Variety (April 1950)

MISCELLANY Cecil Bv DeMille, as spokesman4^ for the .Screen Directors Guild, re-* asserted yesterday. (Tues.) SDG's claims of jurisdiction over all direc- tors of both live and filmed video showsi He claimed TV directors, i. working with ^'actiori moving j But Not as in across a screen, Hollywood,; April actually provide ' Al JolsOn will sing again for Cor Buchmaii TV Ideas; 1-Man Shoiv William Morris, Jr;, - has been huddling With Eddie Cantor on a aeries of concerts at the Mosque, the SDjGr will invoke Section 9 of, son Sings Again, the Labor Management Relations Project calls for a (Tontiniiation Act of 1947, which he described as i of Jolson’s life story with Larry the clause originally set up to pro-; parks starring again. This time vide for such a move. ' Jolson will appear on the. screen, CSpokesmen for the Radio-Tele-1 but not as-himself. He will-play a vision Directors Guild labeled the ‘ character part While Parks is piay- DeMilie statement as pa^^ of a ; ing Jolson, mammoth publicity barrage being laid down by the SDG to ease its way into video. Presaging a juris- dictional battle, RTDG Claimed it aiready has contracts* personnel and jii)risdictidh over videp, direc- tors, While the SDG i.s not certified, , RTDG asserted \it has contracts, with the four mkjor TV networks in New York and that 36 of 45 di- rectors on the Coast are niemberS ■-OuUlJS^SliG'^at.anent of Newark; Orchestr^ Hall, Chicago; policy at a press conference In the i ^^''hapnionic Anditoriurn, Los An- Hotef Plaza; N. Y., DeSHlle said I ge'e;''- and. the like.s^mcludmg ar- the Guild Will include In its mem- moties and large school^ auditorl- bership screen directors, TV dtpec- ums. Jhe chek of Cgntor s, ope- tors; assistants and floor managers, at New Yorks .Carnegie ■‘The statement has been made,” he P^il».the comedian added, “that we can expect the as^, interested^in confining ;his person- tronomical total of more than 20 ,-|als to that, kind,Pf tour, Hpgets 000,000 TV receivers in American $2,500 from cplleges like William homes. This is a staggering figure Mary. Oklahoma A&M, Nwver- because of the potential it creates 'f'ty pf Arizona, andfhe like, chdrg- for the motion picture industry.” students 75c^top, and doing He emphisized, however, that two shows if necessary, where the nothing in his statement "is meant. capacities are overtaxed. He would to suggest or indicate or prophesy rather play Hpnter College or (Continued on page 54) | CCNY.jn New York than Broad- w^ay. The idea of doing a Mau- rice Ghevfilier,” that is, a run at a Broadway legit house as. the i French star did three years ago, IH?!! AC I171IT DACCDC—been proposed to Cantor but Llrb Uf rlllX KUllCKiJ ^he discarded it as too strenuous. . He winds up for Eversharp- Schick June 1, as emcee of the “Take It or Leave It” radio show, and will bear down on his tele- WB INKS DEAL TO DO Hollywood, April 4. Warners inked deal with mem bers of his family to screen the Whll Rogers Stoij, based on an contract with NBC in the origmal by the widow which Studio ; fall jje prefers to alternate with one or two other comedians on a 1950-51 prod^uct schedule. Deal de- sg.^eek schedule, doing only 13 tails^ are not divulged hut it s un-! ^f the cycle. Paul Warwick derstood to include a heavy ad- : (& Legier) has been talking to him, yance payment plus percentage of behalf of Pabst, who long want- u 11 rr ru « u u ^ ^^htor .for TV, hut resulting in . MitphelL Hamilburg, who has ; the comedian refusing to accede to sponsor’s idea of a weekly of the Rogers estate for the last g^i-tes ^ montha, conducted negotiating : cantor accents that If' sponsors years ago, and took an option. Dur-j Continued on page 52) ing interim, Will Rogers, Jr., test-1 ed for the role but Warners finally ; p i nnv kVJQ kP k til let the option lapse. Hamilbiirg