Variety (Aug 1946)

Wednwday, Angmi 7, 1946 Scribes on Rt. Scene Find Male Stars H wood Menace {Fenunes No Fatale) London, Aug. 6. While more than 400 newspaper and mag correspondcnU in HoUy- v'ood devote their wholt time to writing about U. S. film personal!' ties, Great Britain for the flrst time in screen history is starting to. at- tract some American scribes to this coiiiUry to view strides being taken by British pictures. Coming soon after the visit of Hedda Hopper, Hollywood col- umnist and radio commentator, four American newspaper people have arrived here to get a closeup of the cinema scene. They are Leonard Lyons, columnist of the N. Y. Post and 89 other U. ST newspapers; Walter Aiinenberg, publisher of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the maga- zines Seventeen and Scr«en Guide; Herbert Btegstein, film editor; and Thyra Samter Winslow, American novelist' Others are due in soon. These four have been visiting the studios headied by J. Arthur Rank. Although George Bernard Shavv is reportedly unwilling to be inter- viewed, Lyons spent almost a full day with the bearded veteran, cabling several columns about Shaw back. Miss Winslow perhaps best summed up the British vs. Holly- wood film situation by saying: 'The Englishmen are the handsomest men in the world, as a class, but the (Continued on pag« 96) Clu'sW.K.AoditorioDi, Sold to FDR College, May Be LegHer Again Cliicagb, Aug. 6. Chicago's historic auditorium building was sold Monday (5) to Roosevelt College, new educational project named in honor of the late Franklin D. Roosevelt, and the fa- mous old theatre will p»bably be opened within the next year, 1hus clearing up the present shortage of legitimate showcases here. House was a. servicemen's centre during the war, being converted into a bowling alley during that time. It was sold to the college for $400,000, plus assumption of back taxes amounting to $1,300,000. Dr. Edward J. Sparling, coUege prez, pledged that the theatre, which is noted for acoustics described by Frank Lloyd Wright and other ex- perts as "best in the world," will be used for "great theatrical and operatic productions, as well as (or comniunity rallies and meetiiigs." Ralph Kettering, according to Ferdi- nand W. Peck, Jr., son of one of the founders^ is first choice as manager of the house it the college operates it. College expects to move in by Feb. 1, it extensive: remodeling of the Auditorium hotel rooms into class- rooms ■ is completed. Theatre, ac- cording to Sparling, will be used by Joseph Creanza, director of the col- le'ge's school of music,' for school affairs at first, but will be available to commercial theatre projects a great deal of the time. Withal, college is open for bids on the theatre, Dr. Sparling having announced that no . definite decision has been reached yet as to whether -it'll be operated by college or out- side interests on a long-haul basis. Public bidding on the property is apparently out, with Chi's mayor fidward J. Kelly, driving force be- hind turning it over to servicemen during the war, now backing the college group. 3d Mother-Daughter Team in the Strawhats A third mother-daughter team has appeared on the strawhat circuit this ceason, in presence of Jill Miller, manager of the Putnam County Playhouse, Mahopac, N. Y., and her daughter, Robin Bruenn, Latter, a featured player at. the strawhat, toured the Pacific last spring in a USO-Camp Shows' production . of "Oklahoma!" Her mother also acts and directs in addition to. her man- aging chores at Mahopac. Duo follows in footsteps of Helen Hayes and her daughter, Mary Mac- Arthur, who are. touring the haylofts this summer in "Alice Sit-By-The- Fire," and Gladys Cooper and her daughter, Sally, who appeared in the same play recently at the Cape Playhouse, Dennis, Mass., where Sally is an apprentice. i Sports Shortc All-Star Amateur; Boxing Carnival at Griffith StMlium, Washington, Aug. 18, Tent U of the Variety Club. Joe Louis, featured guest, will referee the bouts. Annual afFMir' raises funds for the benefit of the Junior Police and Citizens Corps for boys club work. Current carnival under direc- tion of ClarK Davis and Bill Hoylc of District Theatres. Influence of Hollywood has definitely hypoed attendance records for tlie