Variety (December 1950)

Depending upon a flocK of politi- cal and economic factors which can’t be predicted as yet, the disk industry will have the biggest year in its history during 1951, accord- ing to Decca prexy Milton R. Rack- mil. In forecasting the strong up- beat, however, Rackmil stressed the ‘‘iffy’’ aspects of the future domes- tic and global situation. Whatever else happens, the plat- er industry will gain from the sharp production cutbacks in other fields. Rackmil pointed out that the curtailment of such items as tele- vision sets, console radios and home appliances will force retail outlets to push platters as one of their main sources of revenue. On the bright side, Rackmil also declared that at least 3,000,000 phonograph machines, most of- them playing three speeds, had been sold during the past year. This represents, he said, a vast and continuing market for disks in the months ahead when other forms of home entertainment will not be so readily accessible. From the mu- (Continued on page 41) NBC’s Video Tribute That D.C. Music Critic Now Playing It Safe Washington, Dec. 19. Paul Hume, music critic of the Washington Post, apparently isn’t inviting further correspondence since he got the well-publicized letter from President Truman be- I cause of the pan of daughter Mar- ' garet. I In reviewing soprano Virginia I Davis’ concert here last week, Hume started his critique, “If I may venture to. express an opin- ion. . . He liked the offerings of the daughter of maestro Meyer Davis anyway. Line Up Top Stars Special one-hour tribute via wlevision to composer Richard Rodgers on his 25th year in show is being lined up for the HBC video web March 4. Show, to be titled “Richard Rodgers Caval- cade," will spotlight many of the bit tunes composed by the cleffer for Broadway musicals, in associ- mion either with the late Lorenz Hart or with Oscar Hammerstein ^d, hIS present partner. ^^^Sfam will also feature a number of the musicomedy stars Who first appeared in the Broad- way shows, several of 'Whom will be making their TV debuts. Among 3®® -^rfbntly being negotiated special one-shot are ertrude Lawrence, Mary Martin, Middleton. Soho Osato, Cel^te Holm, Dorothy Sar- noff, Jane Froman and James Mel- ton. bankrolled on NBC network by U, S. ffc ^ ’ Which will be making 3 video advertiser, Show will be aired from 9 to 10 usually occupied Show-Train for /Big Show’ New Haveii & Hart- ford Hailroad will run its first snow-tram for a non-legit produc- February when it ex- pects to take 1,500 commuters to t ^BC^s “Big Show" ni ^he Center theatre, N. Y. Railroad has special roundtrip lares for the event,>ith the radio tickets, of course, provided cuffo. Majors Nurse 257 Backlog in Case Hollywood, Dec. 19. Hollywood film studios are sit- ting pretty, as far as product is concerned, even if the Screen Writers Guild carries out its threat to strike. Eight major companies have a total of 257 features, either in the backlog, in the editing rooms or ill various stages of production. Completed films, ready for dis- tribution, number 176. In addition are 48 films in the editing process and 33 shooting. Added to that are 50 story properties, completed or nearly so. Members of the Screen Writers Guild have pledged $109,925 to date as a strike fund, in case the producers fail to agree on a new basic working agreement. Numerous checks have been re- ceived although the pledgers are not required to put up the coin unless a strike is called. Exclusive Deal Brewing NBC is in the process of nego- tiating a deal for the pacting of Margaret Truman to a longterm exclusive as ah NBC radio-TV guest star. It’s reported that she stands to make $4,000 per guest shot, “With a potential annual in- come of $200,000 if she circuits the web’s AM-video kilocycles on a bnce-a-week basis. The idea of wrapping up the ex- clusivity stems from the wide- spread reaction to Miss Truman’s recent appearancO on the Stmday evening “Big Show," when She not only held her own In the vocal departmehlt, but genefally drew kudos in the comedy department as a foil for emcee Tallulah Bank- head. By MIKE KAPLAN Hollywood, Dec. 19. Appeal to a pair of human frail- ties— the urge to make a fast buck and the desire to be a part of show business—is being made over local radio stations in a pitch to raise money for a legit show tagged “My L. A.,’’ the first show ever okayed for (Stock sale by California au- thorities. Copy makes it sound like a “blue sky" promotion, despite the state blessing and the fact that the L. A. Junior Chamber of Com- merce is one of the heavy backers of the musical. Radio drive fbr funds is the lat- est—and, the promoters hope, the last—stage in the two-and-one-half- year campaign to get the show on the boards. Response has been fairly steady in the four weeks that “My L. A." has been seeking stock buyers, and more than $100,- 000 of the needed $173,000 has now been raised. William Trenk, presi- dent of the production, reports that the show will open late in Febru- ary—if the present rate , of stock sale continues unabated. Public sale of shares, according to Trenk, is predicated upon the desire of those associated with the show to make “My L. A." a truly civic venture. And, he claims, stock is being bought in just that spirit. Virtually all of the letters enclos- ing $102 for. each unit of stock mentions the purchaser’s “joy and (Continued on