l.uAKRl 1/AVliJ AuAIN took over four months ago to re-1 - viVe deal, and sWuhg It. ! Mitchdl Bill Extends Provisions bn Obscenity Albany, April 4. The twice-amended Mitchell bill, now. before Governor Dewey, would include wire recordings, phonograph records and motion pictures in the provisions of the penal law prohibiting sale or dis- tribution of obscene prints, news- papers, magazines, pamphlets and articles. The Brook measure, also sent to the Governor for. action, ’covers only phonograph records, photo- graphs and films, an exception on the .latter-being: for motion pic- tures licensed by the State Educa- tion Dept. : Garry Davis, 28-year-old son of bandleader Meyer Davis, got the call of Broadway quick. Delayed at Ellis Island since Thursday (30) night, and spending the entire weekend at the Government deten- tion pen for immigrants, the native-born, song-and-dance man finally cleared psychiatric, physical and loyalty tests late Monday (3) afternoon. That night he spent backstage with Ray Bolger, an old friend, at the star’s “Where’s Charley?” He didn’t go elseWhere except “drink in Broadway at s 'J ^ .i ' .■ \ 3 . s O' ' W;«diie^ay, April 5, 195a. ' ‘ ‘ ' —r - ■' ■•■ ■ ■ I : T . "•"'I WILL MAHONEY The INIMITABLE TV last night . (Tues;) oh Hie “CAVALCADE OF BANDSV With Cavroeh Cavallaro. \ Thank . you.' Mr,, Dumont and Ward for a loVely evening. , Booked By. ASSOejAtED BOOKING CORP» ♦» «=7-T .• *• . 1 His maestro-father rah an unof- ficial nitery Thursday night at the ; Davis’ 270 Park avenue home in I New York, when some 30 press (Continued oil page 60) ■ 4;'5'. Order Form Enclosed find check for $ Please send VARIETY for One Year Two Years To T • * * • • - • . (Please Print Nanie) • Street . , . . Zone. . . . RtQuIar Sui>$eriptieii Rcit«s One Yfiiir—$10.00 TW» Yt«rs..-$18.00 Cotiadp and Forci 9 n-f .$1 Addifional p«r Year 154 W«sf 4«th Street Inc. New Yerk If, N. V. Television Authority will ask the board of directors of the As- soeiated Actors^ and Artistes of America for power to negotiate wages aiid working conditions for the entire Video field if the Screen Actors Guild does .hot agree in, the next (week to compromise its posi- tion of exclusive Control aver vid- pix. ^ George/Heller, TVA national exec secretary, said since TVA's membership had already agreed on the board^s wages and hours proposals, the next step was to launch negotiations. With the possibility of SAG yielding its stand remote. TVA’s move towards a bargaining posi- tion with video outlets threatens to touch off a hot jurisdictional war between the east arid west guilds. Presently, TVA has no au^ thority to negotiate pacts with any network, iridie station or video producer. The 4A’s however,, will undoubtedly grant TVA such pow- er in view of the fact that the 4A’s board comprises reps of five Out of the seven guilds supporting the TVA setup. SAG has alreadj) warned TVA that any move to take over jurist diction over actors in vidpix “would be a declaration of you (TVA) of jurisdictional war against the film guilds.” Coast guild fur--] ther stressed that film actors “will never accept any condition which would allow preformers primarily interested in the live field to have a controlling vote on , the problems of actors in motion pictures how- ever exhibited.” TVA spokesmen, however, declared that SAG's Te- fusal to mediate its position was primarily responsible for creating the current impasse, SAG, meantime, is stepping up j its negotiating activity with vidpix producers in order to be in a solid position if arid when the present “cold” jurisdictional battle turns into a “hot war.’* SAG is attempt- ing to establish an industry pat- tern in its bargaining with Hal Roach studios on the Coast. Wil- liam Holden, SAG exec, is due in New York April 10 to explore the eastern video pix situation. as In line With the current i3|ixie- land jazz revival, the “Voice of America” is . giving the two^beat rhythin a strong overseas push via shortwave broadcasts to Eu- rope, Latin Airierica arid the Far East.