Variety (Sep 1946)

urday Evening Post two weeks ago awarded the flbn, Rodgers said and had been at work on another Metro takes into consideration all for same publicaUon at time of her death I: PAUL MNCKE Paul Lincke, 79, leading German composer of popular and production songs, died Sept. 4 in a hospital at Klausthal-Zellerfeld near Goettiiig- ham in the British occupation zone. He was born in Berlin and would have reached his 80th birthday Nov. 7. • , „ He never attended any of the well known musical sch,ools, b"t got Ins early training playing with small bands in and around Berlin. Later hfe became conductor at several of the famous opera theatres in his native city. It was then that he introduced his own compositions, in- cluding hundreds of individual songs and more than a score of operettas. He had success after success. Before long he was the house composer for the famous Metropol theatre, which was the leading theatre for musical shows in Berlin, , Lincke will be best remembered for his "Glow Worm"—one ^ot the most famous songs of all.time. It was a hit in every civilized country of the globe. Pavlowa created a" special dance for it and it was known as the "Pavlowa Gavotte." *'Glow Worm": was. the biggest sell- ing success ' in the 52-year history " of the Edward B. Marks Music Corp., N. Y. This concern published more than 60 various arrangements of it and sold nearly 3,500,000 copies. - . His "Spring Beautiful Spring" is a waltz as well known as most of Johann Strauss'. Other Lincke suc- cesses are "Siamese Patrol," "Aroi- na," "Castles in the Air." "Berlin Echoes," "Birthday Serenade," "Fire- flies," "Kwang-Hsu;" "Cherry in the Glass," "Folies Bergere," "Luna Waltz," "Wedding Dance," "Unre- quited Love," "On the Bosphorus," "Police Parade," "Softly Unawares," ■ "Twinkling' Star" i and countless others. His greatest opera successes were "Frau: Luna," "Lysistrata," '•Venus on Earth" and "Casanova." Lincke was forbidden by the Nazi government to leave his country be- fore the war. Although an Aryan hiniself, he was completely out of sympathy with everything that the Hitler regime stood for. His entire music business was taken away from him by the Nazis. Included in it was the original version of the song, "Lilli Marlene," which he published but did not write and which became a favorite of the American and English troops in North Africa. After the liberation of his country he appeared as con- ductor before many audiences made up of Allied personnel. Until Te' cently he communicated with friends in this country. Peyton, died at Auburn, N. Sept. .'7.. Prior to her marriage to Adams in 1915 she had appeared on Broad- way in productions of the late David Belasco and other producers, in- cluding "The Woman," "Heir to the Hoorah," "The Earl of Pawtucket," and many other plays. Her marriage to Adams was her fourth. She had previously . been married to Guy Bates Post, actor. Dr. Robert G, Brown and Arthur Cecil Gordon Weld, musical director. Husband and a daughter survive heri,.' rUAD (FRED) TABAH Fuad ("Fred") Tabah, 70, pioneer theatre ownel'f in; MonUeal, died there Sept. 7. \ Born in Lebanon, Tabah,' went to Montreal when a youth and later entered the dry goods business to become one of the top wholesalers in Montreal. Later he branched into film exhibition and founded the Con- federation Amus. Ltd., a chain of nabe houses. He subsequently, with the aid of two other partners, Law- ands & Maloufs—acquired the Do- minion, Maisoneuve, Erapi'ess, Car- tier. Outremont and Chateau. Also had an interest in the Savoy,, at suburban Verdun. Surviving are widows four sons and two brothers. WILLY ENGEL BEBGER Willy Engel Berger, Austrian com- poser and pianist, died recently .in Vienna. Berger wrote popular music, and scored greatest success: with "Ben- dez Vous" and "Last Street Car." He also composed songs for tlie Aus- trian film, "The Long Way," which had its first showing in Vienna last month. MRS. EMILY STOKES HAGAB Mrs. Emily Stokes Hagar, 58, so- prano who sang with Pliiladelphia Civic Opera Co., died in that city Sept. 8. She was a member of the Com- mittee of Judges of the Federation Of Women's! Musical Clubs of Amer- iea; ■ EUGENE D. BEDELL Eugene D. Bedell, 58, sales man- ager for Allied Record Co., died Sept, 4 in Los Angeles He was chief auditor for Columbia Recording Co before joining Allied H years ago, His widow and two. daughters siuv Vive him. ■ y FERN EMMEXT Fern Emmett, 50, stage and screen actress, died Sept. 3 in Hollywood after a long illness,: She was the widow of Henry Roquemore, actor, and had been in show business for 35 years. GRAHA.IU HARRIS Graham Harris, 55, musical direc- tor who appeared as guest conductor