Variety (Sep 1946)

84 Wednesday, September 18, 1946 OBITUARIES CLAYTON HAMILTON Clavton Hamilton, 65, playwright, critic," author and lecturer on the theatre, and former chairman of the Pulitzer Prize Committee, died at his home in New Vorlc, Sept. 17. Born in Brooklyn , and educated there and at Columbia University, N. Y., he made first contact with the theatre as drama critip of *he Forum in 1907, and from 1910-18 held similar post on The Bookman. During that period he also served as critic lor Everybody's Magazine, md later wrote for Vogue. He was the author oi a number of plays, including "The Love Tliat Blinds," in 1906; and "Heart o£ Punchinello" and "IfU All Come Out in the Wash" (with Gilbevt Emerey) in the same year—all in 1906. Subsequently he wrote "The Big Idea" (with A. E. Tliomas); "The Morning Star" (with Bernard Voight) "Tliirty Days" (with Thomas); "The Better Understand- ing" (with Thomas); and "Friend in Deed" (with Voight). The last play •was produced in 1926. Among the many volumes he con- tributed to the theatre, were; •^Studies in Stagecraft," "Problems of the Playwright," "Seen on the Stage," "Conversations on Con he ultimately took over the bookings of the Western Vaudeville Circuit after buying out the George Webster circuit. Diamond later came to New York, where he" worked with Charlie Free- man in booking the smaller houses on the Keith-Albee time, and when he left that organization became a franchised RKO agent. Diamond later took another trip to, Chicago and booked the St-ite- Lake theatre until it was absorbed by the Paramount circuit, and in 1943 joined the Arthur Fisher office. Funeral services were held Friday (13) under auspices of the Jewish Theatrical Guild with a Masonic ritual fallowing. . IN MEMOMAM MARK A. LUESCtlER Died Sept. 20, 1936 "In Our »t*art« Alway»" NEniK, MARY AllEEN and BETTY ral services in Albany the body was talcen to Toledo for burial. MBS. FRIEDA KICHARD Mrs. Frieda -Richard, 73, promi- nent Viennese'actress and a mem. ber of the late Max Heinhardt's companies, died in Salzburg, Aus- tria, Sept 13, according to word re ceived by relatives in the U. S. After studying for the stage, i;he joined Heinhardt's company in 1910 She appeared in most of the Ger- man translations of Shakespeare's plays, as well as in Ibsen and Moliere plays. Since 1920. she played the role of the mother in "Everyman" at the Festival in Salzburg. She also achieved a reputation as a film actress in English and Ger- man films, appearing with Conrad Veidt, Emil Jannings and Mady Christians. She had never appeared in the U.. S. ■ Survived by two daughters. KATIE TOWERS Katie Towers, 75, retired Austral- ian actress, died recently in. Sydney, Australia. . She was born in New. Zealand. Her parents operated sh<fWS in the dominion and,of ten played for gold nuggets when miners hit the towns troupe played. She later married George Chalmers, a member of her parent's troupe. She later came to Australia and played under several managements. Her last- appearance was at the Minerva, Sydney, five years ago. WILLIAM SCHOELLER William Schoeller, 65, actor and technical director of the Bucits County Playhouse, New Hope, Pa., died there,. Sept. 12 from a stroke, A native of Vienna,, he had been associated with the playhouse for the last three years . with Theron Bamberger, director. He also served in an advisory capacity for a num- ber of Blackfriars Guild productions in N. Y. His last Broadway appear- ance was in "The Searching Wiird," in which he succeeded Arnold Korf. Authors' League Blowup GonUnued from page 2 temporary Drama,' "So You're Writ- ing a Play," "Wanderings" and "The Theories o£ the Theatre." He also edited Pinero's "R. L. Stevenson as a Dramatist," Stevescn's "Treasure Island," "The Social Plays of A. W. Pinero," Hooker's Translation ol •'Cyrano de Bergerac," Yvette Gil- bert's "How to Sing a Song," "Repre- sentative Plays by H. A. Jones' and Goodrich's "Richelieu." Survived by widow and two sons, Donald Hamilton, who is connected with radio work at WOR, N. Y. ftnd Gordon C. Hamilton, who is asst. national affairs editor of Newsweek. RUSSELL WHELAN Russell Whelan, 45, newspaper- man,-novelist and director of United China Relief, Inc., radio programs, died at Flushing, N. Y., Sept. 15 fol- lowing a heart attack while playing golf. His latest book "The Flying Tigers," was published in 1942. Sur- vived by widow, parents, two sisters and two brothers. MICHAEL MINDLIN Michael Mindlin, 54, legit producer and film exhibitor in New York City, died Sept. 13 in N. Y. A pioneer in the importation of foreign films, Miiidlin also had been in the pro- duction end of the theatre since he ■was 16. Born in Russia, he was brought to the U. S. when an