Variety (Aug 1948)

54 CHA T** 8 * Don Sylyio, maestro at Bill Bertolotti's, to Coast Aug. 14. Wednesday, August 11, 1948 Kay Coulter, manager of Re hearsal Club, vacationing in Can- ada. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Yvonne de Carlo off to Europe this week. Fred Schader now doing public- ity for Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. Dr. Lionel Auster, w.k. in show business, preemed new 5th avenue offices. Wally (ASCAP) Downey to South America next month on company business. Douglas Field back from Eng- land and has gone on to L. A. He's concert manager. Thomas Heggen ("Mr. Roberts" author) to Europe on a special as- signment for Life mag. M. A. Schlesinger, South African circuit owner, due in on the Queen Mary tomorrow (Thurs.) Vet thesp Arthur B. Walsh out of a Canadian hospital after a two- year siege, and convalescing at home. Francis Robinson, who-has been .handling press for Tangle wood this summer, is going out ahead of "Medea." -Mary McNally, Tony's Trouville pianist who did music for Canadian service show, "Meet the Navy," pencilling midwest tour. Jerry Hoffman, p.a.ing "Velvet Touch," back to the Coast this weekend via a Frisco stopoff, after first setting eastern campaigns. Karen Lewis, songstress in one of the "Oklahoma!" road compa- nies, left the show to undergo a tonsilectomy at Le Roy Sanitarium. Nov. 1 has been set for the nuptials of Renee Carroll, famed Sardi's hatcheck custodian, to Louis Schonceit, the ticket broker. Igor Schwetzoff, ballet master who has been in Rio the last 18 months organizing the Youth Ballet there, arrived back in N. Y., Mon- day (9). , ' Al Daft", asst. foreign sales man- ager of Universal, showing off his new English bride. Supposedly a "secret," but now. pretty much an open one. Mort Blumenstock, Warner Bros, pub-ad chief, returned Monday (9) after setting up world preem cam-: paign for "Two Guys From Texas" in San Antonio. Alan C. Collins, head of Curtis Brown, Ltd., literary agents, planes to New York from Paris Sunday (15)- after completing a one-month tour of the continent. Pianist-lecturer Henry L. Scott elected prez of American Com- munity Theatre Corp. Latter spe- cializes in solo dates for talent in community .theatre series. Agent Al Rogers has separated from his wife, Roey, A disclaimer for debts incurred by Mrs. Rogers appeared last week in the Personals column of the N. Y. Times. Victoria, dark for repairs, has a sign on marquee reading: "Through these portals pass the world's best mechanics," 'also mentions the house's addition of 400 seats. Sammy Cohen (UA foreign pub- licity director) celebrating 25th anniversary with 10-day trip to Canada and Niagara Falls where they spent their honeymoon. Gabe Heatter gabbing from Lido Beach Club for rest of season; his mike set up in hotel suite. Also there: producer Lewis J. Singer, ex-assistant da. Burton Turkus, et al. Chappell will publish songs from the forthcoming Monte Proser- Ned Litwack produced musical, "Heaven on Earth," with music by Jay Gorney, lyrics by Barry Trivers. Max E. Youngstem, Eagle Lion's ad-pub veepee, shoved off yester- day (Tues.) on the fifth leg of a swing through EL's 31 film ex- changes, His next stopoff New Orleans. Film actress Jayne Meadows planed out for Rome Saturday (7) Where she will marry Milton Krims, scripter now working on picturiza- tion in Italy of 20th-Fox's "Prince of Foxes." Paramount's Wanda Hendrix clippered out Sunday (8) for Rome and 20th-Fox's "Prince of Foxes" which is being filmed there by di- rector Henry King. Miss Hendrix is on loanout from her home lot. Mrs. Ruby Schinasi to Cape Cod with the Judge William T. Col- linses prior to heading for a Malibu vacation with her daughter, Bubbles (Mrs. Arthur Hornblow, Jr., wife of the Metro producer) Nick