Variety (May 1947)

MUSIC INGRID S TOP LEGIT-PIX PARLA Theatre Tefevisioii Looms Closer As ; Major Fib Cos. Slow Active Interest By BOB ST All L +• Theatre television loomed much closer to reality this week, with all signs pointing to the major film companies finally taking an active 'interest in the subject to hasten its development Warners, it's been re- vealed, has been working in veiled silence on theatre tele lor the last two years. With Paramount already in the field, the .other majors are • expected to be prodded into action in the irrtmediate future via influ- ence brought to bear on the Motion Picture Assn. by the Society of Mo- tion Picture Engineers. ■ Experimental work done by War- ners in theatre video was revealed last week at a demonstration of RCA's color theatre tele in Phila- delphia when RCA prexy Brig. Gen. David Sarnoff declared Warners is tte only company to date to show any interest. Although some film industry officials believe Sarnoff made his statement chiefly to stir up activity among the other, majors, Col/ Nathan Levinson, chief engineer of the' Warner studios, confirmed the statement, adding that his com- pany is currently awaiting a ship- ment of RCA theatre tele equipment on which to conduct further experi- mentation to ascertain its commer- cial applicability. . Presaging an early entry into the (Continued on page 70; Legit Price Revision An All-Industry Problem In View of High Costs In line with the general legit busi- ness thinking that prices^ must fol- low tite current national trend for revision downward, it's pointed out that the upward spiral has been a combination of circumstances. "It's a, wonder the legitimate theatre has -been; able to survive," one vet show- man puts it. "in face of all these things. "For Instance, some straight plays need $14,000 a week gross to break even, so a gross of 20G or more is ' , ; (Continued on pdge 64) Philco's $3,000,000 Annum Tag on Bing Philadelphia, May 6. Philco's yearly tab for Bing Cros- by will run around $3,000,000, ac- cording to reliable estimates. Groaner's weekly take crowds $40,000; the promotional campaign betters $65,000 a week, and the time bill on 400, more or less,- stations, rounds out the highest coin layout tor a single show in radio history. Delarcos To Reprise Dance Cavalcade For Their Own Third Anni Tony and Renee DeMarco will celebrate their third wedding, an- niversary May 15 by reprising the dance cavalcade which they had whipped up recently as a stunt for Emil Coleman's 30th anniversary as a maestro at the Waldorf-Astoria's Wedgwood Room, N. Y. This took Coleman from the start of his terp music career with Irene & .Vernon Castle ("the maxixe") right down to the present. The DeMarcos danced the cavalcade, in tribute to the maestro. In turn, the ballroom team's cele- bration now plans that Coleman will come over io the Hotel Plaza's Persian Room, where the DeMarcos just opened, and repeat the stunt. This is an expediency, since he knows the music better than the incumbent Pancho, who has the band at the Plaza. A tieup may be made for the proceeds to go to the Damon Ruhyon Cancer Memorial. SUBTITLES ON FOREIGN ; PIX DRAW DEAF-MUTES . The Apollo theatre (N. Y.>; for- eign-language showcase on 42d street, 'is the holder of a unique world re- ord—at least that's what the Brandt .theatre management claims. The house, it's said, caters to more deal' mules than any other theatre in-the ."world. Patronage oC mutes has been clocked at 3,000-5,000 weekly, and on Saturday evening performances fully one-third of the audience are deaf- and-dumb. •Since all. the films have sublines, the mutes have no difficulty follow- ing the story though tKey can't hear the. soundtrack. Apollo gets large slice of trade because as subs'qnent- riini !scale Is lower than nv.si other surescHters. Management re 'iVarly advertises in mutes' periodicals. THINKS 'FATHER' DOES U S. NO GOOD ABROAD Washington. May G. "Life With Father'' was attacked as "juvenile" and "damaging to U. S. cultural relations with other countries" by Congressman Walt Harsh (Rep.. Wash.), member of the House Appropriations subcommittee