Variety (May 1950)

Wednesday, May S, 1950 Carol Irwin, radic^TV producer, in Lenox Hill hosp. Vet agent Billy Jackson recu^ perating at home after bout with pneumonia. Leslie F. Whelan, ad'-pub direc- tor for 20th-Fiox International, back from a European junket. Colonel James Franey; head ^ of United Wbrld Films, recuperating in Lenox Hill hospital following ''surgery^:, Maurice Evans Is speaking ^ at Townr Hall, N, V., this momingj (Wed.) at 11 a.m. on “Shakespeare^ in the News.” ; Talent agency exec Nat C. Gold- stone : here from the Coast with his wife before going the Kenr tucky Derby; ; Frank S; Nugent, former N.^ if. Times .film critic, vacationing here after 10 years of Hollywood script- ing and maig writing. Doug :Rothacker celebratihg 40th anni of family in film biz with cock- tail party and buffet supper at Toots Shores May 12.; Meyer Davis to . White Sulphur Springs to conduct his orchestra for The CJreenbriark anniversary party Saturday (6).. , : Harry Michalson, mrez of RKG- Fathe,. expected back at his desk in about six Weeks fbllowihg a long convalescence in Florida. Hiller Inhes, Paramount eastern production exec, is guest speaker today (Wed.) at Abbey Theatre school, with theatre history' his: : subject.---" Eugene Zukor, ParamqUnt, oXec, and his wife bif for Mexico on a combined, vacation ahd 30th Wed<^ ding anniversary trip.-. They return - in., two -weeks.: . T. • NeWman . Lawler, of O’Brien, Driscoll, Raftery & Lawler.^ Vshbw biz legal film, in Florida for couple weeks recupinig from attack of mi- graine headaches. • David Dent, son of Arthur Dent, prer of . Adelphi Films, Ltd,, of London, returned to Britain last week after a. short stay in town to look for product. , * Caswell Adaihsi former N. Y. spbrtswriter and United Artists publicity man^. handling ' press chores for Jack Ellis’ Crest Films, Latter’s Italian “Heart and Soul” next into Little Cinemet: Jacques Kopfsteih, exec-veepee of Astor Pictures, sails tomorrow (Thursday) bn the lie de France for a productrhunting: swing through Europe.: Returns in July. ’ Emanuel D. Silverstone^ ‘veepee of 20thh>Fox interndtiohai,. planed from New York Sunday (30) on a twcHmonth swing through the com- pany’s liatin-American territories, . Michael O’Shea, legit p.a. mak- ing his screen debut in Laiircl Films’ “Mr. Uniyerse/’ changed his name to Sean O’Shea to avbid conflict With the Hollywood Mi ehael O’Shea. Laurel Films put its “Mr. Uni verse”-before cameras Monday (1) at Sunnyside Gardens, Queens, with 178 extras working as the crowd for the wrestling comedy. Will shoot Jack Carson-rstarrer there about 10 days, then move to Fox-Movietone Studiosi. Dario Sbria, of D’Arcy agency . and Cetra-Soria Records, and his wife, Doric Jarmel. vpress head for Columbia Artists Mgt, flying to Rome Friday (5) for two-^month biz and pleasure trip. Norton V. Ritchey, prez of Mohbgram International Corp„ planed to London hfonday (1) on a periodic survey of the British . and cOntinenial markets. He’ll be away about two weeks. . Film actor Richard Conte and . director Ted Tetzlaff shoved off for Miami yesterday' (Tues.) for loca- tion shooting oh Universal’s “Un- der the Gun.” Pic to be shot al- most entirely in Florida., Film companies o.b.ing a new film script ■ oh WAVES ih India cooked up by Arthur Knight, head of ’the' Dramatic Workshop’s film dept, and'SOhny LeGlaire, traffic manager for station WFDR. Legit stager Paul Crabtree directing dialog for “St. Benny the Dip,”: which went before the cam^ eras in New York last week ibl Edward J. and Harry Lbe Dan- zigbr, with Dick Haymes and Roland Young starred.V Harry McWilliams, Columbia exec, elected president of Astoci- ated Motion Picture Advertisers, with “Hap” Hadley named veepee; Lige Brien, Eagle - Lion exploita- tion chief, treasured; and; Mar- jbrie Harker, March. bf Time. seC- - -retary. Emlyn- Williams, British play^ Wright-actor, pUhed in from Holly:^ wood Friday (2$) after making two plx for I. G. Goldsmith’s Gloria Productions. He heads for Lon- don shortly to start rehearsals for hts new play/“Accolade,” in which he’ll star.' • . Eleanor Holm (Mrs. Billy RoSe) discovered j rather belatedly that the flock of Swimming medalk ;she won during her Olympic career are not the pure gold and silver, as was represented, and that Uie special mountings, framesi etc, for her trophies far exceeded in cost the intrinsic value of the alloy medallions. By Maxlihe de Beix \ Blvdr Montparnasse) Joe Hummel still in. Germany.^ ; John Spiers here as assistant to Harry Novak. : . - Maurice Lancaster over from London for a couple of dbys. , Franchot Tone in town checking on the run of his i>ic» “ThC Man on the Eiffel Tower,, • Bing Crosby at the Ritz, and on to St. Cloud for some golf mth George Cbleihan. ^ The James Masbns to Barcelona after a quick looksee of Paris; and due back in five weeks. , Stan Laurel and Jane Morgan recording sketches in French fbr Radiodiffusion Francalse,' Irene Duiine in. from /London with hubby for a l<)bksCe,'^and then heading back to star in “The Mudr lark.*- For the first tinie iii Europe $ full-length Chinese film, “The Forr bidden Villager’ is opening at tbe Spanish crix giyiiig the kudo for best actress of the year to. Ingrid Bergman, for her / thesping in “Joan of Arc,^ . Danny Kaye passing through on way to . the Riyiera* tb star in “Riviera Story” with Gecile Aiibry arid Mlcheline Presle.: . . : PieCre' Louig-CIuerin-s latest im- pbrt^ ”Skating Vanities,” getting a tremendous reception at Palais des Sports, attended by a lot of celebs. John Nasht to London for a cou- ple of days before starting; bn his 13 TV; shorts program here with French taleiit emcend by jack Buebanah. By Jerry Gaghaii Frank Palumbo elected to mem- bership in the Sbngwriters Pro- tective Assn. = Eddie Liebermah, local clothier, is opening a nitery in Atlantic City, to feature Harlem-type re- vues pearl Buck spoke oyer WCAU- TV for Television Women’s Club program oh ‘'Help for the Retard- ed Child.” Jack LaHue, film actor and. TV star, will be added attraction this weekend at Lexington Casino, local nitery. - A unique exhibit at the.A.F. of L’s. Union Industry Show (May 6- 13) is a theatre turned inside out, put up by Philly local of lATSE. Lorraine DuFeeh was brought in Thursday iZK) to replace Jehe • Far- nay, when the Embassy Club singer was unable' to go on due to a bad cold;;./--: . ■ Ed Sullivan, awarded plaque hy St. James High School Parcnls Assn., of Chester, Pa., for his newspaper cplumn of advicb to youngsters, ’“Listen Kids,” and “high Ibvel of entertainment on his teleYisioh program.” Nelson Eddy received an honor- ary degree from Temple Univer- sity at fourth anhqal Mu.sic Con- vocation last week. Eddy is fourth musical artist to be cited by Tem- ple, others, being Efrem Zimbalist, Richard . Crooks and Eugene Or- mandy. ; Ben Henry back from South Africa; WalWr L. BbsweU in from South Africa to bobk acts for his cir- cuits, “Young Wives’ Tale” celebrates its 350th performance next Mom day .:(8)., ^ Sidney A. Myers, assistant man- aging director of British Lion, hos- pitalized^ Leo iPuld to Paris for a week to 'fix series of ebneerfs. in France for the autumn.; Open-air ; theatre season ^ starts in Regent’s Park May 2S with “The Winter Tale,” / Tom Arnbid; putting on -‘‘Ilose Marie bn Ice” with a cast of 200 at the Harrihgay Arena in July. Noel CoWard’s new- musical opens' in Manchester mid-May and Wiil be on the load six to seven weeks before coming to the West Seaton Of international ballet opens at the Coliseum tomorrow (4). Repertoire includes the Swed- ito modernist Julian Algo’s piece, “Visions/’.