Variety (Mar 1949)

62 CBATIXR VednegJay, March 9, 1949 Broadway Producer Sam Wood in from the Coast fop a two-week vacation. Leonard Strudley named pub- licity head of Music Corp. of Amer- ica. Jack Goldstein's pub-ad org into larger quarters in General Motors Bldg, duced by Orrin Davenport, passed 130,000 attendance mark in 14 days. Lenny Colyer, nitery comedian, recovering from an eye-straighten- ing operation and getting set for television tests. Loew's State switching on foot- lights for second time this season March 10, for stage show topped by Frankie Laine and Connie Haines, Max Hart, who agented the top ; jp^yr ^3^,53 ^^A Four Step names years ago, into Polyclmic., 3j.„thers in support, Charlie Ventura jazz concert slated for March 19 here was called off because of band's vaude com- mittment in Chicago, but local promoters will handle his date at Akron's Armory, March 16. He's in his 70's. Herald Square Players of Macy's to present musical revue, "Raring to Go," this month. Maurice Lancaster, European di- rector Of the March of Time, in last week on the America. Nat Dorfman, who has press 9gented upwards of 200 Broadway shows, adding a special radio and television dept. : Benny Fields at Flamingo pool Sam Seidelman, Eagle Lion for-i ^ally, backed by Bernie Cummins' eign chief, planes today (Wed.) on ] ork, De Havillands, and the Dane* a two-week junket through France, i„g stapletons. Switzerland and Britain. j week ending: Grade Fields, Ann Sheridan, Gregor Rabino-, giossom Seeley, Bob Preston and vitch and Adolph Schimel, Univer-1 ^i|e; Virginia Lederer, for divorce Las Vegas from Charles Lederer; Victor Ma- ture, Diana Lynn and Estelle Tay- lor. , Zero Mostel at El Rancho Vegas a click. Will Mastin trio of colored dancers includes Sammy Davis who, when not dancing, does sur- prisingly good imitations. Tenor Johnny Dugan fills out bill. Looking over hotel properties Walter Jacobs, prominent London Ganjou Bros, and Juanita left for Australia March 3. Angela Baddeley's next London part will be in a nev/ play by Jacques Deval, "Wife of Thy Youth." "Bob's Your Uncle," musical, closing at the Saville Mskrch 19, after which show goes on extended provincial tour. Lovat Fraser, former general manager of Old Vic Co., Is now general manager for Laurence Oli- vier Productions. William Turner is ©jtiring from Warner Bros, end of March after 28 years' service. For the last 17 years he's been secretary. Jack Golden, former Harry Rich- man pianist, writing songs for soon- due Tom Arnold-Emile Littler re- vue, "Latin Quarter," at London Casino. impresario Victor Hoehhauser acquired the- Empress Hall, a 10,- 000 seater, for month of June. Albert Hall leaving concert biz practically to Hoehhauser. Bonar GoUeano, Jr., playing a few vaudeville dates for Val Par- nell prior to resuming in Maurice J. Wilson's "Tale of Five Cities," with shooting in Some due early April. , • ■ Success of Emile Littlfer's "Lilac Time," in for six weeks at His Maj- esty's, as stopgap to "Brigadoon," causing transfer to Palace, with Lee Ephraim's "Carissima" folding sal attorney„in, from Europs Mpn- . day (7) on the Queen Elizabeth. Rudolf Bing, director of the Edinburgh Festival (Scotland) and general manager of the Glynde- boume Opera Co., arrived in New York Monday (7). Margaret O'Brien, Paul Gallico, Theresa Helbum and French film producer Joseph Bercholz among those sailing on the Queen Eliza- beth today (Wed.). Myron Eichler, ex-Columbia and 20th-FoX and also p.r. director of •USO Camp Shows, teamed with Heil Berg, also ex pix p:a., in indie publicity bureau, Alfred Hitchcock's daughter, Pa- New customer for topflight eif- tricia, sails for England today 1 tertainment expected in local mar- (Wednesday) to begin the^second of jtet this summer with probable