Variety (Jul 1946)

MISCELLANY Wednesday, July 31, 1946 Cantor, Adler, Other Top Names Headline Talent at Milwaukee Fete ''■'.. Milwaukee, July 30. * Milwaukee is celebrating its cen- tennial with a -series of outdoor shows extending over 31 days. The Centuvama. as the event, has been named officially, is being held in Juneau park, on the shove of Lake Michigan. A giant stage and an amphitheatre of !),000 scats have been erected, and numerous big name stars are ap- pearing. Although the start was slow, business has picked up stead- ily, and capacity or near capacity audiences are now thfc rule, es- pecially as the current stars, are Veto?. & Y.olanda. The stars of the first -week, July 12-18, were Jane-fTbman and Larry Adler. Second week had Donald O'Connor and Jessica Dragonette as headliiiers. After the Veloz-Yolanda week, Eddie Cantor will• take' over for the Aug. 2-8 period. Alec Tem- pleton, playing with an orchestra led by Milton Rusch of Milwaukee, will be heard one night, Aug. 9; a chorus of 1,000 voices directed by Milwaukeean John Anello will sing Aug. 10; and on Aug. 11 the star will be Jan Peerce, appearing with an orchestra tinder Jerry Bojanow- ski's baton. Besides the stars/ the dally stage show is rounded put by 24 Roxy- ctte dancers of New York; the Sam Snyder water follies, and numerous variety acts. The shows, which have been highly praised by the press and visitors, are produced by Ed J. Weisfeldt, veteran Milwaukee showman, in . association with Michael Todd. Todd has visited Mil- waukee several times to supervise. He has refused to accept remunera- tion. After the Centurama, Weis- feldt will join the Todd organization. Cantor arrived in Milwaukee Saturday (27), six days ahead of his opening, to brush up on Milwaukee history for his show and to confer with his new radio sponsor, the Pabst Brewing Co. Besides the central amphitheatre show, the centennial has the Johnny J. Jones midway attractions and nu . merous military, naval, industrial and historical exhibits. Macho Coin Poured Into ET0 DP Coffers By Molly Picon, Kalich Amsterdam, July 12 Molly Picon and Jacob Kalich sent to Europe by various Jewish organizations to entertain displaced persons, have netted over 1,000,000 francs through paid concerts given in France. Proceeds were turned over to institutions caring for war orphans and deportees. Duo will work through Belgium and Holland- before proceeding to Poland, where majority of concerts will be given. Miss Picon and Kalich took over a considerable amount of toys, food and personal necessities for distribution to DPs. They are contributing their time and talent gratis. Dorothy Dalton Willed Dad's $118,015 Estate Entire estate of her father, John H. Dalton, who died June 11 at the age of 82, has been willed Dalton Hammerstein, retired star of silent Alms, a will filed in Pro bate Court here disclosed last week. Total is $118,015. Will also stipulates that Mrs. Hammerstein, who lives with her husband, 70-year-old ex-producer Arthur Hammerstein, on a 275-acre farm on ■ Route 1, Palatine,. 111., is to care for Dalton's widow, Lillian. Dalton was a real estate investment broker. Sport Short* Remember Martin, Barton and Fish? . The '46 version is Har- ris, Ferris and Hughson. (Look out, Bums—if you make it.) William Bendix, Paramount star who was a bat-boy for the Giants when a kid, is squeezing in as much sports as possible be- fore returning to the Coast next Monday. (5). Program so far in- cludes the races, fights and the Giants-Pitt ballgaine Saturday 13). ... Atlantic.City hotelmen appear to have quickly developed a peeve at the namesake race- track down that region of Jersey. Known that not a few guests who blew their vacation bankrolls. at tlje races, checked out fast after returning to the resort and an attempt will .