready" last week.. Tab was about $2,000. Bill Williams and Barbara Hale, new RKO stars, who married about a week. ago. hosted by company at Waldorf r Astoria Monday noon luncheon, with N. Y. press as guests. Laura • Bowman, who co-starred .•with Bert Williams 40 .'years ago, stepped into Georgia Burke's role in . "Anna Lucasta" last night (9). lat- ter taking a four-week rest after non-stop 800 performances. Virginia Gorski, who won atten- tion . recently when she replaced ■ Joan McCracken in "Billion Dollar Baby," now being handled for pix . and legit by Howard Hoyt, of the Dick Qorso office. She never had an agent before. Joyce Allen, original Fliffy of -the Broadway legit,-"'Junior Miss" and making a career of it since repeat- ing role in stocks and strawhats, has been signed by Vinton Frecdley for his. forthcoming "The Temporary Mrs. Smith." of Hamid'.s Pier, was. formerly gen- ral manager of Ring)irig Bros. . Two new spots open, with Cama- otto brothers showing off their re- furbished . Hialeah in mid-city and Andrew L. Magazzu opening, cock- ail lounge on Boardwalk named El Capitan. City has licensed "Trillo." cousin f Bingo, to be played on ocean side of Boardwalk, first game of that kind permitted there. Irving Fish- elberg, prez of new company, which took out $1,000 license at City Hall. John Harris' Ice-Capades opened here Wed. (3) on temporary rink in Auditorium before a ■ near-capacity crowd. First- performance was for benefit of Press club of. Atlantic City's Boy Scout camp fund: Show will run 10 weeks. Most hotels, and cabarets holding OPA line. Hotclmen say they have submitted their .schedules- and will not change them immediately. Competition keen this year and cafemen hate to start something that may cost them business. Michael Bartlctl opened in "The Merry Widow" in Auditorium's theatre yesterday 19)!. Supporting cast includes Robert Field, Mary Martha Briney, Lloyd Cole. Ran- dolph Symonette.. Alan- Vaughn, Joan Curtis, Norman Budd and Har- old Beahm.. Robert Jnrvis staging; Robert Zeller directing the orches- tra. Atlantic City By Joe Walker, Owen and Parker at Babetles.' Don Baker at Herman's Con tincntal. Elaine Barrett at Clicquot with Sonny Mars emcee. Jackie Whalen new emcee at Jockey club Mon. (8). Benny Fields held . over for sec- ond week at Aquarium. Tony Pastor in Steel Pier ball- room* for week starting Sunday (7). Virginia Diehl and Jess Altmiller band at P.cnn-Allantic's new Riptide room. Bob Chester into Orsallis Somcrs Point, replacing Gone Krupa. Bob Garney and Frank X. Silk new burlesque lops at Globe wilh Myrna Dean. .Miniature golf course opened on beachfront downtown and doing good business. Martha Cawley quartet and Ro sanna Jimenoz rhtimba band a Chateau Renault. Boardwalk theatres putting on feature shows''to-start' at midnight to catch late crowds. Ii'ma Henriques. . Morey and Eaton, Boyd Heath, Joe Arena and Hal Sands, vaude setup at Hamid's Northside (colored) hotspots go lng to. town. Both offering 6 a.m. weekend shows for those who can . take it. Glen Gray opened for a week _ Hamids Pier (7). Alex Bartha al- ternating, to provide . continuous band music. Little theatre group to put . Aquaballel" with Augustine . n. Hizzo directing: Scheduled for Aug. 14 with local talent. 'Maid of the Oznrks." playing « Chelsea theatre, dropped its two shows-a-nigbt policy. Offers performance at 9 p.m. now. ■■Ray Ebdrlc on Steel Pier vaude bill starting Sun. (7) with Don Cummings. Billy Wells, Skal' Earls and Rich and Gibson. First musical since war drew at L. ting lious , big _je m Auditorium's ballroom theatre Tuos. <2)-when Sam H. • ? man Presented Everett Marshall >n ' The Student Prince." Mrs. Charles Ringlihg,' of circus clan, guest pf Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gumpertz. Gumpertz, director Chicagc Ernie Byficld off for another Visit' to' his Mexico hotel. Georgie Auld and orch