her two-year course at the Royal completion of Desert Inn, fifth Academy of Dramatic Arts. , ygsort hostelry for Las Vegas' big- ^ ~ Columbia p.a. Milton Sliver, the I time strip. Approximately $750,000 l son and John Buckley Ma social butterfly of the film industry, | \vorth of constrifttion currently Adele Dixon has title role i hosting Elsa Maxwell and the King 1, underway on three-quarters com- and Queen of Yugoslavia at Col s pigjed layout. Management will "Knock On Any Door at the Astor. compete with other local spas for Eric Johnston, prez of the Mo- |,jest available entertainment from tion Picture Assn., of Amei-ica,l nation's supply, elected to the board of directors i jimmy Savo of _ McCormick _& Co., Baltimore , .-rootsie Bolls"'and chewing gum spice and flavoring extract concern. 1 to friends between acts, doing good Dodo and Si (Metro) Seadler ^t Last Frontier with -tradi- making their first European trip 1 tional chatter. Triplet daughters , , m May. Will be gone a month or 1 Ambassador Jorge E. Boyd of holidays, opening April lo, but has more, swmging from London to | Panama to Mexico — the Boyd 1 to turn down work for Buster Sha- Paris, Rome and other Continental 1 Triplets—harmoni-^ing in pleasant I ver, Olive, George and Richard due key cities. - , , ! vocals. They're grand nieces Of I to prior commitment at Chinese John Joseph, ass t to Metro s ad- gdith Boiling Wilson, widow ol theatre, Stockholm, pub veepee Howard Dietz arrived, President Wilson. Banjoist Uncle 1 Gil Maison, on finishing in Val for huddles with his chief and the I Willie on same sh h.o. staff. Joseph will be lining up o'Neil as singing host. here: . , , Miami ,peach and New Hampshire I to make room, ^. innkeeper (Lord Tarleton hotel. For the first time since 1932 the Miami Beach; Lake Tarleton Club, 1 Drury Lane theatre is able to pay Pike, N.H.). "Town beats anything I a dividend. Distribution of 10% is I've seen in Florida and season : a sequel to the record-breaking run lasts all year 'round," he observed, of "Oklahoma!" which is now ap- - preaching its 900th performance. • Next Saville theatre ptoduction Will he "Belinda Fair," a new musi- cal by Eric Maschwitz and Jack Strachey, presented by Leslie Heri- - - - - March 24. in a cast of 40 ■Willie Shore, here to star in Tom Amold-Emlle Littleir Casirio revue, "Latin Quarter," opcnhig March 19, offered indefinite run at Em- jimmy "Savo, who passes out i bassy Club by owner Bob Barnett, if he can Obtain permission from Ministry of Labor. : Irving Tishman offered month's work at Roxy, New York, for Easter campaigns for Metro's next batch of film releases. The Jack Kapps (Decca) to Eu- rope again in June. Ditto the Jock Lawrences and General Royl Lord (retired). latter planning a leisure- ly European motor trip. Lord is w.k. in show biz. ' Max Rosoff, Times Square res- taurateur, celebrating, his 50th anni in business this season,-claims' his eatery has been on the Stem longer Rome By Helen McGiH Tubbs Director Mike Warshinsky left Rome , to visit Paris for a few weeks. Charles Moses, Gregory Ratoff's Rome representative, has returned from San Remo Parnell's Palladium pantomime "Cinderella," opens in Tom Ar- nold's ice show, "Stars On Ice," opening in Coventi-y March 28, with six months' provincial tour to follow. Act replaces Cairoli Bros. Paul: Stein is going back to his first love—producing: stage musi- cals, which he used to do in Ger- many some 25 years ago. He's to produce Hans May's filmusical, "Waltz Time," which he made for Lou Jackson's Anglo-American Films in 1945. Show will star Janet - .u 4. i. u -- - I Mihail Rasumny, has resumed than any other restaurant bearing | work in the film, "Pirates of I Hamilton-Smith and John Har name of its owner. , Capri," after his illness. . greaves, and