-'-’ ■ The State Dept.’s ' propaganda arm'' in the past few years has re- ceived rilimerous requests frorii abroad for the Dixieland musiC; Now With the jazz rhythm ; gettirig a big play in the U, Sv, “Voice” is pickihg up Various Dixieland con- certs and tape-recording them for airing abroad. . Isf Choice of “Member of the Wedding,” Car- son . McCullefs’ dramatizatiori of her own novel, has woh the N. Y. Drama Critics-; Circle award for the best play of the Broadway sea- son. The $electiori Was voted yes- terday (Tiles.), The Robert White- head* Oliver Rea and Stanley Mar- tirieau production received 17 votes, with Wiliiam Inge’s “Come Back*. Little Sheba” getting foiir, Gian-Carlo Menotti’s “The Consul” three arid thO Wili^bi Archibald- Heriry Jame^ “The Innocents” one. “The Consul,” produced by Chandler Cowles and Efrem Zim- balist, Jr., was chosdn trie best mu- sical, getting 20 votes, whilo Marc Blitzsteiii's “Regina”. and the Max- well Aridersori^Kurt Weill “Lost in the Stars” received two each. For the best foreign play of the season* T. S. Eliot’s “Cocktail Party,” pre- sented by Gilbert Miller arid Henry Sherek, was the winner with 20 votes, while the Maurice Valency-Jean Giradoux “The En- chanted” received four. Two crit- ics registered no vote for the best foreign play. ' Harold Clurman, critic of the New Republic, turned in a ballot for “Member of the Wedding,” which he directed, as the best play. However* it was merely a gesture, as he had stipulated when he joined the Circle that he should “naturally be disqualified from voting” for any show with which he might be associated. Formal presentation of , the awards, with a performance of a scene from the winning play, Will be broadcast Sunday evening* 6:45- 7:46 over WJZ* New York. VTashlrigton, April 4, The motlori picture industry v^ll be asked to set up a machinery to police its personalities, along th^ linos of the system prevailiiig in org^ized baseball, if and wiien an industry gimup ^eets here with Senator Edwin C. Johnson, of Colo- rado, ThiSr it is-uriderstppri* is the price Johrison wiU ask in exchange for dropping his film licensing bill, hi$ public hearings and the fur- ther attacks which he plarfs .to inake on Hollywood morals. Johnson arid Eric Johnston, prexy of the Motion Picture Assn, of America, secretly met iri Wash- ington, away .from Capitol Hill, about two weeks ago> the Senator is Uriderstood to have made his po- sition clear at that time. Jphri- ston .apparently brought the story to /the : Cohst with him. last week and it was the basic reason for a projected trip of company and film labor toppers to Washirigtbh for meetings with Johnson, chairman of the Senate Interstate and Foi- eigri Gbmmerce Committee. Other developments: V ■ Senator Johnson flatly denied Bob Hope Gets Delay In Morttr^l Judjgfment Montreal, April 4. . Bob Hope won the first court round last Friday (31) wheri Jus- tice Pierre Casgrairi granted him a reprieve relieving him of any obligation to appear in Montreal for questioning by the superior court. A judgment for $3*432 is currently racked up against Hope for failing to answer a summons wheri he played Montreal last year. Hope waiits to clear up his con- nection with the'case but he wants to do it through Hyman Baker, his Montreal lawyer. Original suit >vas started by! Harry Holmok against orch leader j Ina Ray Hutton a couple of years’ ago when he suffered what was termed an urisatisfactory. perform-' (Continued on page 41) j .WIVESUT ARGUMENTS PAY OFF New discussion-type program, in which a guest husband-wife team each week will compete with a regular panel comprising