Variety (Nov 1946)

Wt^lnesJay, Wovember 27, 1946 CIIATTKR 63 Broadway Ticket brokei- John S. McBride's Franic McCoy in Roosevelt hos- inuler treatment. . _ , P pin is on new Miami Beach ■line n.iotpa at $10,000 per season. '''MarthfGraham added to Ameri- ca rTleafe Wing GI school faculty. Helen Gahagdn Douglas to do lec- ture dates in February-March,, for ^^p»av (Mrs. Meredith) Willson back to-the Coast Dec. 2 after seeing *'^EHh "^O'Brien - Moore i-eplaces- Judith Kvelyn in Chi "State of the. Union" Dec. 23. Alan Jackson, Paramount's eastern story editor, hosting Gerald Kersh, Bi'itish wliter. , . , Billy Hose finds greater practical use for his shorthand career now that he's a columni.st. Concierto Internacional in Mexico City Nov.. 10 featured four, composi- tions by Claude Lapham. Playwrights Stage to present Leon Morse's "Save the Pieces" at Bar- bizon Plaza Dec. 14-15.- Algonquin opened its Rose Room as cocktailcry Monday (25), with Alex FoHHi ty at the^piqno. George Brandt has a: new play, "Now You See It," scripted by Bert Levey from Clayton Rawson's novel. V Clark ilobirisoh, soon out of uni- form, bragging about shedding .seven pound.'! but friends won't believe it. Alfred H. Morton, National Con- cert & Ai-tists Corp, hea*, due back Dee. 4 after six- weeks on the Coast. Arthur Hopkins to get 1%% of gross for directing "Burlesque"; Bert Lahr in for 15% for, playing lead. . Arlur Rodzinski to Europe in De- ceimber for first time in nine years, tb conduct U concerts on the , Con ^ tinent. Harold Rufisell, the amputee who lays himself in "Best Years of Our lives," entering the advertising Coast, following homeoffice huddles, the Paramount studio head's wife, Mildred, goes to -Washington to visit friends and family before returning to Holly wood. Rupert Hughes, currently in New York, to be luijcheon guest Dec. 6 of the group of filrei and literati clas- sicists who bill themselves as "The- Wednesday - Culture - Club - That- Meets-on-Fridays." Only preview of "Years Ago,'' Fredric March starrer, will; be held Dec. 2 under auspices of Independent Citiisens Committee of Arts, Sciences & Professions, of which March is national treasurer. William Brandt,making three con- secutive guest shots on WNBC's "Hi! Jinx" program with Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenfeerg starting this morning (Wed.). Brandt will trace the history of N. Y. show biz. Paul Denis, new radio-video col- umnist on the Po.st, got a double- header salute at LaMartinique and as Leon & Eddie-.s guest of honor, respectively, last Thursday and Sun- day. Denis was Earl Wilson's aide heretofore. Mordecai Gorelik. now in N. Y. doing sets for legiter "Sign of the Archer," appointed by Hollywood Set Designers Union to head com- mittee organizing an exhibition of film illustrators. Exhibit will tour museums of country. Judge Ddgar Broraberger, who heads New York's magistrates courts setup, to speak on juve delinquency next Monday (2) on "Films in Pub- lic Education," sponsored by the motion picture division of the Inde- pendent Citizens Committee. Con^ clave at Museun-i of Modern Art. Plans for the .30th Anni Dinner- Dance next March or April and plans for several benefits were dis- cussed yesterday (Tues.) at the an- nual Thanksgiving luncheon-meeting of Associated Motion Picture Ad- vertisers meeting at the Villanova restaurant: Closed meeting ; for members only. business. ;.. , ■ ■ SUlka's really going in for movie tieups. A "Razor's Edge" tie has for its motif the mystic symbol used in the film's ads. , Claude Dauphin, who opened last night in "No Exit," at the Biltmore, angled for by, film scouts, including D. O. Selznick. Ned Brown, story ed for A. & S. Lyons agency^ here from the Coast for three-week look at legit and book situation. May Weisberg, formerly with the N. Y. Strand publicity office, joined Harold Young Productions, commer- cial films outfit. Isadora Bennett now working with Michael Mok on "Christopher Blake," in addition to her American Thea- tre Wing p.a. chores. Irwin Chanin, builder of many Times Sq. theatres, bought a block- front on 10th Ave. for $860^000 fTom Third Ave. Transit Co. Hal Wallj.'