is already booked for Saul E. Rogers, film attorney and 1 "Fabiola," Italian epic film ' 32 weeks, opening in Leicester former veepee of Fox Film Corp.,, opens simultaneously at the Bar- 1 April 18 under Lee Epliraim's di- to succeed S. Arthur Glixpn as i berini. Metropolitan, Plaza and ' rection. gresJident of the Cinema Lodge of Supercinema theatres^ Maria Michi, Italian actress seetT in "Open City" and "paisah," left for Glasgow, Where she will re- present Italian films at the film festival. Italian newspapers filled with anti-American articles using Hoily- B'nai B'rith. Glixon, in turn, be comes prez of the B'nai B'rith met- ropolitan council. Mrs. Arthur Schwartz (former Kay Carrington, legit actress) is another who, .when she dines out with her producerrcomposer-hus band, brings her own cooking | wood stars as examples of the utensils and dietic food because of , average American on divorce, alco- the "rice diet' (for hypertension) holism etc ' ■ which she took while curing at ~ '■ Duke U. hospital. Harry Brandt named entertain- ment committee chairman for the N; Y. City Cancer Committee for the fourth consecutive year. As- sisting him during the organiza- tion's $1,250,000 fund raising drive that starts April 4 will be Frank White,: Earl Wilson, Lawrence. W. Lowman, Ted Huslng and Brock Pemberton Geza Radvanyi, director-producer of "Somewhere in Europe," has returned from two* weeks in Paris, where the premiere for "Some- where" was held. Philadelphia By Jerry Gaghan , Ann McGormack ■ (Mi-s. > Jackie -i . , , Coogan), is headliner on new Efn- Twentieth-Fox director Joseph: bassy Club show +iiu L. Mankiewicz wound up shooting I The Four Tunes, currently at backgroimri scenes in N Y. for hi.s Lou's Moravian Bar, have been "House nt Strangers" Monday (7) ,1 signed by Manor Records and reiv.nc.d the same day to the Zanzibar Cafe, one of leading Coast to supervise the start of edit- Negro spots here, sold bv 'owners ing on the film. Accompanying I Dick and Bob Walls to a syndicate hira were co-stars Susan Hayward! Artie Shaw slated to appear at limsterdam By Den Berry Chanteuse Lys Gauty here from Paris for guest one-nighter at Ex- tase nitery. Strassburger Circus again in Carre theatre with a completely new program. French Ballet des Champs Ely^ sees group playing season at the Stadsschouwburg^ Open-air 1,000 seater in Wittter- swijk, near the German border, set to open in May. Local songwriter Johnny Steg- gerda doing song and piano act with Belgian singer Nina Clere in City theatre stageshow. Jolian Kaart's Dutch-language production of Avery'. Hopwood's "The Model Husband" preemed at Kleine Komedie theatre and got good reviews. Mexico City and Richard Conte man Milton Krasner. and camera- Cleveland By Gleen C. Pullen Harry Weiss, local 20Ui-Fox llack, joined Ohio Ad Agency. Phil Basch, Skybar Club co- owner,, recovered from . operation. Sokatch - Habat Tune - Mixers, Decca-recorders, moved into Bowl Ballroom as, new house band, Harry Weiss, local promotion man for 20th-Fox exchange, re- signed to join Ohio Ad Agency, Academy of Music here April 20 as guest soloist with the Philadelphia Pops Orchestra. Bosh Pritchard, crooning half- back for pro-grid champion Phila- delphia Eagles, signed for disk jockey show over WDAS. Ben Hollander sold the Plaza Hotel and the Palm Room to two newcomers in local night club biz, Leon Wanger and Al Leeman. Golden Slipper, Philadelphia's first all-Jewish night club, opens March 15. Jennie Goldstein, Yid- dish stage veteran, heads initial show. MaHon Hutton's illness in At- lantic City forced her to leave the Meg.Randall and Richard Long, . irom Universal lot, here for one' Jack Carson unit, her place being day to plug film, "Life of Hlley." ; taken by Yvette when show opened Twentieth Grotto