Variety (Jan 1949)

Wednesday, January 19, 1949 Pfeiifer Alleges 'Secondary Boycott' In 3506 Suit Against Equity, AGVA Chicago, Jan. 18. Jules Pfeiflfer filed suit in Ciii superior court last week, seeking to enjoin Actors Equity and Amer- ican Guild of Variety Artists, charging that both organizations were trying to blacklist his pro- posed cafe. In the same bill of particulars, he is suing the two unions for a total of $350,000 dam- Former legit producer, after an- nouncing forthcoming opening of his north Clark street Bow-Wow- ery, claims he was informed by Jack Irving of AGVA that he was oft the unfair list and would get no AGV/. acts for his spot. At- torney for AGVA; said Pfeiffer had no application, with union and therefore could not be on any "un- fair" list and was not refused acts. Testimony brought out fact that Pfeiffer, as yet, does not have a ' city license, after which hC: stated that politicians were holding it up. ^Pfeiffer's troubles date back to his ill-fated tour of "Swing Mika-. do" last fall, which folded in St. Paul. Cast was stranded and money was divided among 72 members, majority non-Equity, and bus trans- portation furnished back to Chica- go. lOUs for balance.«f money due them are still outstanding, air though bistro operator claims he is no longer responsible, as notes were issued by a corporation. Mxed Equity Bond Before production, Pfeiffer said that Equity asked for an $8,450 bond, but he nixed request on grounds it was contrary to Taft- Hartley law, which prohibits rec- ognition without vote and certifi- cation by National Labor Relations Board, Counsel for Equity said Pfeiffer was on actors' union unfair list for failure to pay Equity cast mem- bers money due them and Equity had not concerted with AGVA as far as any other "supposed ban" was concerned. Pfeiffer alleges that AGVA is using: secondary boycott, contrary to T-H act. Spot is set to open Jan. 24. , Further hearings are set for this afternoon (18) before Judge Don- ald McKinley. MOD Benefit Morey Amsterdam, Zero Mostel, Smith & Dale and Benny Rubin are slated to appear in a one-night vaude stand at Carnegie Hall, N.Y., Friday (21) for the benefit of the March of Dimes. Joe Franklin, VfMCA disk jockey, is presenting the show. Others slated to appear include Jackie- Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Ravens, Dinah Wash- ington, Conrad Thibault, Gus Van, Eileen Barton, Calgary Bros, and Dave Barry. $8,500 GROSSED BY ANNUAL FRIARS FROLIC The Friars' 44th annual benefit show, held Sunday (16) at the Im- perial theatre, N. Y., grossed an estimated $8,500.' Figure includes receipts of the souvenir program. House: was scaled from $6 to $25. Milton Berle, the Abbot, emceed a long show that, as usual with Friars shows, was somewhat in the tradition of oldtime vaude. Pro- gram included straight vaude acts and sketches. Show, under supervision of Wil' liam Brandell, was staged by Dick Henry, Eddie Elkort, Al Beckman, Johnny Pransky, Nat Dunn and Harry Adler. Summer Date at N.Y. Copa There's a possibility Sammy Kaye's next location date in New York will be played- at the Copaca- bana nitery. Kaye. and Monte Pro.ser have been discussing a deal that would bring the pop combo in sometime in August. His would be the - first pop combo of such name calibre to play the spot Copa is also discussing a string of vocal names to follow Connie Haines, who opens with Dean Mar- tin and Jerry Lewis soon. Kay Starr, Peggy Lee, and Frankie Laine all have been mentioned. Tricks in Every Trade! JAN AUGUST and his Piano MUSIC THAT SPELLS - -Currcnllyi'^ - PARK PLAZA St. LeNli Dir.: MCA —LalMf-Mcreury-MlMM. "NIGHT and DAY" "JALOUSIE" VAU9BTIUUB 4S New Colunbus Arena CoIumbuSi Oi, Jan. 18. A million-idollar sports arena is being planned for Columbus, O., within the next year. Columbus Sports Arena has been incorpo* rated with authority to sell 5,000 shares of no-par common stock. Incorporators are D. L. -Kuhns, H. C. Hoeflich and Peter J. Minck. Miami OveHboard on Straws, With GO Cafes Anglii^ for Scarce Coin VALDO and PRINCESS PAT '*TOPS IN MENTAL MAGIC" Pers. Mgt.: JULES ZIEGLER AGENCY 545 Fifth Avtnu*. New York Helene & Howard Settle Contract Breach Suit; Get Release on 5-Yr. Pact A settlement was effected last week betweea Helene and Howard, dance team, and agent Matty Rosen and his wife, Lorraine Rog.- nan, in breach of contract suit in- stituted by the latter. Settlement, made under N. Y. supreme court auspices after jury to hear the case had been sworn in, calls for pay^ ment of $5,500 by the dancers to Miss Rognan in return for termina- tion of her five-year contract with the dancers. ' Terms of pact called for dan- cers to pay Miss Rognan 25% of their earnings . over $300 weekly in return for routining their act. Sometime ago dancers stopped paying and Miss Rognan subse- quently sued for back commis- sions. Team, in return, brought suit against Miss Rognan and Roseui Last week's settlement ended their contract with Miss Rognan. Further fireworks are ex- pected Inasmuch as dancers are now expected to press for ending' of their agency contract with Rosen. Rosen, in return, has declared he will proceed against the team for attorney fees in connection with their suit against Miss Rognan. It's his contention that'under regula- tions of the American Guild of Variety Artists, an act or agent cannot go" to court unless settle- ment is attempted