Cleveland In- dians since Bob Hope bought a sizable hunk of stock, in his hometown's baseball team. Big- gest ladies'-day crowd in his- tory was clocked last week when Bill Veeck, new prez of outfit, announced that 503 pairs of nylon hose would, be give; aways: "Three hours before the In- dians-Reel Sox fracas there was a two-block long line of gals hoping to get the lucky rain- checks, and 21i371 of 'em almost rioted when Veeck began pass- ing out the stockings. After the game he received this telegram from .Hope: "Tell the winners not to scream so loudly. They woke me up in Hollywood. Next lime put Bob Feller in one of the prize nylons. Bill, and we'll quadruple attendance figures." Number of niutuel ticket sell- ers at Belmont, Jamaica and Aqueduct racetracks diicked go- ing to Saratoga, saying they couldn't afford living at the Spa. Most of them, were earning $12 per day but figured it would cost almost that much for room and meals at the upstate resort. For similar reasons, a majority of New York mutiiel clerks passed - up Florida saying they could get by at home but certainly not in the Miami sector. Saturday (3) after the race . meet concluded at Jamaica many technicians were occupied well into the night dismantling the ticket machines, referred to as "iron men." The a p p a r a.t u s which feeds the totalizator was shipped to Saratoga, requiring five cars. Machines will be brought back when the fall meet- ings stairt at Aqueduct Sept. 2. 216Ui WEEK ! KEN MURRAY'S "BLACKOUTS OF 1946" El Capitan Theatre, Hollywood, Cal. "Other shows may come and go, need I say more?" AL J0L80N. The Berle-ing Point -By Milton Berle. Hard Hatfield Takes French Leave When Gallic B.R. Does Fade Financial foul-up by a pair of French producers who were to put up the coin for a film he was to make in France resulted in pre- mature return to this country last week of Hurd Hatfield, Metro con- tract player, who was on a 12-wcek loanout for the picture. Would-be French filmmalcers, according to Hatfield, apparently invested the coin in some other business and when it came time to start the pic- ture, no financing was available. With no chance of straightening out the mess after Hatfield had waited in Paris for five weeks, Metro recalled him. M-G deal was with John Sutro, British producer ("Seventh Veil") who had made arrangements to col- lab with French producers tSt mak- ing the picture in Paris. It was supposed^ to be shot simultaneously in French and English, Hatfield speaking both languages. Co-starred was Mme. Francois- Rosay, top French actress,- Pic was titled "Torrents of Spring," from a yarn by Turgehiev. Metro was to get $75,000 for the 12-week loanout, but Sutro made a settlement with the company. He was greatly embarrassed by his failifre to shoot the film and is at- tempting to make a deal for use of Hatfield in another, film in Novem- ber. That wUl be made entirely in England, however, with British financing. It's labeled "Pursuit of Love." Robert Horley is set for the cast. Hatfield.'left New York jro return to the studio Monday (9). , ' ■', Lambs Plenty Stiff After Annual Wash, 1st Since Pre-War By JOE LAUBIE JR. If Broadway's actor haunts were unusually desolate last Sunday (4), there was a reason. The Lambs Club held its first Wash since bc; fore the war. If nothing else, the annual Lambs Wash, one of the most notable- events of .a notable actor group,: helps the performer at least once annually to doff the greasepaint for an' outdoor spectacle of games and sport Sunday's Wash brought out over 250 Lambs and their guests in a spe- cial train, to the Percy Williams Home, Islip, L. I., annual scene of the affair. Host was Shepherd Rayr mond Peck, and Irving Fisher led the singing of the National Anthem. Harry Sommers, president of . thtf Home, welcomed the visitors. Wal- ter Greaza. Chairman of the activi- ties committee, briefed 'em on the day's events, and then, with a couple of shots (revolver, that is) from the gun of Ex-Governor of New Jersey Harold G. Hoffman, the boys got into their shorts, etc., and were ready for an un-corking good. time. Horseshoe pitching, dollar pitch- ing, running races, spoon and egg racing, swimming, guessing' contests and- golf were on the day's program. The day was perfect. The ,sun did best for the lotion manufacturers, the mosquitoes stayed away and the grounds were hot-air conditioned. Some of the boys who suffered from high blood pleasure just sat around cutting up old money with the guests of the home, sliding down the bannisters of time and re-living the great show business of yester year. Some dropped into the bar to drink things over, and those physi cally insolvent for the sports events just sat around sound awake. The highlight of the sports events was the drill and formation of Lambs service veterans by ^gt. Donny Tompkins. In this there were Lambs who took part in three wars, the Spanish American, World War I and World War II. They drilled in shorU with old muskets. They were a funny-looking sight. One old wag in chic clothing cracked: "Look out, fellers, here come some kids with sticks!" That broke up the party. Some of the boys in the running races showed* some. good time—ac- (Continued on page 32) Everybody in show business is getting publicity conscious. Of course most of the stars will tell you that ••publicity means nothing to them", while requesting a table in front of a flashbulb. Naturally, sbine form, of publicity ore dangerous. For example, Errol Flynh once fired a press •gent who tried to place him on Hobby-Lobby. Nowadays many a girl is breaking into public relations. Male publicity agents call such a girl a mere bag-fe-telL But most publicity girls are pretty careful when they date a columnist. I overheard one say, "Before I have dinner with you in' your apartment I must know one tiling: are you syndicated?" Some make a name for themselves through their collections. For instance, James Melton collects old automobiles, Edward G, Robinson collects painiing.s..,, then there's Tommy ManvlUe. Great Wit Way Know a musician who claims he plays the hottest trumpet in town..., it's been stolen four times. . , " Understand a gag-writing team just settled a major problem. Whoever types the script gets top billings. Senator Bilbo has been approached by an organization to do ait audience- participation program entitled "So You Want To Lead A Bund." Keyholed at the Copa: "He's the kind of a guy you have to stand in line to hate." The night club business must be really bad how;. .".Sherman Billing.^aey'i only giving away CBdillacs. lAst week was the 20th anniversary of sound. My brother celebrated his 20th anniversary of silence.... that's how long he's been married. Understand they're cutting Edgar Kennedy down to one-rcclcrs. Now he'll only have time for a "quick-burn." - I don't mind a heckler trying to get into the act, but it's going too far when his agent shows up at the finale to take a bow. ' ObiervBtloD Department Herb Shriner knows a Hollywood actress who refused to go to a fash- ionable party because she'was ashamed of being seen'with last year's husband. Mickey Alpert reports the people up in Boston are very happy because they banned a book in New York. Know a coinic who's famous for always keeping his wits aboii) him.... and he pays them $2,000 a week. Yat-Yat at Sardi's:. "She plays' hard to get—rid of." "The Lost Weekend'! must he playing somewhere... .just saw Think-a- Drink Hoffman picketing a theatre. Met a model whose faverite cooling system is a checkbook waved iiiuler her nose. • Gil Lamb claims his girl chews.her nails so much at the movies... .that she^s having her^ nail polish vitamin-enriched. Suggested jackpot question for the. male contestants on "Take It Or Leave It": "What is the color of Jane Russell's eyes?" There's No Truth to the Ramer That Charlie Chaplin took out a lifetime subscription to Parcnl.s Maga- zine,...That Carrie Finnell will be the new Miss Rheingbld... .Tliat kg many cuts have been made in"The Outlaw," it looks like its own trailer ....That Saroyan's next play will be taken front the first three pages of Webster's Dictionary That as a slight hint that she needs doniitions, Yale has changed the title of her college song to "Moola-Moola"..Thnt in his next picture Roddy McDowall will co-star with a humai; being. Hangnail Deserlptloiis Eddie Condon: Solid Slender... .Errol Flynn: King Leer... .Phil Harris; Vocubu-lcary.../Cesar Romero: 20th Century-W«l/. .. .Olsen & Johnson: The Hoaxsters Peter Donald: Dire-Iectician. Barled