-be made to switch the meeting's date next year, instead of hold- ing it at the height of the season. The meeting at the new Mon- mouth: track also was dated at the wrong time and it's figured that a midsummer session there would get better support, There are- comparatively few hotels in that part of Jersey, most of the summer population having ' their own homes. Race addicts from Philadel- phia going to the Atlantic City course must stand for incon- veniences to reach the spot un- less going by iriolor car. Special extra fare trains.using the Dela- ware river R. R. bridge, dump the fans off at Pomona, which is some distance from the races, so busses traversing a dusty, dirt road , complete the journey . to the track at McKee City lo- cated back in the pines, more than a dozen miles from the Boardwalk, bus fare being an extra nick. When it rains the road and'the track approaches become quagmires: Plant is far . from being completed, but like Monmouth there will be large elevators and escalators and a railroad spur will be run to the stands at both courses. Rail- road spur to Garden State near Camden and closest to the Philly has been completed and appears to have the best chance among the three Jersey tracks. Postponement of the Tony - Zale-Roeky . Graziano middle- weight fight means that three major title events are scheduled for the Yankee Stadium during September, the other bouts being Joe Louis-Tami Mauriello and Ray Robinson-Marty Servo for the heavy and welterweight - crowns respectively. As the first two named fights have a $30 tap, attendance chances look dubious. Possible that two of the shows will move indoors at Madison Square Garden but whether the prices will be low- ered has not been indicated. Show biz won and placed Sat- urday (27) at Inglewood, Calif., When Fred Astaire's Triplicate won the $114,900 Hollywood Gold Cup Handicap, nosing out Louis B. Mayer's highly favored filly, Honeymoon. 215th WEEK! KEN MURRAY'S "BLACKOUTS OF 1946" El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, Cal. "It's the fun spot of Los Angles. Really a permanent lilugh Insti- tution. RANDOLPH SCOTT. Bernard Shaw Dinner 'Promotion' Turns Into Gala Literati Affair What was, on the surface, just a big promotion stunt from several standpoints evolved into an enter- taining, literati affair punctuating celebration of the 90th birthday an- niversary of George Bernard Shaw last week (25) at New York's Hotel Waldorf-Astoria. Tied into the set- up were the Irish playwright's American publisher, Dodd, Mead; United Artists; which is releasing Shaw's "Caesar arid Cleopatra," and the Saturday Review of Literature, under whose auspices the dinner celebration was held in New York. Similar functions were held under different auspices in London. John Mason Brown, associate edi- tor .of the SRL, . returned to N. Y. from London by plane to emcee. Capping the dinner was radio's 'Information, Please," with its questions dealing entirely with Shaw and his works. The "Informa Hon" regulars, Clifton Fadiman, the moderator, and Franklin P. Adams were present on the special in-view program, ' and they were supple mented by actress-director Margaret Webster, critic' Louis Kronenberger and'Metro ad-publicity chief How ard Dietz. A screening of "Caesar' followed the Wedgwood Room din- ner, the former being held in the Sert Room. Shaw's wit was evident in a five-year old short that .pre ceded the feature, in which he had something to tell Americans. A re- cently made short was also shown indicating the still-remarkable agil- ity of the author. Tipoff on the whole affair, which was featured by brief talks from the ultra of the. literati. set; was that WNYC's Seymour Sicgel hurriedly ordered all other programs cancelled to 10:40, 80 minutes beyond the/ori- ginally scheduled 9-9:30 broadcast of the celebration. He had become that enthused. The festivities included readings by Maurice Evans and Cornelia Otis Skinner, each solo, of Shavian works and verbal reflections, or dissec (Continued on page 53) The Berle-ing Point J3y Milton Berlc Whenever you see a new face on the screen you can thank a talent scout .or the Westmores. Some talent scouts discover talent in the most unlikely places: in penny arcades, Turkish baths, Willie Weber's waiting'' room.. Some years ago a scout walked into an opticians, picked up a monocle.. ,and\ presto! there was Charles Coburn. Vera Vague was dis- covered in a flve-and-ten.. .but, then, she does all her shopping there. Each movie .studio has. its regular talent sources: Columbia combs model agencies. Republic combs merry-go-rounds.. .and Walt Disney combs dogs. During the war Bob Hope covered so many countries..,he got a job doubling as talent scout for Filzpatrick. Joe Pincus of 20th. has tipped off that a certain showgirl was photogenic. He said, "I'll