with the London Symphony and N.Y. Philharmonic Orchestra, died at As- toria, N. Y., Sept. 3 Harris had been conductor for the National Broadcasting Co. from 1929 to 1939, when hti retired because of ill health. He began his career as a violinist with, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1919. He was invited to conduct the London Symphony in 1'j25, and in 1927 conducted the N.Y Philharmonic in three performances at the Lewisohn Stadium. Survived by widow, son and two daughters..;:' ^ ' . ' ' ' THEODORE SCHREIBER (Xhe Great Serpentello) Theodore Schreiber, 75, retired gymnast and contortionist, who had been known professionally as ''The Great Serpentello," died at Keahs- burg, N. J., Sept. 5. In recent years he had been a special cop for bunga- low colonies there. Prior to coming to America, he had appeared in music halls of Lon don and the continent and also in vaude in this country. Survived by widow and step- brother. LOUIS W. DEGAN Louis W. Degan, 59, co-owner of the Gem, Marissa, 111., died in that city last week. House continues operation under the management of F. A. Finger. MORIZ ROSENTHAL Moriz Rosenthal, 83. noted Poliish pianist, died in New York, Sept. 11. He had not been in good health for several years. His first appearance in this coun- try, in 1888, jjrought praise of critics, who also spoke kindly of his as- sisting artist. Master Fritz Kreisler, 14-year-old violinist. Also accom- panying him on his American tour was an orchestra led by Walter Damrosch. He later made a tour of Europe and returned to the U. S. in 1896 for another concert tour. Rosenthal also wrote, with Ludwig Sehytte, the Danish composer, a "Shule des Hoheren Klavierspiels," a treatise on the technique' of the piano, that has been translated into nearly every language. His own compositions included "Variations On a Single Theme." "Papillons," "Romance," etudes and preludes for the piano. In 1902 he married Hedwig Loewy. MRS. WINIFRED P. KECKLEY Mrs. Winifred : Payne. Keokley, pianist-composer; and widow of Alexander P. Keckley,' architect, died in New York Sept. 7. A student of music in Europe. Mrs. Keckley was connected with the music staff of National Broad- casting Co. for eight years, after -which she was associated with the music division of the Children's Aid Society of New York for several ■years. Her husband was one of the de- signers of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. Among his works also are the el- evated roadways girdling Grand Central Terminal. Surviving are a son and a daugh- ter. MRS. CATHERINE THOMAS Mrs. Catherine Thomas, former legit actress, and considered oldest surviving member of the London stage, died' in London, Sept. 6 at the age of 102. During her years of retirement she was known as the "grand old lady of Essex." :A thorough modern, ist to the end, she regularly used cosmetics and insisted her hair Should be coiffed as it had been ih the heyday of her stage career. factors pertinent to' the situation including preferred guarantees of grosses, rental, playing time, etc. No definite policy has yet been set on the time limit to be extended to exhibs in forwarding their bids, since this, too, is dependent on the individual situation. In iact, Rodg- ers added, the entire system is be-, ing tried out in different ways in different localities and' any policy instituted may hold for a certain territory without being the universal policy for the entire country. In addition to "Holiday in Mex- ico," most recent film released by Metro nationally, the company has also offered the four pix from the company's Group 17 for auction- bidding in certain localities. Rodg- ers emphasized, however, that an exhib would not have to take all four pictures in order to get one. Each picture, under the single-sell- ing proviso, is individually priced and offered for sale singly, with the four being offered .together only be- cause they're grouped" that way in the company's release schedule. Group includes "Boys' Ranch," "Courage of Lassie," "Faithful in My Fashion" and "Three Wise Fools." Rodgers said the Metro sales chiefs had been, thoroughly briefed on the auction bidding test plans at the re-; cent convention in Chicago. He's not planning to call a further sales meet, consequently, :untij after the final decree is handed down. Truck Strike Continued from page 1 PAT CARAMELA Pat Caramela, 46, owner of the Oasis, Pittsburgh nitery, died after a heart attack last week. He leaves widow and six children. Father, 77, of Richard Himber, orch Reader, dKd in Atlantic City Sept. 5. Elizabeth Roach, eight-month-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hal Roach, Sr., died Sept. 4 in Hollywood. Father of Bill McCluskey, director of station promotions at 'WLW, Cin- cinnati, died in Pittsburgh last week. Goldman Tops WB : continued from page 5 with no ad restrictions, although with their newsprint reserves dwindling fast, a change in policy is expected within a few days. As a service to readers, the Timc.