? and Joe Hazen vaca- tioning in Miami Beach before the Nobel dinner Dec, 6 at which Wallis represents the film industry. Eddie Jack-son due to train back to Goa.st today, ,ioining Jimmy Du- rante and Jack Roth for a holiday night club date at Las Vegas. Ivan Black about again at his legit p.a. chores after being bedded for weeks with a leg ailment, and due to go to Florida shortly for a rest. Twentieth-Fox prexy Spyros Skou- ras and a.ssistant Lem Jones due back at tlie homeofTicc today (Wednesday) after, a five-day trip to the Coast. Memorial mass for James J. Walker by stagehands union. The- atrical Protective Union, Local 1. at St, Patrick's Cathedral Saturday (30) 8t 12:1,'5 p,m. Roger Lewis, of 20th-Fox advertis- ing copy department, set to become copy cliiof of the Monroe Greenthal Bd agency. Lewis also prez of Screen Publici.sts Guild. If Sylvia Fine (Mrs. Danny Kaye) makes tlie comedian a father during his stint in Boston next week, a special chartered plane will bring him back to town. , Charle.s M, Thall, first beheficia'-y of Fox-West Coa.st pension plan, olT to South America shortly. He's brother of San^ Thall, former Or- pheuni vau'de booker. . Benny Goodman hosted Ted Husing last night (Tues.) at the Stork, a lasl-minute shift from the 400 Club, on occasion of the sportseaster's «\vutch to WHN's disk jockey, stint. 1 Josefovits, who provides the Wbby piano entertainment at the Faramount theatre, recovering from the first of a series of intestinal op^ ei-ations at the Polyclinic hospital. ' .- Recently formed Capt. Charles B. ■Uiilingham Theatrical Post of the Americin Legion elected Jack Davis as Commander last week; Vice Com- •nander.'i: Harry Weber and Chet O Bnen. ^ Nick Kenny presented with a PJaque gold wrist watch by Car- dinal Spellman Monday (25) in rec- esmtion of his work done in behalf «t tlie National Catholic Coinmunity pervice. Home's family due for a vjhristmas holiday reunion on the *j-oast with wife Lea coming in from wew York and daughter . Barbara visitmg during the winter school vacation. ■p.Max Cohen, prexy of the Cinema Jr'""?"'* Corp.. solved the housing problem by buying a 14-story mid- ^wn apartment house at 9 E. 79 last . He plans to occupy one of With Henry Ginsberg back to the Stockholm By Sven G. Winquist - Edwin Blum, U. S. writer, is pre- paring a new film in Sweden. Gary Grant will be the male star. Hasse E-kman, producer-director, has started a new film, "While the Door Was Closed," for Europa Film. The Swedish, producer, Lorenz Marmstedt, went to Rome recently. He had been producing a Swedish film in France. Rune Lindstroem, Ingmar Berg- man and Goesta Stevens soon will leave Svensk Filmindiistri's screen- play department where they have been for years. Rune Lindstroem, the man behind one of the corn- pany'.^ greate.'it films this , year, "Johansson and Westman,-' will go to; the, new Swcdi.sh Him company. Tie Kronor. , London Dublin RKO'.s Col. Jack -Votion due here soon as Beauty Contest .iudse. Gaiety manager Hamlyii Bensonio MuUingar on Nov. 19 as Arts Ball judge.' ■ New Zealand bass singer Oscar Natzka on Ho.spital.s' Tru.>it pro- gram via Radio Eireann. Vincent H. Tildsley's male .song- sters, the Master.sin.tjers, inked for two weeks at Theatre Royal hiere, Nov. 24. Queen's theatre cooperates with Local Defense Force in presenting the army show "Proudly the Note" on Nov. 24. Architect - actor Michael' Scott house hunting for Irish Catholic Stage Guild. Wants a permanent home for the Guild. . Fla. Hotels Continued from page 1 trains Dec. ;12, the :c6aT ,strlk«t; not^ withstanding. Reservations are'so heav.y that prospective passengers, unable to get aCcomniodal ions, are tapping last year's black market sources, and are paying stiff premiums lor tickets. But despite the heavy tourist in- flux, Miami and Miami Beach cafe operators are worried about the amount of business that will be done in the bistros. Pie-season worrying which came after all spots have plunged in with heavy budgeted shows, is ba.sed upon, the business being done in New York. Spenders, it-s said, still reside in Gotham, but they're not spending last year's amounts in cafes, 'W'lh hotels charging up to $40 and more daily, bonifares fear that vacation- ists will be wary of consistent nitery patronage, and these that do attend may not spend more