sign her, no matter what her nationality is!" Great Wit Way So. many mystery programs on the air now...that when I'm through I catch myself wiping my fingerprints off the dial. A Paramount theatre act has just been signed by Eugene O'Neill, lfs gone from Ave shows a day to Ave days a show. Dialogue at Leon & Eddie's: "My. husband's d /our-letter man" "Yeah ... , and it cost him 10 grand to get them back." . Understand they're grooming an Argentine cowboy to be a nut comic... sort of a gaucho Marx. Bert Wheeler says.he played in such a swank summer theatre last month .that'the mosquitoes only dined to blue blood. Still haven't heard who won that baseball game between Bob Hope's and Ed Gardner's writers. Danny Rogers reports they're using tall jockeys at the new Atlantic City racetrack.. so they can double as lifeguards. Things are so tough with a certain act. . .his mother-in-law Is only.doing a split week at his apartment. Observation Dept. Caught a preview of "The Outlaw" last week. In one scene the sheriff says to Jane Russell, "I've got you covered!" That's when I lost interest. Housing shortage reminds me of that line from Hamlet: "Tepee or hot tepee, that is the question," Wolf eyeing chorus girl: "I'm placing her on my 'mussed' list." Met a new comic who doesn't go on the air for two weeks/, .and already he's received three magazine awards. Horrible thought: What if Lionel Kaye should get over-enthusiastic and sell the theatre he's working in? Eavesdropping at the Carnival: "Boy, if she's a show girl, what must the one look like who finished Ant?" ~ '■■ m . Berled Efga Peter Lind Hayes knows a comedy writing team who call themselves the pallbearer gagsters.. .They lift material bodily. . Understand Horace Heidt was just offered a radio contract by a hayfever remedy concern, on one condition.. .that he change his name to Gesunrf Heidt. One new play was so bad that a wife was overheard bawling put her husband for not leaving the tickets on the piano before they left home. Woman: The smoke.in here is thick enough to cut. . Bartender: Lady, I'm busy enough milh the liquor. I don't mind my wife taking me to the cleaners...but It takes three weeks to get me back. Caught a movie on 42d street last night. Never saw Clara Kimball Young look better. Whispered at Colbee's: "He's an unemployed radio producer: no hits, no runs, no airers," Billy Rose's Titchin' Horseshoes (Songtortter-shoumian-nitery prop, does a paid "advertorial" column in- (he JV. Y. Daily News, but has given 15 V. S. dailies the cupo reprint rights, starting urith PM, in New York. After six months Rose intends charging /or his "syndication." He also offered Variety (he exclusive show biz rights, and this paper may reprint certain columns from time to time.) Col. Sighs Margie Knapp, Eth Merman's Understudy Marjorie Knapp, understudy to Ethel Merman in "Annie Get Your Gun," top Broadway musical hit, has been inked by Columbia to a stand- ard six-months option pact with a' seven-year term. She has a run-of- the-play contract with, producers Rodgers & Hammerstein and will leave for the Coast as soon as they can locate a satisfactory replace- ment and release her. Miss Knapp was formerly in . "Star arid Garter" and othey Broadway musicals. .-" ' Show Biz Helping CaL Get Over Its First 100 Years Hollywood, July 30. California Centennial, celebration marking the 100th anniversary of the . raising of the U, S. flag over Los Angeles, will be heavily hypoed via show biz cooperation. Meeting was held in the office of and pre- sided over by Mayor Fletcher Bow- ron, in which full cooperation and hefty participation was promised by show busi ness leaders.- " * I Mike Todd was named to super- vise all activities, Frank McCarthy, of Byron Price office was named liaison, and 20th-Fox producer Bill Bacher .was nominated to build a one-hour m.c. airer that will high- light and lead-off event on Aug. 13 from, the steps of City Hall. Tyrone Power will m.c. and Meredith Will- son will conduct. Networks, at this writing, are still undecided,'as tp which .will carry,, the celebration's klcfcoff, ; . - '.