playing at he south side El. Grollo. Henry King's orch at the Aragon,' and Geortre Olson's al the Trianon. Abe Montague due in Tor the. Co-' lumbia Pix sales meeting Wed .117). Everett Crosby in for a Florence George (his missus) concert in Mil- waukee. Rilz Bros. take, starling-'at the Chicago theatre Aug. 2, will be $15,000- per. ■ ■ . . ,' Imogene Coca and Larry St orch bow at Empire RoOm. Palmer House. Thurs. (U). Nicolai Maiko, Carole Stafford, and Margaret Cree Evans on Grunt Park concert list. ■ James Melton and wife here to discuss adopting a baby from the Evanston Cradle. Brock Pcmbcrton due in for the Joe E. Brown "Harvey" : opening Aug. 5 at the Harris. Joe Jackson opens at the Edge- water Friday (12). as do the DeMar- los. in Ihe Mayfair Room. Charley Snjvak into ihe Panther Room July 19, and Tony Pastor to the Oriental, July 25. for Iwd weeks. Jimmy Durante passed through, en route .to Mackinac Island for nut- door shots of Metro's "This Time For Keeps." Louis Armstrong follows Lionel Hampton into . Bandbox later this month for his first Loop appearance in 15 years. : ■- . Twentieth-Fox branch mgr. Tom Gilliam back from a . three-week plane trip to Europe, including an audience with the Pope. Studio theatre showing "Life, and Miracles of Blessed Mother Cabrini." tying in with Chicago nun's canoni- zation, in Rome this week. Joanell Wise, former chirpslress In Buttery of Ihe Ambassador West, contracted by 20lh-Fox. and will be known as Joanell James in films. Bill McCraw. exec dir. of National Variety, due in tor Chicago tent's first summer social next Wed; (.17) in Congress hotel's Casino Room.- Signed up for Milwaukee's centen- nial celebration are Eddie Cantor, Larry Adler, Jessica Dragonelte, Dennis Morgan. Jane Froman. Don- ald O'Connor. VelOz & Yolanda. and Jack Carson. London Hedda Hopper, left tor Paris July fi, then to Germany. Italia Conti, trainer of stage chil- dren, left around $52,000. Dr. D. C. Watson, husband of Lily Brayton, left estate, of $56,000: Ralph Lynn on vacation from "Is Your Honeymoon Really Necessary" on doctor's orders. Stage Door Canteen has received donation of $2,000 from the Ameri- can Theatre Wing. Winston Churchill has made Harry" Green promise he will' accompany him (Churchill) when - lie goes to Russia, Brighton. Corp. is turning a tennis ground, a white elephant for years, into an open-air theatre at cost of $400,000. Aimce Stuart, who wrote success- ful comedies in collab with her late husband, Philip, has completed com- edy, titled "Fair Passenger." '.-".- Oxford Union Society recently de- bated a motion "that this house con- siders Mr. Rank a greater menace than Hollywood to the. future of British films." Victoria Palace abandoning vaude- ville policy after month : of July due to lack of vaude stars. Latest deal which fell through was with Andrews Sisters. , "Troilus and Cressida." rarely, given on the London stage, had production at Open air theatre. Regent's Park,. June 28, with Russell Thorndike and Ivan Staff. " Kenneth Kent, out of "The Shop at Sly Comer" on vacation, replaced by Henry Oscar., Jean Colin, from rtiu- sical. comedy, in. her first straight role in Joyce Heron's part. .Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose paid visit to Ealing Studios to see films in the making. They saw Cavalcanti directing "Nicholas Nickleby" and Charles Crichton megging "Hue. and Cry." The Henry Wood Memorial Hall, which is to be erected in Park sq M Maiylebone rd., wiil have three con- cert halls in one. Seating capacities will be 3,000, 1,200 and 600. Fund now has $184,000, with $2,000,000 needed. . Hollywood fast Opera House with the same play and an all-American company. Comedian Noel Purcell "leaves Dublin when run of Sean O'Casey's "Red Roses for Me" ends for small part in. film "Hungry Hill" now shooting at Denham Studios. Eng- land. Cecil Ford, here for Two Cities : Films (J. Arthur