two other teams, has been set by NBC-TV for the Sunday night at 10:30 slot starting April 16 or 23. Title is “Answer Yes or No.” Permanent panel will irtclude Moss Hart and his wife, Kitty Carlisle, and Arlene Francis and Quentin Reynolds. (Latter two are not husband and wife. Miss Fraricis being married to actor-manager Martin, Gabel' and Reynolds to actress Virginia Peine.) The Predric Marches (Florence Eldridge) will gue$t on the initialer. Harts, plus. Reynolds and Miss Ffancis, as co- partners in the packiige, will Ciit in on the profits on a percentage basis.. Teams will aip their views bn curreiit general topics in a general discussioh format. NBC plans to sell the program to affiliate Sta- tions on a co-op basis, with Emer- sori Radio having pacted for it over, WNBT, the web’s. New York flag- sriip., Kinescope. of the show for^ audition purposes was lensed in the studios _ 9 f WJZ-TV (ABC, N.Y;) but the show was subsequently sold to NBC. joKnston pit Washingtbn, April 4. Eric Johnstbi^, Motiori ;Pic- ■ tiire Assn, of America prexy, will ask to testify for the in- dustry as soon as a date is definitely set for hearings on the film licensing bill pro- posed by Seriatpr Edwin C. Johnson of Colorado; John- ston denied published stories that Hollywood would send a delegation to the hearing. He has no plans to talk personally withi Sen. Johnson; Film industry canriot use organized baseball’s system of fining or suspending errant players because the U. S. Su- preme , Court in 1922 ruled that baseball, unlike films, is riot interstate commerce, John- ston said. Such a system would violate anti-trust laws. MPAA prez flew to New Y^oirk today (Tries.) but Will re- tiirri this evening. Publicity? that his blast against Roberto Ros- sellini, Ingrid Bergman and RKO was inspired by a desire to curb a gubernatorial boom for Frank H. Ricketson, Jr., of Denver, a Republican, who is president of Fox Inter-Mountain . T a t res. Johnson is a Derilocrat; “There is no basis of truth in that at all.” said the senator. ‘‘Hick Ricketson and r are personal friends. 1 am very fond of hirii.and he is a real top mart. To prove how friendly we are, he refused to run for. the Senate in 1948 when I was up for re-electibrii There is no feud , at all. I want to Say that I hope he thinks half as much of me as I do of him.” Johnson said he was awaiting Johnston’s return froni the Coast, so that they might “have a little visit together.*' The 'senator de- scribed the MPA president as “an able man with a fine mind” whom he liked. Apparently, even if Sen- ator Johnson goes ahead with his plans for a hearing to begin April 17, there Will be no further atr tacks Aipon the Motion Picture .Assn, topper, The Colorado solon, president of baseball’s Western League* is iiri.'- derstood to believe that an : a 11- iridustry committee---perhap.V. in- cluding members of the studio unions—could be set up io keep, the Hollywood personalities in line in their private lives. In baseba 11, the league head can fine or sus- pend a player who;; goes off the reservation. This can be done \\‘ithout blackballing, firing or abro^ gating a contract. Johnson thinks it carl also be set up to operate for the motion picture industry. Fear of the’Fedex'al labor laws and of the studio unions has caused {the studios to keep as far as pos- sible from any appearance of po- licing morals. They haye deciared they want no part of it. Last week on the Coast, Eric .Johnston a 1 so made his position clear. He said i the last thing In the World he want- A i . Paris, April 4. Actress Nicole Richard has con- fessed that her manager faked her kidnapping during: a recent inter- mission of the Grand Guignol, as a publicity stunt. rne police have charged her with i ed was to become a Czar over the complicity in the hoax, j morals of actors and actresses.