circus, pro-1 at Earle. By D. L. Grahame Manuel Salinas the new WB office manager. ■ Ann BaJctcr and parents visiting ihere and in Acapulco. Americo Rosenbergcr, Par man- ager, back from a swing of the provinces. Cantinflas (Mario MorenoV inked by Juan Guthman for a pic in Buenos Aires/ Alfred Holguin, SRO manager here, to Central America and Co- lombia on biz trip. Magician Barnum opened well at the Teatro Eabregas March 4 at a 75c (U.S.) top. Felipe Mier, of Mier y Brooks, pic producing-distributing firm, back from a biz trip to Central America. Felipe Gregorio Castillo has quit as chief of the Miuisti-y of tlie Interior's radio department to devote himself to pix. He's an ex- chief film censor. Loss of $1,000,000 (U.S.) to producers and studios on the 82 pix produced Idst year indicates that production this year won't exceed that ofi 1948. Indie pic distributors association formed here. Members are mostly distributors of European pix, chiefly French, Spanish and Italian, of which they say they have big s|pcks. Dublin By Maxwell Sweeney Tenoi' Frank Ryan back after U.S. tour. Maurice O'Brien leaving soon for tour in Germany. Warbling team of MoUie and Melda Davey sailed for N.Y. Singer-accordionist Phyllis Pow- er skedded for Paris cabaret date this summer. Liam O'Laoghaire. to London to: edit two road safety filmis made for Irish government. "Ask for Me To-Morrow," new play by Ralph Kennedy, inked for Abbey production this season. ■ Tommy Watson, general sales manager Gaumont-British instruc- tional films, back to London after visit. Jarlath Goldsmith, assistant to Morton Spring, vice - proxy - of Loew's International, here on short visit. «. Angela Lansbury expected to visit Belfast relations, when on coming honeymoon . with Peter Shaw. : Maureen Dclaney pacted for BBC video showing of Lennox Robinson's "Drama at Inish," March 17. ■ , , Glyndebourne. Opera Co. has inked for a one-week stanza, com- plete with symphony concerts; in Belfast, starting Oct. 24. Merian C. Cooper laid up with virus flu. w ;W«n Jane Wyman awarded plaque hv Seventeen mag. ^ "J Tim Holt to Oklahoma Citv tn ride in a rodeo. " Robert Montgomery leavinu England May 15. ^'^ Billy De_Wolfe booked at Palmer House, Chicago, in May. ^ Ralph Morgan going to London next summer in a legit show Charley Hogan in from Chieaeo to set bookings for Oriental ffi tre there. June Havoc and spouse, BHi Claude Jarman's new minor con. tract with Metro approved by L A superior court. ' Gordon HoUingshead to Balboa on a four-month leave of absence from Warners, . , Francis Sullivan arrived from east for a spot in "The Red Danube" at Metro. ^ Peter Lind Hayes and Maiv Healy signed for four weeks at Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, start- ing March 24. Johnny Hyde vacationing in Phoenix. William Morris agency bossman Abe Lastfogel due to go there the end of this month. George Jessel's footprints were immortalized in cement in forecourt of Grauman's Chinese theatre as "America's Toastmaster General" Washington Zurich By George Mczoefi Italian singer Tito Schipa on Swiss concert tour. Schauspielliaus preparing preem of Carl Zuckmayer's new play, "Barbara Blomberg." Original Paris version of Sar- tre's "Les Mains Sales," " with Francois Perier, set for Schau- spielliaus, Zurich, and other Swiss cities;; ■ French screen and stage stars Victor Francen and Elvire Popesco starred in old comedy by Jacques Duval, "Tovarich," at Kongress- haus, Zurich. U, S. trumpeter Bill Coleman, sax-player Don Byas, vocalist and dancer Pops Whitman, French pianist Bernard Peil'fer and en- semble of four gave a jazz concert at Kongresshaus, Zurich. By Florence S/Lowe Annual Shrine Circus for charity skedded for March 28 at Uline's Arena. ■■■■ Hildegarde, current click at Statler Hotel's