-. S, A,. Goriinsky has jUst fixed the first provincial .tour of Margot. Fonteyn and Robert Helpmann to do One and two night stands. Team opens, at Tunbridge Wells June 2. Freda. Trepel, Canadian pianist, here bn concert tbur. Will play in Uondon, Glasgow and Manchesler, after which she goes to Holland. Scandinavia, Rome,; Paris and Brussels. ■' • / -: V x'/ "Maxwell Settbn and Aubery Baring, co-direCtOrs of Mayflower Productions, planed out. for a three-month location iii South Africa^ with Dennis Price. Jack Hawkins and Peter Hanimond. - Dirbetor Roy Bakes and art dir rector Vetechinsky off to Nice, Genoa, and Trieste eyeing, back- ground scenes for Margaret Lock- wood's “Highly Dangerous,” which starts rolling at PinewQod June 1, Miami Beach By Lary Solloway: Lord Tarietoh shuttered for summer. Gary Morton heads new show at Clover'Club. ^ Kiwanis convention expected to hypo niteiy and cafe-lounge; biz .next;, weekend.' Roney -Plaza closed down for next six months. Jean Carroll and Sonny Howard set for hew show at Five OUlpck Club opening May 11. Ben Tobin, bw*'^*' of l^bllywOod Beach hotel, big investor in “Peter Pan/’ the new Broadway hit. By John Qiilnn Fairyland Park Opens for season this week Willie Shore at El Casbah of Bellerive hotel, , Virginia Sale here last week makihg a personal at Woman’s .City-Club. DriVe-In t h e a t r e s throughout area taking it. oh chin from un.- seasonally chillish weather.; Jack Benny and gang set for ohe-nighter in Muny Auditorium May 17 with John Antonello Ageh- cy handling. . Dr, John NeWfield of University of Kansas City Playhouse: .carrying on tylth “Merchant of Vehieh’’ hro- ;d;uction dei5pito severe leg injury; Las Yezas Sion, featuring Zachary Scott, Veronica Lake and Arturo de Cor^ doba, and a Spanisli version, Oast of which de Cordoba heads, is fig- ured to cost in all $346,000. By Maxwell Sweeney Herbert Wilcox and. Anna Nea- gle in on brief vacation; . Michael MacLiammoir to judge Kerry Drama Festival in June, Former Abbeylte Kitty Curling in on yaCatibni from Philadelphia. Jim Provost named chief stage designer for Dublin Theatre Royal. Joseph Griffith, asst features Officer of Radio Eireann, to Rome for floly Year pilgrimage. Abbey Theatre’s managing, direc- tor Ernest Blythe to.Reykjavik to Open Icelandic Nati(mal Theatre. Warbler Vera Montgomery hos^ pitalized with bums when her dress Caught fire In dressing-room at Dublin Theatre Royal. ; - Following completion of prop- erty deals on Las Vegas resort strip, construCtloh of two new hotels will be announced soon. Both will be in market for class floor shbw material, making seven spas here all competing for enter- taiinmeht. V • * . Art Force, Detroit, Newark and N. Y; riewspaperman. replaced Dick Day as publicity director for Hotel Last Frontier. MiltDeutsch, former Coast manager for. As-] sOCiated'/Booking Corp., employed by same hotel. as managing direc- tor . of ' town’s newest showplace, the Frontier Village; Debut of Wilbur Clark’s Desert Inn drew • mahy top Hollywood celebs including jack .Benny, Ab- bott & Costello, Victor Mature, Corinne Calvet, Yvohile De Carlo, Van, Heflin/ Lois; Andrews and Evelyn Keyes plus^ host bf news-- men. Clark footed all bills includ- ing transportation. Biggest hotel opening in town’s history. / Current shows in town include Edgar Bergen with Vivian Blaine and .Les Charllvels at Desert Inn; the Ravens, backed by Arthur Blake plus Cedric & :Algy :at Thun- derbird; Martha Raye and the Guardsmen at the Flamingo; Charles Fredericks, Ollie Franks and Estelle Sloan at Last Frontier; Carl Ravazza at: El Rancho Vegas the Jaywalkers. By Russell Splane Yoshikb Yamaguchi, femme film star, planed to Honolulu for a three-months tour bf Hawaii and the-U'S/;-; .