<! and Trib have replaced film and legit ads with special program list- ings of theatres In the Broadway area. Film news is still being car- ried by all the dailies, with excep- tion of the Mirror, but space for amusement coverage has been dras- tically cut. Production and movement of sheet music and recordings have also been seriously hampered, adding to the difficulties present since the end of the war. In N. Y., both industries came to a dead stop during the latter vart of last week. (Further details in Music Department). FIELDING e. COATES . Fielding C. "Phil" Coate.s, 52, elec trical engineer for past 30 years in •film industry, died Sept. 7 in Holly- wood after brief illness. Coates started in' filtti industry as I competitor. form of competitive bidding and pre- dict that Metro's trials will flop through lack of cooperation from competing houses. As Rodgers pointed out, however, the plan is only being tried out in those situa- tions that are acute, such as where an exhibitor claims he is out of product oi: threatens legal action in some form or another in order to buy in; on product heretofore de- nied him. Latter situation occurred, Rodgers said, in Ambridge, Pa., where Harry Norman Ball, an indie exhib, had filed sUit against the Pennware The- atre Corp., Paramount, RKO, Loew's and 20th-Fox. Ball was given a chance to bid for Metro product in Ambridge but lost out. In: Philly, Rodgers said, the new Goldman house was hard up for 'product and so Metro tried the plan there. In such situations, the M-G sales chief [■declared, it would be unlikely that a in need 01 pictures. MARRIAGES Maxine Arto to James McKibben, Las Vegas, Aug. 30. Bride and groom are radio writers. Marilyn McCurd^ to Walter Byers, Moline, 111., Sept. 10. Groom is as- sistant sports editor for United Press in N. Y-; bride is newswriter for CBS in Chi. Joanna Say lor to Seymour Stern, Los Angeles, Sept. 9. Bride is a story analyst; groom a story editor for California Pictures. Maria Feliza Pablos to Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., Reno, Sept. 3. Groom is a writer. Renee White to Francis Fint, Hart- ford, Sept. 9. Bride is a dancer; Groom member of Skating Whirlos act. •■;,.';',■■■,■ Georgia Lange to Tom Buckley, Hpllywood, Sept, 4. Bride is one of the Goldwyn Girls. ' .rfihief engineer for Vitagraph and niade many technical contributions to picture production. He went into partnership with Pete Mole in Mole- Bichardson lighting equipment firm in 1927. Survived by widow. DR. BASIL D. GAUNTLETT Dr. Basil D. Gauntlett, 61, noted pianist and director of music of the Con.servatory of Music at Stephens College, Columbia, Mo., for nearly 40 years, died at his home last week. A native of London, Dr. Gauntlett was a graduate of the Paris Con- servatoxire and came to the U. S. when he was 24. He traveled all over the world as a concert pianist be- fore taking the music chair at 'the Missouri college.. . . JANE PEYTON Mrs, Jane Peyton Adams, wife of taiioiuel Hopkins Adams, writer, and EDITH BARNARD DELANO Edith Barnard Delano, 71, novel- ist and short story writer, died at Old Deerfield, Mass., Sept. 7. Some of her early works liad been adapted for films, among them "Bags," which served as a starring veliicle for Mary Pickford. would refuse to cooperate by hold ing out pn his bid^ 'Metro is conducting its tryouts in selected' situations throughout the country, Bodgers said," in ; order to build up a backlog of info on which to-operate in case the provLso is in- corporated as law into the final de- cree."We didn't want to wait," he said, "until this had reached a point, where it became law, when we'd be forced to rush the system into op- eration without any previous knowl- edge of how it works." Rodgers confirmed previous re- ports on the way the system has been operated in its test situations. Competing exhibs are notified of a certain film's availability, with the minimum terms acceptable to Metro. Terms, Rodgers said, could be either flat rental or include provisions for a percentage deal, depending on the situation. Some form of the sliding scale arrangement might also be in- cluded, if' the situation warrants that. Exhibs then send in their bids via registered mail to the branch ofl'ice and the branch manager then consults with the h.o. before deter- mining the winning bidder. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. John Pat Smith, Jr., son, Cincinnati, Aug. 30. Father is assistant manager of WCPO in that City. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Fraser, son, New York, Sept. 7. Father is cor- respondent and commentator on CBS. Mr. and Mrs. Mickey : Fleissner,- son, New York, Aug, 27, Mother was formerly with the contract depart- ment of William Morris agency, Mr. and Mrs. John Farrow^ son, Hollywood, Sept. 6. Mother is Maureen O'Sullivan, Screen star; father is film director and former Commander in British Navy. Mr. and Mrs. Hal Melntyre, daugh- ter, Hartford, Conn, He's the band- leader, Mr. and Mrs. Courtney Smith, son, Pittsburgh, Aug. 20. Father's an an- nouncer at KQV. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Steel, daugh- ter, Hollywood, Sept. 6. Mother is the former Pamela Britton, screen actress. Mr, and Mrs. Shepherd Traube, daughter, Hollywood, Sept. 3 Father is a film studio executive.- Mr, and Mrs. Stu Steelman, son, Des Moines. Aug, 27. Father is with the Songfellows on WHO, in that Sports Shorts jjjjg Continued from pase 2 s^== land Browns beat the Miami Seahawks 44-0, In fact, after watching the spectacle, sports- writers agreed that such selling is now a definite part of profes- • sional grid rough-and-tumble. Promise of a similar show in addition to the regular game is exipected to' bring more than 100,000 people into Soldier's Field, Chicago, and that's com- petition for showbiz, brother. . With games scheduled for Sun- day afternoon and night, and two leagues in operation, crowds of that size can put a crimp in the usual fall hypo to entertain- ; ment industry's income. . Similar blame isn't laid ; to baseball ; largely because the promise .of ., airconditioned theatres brings liot-weather crowds to the pix. Unique contract growing out . of ownership of a football team has been given Ted ' Collin.s, Kate Smith's manager-straight man. Collins and Miss Smith begin CBS airing this fall on Sunday nights, CbUins, however, is part owner of the' Boston- ;. Yanks, National Football League : team, which schedules all of its games on Sundays. Result of negotiations with sponsor Gen-; eral Foods allows Collins to st.iy oft- the program whenever the Yanks have a locally scheduled contest, so he can watch his troglodytes die for dear old dollar. Press drubbing which Marty Servo has been taking following his supposed "welching" out of title fight with Ray "Sugar" Robinson reached some sort of climax last week when a Brook- ; lyn fight arena opened a N, Y. Daily News ad for its weekend card with "Attention Mai^ty Servo! Fights tonight..." Some of the verbal beating seems personally unjust, since it's ob- vious that a fighter's manager handles his matchmaking, pug's feelings about forthcoming op- ponents notwithstanding.; So while Servo may never meet "Sugar" Ray because of mana- gerial machinations, it's doubtful that the ex-N. Y. champ has any actual physical fear of the sepia mauler, as alleged by dailies. Earl Carroll donated a three- foot trophy to winning We.st Valley community Softball teani at Reseda Blvd. Park, Tarzana,. Cal. League was founded la-st spring by Tom Fadden, actor, ; Ginny Simms, Bob Burns and Vera Vague, honorary mayors of Northridge, Canoga Park and Woodland Hills respectively, at- tended a barbecue for the play- ers held Saturday (7). Softball loop was organized to build a friendly competitive spirit among Valley; communities and also aimed at reducing juvenile delin- quency. Jack Dempsey, former Loyola footballer and current opera- tions manager for Santa Anita and Del Mar racetracks, ha.s been named v.p. and general manager of the Pan-Pacific Auditorium, Hollywood, Demp- sey also assumes duties of man- agership of Pasadena Arena and presidency of the Hollywood Wolves, ice hockey team.. He succeeds Phil Henderson in the new post after the latter's death last week. Union Pulls Band Continued from page I Noel de Selva, leader; Pete Noriga, Vincent Lerma and Ted Thompson. Action against Garay, according to Eddie Burns, business manager of the union, was by board action. Jacob W. Ehrllch, well known San Francisco attorney, has been re- tained .by Garay in his efforts to re- open the establishmenti The four bandsmen were taken ill prior to the midnight show on Aug. 24. Garay, who was headlining a stage Show at the Golden Gate the- atre, was not in the nitery at the time. Garay attempted to keep his club open several nights followhig the pulling of the orchestra by the union, using a phonograph; to pro- vide music for his show, but was forced to close his doors after the union indicated that it would not reneg in its demand that Garay identify the culprits. The union eip- iPhasized th.it it was not on stdkc