page,46) CBS Rushes Hollywood,. Dec. 19. Timetable on construction of CBS’ $35,000,000 Television City on the edge of Hollywood is being moved up and site may be activated long before the pencilled unVell- Ing In the fall of ’52, Wrecking crews move in this week on Gil- more Stadium and ground breaking is slated for early next year. With the war crisis becoming in- creasingly alarming, Columbia is moving fast to beat anticipated controls on material needed for the construction and to take ad- vantage of available crafts before they are recruited for war produc-. tion. ^ Las Vegas, Dec. 19.. Paradise City is a newly formed community, on the “Strip," just south of the city limits, by which “Strip" spots expect to avoid high gambling and liquor licenses. In Paradise City are such gilded spots as the, Flamingo, Desert Inn, the I.»ast Frontier, the ThundcTbird and £1 Rancho. Levenson Three-Year Deal at $3,500 a Week Sam Levenson and CBS last week finalized a three-year non- cancellable - contract^• with the ex-teacher-turned-comic reportedly pacted at $3,500 a week. Levenson, who during the past two years spiraled into the TV big- time through his guest shots, starts a weekly half-hoiir CBS video show Jan. 27 in the Saturday 7 to 7:30 p.m. time, with Oldsmobile pick- ing up the tab. Jose Ferrer Enterprises, set up recently by the actor and two as- sociates, is said to be for the pur- pose of “activating the seven live- ly Ferrers." It will put him simul- taneously Into seven different phases of show biz. Initial venture of JFE is already under way. It is the legit revival of “20th Century,” in which Ferrer and Gloria Swanson will costar on Broadway and perhaps the road. At the same time, Ferrer and his pards are planning an indie pic, a series of record albums, a sort of autobiography, a combo radio-TV package, a nitery turn and a lec- ture tour. Ferrer would star in all of them. ' Partners in JFE are Ferrer; his attorney, Edwin M. Reiskind, and Richard Condon. Latter is a film exploitation specialist, who han- dled “Samson and Delilah" for Paramount earlier in the year and just wound up, a. chore, for pro- ducer Stanley l6:atner on “Cyrano (Continued on page 55) ^Guys and Dolls’ Plot Legal action for injunction and damages against Martin Block and station WNEW, N. Y.‘, is planned by Cy Feuer & Ernest H. Martin, producers of “Guys and Dolls," new musical comedy smash at the 46th Street, N. Y. The partners complain that Block’s broadcast of portions of the show’s story includ- ed plot situations and parts of the dialog, Feuer & Martin wired disk jockey Block, “Because of your unauthorized performance of Saturday, Dec, 16, of ‘Guys and Dolls’ songs and material, we have notified pur attorneys to Institute I suit immediately for injunction and I (Continued on page 41) With prospects of the armed forces being enlarged to 3,500,000 within the next year, nitery line producers are anticipating a bo- nanza. With many Army camps slated to reopen, it’s felt that de- mands for lines will be equal to that which existed during the past war. It’s anticipated that every city of any size located near an Army installation will be using talent as well as lines to entice the GI trade. They’re taking the cue that “there’s nothing like a dame" to lure the spenders.. Presently, line production is at the lowest ebb in years. Most nite- ries that formerly used production have dispensed with it until times are better. Consequently many Chorines, have left the business for lack of employment opportunities. Producers will be hard-pressed to fill future demands, it’s felt. Even now it’s difficult to get to- gether a group that will meet met- ropolitan standards. Combination (Continued on page 55) Pinza, Hottest Concert Prospect, Prepped For 5-Wk. 300G Nat’l Tour Ezio Pinza is being pitched for a 1951 spring or summer concert, in what looks like the most un- usual setup—^as w^ll as the hottest prospect—in years. Tour is in the works, subject to Pinza’s avail- ability. Marks Levine, prez of Na- tional Concert & Artists Corp., his manager, has prepared a presenta- tion Calling for a tour of five weeks minimum, with possibility of a sixth, and Pinza has okayed the prospectus. But actor-singer won’t know until Jan. 10, when his sec- ond Metro pic, “Strictly Dishonor- able,” goes into production, what date his pic stint will be over, and when he’ll be available for the tour. (Pinza recently finished his first film chore for Metro, “Mr. Imperium”). Levine. is satisfied, feeling, he can set up the tour on eight weeks’ notice. Tour would call for five appear- artdes a week. Pinza, who is a basso, would be supported by a soprano and a tenor, as well as aii orchestral unit of 28, for a com- pany of about 35; Group would travel by private car and cover the country, tour starting on the Coast, coming as far east as N. Y. and Working back to California. With Pinza’s Met Operay “South Pacific" legiter and now film back- ground, Levine thinks he’s got the hottest card in longhair on hand. He had an offer last summer from Robin Hood Dell, Philadelphia, for a Pinza concert, for a $5,000 fee. He had an offer from the ^ Los An- geles Philharmonic fbif $10,000. Levine will play Pinza strictly on percentage, at 65-70-75%, de^ pending on location. He says he doesn’t need a guarantee. He fig- ures a five-week tour of 25 dates will gross $300,000 for an average of $12,000 a date.