than the pre- vailing minimums. Another factor .worrying cafe men is the absence of gambling in Miami and Miami Beach. They conse- quently fear a post-dinner exodus to the Hallendale casinos, 16 miles from Miami. However, the mo.st confident oper- ation will be the Colonial Inn at Hallendale, which is splurging heavily on talent and hopes to reap a record harvest from the green felt tables. ■ , , ■ Ted Heath band signed for five years with Decca. Veteran vaudevillian G e o r g e Mozart ill in hospital-. Divorce granted to wife of play- wright Reginald Denham. For the first time since the war, Bertram Mills' circus will be re- surned at the Olympia as Christmas attraction. Claire Luce was presented to Queen Mary, when she attended the matinee of "Vanity Fdir^' at the Comedy on Nov. 9. Lew Grade (and Leslie Grade) goes to New York early next year to line, up talent and also to sell acts suitable for America. Deal between Electric and Musical Industries and Broadcast Relay Service to coordinate certain manu- facturing interests has been shelved temporarily. Archie Menzies doing new .show, "Idea for Comedy" for Linnit & Dunfee. to be produced after Christ- mas. Also doing opcrette for Bern- ard Delfont. Brighton Town Council is running its own vaudeville shows at the DOfne^ charging prices ranging from 20c. to 30c. It has already made a profit of $8,000. British Broadcasting Corp.. after many years, has finally formed, a Script Section which will be in, charge of Gale Pedrick, former newspaper critic. Roy Fox quits the Milroy club, Nov. 23 to play series,of vaudeville dates, replaced by Pa'ul Adam and his Mayfair Music formerly at the Mirabelle restaurant. Special matinee, of "Dear Brutus" being staged before the Queen at the Lyric, Dec. 12, to aid rebuilding of the bombed theatre of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. London's West End is to have an all-magic program for the Christmas season when the Great Dante opens at the Garrick theatre in December. Set to run at least a month. Charles Shadwell band, signed by Harold Fielding for series of 21 concerts in provincial towns he has never played previously. He's former British Broadcasting (5oi-p. ace. Clem Butson, for many years en- 1;ertainments manager for Blackpool Tower and Winter Gardens com- panies, is quitting to take up po.sition of director in Tom Arnold, Ltd. West End will have another mag- ical Christmas sea.son besides the Great Dante. Jasper Maskelyne, of the famous family, will open his season on Dec. 23 at Westminster theatre. Franz Lehar, who is recuperating in Switzerland after a serious illness, is expected here soon to discuss new opera Jie has written with Paul Knepler. Latter has collaborated with the Viennese composer in most of his world famous works. Archie Shenburn has sold the | Granville theatre at Walham Green, to Jack Boyer, director of Chelsea Football Club and National Sporting Club. ,Sheburn still stays as lessee and will put; on stage version of the radio feature "Just 'Winiam" on Dec. 16. ■ . I ?'A. Bullet in the Ballet." starring I Massine and Baronov.., now touring I the provinces, will not come to London. Management claims it cannot find large enough theatre. Baronova returns to U.: S., with Mas- sine staying here to form own toallet company. slick promotion job for "Song of the South." Tie-in on window dis- plays and newspaper advertising with one of town's large dept, store netting plenty attention. Miami Beach By Larry So^loway Chavez and orch ticketed for new Mardi Gras. Tony Lopez and Latin orch added to Clover Club lineup. Lee Rigney replaced Betty Blaine in show at Don Hichard'.s Famous Door. . Joan Adair held over for another four weeks at Ben Gaines Blacka- moor room. Carrie Finnell and Ann Corio set to play the Frolics when Margie Hart closes. Lord Beaverbrook staying at the Roney Plaza and visiting the smarter local boites. Bob Crawford, who cleffed Air Corps song, opened Blue Yonder cluti this week. Wometco pic house chain celebrat- ing 21st anni this week with special stage showings in key houses. Harry Richman planed into town. He's turned down local offers, plan- ning a long rest at; his bayfront estate. Freddie, D'Alonso's Lord Tarleton rumba crew: filing iti at