during hearings today on Stale De- partment's budget request for a worldwide information and cultural program. ' Play is currently being produced abroad in Rome. Horan. during questioning of As- sistant Secretary of State William Benton, declared: ■'Theatrical busi- ness has an ethical responsibility with regard to our cultural relations with other countries. I do not want 'Tobacco Road' to go across." Re- ferring to the Russians, he said: "They wanted Charlie Chaplin's •The Gold Rush' but they didn't want 'The Great Dictator.' They want 'Tobacco Road' and 'Grapes of Wrath", but the theatrical industry j has risen to its full stature and has i denied them these pictures." ! Benton argued. "You would not 1 want the Government to c vspr prl- i vate industry. We are '• i'i a pusi- | tion'to say to the mo" •' 'Uire irt- 1 dustry, "you cannot do this." 'ill' LEGITE SETS BIN MIRK With "Joan of Lorraine" closing this week, after setting a new high in record grosses on Broadway for straight plays, Ingrid Bergman is now entrenched in the double-niche of top femme'money-maker in both p'ix and legit. She's already undis- puted top earner among Hollywood actresses, leading with Bing Crosby and . "Bells of St: Mary's" in '46. Meanwhile, she may carve her spot in radio too since Ford Motor is talking of alternating her with the NBC orchestra in the Sunday slot (details in radio section). When Miss Bergman crosses the tape Saturday (10) at the close of a 25-week limited engagement of "Joan" at the Alvin, the Maxwell Anderson plays total take will be close to $820,000. That's a weekly average of $32,800. It's been more, dependent only on the number of standees at her consistently SRO show. No straight play, except spectacles such as "The Miracle", has turned in its equal in boxoffice performance. It parallels Miss Bergman's show- ing in the '46 money-making sweep- stakes for pix. when she chalked up $21,750,000 for four films, a record unchallenged by any other actress. In hitting the jackpot, her quartet in celluloid earned an average of $5,437,000 per pic which only Crosby (Continued on page 63) Emil Janigs B.A. Legs eason Buenos Aires. May 6. Emil Jennings. German pix star who made Nazi propaganda films at home during the war. is slated to arrive here shortly. No theatre has- been lined up for him! and no an- nouncement made as to'plays or company he's to work with, but it's certain he plans to act here. Jen- nings has 3 daughter living in B.A. and he has visited the country with his repertory companies several limes before. Ticket sale is already open at the Astral theatre for the 10 perform- ances to be put on in late May by Emma Gramatiea. Italian legit ac- tress, and her dramatic company, i Gramatiea repertory group sailed j April 29 from Genoa for Bue- I tios Aires aboard the "Argentina" 1 ai d will give five evening perform- I aneos to be followed by five after- | noon performances, j Plays skedcled are Somerset j Maugham's "The Sacred Flame" (in | Italiain. "I! Giro del Mondo," by : Guilio Cesare Viola, Sir James Bar : rie's "Old Lady Shows Her Medals'"' j and Pirandello's "La Morsa," plus j "Teresa Kaquin." adapted from a : Zola novel. Mine. Gramatiea is 1 rateci Italy's finest legit actress, and i Argentines in general, and the mil- lions o' Itaiian-descended Argon- lines .'mi all out for the Italian com- panies, which have not visiltd the 1 country for close on 12 years. Uncle San lay Fool Bill on Jolsons Radio Pitch tor Army Recruiting Cagney May Bankroll Canada Lee's Rep Co. • Hollywood, May 6. James Cagney may bankroll Can- ada Lee's idea of a black-and-white repertory theatre. Negro actor wants to stage "Macbeth" and "Othello" on ■ alternate evenings. Lee would play the lead in both, his "Macbeth" . characterization in whiteface and "Othello" au nature]. Repertory group would be trained on the Coast and work its way to Broadway. Nelson Mentioned As Economic Advisor To Prez of Mexico Donald Nelson, it is reported, may shortly leave his post as prez of the Society of Independent Motion Pic- ture Producers to become economic adviser to the Mexican government. Nelson was in Mexico City a few weeks ago for huddles with Presi- dent Miguel Aleman and came east from the Coast over, the weekend to confab with the Mex. topper during his visit to New York. Accompanying Nelson on the flight to Mexico and Manhattan for the meetings with Aleman was Francis I Alstock. former chief of the film ' division of the U: S. Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs. Alstock has long been a friend of Aleman's and was an adviser to him when'he was running for the presidency. Also accompanying the former ! War Production Administrator on j the trip east to see Aleman was Leo I Morrison. Hollywood agent, who has 1 been a friend of Alstock, active in | the development of the Mexican • film industry. Nelson returned to ' the Coast Monday (5), while Alstock I and Morrison remained in New ' York. N. W. Ayer agency, which handles all advertising media for the U.S. Army, is dickering with Al Jolson to do a Sunday night commercial show on NBC, with the Government as sponsor footing the bill, and com- mercials slanted toward building up the U. S. Army. Jolson likes the idea of returning to radio with his own show with the Government as his employer and >the deal reportedly hinges on clearing time. Idea is to put Jolson in the Sun- day night 8:30-9 period when Fred Allen take a hiatus and Standard Brands preempts the time for the summer. NBC would "donate" the half-hour time, since it would save the network the expense of whip- ping it own production into shape to fill the time. Since his recent series of guest shots, particularly on the Bing Crosby show, Jolson's been rated the "hottest" thing in radio today, with many a sponsor anxious to grab him. Show would be the most expen- sive undertaken to date on behalf of . Army recruitment, far overshadow- " ing production nut of other Army* identified programs, which have in- cluded "Sound Off," "Take a Break," "Warriors at Peace," the Harry Wismer sports roster and the recent "Spotlight Bands" sponsor- ship. Army* also spends a iot of coin on radio spots, DISK FAVES NOW BEING EYED FOR VAUDERS Vaude bookers are now studying the best selling record lists as a possible source of headlhiers. A top retailing disk is now a virtual guar- antee that theatre bookings will follow. | Sammy Ranch. Roxy theatre, 1 ■ N, Y, booker, has set two names i I off the top of wax lists. Jan August,; | pianist who catapulted "Misirlou" j : for Diamond disks into a big circu- j , lation, has been signed for the June ' ,4 show. Art Lund, who waxed ! "Mam'selle" for M-G-M, is, on the same bill. ' ■ . |. The bookers point out that most; sources of new attractions have' dried up. Many top film and radio , names are still shying away from vaude tours, and current crop of • ' cafe stars has been meagre. Conse- j quently they're turning increasingly j ■ to names developed via platters. | 'Oklahoma!' Panics All London in Rousing Bow; 210G Advance Is Record London. May 0. Theatre Guild's production of "Oklahoma!" at the Drury Lane last Wednesday (30) received the great- est reception in the memory of vet- erans, who claimed it to be the big-, gest hit since "Belle of New York"< in London in 1898. 'Audience refused to leave the theatre for 30 minutes after the final curtain, with the ca.st compelled to repeat the theme song several times. Prior to the show's prce'm here, libraries (ticket agen- cies* bought $210,000 worth of tick- ets, which is an unprecedented high for London theatres. Library deal now exceeds $300,000. It was likely the initial time since the Will' that society here turned out in such numbers, with those not in evening dress being exceptions in 'Continued on page 70> SAM WANAMAKER'S PIC TEST FOR SPERLING Sam Wanamaker, radio and legit thesper currently appearing in the Broadway hit. "Joan of Lorraine." treks to,, the Coast following the play's closing this Saturday (10» for screentesting by Mitton Sperling, head o c U, S. Pictures <WB>. In the fall, Wanamaker will stage Emmctt Lavery's new Broadway play. "Gentleman From Athens," to be produced by Martin Gosch, for- mer radio and Metro producer, who debuts as a legit impresario,