Eggs Nick Kenny is mad at Ray Bolgcr because Bolger won't tell him his. birthday. Many a guy in the Black Market is buying a new fountain pen..one that will only write under-the-table. • Lip-quipped at Lindy's: - "Look at him. He walks around like a head whose chicken has just ciit liim off." One major studio has abolished previews... .it just hands each member of the audience a copy of the shooting script Understand four Broadway, characters have just started a reaWfslale development... .no doubt they'll call it, "Wise Acres." Last week Warner Bros, had a big cake at Columbus Circle and Street Next week Monogram is having an enlarged cruller at Union Square and 14th. Just learned that one theatre is installing ultra-violet spotlights... .for acts that can't get away for the summer. My brother (the one who's a test pilot for benzedrine) was so ugly as a baby....they had to diaper his face. . Looks Like They All Want Marg Johnson London, Aug. 6. Margaret Johnson, who recently finished role opposite Ralph Richard- son in the British indie-made "The Rake's Progress," has been offered a term contract by 20th-FoXi RKO and Paramount's London reps-on basis of film shown at the Odeon here. Ac- tress hasn't signed yet, weighing an Alexander Korda bid first. Actress, who appeared on London stage last season in "The Time of Your Life," is wife of Albert Parker, agent and former U. S. film director. JEAITETTE BACK IN N. T. Jeanette MacDonald planed in to New York from Londoa Friday (2) after completing a two-month conr cert tour of England, Ireland and Scotland. Actress-singer plans to stay in Gotham about two weeks and while In . town will wax some operatic' arias for RCA Victoc, A.&C. 1-Niter Tour Aims At 200G for Youth Fund Hollywood, Aug. 6. Abbott & Costello have assembled a troupe to hit the road in 14 key cities for a. series of one-nighters. Proceeds from the playing will go to Lou Costello, Jr. Youth Foundation. Troupe consists of five standard vaude acts and Will Osborne's band. Show is to play indoors on all dates and will take a straight 75% of the gate. The comedians: will work gratis while salaries of the others reach $13,000 for the tour, plus ad- ditional $14,000 set aside for charter- ing two planes and other expenses. Estimated that the tour will take in approximately $200,000 for the Foundation, Opening date is Oak- land, Aug. 24, followed by San Francisco, Denver, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Kansas City, Chicago, Cin- cinnati, Buffalo, Detroit, Dallas and other cities. SABLON'S $25 COUVERT MEX. PREEM A SELLOUT Mexico City, Aug. 6. In spite of a cover of $100 Mexican ($25 U. S.) Jean Sablon opened to SRO yesterday (5) on his two-week jdate at Ciro's, expanding his ii.<:ual. . 15-minute stanza to a half hour. Gallic personality and sho.wm.m- ship clicked in fine fashibn. Sablon 'did. a dozen songs In French,. Span- j ish and English, accompanied by Everett Hoagland's house orchestra, which has been a Cirp's feature since its opening four years ago. . Hoagland emceed to the extent of introducing Sablon briefly. M^py Americans and French attended. the preem, which had the highest prices of ,.any performer's opening any- where in Mexico. Cantor's Kiddie Disks Eddie Cantor has turned author of children's record material to complete a deal which is expected to bring the comic a minimum of $5,000. Comedian . has authored a story, "Teedledum and Tweedledee," which he'll record for Musicraft on three lO-inch platters or two 12- inch platters. Terms of the deal call for a $3,500 guarantee with minimum amount of pressings set at 50,000. In addition. Cantor will receive 2V^'c per side royalty and.%c per for writer roy- alties, , ,:' Kay Buckley's M-G Pad Kay Buckley, niteries and letiit alumna. Is virtually set for a Metro contract. She's slated for two more legiters, however, before heading (or the Coast. Actj-ess will have the lend in "Darling, Darling, Darling." bt-iiiR produced by Tallulah Bankliead in the fall. Play, penned by Patricia Coleman, Is the first produced..ty Mi.ss Btrakhead, who will not appear in the cast; Miss 'Buckley before that is slated for "Burlesque"' with Bert Lahr, which opens Aug. 12_at the- strawhat 4heatrc run by Ci"S .Sdbirmef, Jr., in Greenwich, Conn,