Matsoukas, Skouras The- atres publicist, is exec-secretary of the National Committee of 13 , Against Superstition and Fear which opens a 13-day exhibition Friday (13) at the Museum of Nat Ural History. Mayor William O'Dwyer and Grover A. Whalen, chairman of N. Y.'s Golden Jubilee committee, attended opening night of new show at Music Hall last Thursday (5) to see new stage revue. "Jubi- lee" that salutes Manhattan's 50th anni. With "The Velvet Touch" (RKO) preem set back until Sept, 25, the Frederick Brissons (Rosalind Rus- sell) returned to Beverly Hills, on account of their baby. Pic is their own indie production. Brisson may return east for the bpening at the Palace. The Tom McKnights (Marjorie Davies) back to the Coast after an eastern vacation while "Beulah." the radio program he produces, is on its summer layoff. McKnight with Mort Lewis also scripted some sketches for the Shuberts' proposed "Ziegfeld Follies." More than 50 Lamas guested on the Dalzell Towing Co.'s Dalzel- laird, by courtesy of John L. Sullivan, chief dispatcher and company manager, who took the showfolk Sunday (8) on a "trip to nowhere" up the Hudson. Break- fast, steak dinner, an al fresco show and supper comprised the program. Al Horwits, Universale eastern publicity manager, garners a bou- quet of posies from Bob Considine in the latter's article on Philly baseball manager Connie Mack in the current issue of Life. Mack, according to Considine, threatened to resign a few years ago unless he won his point—the hiring of Hor- wits, then a Philly baseball writer, as publicity manager for the Ath- letics. Miami Beach By Larry Solloway Phil Spitalny and the missus vacashing at Hyde Park hotel. Al Brandts (of the Brandt film chain) celebrated wedding anni last Thursday. Carl Ravazza into Clover Club Wednesday (11). Guy Rennie, fol- lows in Aug. 25. Jack Geldman^ claims to have Danny Thomas set for winter date at his Clover Club. E. M. Loew sez Abbott & Cos- tello will play his Latin Quarter, Palm Island, in February. Colonial Inn, where the annual take from gaming tables ran into millions in past seasons, on block since court ruled against gambling in that area. Hotels filled with Latinos and summer tourists but bars, hotels and most niteries getting slim play. Only consistent moneymaker is Five O'clock club. Reps of Cab Calloway and Joe Louis reported dickering for an island site off Hollywood (north of Miami) for hotel and apartment house colony exclusively for Negroes. Producer Bill Pine (& Thomas) scanning area for film location. Bill Powell's missus, Diane, vis- iting show-booker sister Maxine. with Bill flying up from Hollywood weekends. Walter Winchell's aide, Ed Weiner, who authored "The Damon Runyon Story", resting up at the Flamingo with the missus. Bob Crosby flew in from N. Y. and lingered so long he had narrow squeak in making his CBS Camp- bell Soup show in Hollywood, Jimmy Welter, old-time »referee and fighter, new LV resident. He has refereed such outstanding fighters as Joe Louis, Kingfish Lev- insky, and Gene Tunney. Tony Martin, who wowed Lon- don recently, is now stellar singing attraction at Flamingo, j with Dick Stabile imported from coast to han- dle baton for Hal Pruden's band. Wedding anni of six months cel- ebrated by the Fred Levys—he heads Blum's Candy Corp. and she gave up film career as Marian Can- to wed. Pair chartered plane in from San Francisco. Foster McClanahan, of the Dallas oil fortune, back at this spa with his bride, the former Terry Bolton. Nice twist on this romance is that Terry was Wedding Director of the famed Little Church of the West when Foster vacationed here last winter. Herb Jeffries, formerly of Duke Ellington's band, is "out of action" this week as top draw of Club Bingo show after plane crackup. Jeffries and "Chuck" Fredericks, personal pilot for actor Mickey Rooney, walked away from emer- gency landing. Eddie Peabody followed at Hotel Last Frontier by McCarthy & Far- rell's satire on disc jockeys. Patsy Ross headlines the Kathryn Duffy Dancers' "Footlight Parade" revue, to Dick Mulliner's music, on new orch formed by three pull-aways from Horace Heidt. At Rancho Vegas, Patti Moore & Ben Lessy, comedy duo, follow harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler in top spot. Bob Millar, his piano, and sweet music orch here until Sept 14. The puppet act of Walton & O'Rourke, and Di Gatano dance team, complete the Roundup Room show. French stage star Marguerite Doree (a former baroness) at El Rancho to divorce Norman C. Senior of Beverly Hills. She and brother only members of family to survive war. Since evacuation at Dunkirk she's dreamed of Amer- ican citizenship—has now applied for papers. Three new resort hotels under- way on Las Vegas' famed "Strip": Joe- Smoot, who promoted Hialeah and Santa Anita, and partner Jack Dempsey,\ are drilling artesian j water well- ' Coast after completing eastern summer dates. , Ruth Chatterton opened to good business in "The Little Foxes" at Ridgefleld Playhouse (9). Eddie Knill of the John C. Wil- son office- giving "Perfect Pitch the onceover at the Country Play- house. Georgie Tapps, former musical comedy . and . nightclub dancer, breaking in new concert program here. Surrounded by small com- pany topped by JElen Longone, formerly of the Chicago Civic Opera. Broadwayites seeing "Perfect Pitch," the new Spewack comedy at the Country Playhouse; Jobn Golden, Winifred Lenihan, Nanette Fabray, Patsy Ruth Miller, Mike Mok, Ralph Bellamy, Fannie Fer- ber Fox, Mary Martin, Ben Hecht, Lawrence Tibbett, Rose Franken and Arline Francis. Hollywood Stockholm , By Sven G. Wlnqulst "Soldat Bomm" ("Bomm, • the Soldier") is the title of the newest Nils Poppe production. Actor-director Hasse Ekman re- cently finished his new film, "Re- turn Of Little Martha" and went to Paris for a vacation. Cirkusteatern, newest theatre here, will open Sept. 8 with "Tam- ing of a Shrew." Barbro Kollbcrg and Ake Ohberg are starred. German production company, Ondia Film A. G., is planning a film about the 18th century Swedish author Karl Mikael Bellman. Di- rector is Werner Illing. Three Swedish films, "It is Rain- ing On Our Love," "The Swedish Tiger" and "The Flowering Fields," have been sent'to the Czech Film Festival in Marianske L'azne. Sandrew-Bauman Film' prepar- ing film titled "Jungfrun Pa Jung- frusund" ("The Maid Of Jungfru- sund"). Ragnar Arfvedsson is di- recting. Sickan Carlsson and Ake Soderblom are starred. Atlantic City - By Joe W. Walker Nat Brandwynne Orch into Ho- tel Brighton. Mindy Carson into Bath and Turf with Jackie Small. Illinois Jacquet Orch in for ope nighter at Walter Dream. Francis Renault and Frency Martin into Jockey Club. Olsen & Johnson top Steel Pier vaude this week, with Woody Herman in ballroom. Janet Blair and Francis Lederer,. here in "For Love or Money," given nice reception. Auditorium theatre offering Anna Lucasta" this week instead of "Life with Father," originally skedded. Cab Calloway set for Orsatti's, Somers Point, Aug. 20. Louis Prima to follow. Spot playing to capacity crowds weakends. By Maxime de Beis 35 Blvd. Montparnasse Gladys and Manny Robinson in England, and Eddie back in Cannes after trip to Paris. Edith Piaf doing a one-night appearance at Chez Carrere. Cynda Glenn giving the o.o. to several real estate propositions be- fore hopping to Riviera, Rome and Germany. Michele Morgan is making a pic- ture at studio here. Francois Jardel to Mexico. Lacy Kastner taking a solo mo- tor trip while Priscilla and the Marchioness of Coninck are on Mrs. Booth's farm near Chantilly. Oscar and