Variety (Jan 1949)

Wednesflaj^t Jaimary 19, 1949 VAVDKVIUJS 4S MCA Negotiating Deal to Taiie Over Grade Agency as London Branch London, Jan. 18. -f Negotiattens are understood to be under way between Music . Corp. of America and the Lew Grade Agency of this city for takeover of the agency as a branch office of MCA. Grade is expected to go to New York shortly to complete the deal. ; It's reported that MCA had of- fee^d 1500,000 for the agency, with Grade -remaining in charge. Agency countered with an asking price of $1,000,000. Grade agency is said to : be backed by the Hyams Bros., who are reported to have invested $200,000 in it over the last six years. Sidney Hyams, cuixently in the U. S., will probably participate in the sale negotiations. Another British percenter, Charles Tucker, arrived in the U. S. yesterday (Tues.). Deal i.s also on for MCA to buy into that agency. However, likelihood is that MCA will buy into one agency or the other, depending on which deal is more desirable. BOLES' BRITISH SUCCESS INSURES FALL REPRISE London, Jan; 11, John Boles completes his six- month British stinti which included an eight-week season at the Pal- ladium, when he winds up Jan^ 29 at aLondon nabe vaudeville house, the Wood Green Empire, and sails for home Feb. 1. Boles' round-Britain trip, which opened in the north of England last August, has been such an un- qualified success that the Hyman -Zahl agency, which sponsored it, has booked him for a return visit next August for four months. His 1949 tour will include a week at the ■ Golders Green Hippodrome, another London nabe theatre, and almost certainly a return West End appearance. Nitery Cashier Robbed On Way to Bank Havana-Madrid, N. Y., weekend receipts of $5,500, were hoisted Monday (17) by a pair of holdup men., Catherine Niglia, cafe's bookkeeper, was accosted by the armed pair as she was leaving the nitei-y's lobby to deposit the coin in a bank. Police believe it was an Inside Job and an investigation has been started. SOPHIE TUCKER FETED ON HER 62D BIRTHDAY Miami Beach, Jan. 18. Sophie Tucker celebrated her 62d birthday last week (13) and the whole town turned out for the shindig thrown for her by her son, Bert Tucker, at his Robert E. Lee hotel here. Everybody in town was there to felicitate' the indefatigable show biz vet, from civic leaders to the night club toppers; including Joe E. Lewis, Jackie Miles/ Dean Mar- tin & Jerry Lewis, Bill Robinson, Alan Gale, Gracie Barrie, Frances Langford, the Vagabonds. Harry Richman, Rex Weber, Mack Miller and Perry Charles. Miss Tucker opens a four-week run at the Beachcomber Thursday (20). Morton Downey opened at the Statler hotel, Washington,''Monday (17) to nab inauguration trade. Chi's Regal Resumes Stage Shows; Hampton Set Chicago, Jan, 18. Regal theatre here has resolved its standby music situation, which has kept stage shows out of the house for months, and productions will resume. Lionel Hampton's orchestra opens week of Feb. 11. Joe Glaser's Associated Booking Corp. set Hampton, through Harry Levine, Paramount booker in-New York. Comedy Trio Inked For Mark Hopkins, S. F. San Francisco, Jan, 18. Swank Mark Hopkins hotel tries : out a new talent policy Feb. 1. Spot, whicl^' has" heretofore booked singers for the most part, has Inked Ben Blue, Patti Moore and. Ben: Lessy for four weeks, first time comics have been set for the Hopkins. Berg Seeks lOG For Holiday Vamp Hollywood, Jan. 18. In the first such case of its kind locallys AGVA has notified Billie Holiday to appear before a trial board and answer charges brought by Billy Berg. Nitery op filed a complaint seeking $10,000 in dam- ages on grounds songstress didn't show for the final night of her four-week stand last week and was late for shows during her stint at the nitery, causing him "embar- rassment and' causing customers to leave," with resultant loss of bi^. Florine Bale, local AGVA top-, per, accepted the complaint offi- jcially and v/ired Miss Holiday prior to her opening at Cafe Society, San Francisco, that she- would have to appear before the trial board which will hear whatever