Copa until Dec. 19 when Noro Morales and band takeover. , , ' Biggest industry ,in town is the: restaurant and bar biz.; Over 50 eateries and 100 bars counted in area of 20 blocks.:- ■ ' ' Hollywood David Niven laid up with bronchi- B'way Facelift Continued from page 1 Australia By Eric Gorrick "Bells of : St. -Mary's-' is doing smash biz tor Hoyts at the Regent in Sydney. Reported that 20th-Fox' will handle distribution of Eiling's „''The Overlanders." Whitehall Production asked $4 top for "Life With F-ather'' proem at the Minerva, Sydney. : Kiwis concert party winding up nine-weelis run in Perth for, the Fullers, It's New Zealand's setup for returned troops. Eric Collins assigned to take charge of RKO advertising in this zone by. Ralph Doyle. Collins re- places Percy Curtis,; who resigned recently. Norman B. Rydge will see to it that the Rank-G.-QT production bid at CiilesoundrPagewood gets underway next year. Rydge has sent Ken G. Hall, C-P top director, to London and US to looksec production field. mits. Bond Clothing Co., will te'ar out the theatre and the stores along- side it to take in the whole 44th to 45th street block for "the biggest, clothing store in the world." Bond now has a large establishment next to the theatre and above it. With negotiations currently going on for the real estate, Walter Reade, Jr., refused to divulge Monday (25) the actual site of the pair of theatres planned by the circuit headed by his father, except to say it was "in the Times square area." According to reports, the houses are to be built in the block on the east side of Broadway between 51st and 52d street opposite Warner Bros.' Holly- wood theatre. If that's the case, it will mean the elimination of Brandt's Republic, nee the Warner theatre, which is in that area. It will also have the effect of moving the whole Broadway .center Of gravity northward, a phenomenon that has been going on for years, Reade said the hou.ses would probably be about 3,500-seaters. - The change in the Astor-Victoria block will beg.in next May or June if building restrictions are litfed by that time. The two houses planned will each seat around 2,000, That will mean the elimination of three legit houses on 45 and 46th .street, back of the Broadway block on which the new film theatres will face. Legiters are the Fulton, Morosco and Bijou. There will be no space available to replace them. Theatres will be topped by a moderate-sized office building. Reade theatres will have a large ballroom over them. Among the changes planned by the -Bond Clothing outfit is erection of a giant new electric spectacular atop their block-long b u i Id i n g. As planned by sign impresario Jake Starr, it's to be a supe'r-duper to outdo everything that's gone before. Included Will be a waterfall with real water. It will be flanked by monume.htal figures of a man and woman ("Men's Apparel" — ' Wom- en's Apparel") and will have a mov- ing ribbon news sign, similar to that on the N. Y. Times building. Efforts are now being made to sell to other advertisers mentions on the ribbon sign to help defray the overall cost of the spectacular. Washington, D. C. By Florence S. Lowe Morton Downey at Statler's Em- bassy Room for two week session. Don Craig, drama crick for Times- Herald, recuperating from recent op- eration. . , Fred Ep.stein, Warner's contact dept., here for » .special chore at local office. Paul Martin, formerly of WWDC, and currently with WPEN, Phila., skedded to return here as program director for WQQW. Harry Hier, formerly with Min- nevitches Harmonica Rascals, out of uniform and on his own with a radio spot on WRC-NBC. Gladys Swarthout and husband Frank Chapman feted by National Symphony Women's Committee after solo stint with National Symphony past week. RKO Keith's Sol .Sorkin doing Phono Disks Continued from page 1 inches In size. Platters will weigh about eight ounces with only play- ing surface, directly over film, re- volving. Major portion of platter stands still with tiny aperture in side permitting film to lens, through optic system of inner lamp. Platter requires no special needle and will take about 10 'minutes to play pel- reel. Vihylite is basis of the recotd, making it virtually indestructible. Machine weighing about 20 pounds, is portable and plays standard pressings by attachment of simple gadget. ' Phil (]roldstone and Ralph Like, who have been working on machine for several. years, already have obtained -basic patents throughout the, world. tis, Sol Wurtzel bedded with bron- chitis. ■ S. Z. Sakall became an American :Citizen. „■ , Bert Granet in from a tour of I Europe. - I Irving Rapper returned from ■ Europe. . ■ ' Tim Holt to Colorado on « hunt- ing .