• ;Alex Coblan, sales rep for Dis- ney; and Sam Goldwyn,; is in Tokyo sweating out a chafige iii occupa- tion rules; which will permit im- port of U. S. films without, going through the Motion .Picture Export Assn. Change is believed iifimi- ;nent George P. Breakstoh, of; the in- die Breakston-McGowan ProduCr tiohs outfit, arrived froni the Coast with his wife and daughter to ex- plore film-making prospects in Japan; Producer has . a script, “Tokyo File 212/’ a spy melo- drama, which he hopes; to make here with Nipponese talent. Setsutarb Kohayashi, head of the Fuji Photo Film Cb., japan’s larg- est producer of film stock, off to the U. S, for a three-months visit to Rochester and the Coast; to study American film production. Fuji firm is interested in color film Which it hbpes to produce and process soon on a commercial scale, jap pic industry so far has made no tinters. By L. Grahaiiie Virginia . Fabregas,; 57 years a trouper,, hospitalized with a broken leg. Tbmas Milmo, impresario, of the Cine Alameda, deluxe cinema herev has hooked /?Stromb61i’’ (RKO) for June. Sahtiagbi Reach! has inked “Can- iinflas” (Mario Mbtono), top comic, exclusively for , video. Reachi is prez of Pbsa Films, producer of the comic’s pix. Pic producers JesuS Grovas, M^uricio de la Serna and Eduardo Quevedo will represent Mexicb at the Spianish-American film cohven- tioh in'Madrid in'May. Felipe Gregorio Castillo, ex- chief pic censor, and Leonora Amar, Brazilian filin' actress, have organized Producciones Sol,, a pic producing company, here. . Local amusement -biz faces air most total crippling with a general electricians’- strike skedded for May 16. Pic studibs may be shut- tered by the * strike as not only their electricians but the players belong, to 'the National Electricians Confederation. First pic of new producers, Film- adbra: Tnterhacibnal, “Furia Roja” (“Red Fury”), in an English ver- “Under Capricorn” (WB) fine in Italian preem at Ariston. British dancer, Margot Fonteyn, here for Scala ballet program. : * Josephine Baker and her troupe packing them in at the Nuovo the- atre. Rosario and Antonio, dance team, gave three sellout perform- ances at Teatro Odeon. Vincent Korda in town as tech- nical adVitor to latest De Sica' film, “Miracolo a: Milano,” now shooting here. ' . Milan International Trade Fair has packed all hotels here and in nearby Como, despite the tradi- tional rainy weather. Gbleen . Gray, George Raft and Binnie Barnes have arrived in San Remo to start work on “I’ll Get You for This,” to be filmed on Italian Riviera in and near San Remo, Joseph Kaufman 1$ pro- ducing. Duke Ellington, Xavier Cugat and Benny Goodman are due here with, their orchestras, for May dates. Cab Calloway is slated for an August opening at the Teatro Lirico, and Artie Shaw may follow in late summer. George Montgomery underwent a tonsilectomy. June Allyson recovering from minor surgery. fvan Volkman recovering from an Operation on his knee; Danny Thomas in town after a whirl at ^London Palladium. Cbarlea Laughton and Elsa Lan- chester became American citizens Robert H. Dahn resigned as gen/ eral counsel for Vanguard Films, s; Otto Lang left for Tokyo to shoot backgrounds for “Call Me Mister.”