- NORA BAYES FINALLY BURIED AFTER 18 YRS. The body of Nora Bayes, vaude- ville and musical comedy star, was buried Monday (29) after being in a receiving vault at Woodlawn ceme- tery, N.Y., for more than 18 years. Miss Bayes died March 19, 1928, was buried simultaneously with her fifth husband, Benjamin L. Fried- land, a Long Island builder, who died March 29. . Cause of the delay In burial is said to have been Friedland's desire to be interred simultaneously with Miss Bayes. Cemetery fees had been paid by Friedland since her death. First newspaper stories on Miss Bayes' body broke In 1930. Conse- quently, admirers in London raised a subscription to bury her, but burial could not be done without Fried- land's permission. Friedland, who was Miss Bayes' fifth husband, married the star in 1925 aboard the Leviathan when she sailed to play London engagements. She at one time -Was married to Jack Norworth, the songwriter who was her accompanist at one time. That's when their "Shine on Harvest Moon," written and sung by them, became famous. . One of-her adopted, children, Peter iO. Bayes, was present .at the -burial. Not all the homicide committed in this town makes the front page. The fat black scare headline is reserved for the tommy-gun from the limousine window, the concrete overcoat under the East River, the.Florentine dagger in the breadbasket, the straightforward leadpipe to the noggin, and inci- dental small arms practice. But the real massacre and mayhem is gen* erally buried a page away from the sports section. If murder is your dish, put on your rubber boots and wade through the blood which is spilled oh the theatre page. The Lord High Executioner is an old friend of mine, George Jean Nathan. When told that showman Morris Gest, angered by one of his notices, had called him a pinhead. George wittied, "It Is impossible that Mr. Gest could have said such a thing. Pinhead is a two-syllable word.", Dorothy Parker, the lady with the lance, once had Katherine Hepburn walking into lampposts. Dorothy purred that Kitty's performance in a schnitzel called "The Lake,'' "ran the gamut of emotions from A to B." Two-gun George S. Kaufman used to write for the "Times" before he wrote for the Pulitzer Prize committee. Many the bad performance he nipped in the blood. He once torpedoed the debut of an actor named Guido Nadzo with the observation thai he was Nadzo Guldo. A charter member of Typewriter, Inc., was the velvet hammer "Tribune" critic, Percy Hammond. Percy is gone now, but he took a lot of actors with him when he went "Venom from contented rattlesnakes" was his description of the writings of the aisle-seat assassins. Once the Brothers Shubert barred him from their theatres—then relented for just one opening night.. His once-over-heavily of their new musical concluded, "Upon looking oyer this report I find that I have knocked everything but the chorus girls' legs—but nature has anticipated me there." . Sometimes the corpus refuses to stay. delicti. Early this season play- smith Maxwell Anderson had the critics biting chunks out of their desks when he took ads in their own papers and labeled them "The Jukes Family of Journalism." Around London they'd rather tangie with Jack the Ripper than-Noel Coward. This Mayfalr murderer, once crossed walking sticks with Michael Arlen, and jolly well belted his brains out with the line, "Arlen is every other inch a gentleman.' 1 Of course, Coward is just a road company of the daddy of the death- dealers, Oscar Wilde. At broken-field running among the teacups; old Hankie-in-the-Sleeve had no peers. He once looked up from a cucumber sandwich and erased Frank Harris with the mot, "He gets Invited to all the best homes In England—once." There was a year when tallyho coats fed the moths in closets and grooms walked the country lanes In search of employment. That was after Wilde had- dismissed the English fox-hunting squires as "the unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable." All this is good clean sport until they start using you as the back end of the shooting gallery. I took my meals at home for a week after Ben Hecht death-rayed me with the characterization, "Billy Is. as wistful as a meataxe." But that was a caress compared to some others that I 'can't print, now that these pieces are appearing in several family newspapers. The next time we meet, ask me to shofw you the scars I still carry after twenty years from the Philadelphia headline that greeted my first show, "The Rose that does not smell so sweet."