-trip.,-' Margot Grahame seriously iH. at ' Del Monte. Edgar Kennedy's wife hospitalized for surgery. J. Carrol Naisb to Palm Springs on vacation. Barry Buchanan building a new beach home. Alexander and Vincent Korda in from London. Jack Robbins returned from busi- ness in N. Y. Randolph Scott in circulation after a hospital siege. Tay Garnett to his Paso Robles ranch on vacation. Pat Buttram moved into his new homo in Burbank. Ned Washington's wife in, the hos- pital for a checkup. Richard Ney to Del Monte for golf and swimming. , . Joel McCrea to San Francisco to' settle his aunt's estate. Walter MacEwen sunning for a week at Palm Sprintjs. Clarence Kolb celebrating his 50th year in show business. Maggie McKay hospitalized for X-rays and observation.. Leo Weismantel changed his screen name to Leo MacGregor. Leighton Brill and johnny Austin to La.s Vegas on vacation. Dorothy Lamour and Bill Howard . sunning at Palm Springs. Judith Anderson in from the east for film chores at- Warners. . Dorothy Blanchard returned from play gandering in New York. Bernard Luber resigned as chief of Republic's talent department. Anita Colby out of the ho.spital after a series of allergy tests. Judith Anderson in town after a : four-week air tour of Europe Frank Turner hospitalized in Santa Monica for observation. Walter Woods in from Chicago to look over Coast radio shows. Randy Rogers appointed secretary of Jesse L, Lasky Productions. Milton Brown returned to Metro after a month in Hot Springs, Ark. Ben Freedman and John Murray soaking up sunshine at Palm Springs. William Powell. and Diana Lewis returned from a two-month vaca- tion. Merian C. Cooper to Mexico City for production huddles with John Ford. Harry Woods starting his 500th ■picture and his 25th year as a film , actor. Alex Harrison in from San Fran- cisco for Fox West Coast confer- ences; Teresa Wright to Roswell, New Mexico, to join her husband,' Niven Busch. • Arleen Whelan in from New York to play in "Variety Girl" at Para- mount. ',!]:■':. Bob Roberts in from Buenos Aires to buy equipment for the San Miguel Studio. ^ Tyrone Power planed to Mexico City to start work in "Captain from Castile." Arthur Edeson at Warners cele- brating his 36th anniversary as a cameraman. E. H. Collins, of the 20th-Fox home office, hospitalized with a brain hemorrhage. Maurie M, Lewin in from Chicago to hunt: legit talent for a forth-! coming play. Leo Forbstein resumed his chores at Warners after three weeks off the lot with illness. ,, ' - , Steve Brooks returned from. New- York after publicity huddles with Howard Hughes. Michael Curtiz shifted in front of the lenses for a glamour story to be printed in Pic: mag. " Collier Young siiifted from Metro- to Warners as a member of the stu- dio executive .staff. Syd Lehman left PRC's Los An- geles branch office to become vcepee of Exhibitors Service. Harry Brand and Gene Tierney in from New York after attending the "Razor's E-dge" preem, Edward Dmytryk checked in at RKO after making "So Well Re- membered" in England. Bing Crosby up and around after three days in a Santa Monica hos- pital for minor surgery. Linda Darnell going to South America for six weelts when she completes "Forever Amber." Jimmy Anderson laid up with burned hands, the - result of a gas heater explosion in his home. ,' Matt Shelvey in town for huddles with West Coast representatives of American Guild of Variety Artists. Richard Llewellyn in from Hol- land where he collected data for a screenplay on Vincent van Gogh, Dutch painter. Capt. Lloyd Morris, of the British Intelligence during the war, func- tioning as technical adviser on "Mosii Rose" at 20th-Fox. Albert Katz to San Francisco for huddles with Latin-American con- sular officials about the distribution of Selznick's "Due) in the Sun" down there.