by the union. He claims that the team violated AGVA rules in taking him to court: without union's permission. Helene and Howard's agency contract with Rosen has one year to go, with op- tions for another three years, Minsky May Get Carnival; Schuyler Bids for Harem Miami Beach, Jan. 18. Harold Minsky, who now oper- ates the Colonial Inn, Hallendale, Fla., has started negotiations for takeover of the Carnival, N. Y., from Nicky Blair, current lease- holder. Minsky plans to install a burlesque policy similar to that being iised at the Colonial, which is reported to be the second big- gest grossing cafe in the Miami area, and' probably the largest moneymaker. Transfer is expect- ed to take; place in several weeks, and Minsky will go t» New York around March 1 to supervise altera- tions. Minsky has been anxious to get in on N. Y. nitery operation for ■some time. He was originally slated to produce shows at the now defunct La Martinique when Monte Gardner took over, but deal fell through. Minsky, at one time, operated the Club 51 on 52d street, N. Y. Deal is also on for Ned Schuy- ler, operator of the Beachcomber, Miami Beach, to buy the Harem. |N. Y., from Nat Harris. Latter is J currently in Miami Beach, where I he's managing the. Brook club, and l is huddling with Schuyler on a i deal, which is slated to be finalized this week or next. It's likely that Schuyler will not start work on the N. Y. spot until April. He plans to install a multiple head- liner policy such as is in effect at the Beach spot. . , Pitt Light Opera Starts '49 Ball Rolling Early ' Pittsburgh; Jan. 18. Sam Handlesman, who handled business end of Civic Light Opera Co. here last summer for first time, has been appointed to that post permanently and is in Pittsburgh already starting the ball rolling for the 1949 season at Pitt Star dium. William Wymetal, who has been the executive director of the pro^; ductions past two seasons, has been given the nod again for '49 and will be on the scene, too, shortly. This is the last year the Stadium will be used; by 1950, the group expects to have its own $1,000,000 amphitheatre Uuilt. ' By LARY SOLLOWAY Miami Beach, Jan. 18. ' This; winter playground has cur- rently greatest assortment of shows in the country, with the situation reaching a peak this week with the opening of Hlateah racetrack. To the scores of niteries have been added , the one-nighters by radio and concert toppers, plus the reopening of the Miami Opera Guild season. Also the influx Of the cafe "names" already installed or preeming in the next 10 days. „ On the one-nighters, there are Bob Hope and his trqjiipe, for tlie Orange Bowl on the' 22d; Alec Templeton in the Municipal Audi- torium in Miami on the 31st; Hor- ace Heidt and his "New Talent" BOB HOPE'S BOFF 180G IN 11 ONE-NITER DATES Atlanta, Jan. 18. Bob Hope's one-nighter tour has been extended to Feb. 5 because of Icing-sized grosses. Comic has snared $180,000 in his first 11 dates.: New dates lined up so far include Minneapblis, Jan. 31; Kan- sas City, Feb. 1, and St. Louis; Feb. 3. Hope's cast includes Doris Day, Bill Farrell, Irene Ryan, Hy Aver- bach and, Les Brown's band. Vet British Juggler Set For U. S. Theatre, Cafe, Dates : Gaston Palmer,' veteran British- juggler, has been signed for his first U. S. date in more than a decade. He'll go into the Roxy theatre, N. Y., late April or May. He'll precede the Roxy stand with an engagement at the Latin Quar.< ter, Boston, March. 13. Palmer's first appearance in this country was around 1915. He's be- ing booked here by William Mor ris agency. show on Feb. e, with Vaughn Mon^ roe in Coral Gables the same night; Spike Jones and his revue on the 10th,. also in Coral Gables; Paul Draper and Larry Adler on Feb. 31st, in the concert series in the Auditorium. Parade,-of nitery openings has included Grade Fields at the Brook Club; Joe Lewis at Club Boheme; Lenny Kent at the Pad- dock Club; Myron Cohefi at the Mayfair; Beachcomber introing Frank Sinatra for four ^days (10- 20) followed by Sophie Tucker, Jackie Miles, Harry Richman and the Vagabonds; Copa City with Kay Thompson and Williams Bros., Peter Lind Hayes, and Sammy Kaye's orch; Ella Fitzgerald and Stump and Stumpy at the Monte Carlo; Cab Calloway, Gracie Barrie^ Buddy Lester at the Clover Club; new burly show at Minsky's Colo- ■ nial Inn, plus dozens of othersi offering big, fair and small, attrac- tions in what adds up to over 60 night clubs. Then, there's the big group of hotel lounge and patio setups with top rhumba bands featured as well as entertainment; the new stock company preeming at the Beach Pier with Edward Everett Horton and Glenda Farrell featured; the dog tracks; the shows current and the pic specials, viz: ^'Hamlet" and "Red Shoes." Vet observers figure that with a permanent population in the over- all county .(which means plenty of residents in outlying" centers who rarely go out) of some half million, swplled by 150,000 tourists; this area has more amusements than either New York or Chicago at their busiest, even on a compara- ' tive basis. ■ It's too much, they're screaming, especially in a year where, though there are more people here, the buck is SQ tight that practically every business man is beginning to wonder "when does the season begin." Which is what many a nitery, or other entertainment op- erator, is going to be asking soon. ALICE-' Dick coimm 's LATE ffiuAses: /