Embassy Room, will highlight Invitation preem at Eagle Lion's "Saraband" at Playhouse this week. Belle Penstock, wife of J. C. Brown, Metro newsreel boss here, presented "Hebrew Rhapsody," her latest musical opus, at world preem in town last week. Burgess Meredith feted by Brit-: ish Ambassador Lord Franks aiid Lady Franks at an Embassy parlv 1 before invitation screening of "A Yank Comes Back," short that Meredith made for British govera- ment. Chicago Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr., doing repeat dates around Chij featuring his travelogues. Jack Irving, regional aGVA head, in N.Y. confabbing with na- tional AGVA toppers. Mary Small,--singer currently-at Chez Paree, stays on two additional weeks, keeping her off her TV show in N. Y. ' Jascha Heifetz, Artur Rubin- stein and Gregor Piatigorsky slated for appearances here at Ravinia concerts, which open June 28. Chi Sun Times columnist Irv Kupcinet due back from a quickie junket to Israel, via Paris, Mar- seilles and Rome, with a Chi UJA group. Miami Beach By Lary Solloway Jane Froman and Jerry Lester into Copa City March 13 following Ted Lewis' run. Musicians union and AGVA.will stage benefit show, all coin going to welfare funds, Maurice Schwartz, sunning at Delano, following personal appear- ance at Plaza theatre. Emile Boreo into. Club 22* which in trying mixed show£ policy with the Hot Shots on same bill. Audio Murphy expected with Wanda Hendrix for Variety Club preem: of 'Bad Boy" March 15.: Proceeds go to South Florida Chil- drens Home, the tent's own proj- ect,:. ■ • Scotland By Gordon Irving Albert Burden, English comic, heads revue,^'Paradise Parade," at Gaiety, Ayr, with Karina, Vadie and Hertz. Vet cinema pioneer and show- man, Albert Ernest Pickard, host to 120 film men at 75lh birthday junket to Glasgow. Jack ; Anthony heads summer company, with tenor Robert Wil- son, at Empire, Edinburghj for six- week stint July 11. Harry Gordon,- Scot comic, re- turns after summer trip to states for Christmas panto at Alhambta, Glasgow. Tom Arnold has option on Gordon for two more years.' ■ Vienna Alpenfilm inked Curd Juergens! as director. Cilli Loewinger, 72, wellknO%n actress, died. Trude Marlen off to Hollywood on Metro contract. State Opera to Paris during latter part of March. Willi Forst to Zurich to put finishing touches on , "Vienna Girls." Fihn was started during war. Austrafia By Eric Gorrick Cecil Marks, London Films gen., sales mgr., visiting New Zealand. Martin Spring, Loew exec, hud- dling with Metro's local topper, Bernie Freeman. , Arthur Collins' Aussie-made pic, "Strong Is the Seed." gets preem via the Fullers at Majestic, Ade- laide. ■ . Tom Shenton, makeup man from Ealing, London, here to work on "Bitter Springs" under Ralph Smart. Noel Coward's ^'Present Laugh- ter" will tour New Zealand for Fuller - Carroll. Peter Grey is starred. Joey Porter playing in the Olsen-Johnson ' show, "Hellza- poppin'" in Perth for indie pro- ducer Harry Wren." Peter Dawson, who operates the indie 456-sealer Savoy, Sydney, has replayed Disney's "Fantasia no less than six times. Herschell Stuart, National Thea- tres' rep attached to Hoyts' cinema loop, much-improved since stricken some months ago with heart ai- Harry Walker lias quit Post of general sales manager at 20th-i',o^ on doctor's orders lo relax irom high-pressure work for a span, i^" successor named. Wn Peter Grey, British aclor v,Do clicked In Noel Coward's "Piestm Laughter" in Melbourne, is star; ring in "Distinguished Gathering at Majestic, Adelaide, for we Fuller-Carroll combo. Ralph Smart, British director attached to Ealing, planed in w Sydney to set production plj"? next pic to go on the floor at ns^ wood with Tommy Trinder ano Chips Rafferty. Yam, written »> Smart, ii Utled "Bitter Springs-