Variety (Apr 1948)

RABIO MUSIC 4 EGIT SflAKING BI Writer Guilds Opn Dme to License Material Ijiw SeU Ontright • A» organLed diiv-e Ir. ebUKHii ■ iktadai ln«tf «4 .oulikigliiii. Mle *t ToaterUl wriUntc fleW is j >lwiikr*t«rt^ fey the V#riou« guMs! ■ ^ th« Authors; T-*agU« o*£ America, • ^he Authort Guild coiittcil sn-* nounc^ • major n^ove ii! llial di- rection MoBday (5)- and tThc 74^^- matistt Guild win lIk«>Xy take jjiinllar kcUon. The Itadlo Wxlten'S „^itUd i* alreadj' wolking on th^t trmcipl«j Mi4 we geyew Writers ^uiid adopted the 8am« stimA months ago. » -, The major balUe ovet' liccnsinK: •versus outiright «ale -will o))Yiousl>; be. ■waged otx deals iw Rhn 1 iglds. " Virtually alono amon^ tlie mcflia - tiding vxitten material, th& picture liusini^s has operated from tlie first i»i'the basis of oitL''g1il puv- thaw of all scripts. Only ui ie- pent years, And jii h minimuni «>£ cases,' 'lictosin^ deals have been. -flJWe, Even eacalator deals Lave 'beta infrequent »nd a jcJ-iUvclv ' »^ deveiopment. - TJae few ilxat ;.1urve bsfifi, aiad* hav« mosUj ith i»lve4, the yljEhts to ^lays, altJioU«h . ttere h'av* heeft' a hautlful xm : kookM in the last <OMple of yeai i. • J AlthouRb the aradlo business iiHS • ■ , fConlinued on page 5S) Looks Like Joe Stalin's • Ab OK for Metro s Reissue of 'NinotchW ' Some, April 6. '• OSicial SovieL ob;ccaon to the Wayiiw of -Mtsic'c 'ULictshlca" in ■ mS^ has kiokcC. Ls-fc ia the fs^es -ii »Kussiaris. Largely as a re-. gat or the uiicolieited Soviet plug, the plstui'e :o BEO throughoel ply, fordisg the Metro exchange ■■- here to pat tteoiigh a rush order to- tile hoiaeoffice &r more prints. Now playing in Italy for the first : "MHotcyss" was thrown into ' w& iatemational spotlight whea PI Soviet ambassador to Rome ^ |™niitted & formal protest to the |Wian ministry of foreign affairs. ' wojeetioa was presumably raised Beeause or the way the film kids ( Continue d on page 53) BAUIRElfAeDEKS niH^^-iocSiey units are hitting ffl*osses wherever tried. The mT^u}^''^ already played Boston ma Chicago with good results, and ll^^^i houses such as the SrshS"^^' '^"'"^ BnV^i^^rS?/^ ''een formed by Al ^^^cago agent, and MUes coS:.*?*^^ T«k agent, who In sow the shows have K.i w*^® bookers on tieups with frei ; J**"*"® "'■e arranging for ttee advance publicity with platter sW« f ^^1. t^wns where the snows are set. have Jack (Cobtlsiitueci on page M) A Sigia of ifl»e T\m^%, Wax- i'diirs hm^ shascd s number of permanent ifiiesta out pi the 'fashionable niid-, town Miu)|!^ttan hotels into residence In the -Westchester mA Connectteut suburbs. - Mostly stfldsters with moftey, ilieir Sdea is that atomic war- fare would naturally hit the Koekefelteir Center zone first. ActiMi April 15 On Big Uniii Of Talent broiips Another move to create "one big union" in the performer field is ander way. Foraial' action will be ifii-en at a meeting April 15, either to increase the powers of the par- ent union, the Associated Actm and Artistes of America, or to work ciut some sort of overall authority and single-card setup. Preliminary confabs between leaders of the var- ious 4A's affiliates were held all day ^'ri'day (2) and Monday (5). The American Federation of Radio .Ar- (Continued on page 63) M iliW fsr M Ef p0ts®n,Tle|le¥iaI is II.S. Kiocis f®r I5i6 Chicago, April 6. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, testifying here last week in Gov- ernment tax suit against Mike Pot- son, former Chicago'bistro opera- tor and alleged gambler, revealed Potson used to play cards with the comedians between takes on the studio set. A&C said they had lost about $38,000 to him in friendly sessions since 1941. Costello said that he lost $15,000, but on cross-exam admitted about half might have been lost to band- leader Ted Lewis. Abbott revealed that he lost between $20,000 and $23,000 and modestly told of how he and Potson invented a new six- card ginrummy game. Government is asking for over $150,000 it claims Potson evaded paying on income, mostly on gambling take. New Tax Laws a Break For Show Biz Top-Earners Washington, April 6. New U. S. income tax law, passed by Congress last week over the President's veto, will only in- cidentally affect show business. There's nothing in the new setup applying specifically to theatrical enterprises or ^nancing, and noth- (Continued on page 53) mi BIDS ep, RilOJUSIGOFF Shew business, mirroring opti- •o-ilsdo natfonal guessing, that'is been sendtog industrial and am-asemeat stoolts liigiier on s brosd leTel, is now displayl-pig bealthy signs of following tb.e ec!o,iioraic treind. Two mainstays iii tte entertainment feH—fflms and legit—have already embarked into happier days of an upbeat movement. Niteries and the band bis are also on the climb and promises ot generally better prospects for itidtistry-at-large may pull radio, reoorclg and-musie pub- lishing out of the doldrums. Each instance of better biz is partly due to specific factors ap- plying to the particular branch of amusements aiJeeted and. partly to the-, brightening economic pictee. The tax cut, for instance, means, mora luxury spending and, as' such, is sized up as a lift for films, legit, niteries, records, sheet music, etc. Marshall Plan (European ■ Re- covery Program) okay is viewedsby (Continued «n page SS) §i