Rank), has signed ; up Wilfrid Brambell and Albert | Sharpe for bit . parts in "Odd Man i T ,['" 1 Studios™ P, '° dUCli0n at 0cnham ' 'Jose Iturbi recovering from major » iSiXWh; fttyfrffl j v ;^ W to A.buquerq, C on leading roles If they clear the film Aaeatlon Hal B. Wsllis in from N. Y. • Loretia Young laid up with laryn- gitis. Butclv Jenkins vacationing for 30 days Phvllis . Gilman divorced Lou. Hollz. Walter Seltzer vacationing al Lake studios in time. Dublin's Group Theatre opened a short season.in Belfast with Gerard Healy's famine play, 'The Black Stranger," to be followed by Siger-. son Clifford's "Nano"; also planning ho n e y m P°_ n - Pe^gy Stewart laid up: with throat infection. ".'.'.. ■ ■' Phil Brito in from New York lor film work. Red Doff back to work arte:- his Washington By Florence S. Lowe Edward Plohn. National's mgr., on two-week vacation. Joyte O'Hara. MPA biguie. off to North Carolina on week's fishing trip. Camera crew here shooting back- ground: scenes for new March of Time short on atomic energy. George Canty. Dim specialist for commercial policy division of State dept.. upped a grade in status. .Helen Hamilton's Troika nitery to be rebuilt' in Sept. alter its mid- season fire, despite contrary rumors. Joan Gladding, cxt"Up In Central Park," checked in al Victory Room, with Lee Castle's band, over Ihe weekend. Sid. Btumenstock. 20th flack, in from N. Y. to work on D. C. pieem of "Centennial Sumnicr;" al jvhich Phil Silvers 'will ciricee. Jerri Blanchanl. iiilory singer who just checked out or Club Duel, guested at the Wliitc Mouse for members of the.President's staff last week. . James L. Miridlebrobk. now NA-B engineer director. 'awarded Legion of Mel'it by Sec. Janws Forrrslal for his work on elccluojiii-s while in the Navy during the war. Ferde Grofc aivotlicr 'Library vis- itor, lo add his autographed...piano- orch version pf Gershwin's '■Rhap'sn- dy in Blue" to Library's collection of musical. Americana. John LaTouehc. here lo ■present original manuscript of ''Ballad for Americans" to Library of Congress, talked of plans tor a choral ballet aimed for Broadway m xt seiison. Bucks County, Pa. By Sol Jacobson Moe Behrmans guests of Martin Vorhaus 4th weekend. Film flack Jerry Pickman in New Hope for gander Sunday. John .Williams in. from Cape Cod Mon. (8) for Playhouse stint. George Cotton and Lynn Masters at Yardley for "Of Mice and Men" Mon. (8). Ted Deglins weekending, at moth- er-in-law. Mrs. Jules Maslbaum's Aquetpng estate. Ezra Stones tossing shindig Sun- day (14) for radio and stage pals at Buckstone Farm, Washington. Cross- ing. .. Haila Stoddard to commute to Playhouse from Springtown home Aug. 12 week. Bill yet to be se- lected. Helen Hayes checked in at Logan Inn Sun. (7) to start "Alice-Sil-By- the-Fire" rehearsals under direction of Josh Logan, who planed in from Coast. Sidney Blackmer banged up ankle following opening of "You Touched Me" Mon. (1). Treated with new fluid injection by ex-Army medic in Doylestown. New Hope Street Fair scored big- gest gross in six-year history for benefit of Recreation Center. Warm, fair weather brought record throngs to Logan Inn lot for alfresco ex- hibits three-nights (4-5-6). Oscar Haramerstein II back on Doylestown acreage after junket with spouse to visit Australian in- laws. Brought back first draft of "Allegro'' lyrics, next on' (Richard) Rodgers-Hammerstein docket. Mabel Hill Souvaine, Woman's Day editor, summering in Solcbury. Recessing of "Dream Girl" freeing Wendell Corey to concentrate on Yardley slrawhatter. Set to stage "Fair and Warmer" for preem (15).