infant by his parents. While still a youth he organized a stock company with which he toured the south. His first success . on Broadway came in 1922, when, with Michael Goldreyer, he produced "The Last Warning," which was an immediate success. A few ' years later he acquired the Fifth Avenue Play- . house, N. Y., where he launched a drive to popularize the art theatre through foreign and unusual films. He also operated the Little Carnegie «r;l otlier small theatres. In 1928, he clashed with the N. Y state censors over his projected pro- duMion of the German film, "Tlie City Without Jews." Tlie story was that of an imaginary state which pasiC-s a law expelling all Jews. The censors called the theme "objec- tionable," Mindlin'was one of the first pro- ducers tO' bring o-ut a film scoring Hitler. In 1934, his "Hitler's Reign of Terror," for which Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., shot many takes in Germany, was shown at the May fair theatre, N, Y., against the then active opposition of the German-American Bund and allied group-s, who tried to for^tan its showing here. AfHither of his importations was the original French version of "Mayerling." The 35th St. Play- house, the St. George, Brooklyn, and the- Chicago Playhouse were ■ other cf his, theatres. Survived by widow, two daughters and a son, Michael, Jr., of Warners' publicity department. KEN NICHOLS Ken Nichols, 49, until two Weeks ago in charge of overseas transpor- tation for USD-Camp shows, died Sept. 14, in New York after a heart attack. He resigned that post two weeks ago to join Sol Tepper. Nichols, a gi-aduate of Marquette university, started in show business as a musician, and later became accompanist for Frank Fay, George Givot and others. He also staged the annual benefits for the National Jewish hospital, Denver. He joined the USO five years ago when it was known as the Citizens Committee and booked overseas shows and took care of the trans- portation;. At the time of his death, he was affianced to Dorothy Hall, radio actress. Survived., by a brother. CLAUDE BRAGDON Claude Bragdon. 80, noted archi tect, author and stage designci', .died in New York Sept. 17. He ap- parently died in his sleep. Bragdon, who had been author of many books and an established ar ehitect, at the age of 58 forsook his former accomplishments to become a successful stage designei and art di- rector for Walter Hampden, actor serving in this capacity on Hamp- den's productions of "Cyrano.' "Hamlet," "Othello." "Macbeth,' "Merchant of Venice" and others; He had also won Presidential medals- for his architectural achieve ments and had written many books, including his autobiography, "More Lives Than One," published in 1938 Survived: by two sons. . Billy booker agency, BILLY DIAMOND Diamond, 56, vet vaude with the Arthur Fisher died Sept. 10, after a heart attack, at his home in New York. Diamond, who started in show busi- ness in a comedy act with his wife, Edith, gravitated to the booking end Of the business starting with Gus Sun in Indianapolis, and was later transferred to Chicago. In, Cljiicaeo, FEBNLET W. KUTZ Fernley W. Kutz, 66, former di- rector for Metro-Goldwyn in silent film era, died last week at his home in Pottstown, Pa. Kutz entered the film industry after his discharge from the Army during the Phillipine insurrection. He retired about 10 years ago and returned to Pottstown from California. ROBERT E. SPENCER Robert E. Spencer, 44, composer of popular songs, died in San Fran- cisco, Sept. 14. Among his best known numbers were "I Wish I Knew," "Walking Arouiid in a Dr«iHn" and "Hushaby.' He had also written special numbers for Sophie' Tucker, Ted Lewis and others. Survived by widow. CHARLES WILLIS THOMPSON Charles Willis Thompson, 75, newspaperman and writer, died in New York Sept. 8. He had been on the N. Y. Times for 21 years, was Washington correspondent for 15 years and editorial writer for six years. While not of show biz he had met and written about many stage personalities during . newspaper ca- reer and enjoyed the friendship of many of them. He was father-in-law o£ Lew Ney, writer and erstwhile "iVIayoi" of Greenwich Village,. N. Y. LORA VALEDON Lora Valedon, 62. retired vaude and Circus performer, died in Pvovi dence, R. I., Sept. 15 She had been in shobiz 30 years and reputed to liave introduced the "slide for life" stunt in both theatres and circuses and the only femme to have ever performed such a feat. She had also been a stunt woman in many films. Until her retirement in 1932 she had' done an act with her husband, Dan Valedon, Who survives her. . . A daughter, sister and two broth- ers also survive her. DENNIS QUINN, JR. Dennis Quinn, Jr., 37, who for- merly managed RKO theatres