iipp Site in 11. Diseased lor Two legiters/f idet Aii A legit theatre may be included in the garage to be built on the site of the old Mppodrome; now a parking lot, at Sixth avenue be- tween 43d and 44th streets. New York. There's also a possibility that the new building will likewise house a television auditorium aud a second, small playhouse for in- timate legit shows, George A. Horvath, who is build- ing the garage, has been ap- proached by theatrical interests and has indicated willingness to (Continued on page S4) Alr-Stnick Jk Farley Jim Farley is developing into the most sought-after, non-APRA guestar of the season. The ex - Postmaster General, whose new book has projected him into the current political scene, will guest shot on the Fred Allen show for April 18 for a satirical kickaround of the tome, Farley and his book were re- cently showcased on the "Author Meets the Critics" show and he's been getting the comeon sign "for appearances oa a flock of other programs. Tops of the Tops Retail Disk Sdler "Pour Leaf Clover" Retail Sheet Mndc SeUer "Now Is The Hour" "Most Requested" WisAc "Manana" Seller on Coin Maddncs "Now Is The Hour" British Best Seller "Tree in Meadow" Television is no panic'with wm^ of . the femmes. .-Wtaen' house-partying. ■ It's gotten so that the men give 'the gals the bmsheros when the fights or basketball are on; and leaving the girls to gab amongst themselves is no hit with the ladies. Aroiy to SpoDsof laote uiibirai j^tcb to Europe Washington, April S. Flock of concert artists, includ- ing some of the top names in the business are expected to tour Ger- many and Austria this year under U. S. Army auspices. Artists are being canvassed by the Civil Af- fairs Division v/hich is hypoing its program of drafting sEow biz to win our ex-e»emies to democratic ways and fhinMog—a program which is more than coincideutally (C6ntinued on page 63) !2-Piece Orel Ms Tractor-Mil""-Fsr lislrameitSj Al Piaiis Pop dance bands of the usual number of musicians have a trans- portation picnic compared to a combo set to tour " tmder Carl Knisley. He has devised a 12-piano combo of all-girl musicians—^and instruments will move with them from date to date. They comprise 13 pianos with Knisley's. Knisley's outfit will travel by bus and a huge tractor-trailer, j Each night the 13 pianos are to be packed into the truck with legs detached. Group will carry two piano-tuners. Knisley is said to be negotiating with a piano manufacturer to use a certain band exclusively, the com- pany to underwrite moving and tuning. Outfit will play concert dates only. The Gale agency is handling. Tm show's ttie tMfti mi tele- vision already mvIsiop.s the prob- lems att«»d8)Dft thereto. Rjializa- tion has beett ftulck that a&ady, with Tv a reality, the novelty ap-. peal.hais- becoBi* secondary. Show- manship must prevail. Show busi- ness standatfls of highest order must take hold,- But pronto. "Video showitten, within the -ixet- works and among the talent Sgett- cies, along with the ad^artiisjjttg agencies (sponsors), without waitf ing for the 1948'49 seasow wB.ea video was expected to ifeally start rolling into Mgli, have been hit with the primary conclusion*that ■TV" needs somefliing ..escit'a. It needs' motion, comedy.' mtiMft, novelty—and glamor. There is no glamor to TV as sow constituted. ."Everybody's a thtak- er,".saia one video vet. "They all sit.&ro-and tables and just yatatata. Just look .'around at .what we have today, whether it's' cooking in- struction, authors, critics, Ameri- cana, disk jockeys, styllstis,- mA even sports—it's talk-, talk, tslli;," The video network people coti- (Conttnued on page S4) Mtylt''they're Tryiiii • To Rmm Biirley m Tele •> fiA Those B^gy fmU Male actors ..appearing on tele- vision are slated for a new look all their own. Incensed by the sloppy appear- ance of many actors on tele shows, the Men's Fashion Guild of Amer^ ica is prepared to make available to all actors and commentators • working before the video cameras a complete wardrobe of men's ap- parel aaci: accessories. Service v/ill be offered to tele producers on a loan basis without charge, under the Guild's assumption that it will bfe doing an added service to its members who are advertising on tele. * Idea is to be broached today (Wednesday) at a luncheon meet (Continued on page SI) Union Oil's Knancial Report to Telecast Los Angeles, April 6. Union Oil Co. Will carry a dfrect report on its 1947 annual financial statement to stockholders via tele- vision. Outfit has produced a film, titled "Report For '47," which will be screened on nine different video stations throughout the country Tuesday (13) night, date a£ the company's annual stoCllioMers' meet in Los Angeles. FOR tOHDON PELADM Hollywood, April 6. Jack Benny is set for two v/ae|js at the Pallafiium theatre, LoEtlon, starting July IS. Deal was coiii- pleted -last week by Yal Paraall, managing director ol the Moss Em- pire theatres, currently in the U. S. on a talent foraging expedi- tion. The only talent signed to ap- pear with Benny so far includes Phil Harris. Mary Livingston (Mrs. Benny) will make the trip, and Alice Faye (Mrs. Harris) is also going along, but whether they will appear on the show isnt defi- nite yet. For the past f^w femt, ths (Conthitted on page (SU