- ' Don - Walker's two children in Mercer hosp. Trenton, following' serious bike injury Sunday (7) on Aquetong rd. Parents are on Cont, where arranger is doing radio work until Aug. 1. Mrs." Walker rushed home via Constellation Mon. lo road tour later. Kenneth MacDonald has bowed out of Longford: Productions and' re- turned.to London;. Maurice O'Brien has rejoined the company for the coming season--opening this month in "Heartbreak House" at the Gate. Arturo Toscanini is liXted to' re- turn from Milan. to N. Y.. through Shannon Airport July 3, meeting one of his prima donnas, Margaret Burke Sheridan, at the airport on the way through. Pat, Delahunty took over stage mgt. for Longford Productions July 8 when company, opened at the Gate with Shaw's "Heartbreak House." He follows. John Kelly, who bows out to act. Jooss Ballet opened to- good biz at Gaiety, July 8., to start a three-week season, their last European date be- fore leaving for Canada and U. S. tour. They are first-foreign co. to play Gaiety since 1940. Another, bowout at the Theatre Royal is organist- and former con- ductor George Rothwell. A; Gordon Spicer: moves into the organ seat. Norman . Newman, formerly with British Air Force, has the orchestra. Australia By Eric Gorrick Major biz still coming for "Lost Weekend" (Par) in Sydney in fourth span. Metro is bidding for a run Svith 'Last Chance" at Liberty, Sydney. Dan Casey, Uni'versal's sales mgr., getting set for U. S. visit, first in many years., ; Harold Williams, Aussie singer, leaves next month for concerts In England and America. Todd -Duncan concert preemed In Sydney at City Hall July 6 for Wil- liamson-Tait. Top was $3. Harry : Guiness is due back from N. Y. visit next month. Is in charge of the local Fox Movietone setup. Mrs. Charles Munro, wife of Charles Munro, indie. cinema'Oper- ator,'is recovering from major oper- ation, Shirley Ann Richards air-routed here from'U. S. to_spend five weeks' vacation with her mother, first in four years. Nifty biz continues for "Seventh Veil" on sixth stanza in Sydney via Hoyts on deal with Gaumont-Brit- ish-20th-Fox. . Ross Buchanan on nabe runaround with "Murder Without Crime," run- ning it by arrangment with Wil- liamson-Tait. V Serge Kotlarsky, Russian-Ameri- can violinist, bows in for Aussie concert tour under direction of Euston Green. Warners will bring out special edition of local tradepaper. Film Weekly, in August, covering 20 years of sound. Doris Fritton brings in "Hamlel" for a run bid at the Independent, North Sydney. Bid is aimed most- ly at student boxofflce. Anticipated that Otto Bolle will look over the Aussie zone again be- fore year's end. Sydney Albright is in charge of 20th-Fox affairs here. E J. Tait, Williamson-Tait, man. dir., leaves for U. S. in August to. looksee the legit field for Aussie buys. W-T now. planning legit cir- cuit with overseas talent. Dublin By Maxwell Sweeney Lecturer Maurice Leahy back in Ireland after six years in U. S. Dan and Elsie O'Hcrlihy have new daughter; father is actor on contract at Rank's studios in England, BBC's northern. Ireland regional station, still without lis promised palace home, is to get a new studio within three, weeks. Eileen Phelan, leader of Moon- beams, resident dance troupe at Queen's Theatre. Dublin, bows out this week to be-married. Covenl Garden Opera House tenor Francis Russell got top billing on Irish Hospitals' Trust sponsored hour from Radio Eireann, June 30. Eddie Byrne, now with London company of "Red Roses for Me," has first choice' of the. lead in Scan O'Cascys "Oak Leaves and Laven dcr." • ' who. toured Las Vegas By Bea Ratliffe Mr. and Mrs. Joe Pasternak here. Jean Gillespie at El Rancho. Ve- gas. ; ' Hume Cronyn spending a few days fishing. Jerry Giesler's hotel to be called the Flamingo. The Earl Wilsons weekending be- fore returning cast. Jack Marshall heading new show at the Last Frontier. Rex Bell opened a drivein cafe on the Los Angeles highway. Martha Scott at the Last Frontier for the divorce treatment. Barbara Hutton coin rumored in back of new luxury auto court. Paul Ralli's book, "Divorce Law- yer,": reported getting'film bids. Frank; Parker headlining at El Cortez while awaiting-his. divorce. Edna