in Trenton, N. J., died in New York Sept. 15. He was a brother of Wil- liam Quinn, general manager of the Raybond Theatres circuit, N. Y. / In addition to brother he is sur. vived by parents. sent to over 300 writers, organizers for the AWA declared that "no one dependent on literary material could remain in business without the blessings of this super-agency," add- ing that "this whole authoritarian plan was inspired by the Commu- nists." The statement pointed to "the fact that the SWG has well-known pro-Communists in its leadership has given some color to this charge, as well as the fact that The Daily worker and other Communist pub- lications are giving the project all- out support;" Special attention was paid to the phrase, "tough mugg," who the AWA said would be the czar of the literary world; Denounce Red Scare Without committing himself pro or con on the AAA plan, Elmer Rice, Authors' League prexy, de- nounced the AWA for breaking into the newspapers with a red scare be- fo*e consulting the League and us- ing the organizational channels open for democratic discussion of all is- sues. Rice said the plan was up for discussion today (Wed.) at the Authors League council at the re- quest of Emmet Lavery, president of the SWG, and that a representa- tive of the dissident AWA group Would be present to debate the issue. From California word' came that, in addition to the membership of the SWG, the AAA plan has been en- dorsed by the western and midwes- tern cbuncils of the Radio Writers Guild and by the membership of the western region of the RWG. Added impetus for support to the plan in the east came with reports from the Coast that actual work in organizing the plan was under way and that members had been ap- pointed to the overall AAA Commit^ tee of the SWG. Stacked full of topnotch Holly- wood writers, the organization, strategy, and puTjlic relations com-^ mittees included Cain, Ring Lardner, Jr., Arch Obolcr, Albert Maltz, Al-^ van Bessie, Adela Rogers St. John, Albert Hackett, F. Hugh Herbert, and others. Editorial comment in the SWG mag for September struck out fiercely at critics of the plan, saying that "cries of 'red' from lick-spittle trade-papers, gossip columnists and Hearst's trained seals can be dis- missed as beneath contempt. The AAA is capitalism, naked and simple, but it is capitalism for writers, not entrepreneurs." The editorial flatly denied that the Au- thority would somehow dictate the content-of a member's material and advised - the—opposition, especially producers, to stick to the real issues, which they outlined as follows: (1) Under the AAA, the producers will not, through remakes. Tie able to make two or more profits out of one story purchase; (2) Producers will no longer get as a free gift from the writer his secondary right (television, radio, serial, etc.) in any piece of material; (3) Producers will be restrained from freezing a writer's material on their shelves for an indefinite period easily accomplished. Any lobby we i^ile he watches his chances for other sales go glimmering, may establish in Washington will be met with a counter-lobby, financed by the millions—in fact, billions— behind the motion picture industry the radio industry and the publish- ing industry." Cain Blasts AWA Socking the AWA in a cross-coun- try jab. Gain replied in a statement that ridiculed their charges of a "Moscow plot" and "dictatorship" and predicted that by Jan. 1 the two major eastern writers' guild—tlie RWG and Dramatists' Guild—would be enlisted , on the side of the AAA and that copyrights of most authors would be vested in the authority. Cain, declared that the AAA would in no way supersede the existing guilds but would incorporate them into its structure. Meanwhile, Authors' Leaguers not associated with the AWA, joined in- the fracas of flailing verbs. James T. Farrcll, novelist, in a letter to El- mer Rice urging rejection of the plan, said the sponsors of the project haven't a good record in the defense of rights of free expression. Operating out of offices in the Devon hotel, N. Y., the AWA was stepping up its drive to recruit op- ponents to the AAA via a mailing campaign to the nation's literateurs. Among those already affiliated with tlie committee are Louis Bromfieldi Bruce Barton, Rupert Hughes, Kath- criiie Brush, Benjamin Stolberg, John Erskine, Clarence Budington Kolland, Eugene Lyons and Rene L. Kuhn.. MARRIAGES Geraldine Fitzgerald to Stuart Schettel, Los Angeles, Sept. 10. Bride is screen star; groom is mana-- ger of Newsreel theatre in that city. Edith Wagner to Ted Smith, Gal- iip. W. M., Sept. 8. Groom is a studio art director. Mary Lou Montgomery to Ed Brady, Los Angeles, Sept. 15. Groom is a radio announcer. ' Betty Lee