Variety (Dec 1947)

VAITDBVnULB 49 SHEVEY FIRED AS AGVA CHIEF 1^, Y. Agencies Eyeing Ai^entine As New Outlet for U. S. Talent Taleirt agencies are looking at- - Argentina as a large potential per- former Aarket. All surveys of that country, including that of Jules C. Stein, head oX Music Corp. of Amer- ica, indicates that the possibilities for American talent there are still to be tapped. As a consequence the parade for American representation in Argen- tina' has already started. Latest to get an. Argentinian rep; is Jerry Rosen, who has completed arrange? ments with William Fromer, a Buenos Aires agent, as Argentinian contact, The Mark Leddy office has also established a B.A. outlet. General idea now is to establish a route starting with Cuba where the Gran Casino Nacional and the Cam- poamor theatre are the major out- lets, thence to the Hotel Juaragua, Ciudad de Trujillo, in the Dominican Bepublic, or the various Panamaniati niteries, and unless new territory is opened, acts will then make the long hop by air to Argentina. • Agencies declare that the spade work for U, S. talent has already been done by Hollywood films, which are extremely popular in that terri- tory. ^ American talent also proved its value at the various casinos in Rto de Janeiro. Orsttle Fields has been booked for the Flamingo, Las Vegas, starting Dec. 24. Lovely Lady of Song JANE JOHNSON Joe Laurie, Jr. tell* **A Great Act That Never Took an Etuiore" ' in 42d Annivertary JSumber Out Soon Ask Dismissal Of Framan Suit Dismissal of the Jane Froman $1,000,000 damage suit is sought by Pan-American Airways, according to a motion for Summary judgment filed in New York. supreme court last AveeH, ' Pan-American claims that under provisions of the international treaty of 1929, known as the "Warsaw con- vention," damages for injuries are limited to a little over $8,000. Air- ways' also bases ^ts motion for dis- missal on provisions of the contract for transportation which limits dam- ages to the same' amount. The singer is suing for ;the $1,000,- 000 damages for injuries sustained as a result of the crash of the Yankee- Clipper,'near Lisbon, Portugal, on Feb. -22, 19.43. She claims that the plane was carelessly handled by Pan- American employees: . Donald Boss, the singer's husband, is suing for $100,000 for hospital expenses. Lorraine Eognan, comedienne, and 'Gypsy Markoff, injured in the same crash also have damage actions pending against Pan-American in New York federal court. • [' PQIJIIO Ink Spots Back to Gale Agmcy IN 4A'S INOUIRY Matt Shelvey was dismissed as national administrator of the Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists on Monday (1) by a unanimous vote of the board of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America. The action was : taken at a special meeting. Shelvey was charged with issuing "unauthorized directives and orders and sabotaging the work of the na-- tional board of AGVA." He was voted severance pay up to Dec, 20. Shelvey's axing came a little more than a week after he had asked for and received a sick leave to consist of a minimum of four weeks. In the interim, the committee learned that he had allegedly gone to Chicago to contact various AGVA representa- tives though he had presented medi- cal affidavits to the 4A's that he was unable for the time being to carry out his duties. Shelvey had told the committee he planned-to go to his Ventnor, N. J.^ home for. a complete rest. Decision to fire Shelvey was ar- rived at during Friday's (28) meet- ing of the national AGVA commit- tee which was set up to administer AGVA during' Shelvey's absence. Committee,, consisting of Hyman R. Faine, executive secretary of the American Guild of Musical Artists; Florence Marston, N. Y. executive .(Contmued on page 47) AmerbM^t Foremost Marimhist GEORGE I aOEST New Sork Hen.: KDniK SMITH AGENCT Chicuco Jieli.: I'lIIT. TYKUKI.I^ . Russell for N. Y. Par After Totisilectomy Andy Russell has been bought by the Paramount theatre. New York, opening either Jan. 14 or 21 with Jerry Wald's orchestra. Date will be Russell's first following a tonsil operation, which 'will be performed on the Coast within the next two weeks.' ' , ■) ^ Russell completed a date-'t^t the Meadowbrook, Cedar Grove, N. J., Saturday (29) night and flew west immediately for a disking session with Capitol, with the hospital date following. He was bothered con- siderably during recent theatre tour with Martha Hilton and Dick Wes- son, part of his unit, by a bad throat. Under New Long Term Pact Performers Lose Costumes In Toledo Nitery Fire Toledo, Dec. 2. Fire destroyed the mtenor of Ka- See's nitery early Friday (28) morn- ing, causing $30,000 damage to the spot, which had been renovated this year. Blaze was believed caused by a discarded cigareti . Included* in the :loss were : the wardrobes of six entertainers. Kay Ho wardj,. singer, reported loss of wardrobe valued at $2,000, l>esides her music. The'spot is owned by K. C. Rokicki, Jr., Doris Rokicki, and David .Rokicki. Loss was par- tially insured, and repairs will be started at. once to reopen the club by Christmas. Ca"*' iilW CO r. p.i»on<!' ""f, B way- Gowns by ERNESTO