Best and Nat Wolff building dude ranch in nearby Paradise Val- ley. ; • . ... ,. Diana Barrymore received her.di- vorce from Bramwell Fletcher and headed east. . Allied Productions opening film Mike Hutchinson. ----- -— -.. . . r . ,. Canada with Alan ThornhilJ'- "The ] studio in newly vncated bldgs. of Forgotten Factor," has been in Bel--Basic Magnesium plant. Lerpy Prinz's father in- town on annual visit. Sid Rogell returned from Mexico City biz trip. Sam Marx 1 returned from Wash- ington, D. C. Esther Wallace moved into Enter- prise flackery. Walter' Elliott, hospitalized for minor surgery;- -. Irving Pichel .vacatignihg in Men- docino County. 1 • I Harry Rapt confined to his apdrt- ment with flu.. ; ' Lizabeth Scott returned Jrom her trip to England. Theodora Lynch out of the Santa Monica hospital. Paul Lukas laid up with pto- maine poisoning. Phil Regan returned-from appear- ances in the east. Allan Jones and Irene Hervey ar- rived from Dallas.- ■ Meme Boyd returned from vaca- tioning in Hawaii. Monte Hale to Mangum, Okla., for rodeo aDDearanees. Edward G. Robinson sailed for. Hawaii on vacation. Anita Ellis back, in town after Laguna vacationing. ■ 1 C. Maya-Das, political leader from India, visiting Metro. . Dorothy. Claire to San Francisco for nitery warbling. ■ Red Skeltoh to Vancouver and Montana on vacation. R. B. Shaw, Canadian official, ganderihg Paramount. johnny Coy and bride returned, from their honeymoon. Donald - Barry vacationing 1 for month at Santa Catalina. ' Jack Haley to his Escondido Ranch for a month's siesta. O. O. Dull returned to . his Metro desk after business in N. Y. Mitchell Leisen : returned from location hunting in Oregon. - Robert Sisk to Florida to scout locations tor a dog picture. Charles Arnt shoved off for vaca- tion in.the Pufet Sound area. Jean Hersholt Hollywooding again after seven -weeks on Broadway. Richard Carlson checked ,nlo RKO after two years in the Navy. Charley Foy opened his new Sup- per Club in San Fernando valley. . Cornel Wilde and frau returned from a Mexican fishing expedition. John J. Jones, chief of Screen Guild Productions, in town for sales talks. Jimmy McHugh elected to the Beverly Hills chamber of com- merce. • Bob Taplinger'checked in at Para- mount to assume his new producer chores. John Burch succeeded Dewey Slarkcy. as asst. production manager at RKO. Frank Perrett checked in at Eagle- Lion as asst. to Sam Israel, chief publicist. Joseph Hazen in town for hud- dles with Hal Wallis on autumn production. Louis Hyman returned from New York where he sat in on RKO sales conferences. John Hodiak and Ann Baxter will spend their honeymoon in Colo- rado Springs. Betty MacDonald, author of "The Egg and I," entertained on the In- ternational lot. ' Gene Autry back from Calgary. Canada, where . he appeared in a three-day.Stampede.• Florence George and Everett Crosby trained out for a series of midwest concert dates.. Mrs. Harold Lloyd, the former Mildred Davis, recovering from emergency appendectomy. Harry M. Popkln in town after, three weeks in New York on. busi- ness for Cardinal Pictures! Robert L. Lippert in from N: Y. for huddles on distribution of Screen Guild Productions. Cecil Humphreys in from Man- hattan for his film chore in "The Razor's Edge" at 20th-Fox. Lionel Barrymore appointed chair- man of national board of sponsors of Arthritis Research Foundation. .. ' John Joseph and Edward Mnhl planed back from Manhattan after Universale annual sales meet. William Orr, currently with. Metro: awarded the Bronze Star for his wartime work in the Nav'y. Joan Harrison to Kanab. Utah, to pick location spots for her RKO pro- duction, "They Won't Believe Me." Elsa Maxwell set for "Canyon Passage" party-throwing talks . on the Wanger junket to Portland Ore. ..Bing Crosby awarded medal as hon. prez of-Malig'n'e River Anglers Club, for catching a fish in Jasper i Miilional Park.