Mahr to Paul Spor, Jr., Toledo, Sept. 7. She's dance instruc- tress; he's son of Toledo booking agent. Leatrice Joy Gilbert, to Henry C. Hart, Jr., Providence, R. I., Sept. 15. Bride is actress and daughter of Leatrice Joy, former screen actress and the late John Gilbert, screen star. Doreen Pastor to William H. Car- ter, Las Vegas, Sept. 14. Bride is a member of Donald Nelson's jtaff^_;_. Peggy .Taco to Charles Underwood, Uniontown, Pa., Sept. 8. Both are on staff of Station WMBS there. Gloria Blondell to Vic Hunter. Monterey, Calif., Sept. 14. Bride is screen player and sister of Joan Blondell; groom is head of radio for Foote, cone & Belding, on the Coast. Ellen Demming to Hal C. Thomp,- son, New York, Sept. 14. Both are legit actors, who appeared with sum- mer stock at Green Springs, Pa. : EVERETT STUTZ Everett Stutz, 41, who managed the Colonial theatre, Albany, N. Y., for five years and who, previously had been film house manager in Ohio and Indiana; died in Albany, Sept. 10. Stutz had not been in good health since he suflfered a stroke more than a year ago, but by a game fight succeeded in returning to his post at the Colonial. He left to manage a Bud Silverman circuit the- atre in Southern California, hoping the climate would improve his health, after Harry Berinstein sold the Colonial. He returned to Albany a month ago with the liope of resuming his job at the Cploplal, ;F,oll<)wjqg ;tun^-' JOHNNIE NEBLETT Johnnie Neblett, 33; radio star,' was killed in a plane: crash near Chicago, Sunday, Sept. 15. Further details in Radio section: Mrs. Paul Reynolds, wife o£ the manager of the Grand, Carrier Mills, 111., died in St. Louis after giving birth; to a daughter. She was the daughter of Oscar Turner, head of the Turner-Farrar Theatres Co. of Illinois. Charles Croom Cook, 47, business manager of Paramoimt's publicity department, died Sept. 10 in Holly- wood, following a heart attack. He had been with Paramount 10 years. Mother, 62, of Howard Le Sieur, advertising manager of United Art- ists died Sept. 15th at Morris Plains, N. J. Louise Norman, 29, wife of Hatty Norman, radio writer, died irt New York, Aug. 31. Harry Weiner, father of Hal and Willard Weiner, screen publicists difjd Sept. 8 in Los A,nsel«js, ^ ,, Howard Lindsay Doubts Practicality of Plan -Howard Lind.say, making an esti- mate of the plan in the same issue, doused the AAA standard-bearers with' doubt about its legal and financial practicality. Lindsay said that when Cain suggests that the AAA can be established in two years, he is inviting the SWG "to live with him in a fool's paradise." Pointing to the terrific expense which would be involved in a fight to establish the AAA, Lindsay said, "It Cannot be done by small loans from the four Guilds to sot up a secretariat" as was outlined in the original proposal. The Radio Writers Guild is broke, he said, ivhile the Dramatist Guild has been carrying too large a share of the financial burden tlirough heavy assessments. Only the treasuries of the SWG and the Authors' League could be tapped, according to Lindsay, and no large sum would be forthcoming from this source in any case. Raising the spectre of constitu- tional legality, Lindsay declared, "Before the AAA can achieve the power of protection for authors which it hopes to achieve, it will be necessary, as Mr. Cain points out, to chance the Copyright Law. There is nothing in the eicperience of the Authors' League in its long, hard struggle with the Copyright Law to suggest that this can be quickly or', BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. William Phillips, son, Oxnard, Cal., Sept. 3. Father is a makeup man at RKO. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Jay Irving, son, Pasadena, Cal., Sept. 9. Father is a radio, announcer. Mr. and Mrs. Hal Mclntyre, daughter, Hartford, Sept. 3. Father is the orch. leader. Mr. and Mrs. Crayne Patter.son, daughter. Hartford, Sept. 10. Father is radio announcer at WONS, Hart- ford. • U Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Hyde, LOS Angeles, Sept. 7. Father is with Metro's music department, • Mr. and Mrs. David BergofT, daughter. New York, Sept. la- Mother is Adele Rivio, songstress. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Smith, son, Hollywood, Sept. 11. Father is .on David O. Solznick's production staff. Mr. and Mrs. Joel F. Kronish, son, Hollywood, Sept. 10. Father is an assistant film director, , Mr. and Mrs. Joe Lefkowitz. daughter, Paterson, N. J., Sept. n. Father is manager of the Hyway theatre,.Fair Lawn, N. J. , Leo Fuchs, Yiddish legit come- dian, will be starred in the title role Of the "The GaUcian Cowboy," new Yiddish operetta opening the fa" season at the Parkway theatre. jSrpohJyn, ,pn Oct. 5.