explana- tions she has to offer. Board will then decide how hard biz was hit by her actions and what restitution, if any, she must make. Chirp was paid, in full for her four-week stand, at the $3,250 guarantee against a split of admis- sions and bar receipts. Take was collected nightly by her manager. On the final night of the stand, she showed.at the club but depart- ed before the first show was sched- uled to go on, and did not return, according to Berg's complaint. Bookers Eyeing Film Names Again To Bolster Waning Biz in Vauders Kettering Suing FB On Contract Breach Chicago, Jan. IB. Tom Kettering, former Frederick Bros. Artists Agency veepee, has filed suit for $5,225 against the talent office for back pay. Ket- tering contends that his FB con- tract, which was to run until Dec. 31, was broken last July. Kettering, currently in San Fran- cisco, will return to Chicago to process the suit. ROXY CHORUS ENLISTS AGVA AID FOR PAY HIKE The Roxy theatre, N. Y., chorus is seeking an increase over cur- rent $45 weekly minlmums. Chorus met last week with officials of the N. Y. branch of the American Guild Of Variety Artists, in, which they asked for cost-of-living im creases and modifications of cur- rent AGVA contract. : Chorus elected deputies who will meet with AGVA execs on pressing higher pay demands. ' Vallee Set for Roxy, N. Y. Rudy Vallee has been signed for the Roxy theatre, N. Y., for two weeks and options, starting around Feb. 23. Singer is current at the Latin Quarter, N. Y. AFM-WB in Accord On Earle/Philly, Stage Shows Philadelphia, Jan. 18. Vaudeville seems finally slated to return to the Earle theatre. A tentative agreement has been reached with Local 77, American Federation of Musicians. Negotia- tions are on for the Jack Carson show as opening attraction. It is understood that the union at a recent meeting gave peimis- sion for a token orchestra (16 men) at the Earle. It formerly used to number 30 men, and the refusal of the Warner Bros, management to sign on that many tooters . has stymied return of stage shows. Musicians decided to okay the smaller orch to see how things work out. Vaude bookers are again knock* ; ' ing at film studio doors for name . talent at reasonable prices so that current vauders can be sustained and new KSuses opened. Bookers feel that talent agencies are unable to supply-the demand, pointing out that majority of names submitted have only moderate boxoffice value: or are so highly priced that the- atres cannot afford them. ' Many bookers' feel the only solu- tion lies in jstudio cooperation. They hope to get stars with suf- ficent b;o. puU to warrent large salaries. Talent inkers have recently been: getting feelers from agencies on names at $20,000 and percentages. So far, few have been signed. Dan4b ny Kaye is the only filmster to be getting that kind of coin. However, when studio coopera-- tion is obtained filmsters go out for considerably less. Warner star Jack Carson has been playing for a lesser guarantee, but is reported grossing neat takes on percentage arrangements. Although Burt Lan- caster unit went'out on a $10,000 : guarantee for> a four-people acti total earnings were considerably: larger, because of percentage arrangements. The best talent buy, according to ; some bookers, is Jane Powell, Who's getting a salary of around $4,500 and percentages and who's, doing consistently good business*: Miss Powell is out under Metro : auspices. - ;: ' Bookers woui(^ like to get more of these' names at commensurate prices. For example, Harry Levine, of Paramount, is currently on the Coast in an attempt to get stars on studio tieins. Other talent biiyers, are attenit>ting to work' througli N. Y. homeoffice 'execs. Decline in picture making hasn't appreci- ' ably helped 'the. vaude situation in' : asmuch as most of the names asked : for are needed in current produc- 1 tion. ■ Kitty Kallen opens at the Wil> liam Penn hotel, Pittsburgh, Jani 21. BACK AT THE ClUB BEACHCOMBER Miami Beach, witli my Pals, Harry Richman Jackie Miles The 4 Vagabonds and-Ted Shapiro SOPHIE TUCKER Opening January 21st (Hello—Schuyler Family)