FAYE AND ANDRE LOVE THOSE STYLES 154 W. 4«th St.. N*w Yorii, N. Y. Abe Lyman Ex«Bandleader, Named Yaude Booker Of Fox, St. Louis St. Louis, Dec. 2. Abe Lyman, the bandleader has turned theatre booker. Lyman has been made- exclusive talent buyer for the Fox theatre, St. Louis, which goes into a stageshow policy Jan, 8 with a name band and name acts policy. He's already notified talent agencies to make stibmissions. Open- ing show hasn't been set'yet.,. The Fox theatre, operated by the Skouras interests, is the largest house in the city, 'having a 5,000 capacity. Opening.of this house to talent will mark the first time that St. Louis will have a stageshow pol- icy on a regular basis. Fanchon & Marco several years* ago booked stageshows into house on a spot basis. Around six years ago, Kay Kyser took out $14,000 for-one w6ek on a 50-50 basis. Lyman hasn't been batoning for several years now. He broke up his band several years ago, and at one time formed a film producing unit with Maurice Duke, However, the firm was unable to get started be- cause of the difficulty in securing studio space at that time, There's the chance that Lyman will pick up his baton for sporadic showings at the Fox. Sol Tepper-MCA Settle Dilute Settlement was affected last week between Music Corp. of America and Sol Tepper, agent, over commissions arising from the booking of Martha Tilton at the Club. Charles, Balti- more, last year, with Tepper's return of half the 5% booking fee on the deal. Dispute arose ^when tbe Club Charles deducted' 5% commissions from Miss Tilton's salary and for- warded it to Tepper, who is exclu- sive booker of the spot. MCA sub- seque*tly protested that it doesn't permit booking deductions from any of its clients, However, Tepper de- clared that the Club Charles was following standard practice and be- sides, the contract didn't mention that the booking was liet. After length discussions, a com- promise was reached whereby Tep- per could retain half of the fee. Miss Tilton was in the spot for two weeks at $1,250 weekly. As a result of the settlement, a return date is being negotiated for her at the Charles. The Gale Agency and the Ink Spots, who went through a bitter court fight two years ago over the latters' successful try to break its contractual hold 'on them, are back together. The agency signed the Spots to a new term agenting deal lat^ last week and picks them up folr lowing the Strand theatre,' N. Y., date they'll, play over the coming holidays. Shifts of the Spots back to Gale from the Unyrersal agency, set up by Harry Lenetska and Ben Barton following the exit of the pair froin Gale's employ is apparently due in' some measure to the fiasco the quaro tet ran into during its recent Eng- land bookings. On those dates, the group ran into consistent difficulties over money, and finally quit the tour - altogether and returned to this coun- try. Universal's hold on the Spots exists until the Strand run 'and for this reason Gale doesn't begin book- ing them anew until then, Letter's contract, howeve'j:, was .effective as of last Friiday (28).- There's another date at the Latin Quarter, Boston, set for Feb. 1, which . Universal is supposed to have: set; it's not in- cluded in Gale's new itinerary for, the quartet. Dick Henry, of the William . Morris office, booked' for the LQ. . Mack Triplets repla<!ed Nancy Donovan at the Harem;'N. Y., last- week when latter stepped out be- cause of-illness. COWNS B'V. Elt^ESTO HEE^EandHOWARQ 2 WEERS . CONCERT TOUK Dir.: MATTV ROSEN LAUGHING-STOCK! Something Ni»w in Cooitdy Material lor M.C.'t, Acts, and Disc Jocks Uughlns-Stoik Seriei I U Sy,.....>-.$l'<». Rapid Fin RoutlnM (D«ubt«>ri to 3..t2 M. Mut«r MtMlogiiti I It *• •■x • ■ ■ >>? <>^ Hill •nd Bits r 1« } T %t tt. ' ''SAW' PEfiRY '' - Holidays Repeat Date Toleda, O., Dec. 2. Smashing all records for sellout performances for 11 days at Toledo's new million-dollar Sports Arena, "Holiday on Ice," skating revue, is returing here for another five days, Dec. 27-31, to accommodate those turned away on previous run. More than 80,000 saw the show, with seats rangmg from $1.50 lo $3 1) wfww'*. <B«»»,*w««^-*»s«y<'- BOB EVANS AND JERRY aiEARY Paramount, M. IT. Bob Evans comes through with notr only an exhibition of standout ventrlloquial skill but a downright funny act. Evans has this advan- tage over his coafrbres; he isn't content to fall back on a rapid crossfire of "fresh kid" jokes but he works for distinctive toiiches of voice nuance and character. His knack for timing is also a darb. Evans' technique has all the ear- marks of a perfectionist, and if he doesn't look out they'll be referring to him as a ventriloquist's ventrilo- quist. He goes over handsomely here. ' ■'■' Odeft' BILLBOARD Bob Eiram Bright Sp«t Bob Evans, working with his dummy, was one of the bright spots on the bill. . . . with band lieckling bits and back talk by the dummy, Sellmg was so smooth that practi- cally every minute Evans was on was good for anything from titters to yocks. At one time, the dummy lost his shoe, and Evans's ad lib was so glib he should keep it in his act. Pmoml MoRcisemMt EZ KEOUGH 203 N. Wflbosh AvciiiM, Chicago. IIL