Clara Straus guests of Mrs. Gielgud for a month. Ann Carnahan producing her World Video fashion shorts. The Gerald Mayers still in Paris, having cancelled their sailing on account of procrastination on the changes in Blum-Byrnes agree- ment; Rupert Allan to Venice for the international film festival. Jean Hellman, before hopping to N. Y, arranging to have his dis- pute with the newsreel syndicate, which objected to his releasing a short on bicycle race, taken to Conseil d'Etat. . Fashion buyers so thick here you walk on them. Jacques M. Fath opening, staged in his garden after dinner, was more like a social func- tion than a business agent. Edith Burger, Swiss torch 'singer, died following scratches inflicted by a cat. Pittsburgh By Hal Cohen. Jim Bellamy is the new man- ager of WPGH. Lew Stone, former announcer at ■the first step—for , their Hacienda. The Thunderbird, I W? 1 ?, joined staff of WPGH. slated for Sept. opener, has had its ! , Pet % Schloss, boss of WWSW, swimming pool christened by im- Planed to Jamaica for couple of patient guests. Wilbur Clark is I v leasing back, for 30 years, the half- I finished Desert Inn which he sold I last week to the Palos Verdes Corp for $500,000. He'll gen'l mgr. the new spa beginning, he hopes, in February. Tokyo Bandleader Hiroshi Watanabe celebrated the-second anniversary of his debut, leading his "Star Dusters" on the roof of Tokyo's Dai Ichi Hotel, U. S. officers billet. Employees of the Toho Motion Picture and Theatrical Co., strike- bound for there months, have formed an "anti-Communist" un- ion which the management says it will doal with. Edward Simmel, v.p. of Simmel- Meservey Co., Coast film produc- ers, in Tokyo for 60 days as con- sultant to SCAP's Civil Informa- tion and Education Section on pro- duction and distribution of films. Takarazuka's all-girl opera troupe has run afoul of Japan's new Labor Standard Law. The gals play a 30-day run and take five days off. Law stipulates workers must receive one holiday a week. Westport, Conn. By Humphrey Doulens Jean Dalrymple planed to the west coast. Richard MealandS on a motor trip to Maine. John Conte vacationing here before "Allegro" tour. Philip Barry and frau guests here of Theresa Helburn. Edith Behrens of Columbia Rec- ords bought a house here. Richard and Dorothy Rodgers visiting Jean Dixon at Gloucester, Mass. . Peggy French to New York for rehearsals of "Town House" for Max Gordon. Gladys Swarthout off to the weeks. Mrs. Jack Kahn, wife of WB publicist, okay again and out of hospital. Everett Thorner back in town for UA drum-beating "Time of Your Life." Booker Ralph Harrison checked out of Presbyterian Hospital after observation. Karl Krug, drama critic, will vacation between mountains and Broadway shows. Dan Schmidt, barrister-hypno- tist, spending summer working borscht circuit spots. Cliff Daniel, manager of WCAE back on the job again after a tus- sle with virus pneumonia. Jerry Wayne into Copa this week tor, first nitery date follow- ing wash uo of his radio show Mrs. Mike Cullen rejoined Loew s division manager in Louis- ville after visiting with friends. Mexico City B/ D. L. Grahame Ciro's ACrG thC DeW mana 2 er of Pearl Primus and her "Dark Liric hmS " headlining at the Teatro Mrs Vincente Palmeri, wife of the U-I manager, recovering from an operation. Help of radio station XEIW Guadalajara, strinking for a 100% pay hike-$l to $2 (U.S.) a day . Cine Regis 900-seater, reopened after facelifting and joined the Golden Chain indie cinema circuit Mauricio de la Serna, producer- partner of Dolores del Rio for her pix m Mexico, recovered from a long siege of Malta fever Azteca, one of the big four of local pic studios, which recentlv had a $1,000,000 fire, is beinl liven a facelift with modern equipment. mfL akeS £ eare s .. '> Midsummer Night's Dream" in Spanish did eight weeks boff trade at the gov- Al Rogell vacationing at Del Mar. June Allyson laid up with bron- chitis. Tim Holt east to start a rodeo tour. Arlene Dahl injured in auto ac- cident. Jimmy Durante to Del Mar for the races. Samuel Goldwyn to Lake Tahoe for vacation. Isabelita changed her. film name to Leta Baron. Sir C. Aubrey Smith celebrated his 85th birthday. Lena Home ordered by doctor to take a long rest. Spyros Skouras in town for con- ferences at 20th-Fox. Robert Warwick celebrated his 45th year in show biz. Gene Baylos booked into the Ta- hoe Biltmore in September. Jeanette MacDonald set for Hol- lywood Bowl concert Aug. 17. Ken Curtis galloping south and east on a six-week stage tour. Gene Autry planed in after five days of rodeo riding in Great Falls. Mont. Melvin Douglas to Dallas to plug opening of "Blandings' Dream House." Greer Garson in from a vacation to make a trailer for "Julia Mis- behaves." Ruth Hussey and Bob Longe- necker celebrated their sixth wed- ding anni. Guy Madison and Florence Bates to San Antonio for personal ap- pearances. Jacques Francois making his Hollywood bow in. "The Barkleys of Broadway." Ida Koverman took over her new job as a member of the Municipal Art Commission. A. Pam Blumenthal and Karl Herzog in from New York for Film Classics huddles. , Harry Kurnitz taking a Paris vacation after producing some five films for Warners. Joe Nolan, in charge of commit- ments at RKO, hospitalized at Santa Barbara with internal infec- tion. Charles P. Skouras will be pre- sented with the Great Heart award by the Variety Club of Southern California.- Cornel Wilde collapsed on the Columbia lot, causing a week's de- lay in the filming of "The Lovers." Arthur E. Miller, 40 years a cam- eraman and three-time Oscar win- ner, is lensing his 178th feature, "Three Wives," at 20th-Fox. London Frank Marlowe's Palladium suc- cess has led to offer of lead in West End musical. John Firman, chief of Feldman's music publishing house, to New York Sept. 8. ' Binnie Hale temporarily out of cast of "Four, Five, Six" following internal operation. "The Linden Tree" (Duchess) passes 400 mark; "Off the Record," (Piccadilly) scores 500. Hildegarde due here mid-August to record series of radio programs 'for Harry Alan Towers. ' Patricia Roc off to Paris to star in French speaking film. Educated in Paris, Pat is bilingual. Frank Shaw appointed publicity chief of Transatlantic, now filming the Hitchcock opus, "Under Capri- corn." Mildred (Mrs. Robert) Consi- dine in Switzerland till Aug. 15 when she meets INS' Bob Consi- dine in Paris. Francis L. Sullivan planning New York, trip to talk with Metro on role of Nero in "Quo Vadis," to be filmed in Rome. Charles Boyer sailed Saturday (7) after three-day yisit, but is re- turning next month to film "The Romantic Age" at Teddington. Executors of J. M. Sygne, Irish playwright, have given Leonard Salzedo full rights to adapt "Deir- dre of the Sorrows" into an opera. Cleveland By Glenn C. Pullen Comeback of vaudeville rumored for Loew's State here. Borsellino's Club being remodel- ed for Sept. 2 reopening. Geneva-on-the-Lake's strawhat folded; not enough biz for 1,700- capacity house. Jack Gluck, local composer, had four songs waxed by Four Aces a-capella group for Decca. Wife of William F. McDermott, drama critic of Plain Dealer here, joined him in Paris last week. Alan Schneider, casting, director of New York Theatre, Inc., direct- ing plays for Cain Park strawhat. Milt Krantz started his ticket subscription plan, which other legit houses have copied, for his eighth season at Hanna. Larry Higgins, scenic designer of Cleveland 500 Operetta Co., In Los Angeles to see Gertrude Niesen in "Anything Goes" which she will also do here this winter for the 500.