- ' Alin Miller to New Orleans for Variety Clubs: international coh- vehtion; Gordbri MacBae to Washington for U, S, Chamber of Commerce cofiventibn^ : Two, Bills, Pine aiid Thomas, left bn a tour of eight cities to plug: Cornel Wilde rejoined “Trumpet to Morn” troupe after a week out with eye infection. Jim/ Mahan ankled Fox West Coast real estate department and bought half interest in Encino Inn. Wiiliam Perlberg vand ’ George Seaton awarded medals by the Air Foi^e for producing and directing “The Big: Lift” Oldtimers ahd. n ewe 0 iti e r s showed up Sunday (30) fbr Mack Sennett Aiumni Assn.’s t h i r d annual outdoor party out at Donald Douglas ranch near Chatsworth, By Florence S. Lowe Van Johnson in town briefly en route to Winchester, Va., Where he marshalled the Apple Festival. Sid L. Schwartz, former chief sCrIpter for the Air Force; motion picture unit, and author of prize \yinning“Operations Vittles,” is now scripter for film services bf U.S. Dept, of Agriculture. Clare Booth: Luce, • in town tb speak at dinner honoring Father Gilbert . Hartke, of Catholic U, reveals she has authored a new play “Love is a Verb,” writteh“at insistence , bf Father Hartke,” The late Damien Parer; Para- mount- news lentor, listed on • a plaque honbring 25 Pacific Theati'e correspondents which wab accepted last week by Pres. Truman in behalf of National Press Club. • Spike Jones booked fbt^ single night at Auditorium, ; Drive-ins starting operations, with snow still hanging around. Gatineau Club dickering with Oscar Peterson, Montreal boogie pianist. Canadian Repertory Theatre, Canada’s only permanent profes- sional rep. company, doing well with top bills. Curreht is “Eliza- beth Steps .Out;” following .“Har- vey” and “springtime for Henry. Charlie A a ron, dancef-singer, heads new show at Golden theatre^ restaurant.'- Lippert Productiohs on location; in Garsoii City for “Traiii Robbei j Of; Tucsoii.’’ ; Christopher Lynch, ' tenor, can- celled April 29 concert to fly* to mother’s funeral in Ireland. George Platls brings, his; disk. show to KOH (NBC) from Twin Falls' KLIX. Runs 11 p.m. to mid*/ night/. Buddy Baer leaves his new dovmtown casino - restaufant for Rome ahd a small part in Metro’s “Quo Vidis,” filming there. ABC’s KWRN turned off its FM; Lake Tahoe officially rolls* out its beaches June 15. Some clubs doing weekend business now. Cal l^eva kicks off Juqe 1. Mapes Sky Room playing singer Billy Daniels. Co-showlng is Anita Martell, English comedienne and juggler.: Fitzpatrick’s orch, here since Dec. 28, Off to Friseb this month for opening at Mark Hop- kins, May 16. Across, the - Truckee river from the Mapes, the heW Riverside Ca- sino nightclub is under fast con- struction. Opening date set for July .1. Ted Lewis set for the christening. Owner Mert Wert- heimer in the east linihg up more talent. By Eihii W. Maass . Guido Toerbek, 58, Well-known actor, died. . Composer Albwt Hacke honored oh his 80th birthday by City of Vienna- Dagmar Rom,s ski champion, inked by Wolfgang Gbrtner for a short sport film. Kiba,. Vienna city-bwhed film company, building a modern 1,000 seater in Salzburg. Viktor Zauner,' 79, owner of famed cafe in Bad Ische, meeting place of prominent art people, died, Richard Strauss, Jr., grandson of thb late composer, inked _ by Gratz city theatre to do settings /tor “Daphne.” ■Max Reinhardt'S Ring of Honor awarded by Josefstadt Theatre for this year to Adrienne Gestoer and Gustav Waldau; v- Bregenz Festival will open this year With operetta .“Gasparone^, with Anni Konetzny and Willy Domgraf-Fassbaender in lead. . Two heretofore unperformed pperas produced' by Austrian Ra^ dio^Franz Schubert’s “Claudiue and Tschaikbvsky’s ‘ • Jolbnthe.” / By Abe Berger ; / ;; Rercy Grainger; in for recital. The Stylists cpinedy trio a Hooks Lounge. r Bob Hughes, singing emcea. opened modernized Show Time .Club.". Square Dancing, Hill BBly Burlesque are only spots doing big buriness on southw'estern circuila* Spyros SkoUras, 20th-Fox prexy» stopped in Dallas With Mrs. Skoii* ras after plane jaunt from Mcxice City^. :,/ Bill Pine and. Bill Thomas wiU bring battery of -actors in tmj week for opening of “Eagle and the Hawk.” "