Variety (August 29, 1951)

Wednesday, August 29, 1951 By GORDON IRVING Edinburgh. Aug. 28. The 1951 International Festival of Music and Drama tees off here this week amid many linked-up headlines. Firat, there was the threat of strike action by British musicians, because of proposed broadcasts by the New York Philharmonic not be- ing arranged with Musicians Union consultation. This, happily, has breezed over, with the British union demanding future “full con- sultation.” Then there was the sudden death of ConsUnt Lambert, composer and conductor. On Thursday <23* he would have been 46, the day on which he was due here to conduct performances of his new ballet "Tiresias" with the Sadler’s Wells Ballet Co. at the Empire Theatre. His new work went on despite his passing. Hassle Over N. Y. Philharmonic More excitement came when the New York Philharmonic’s program here came under fire at a press confab. Main issue was the virtual absence of contemporary American music Ih their Edinburgh reper- toire. Conductor Bruno Walter, quick to the defense, said he wouldn't Renaido, Carrillo Corral $2,250 for Rodeo Dates Armed Services Get Gov’t 20 % Tax Exemptions an old Tavern script out wvcinns with the saloon keeper. That he can write a check in seven figures Is no idle boast—by his own admis- sion—and if the old buzzard gets rough with him he’ll buy him out, that’s what Arch will do. Gardner came by his first million ("I'm now working on my second") the hard way—like making an qight. After years of service on the kilocycles as writer, director, producer and comic, he seized op- portunity by the forelock and the next thing he knew he was living like a millionaire in Puerto Rico. Somewhere between NBC and Bel Air he heard that our insular pos- session on the Caribbean was in- viting outside industry to set up shop—tax free. Why not remote his radio show' from there? he a ked himself and answered in the affirmative. That was two years ago and his accumulation of the world’s goods passed the $750. WO mark. At $10,000 a week from Blatz and NBC he pocketed half and banked it on the island. With what he had added to what ho got he could shout from his Puerto Rican re- treat. "I pot, my million.” By the same standards of cur- rency and the present tax bite, any- one else in these 48 states would have to earn $2,500,000 to lay away $700,000. Gardner’s income is tax free because the U. S. gbvemment set it up that way. But he’ll have to keep making pictures to enjoy the tax. holiday, a followup to "The Man With My Face.” Picture- • Continued on page 40) Hollywood, Aug. 28. Rodeo dates have been set for Duncan Renaldo St Leo Carillo, teamed in the “Cisco Kid” series. They’ll open Friday <31 > at .Cros- ley Field, Cincinnati, for a four- day stand. Team gets $2,250 daily guaran- tee against a percentage for bring- ing “Cisco” and “Pancho” charac- ters to the public. Washington. Aug. 28. Bill exempting members of the armed services in uniform from the 20'r admissions tax on free tickets was signed last Friday <24) by President Truman. Measure, however, does not ex- empt the servicemen from any lo- cal and state admissions taxes. NBC has negotiated a five-year contract with Ezio Pinza giving the web an exclusivity on his AM-TV services. Under terms of the deal. Pin?* will he paid at the rate of $5,000 per TV performance, with $2,500 as his AM take. He tees Sept. 8 as emcee in kicking off the web’s “All-Star Revue.” Contract inked by Pinza has an elasticity which will not commit him to a w-eekly TV stint, in order to permit him to fulfill his Metro pix commitments, concerts, etc. However, he’s set to do his own weekly half-hour radio series, which will have a story line and which can be taped if necessary, and he’s slated for a brace of ap- pearances on the NBC Sunday "Big Show.” Door to the NBC contract was left open by Metro, which relin- quished all TV rights to the singer in return for his renegotiating a pix deal. He’ll probably do a TV show of his own (with guests* every six weeks, as well as guesting on the web’s multiple star rotating shows. In addition. NBC has had discussions with Robert Mont- gomery whereby the latter would star Pinza on some of the "Lucky Strike Theatre” attractions. Milton Berle collects a record $87,250 for hit share of his two- weeker at the Roxy Theatre. N. Y.. which ended last n‘ght <Tue« >. His second week’s share is expected to amount to $41,500. which isn’t too far below his initial session’s haul of $45,750. Gross duilng his run was $272.000—$144,000 for the first stanza and $128,000 for the second. Out of his share Berle pays the rest of the cast, the most ex- pensive item being Dagmar, w-ho gets $6,500 plus commissions on that amount. Berle’s deal called for $30,000 guarantee plus 50 r o of the gate above $112,500. On the second week, guarantee remained the same, but overages started at $105,000. Berle’s take exceeds the earn- ings of Jack Benny, who played the house in 1947. Gross at that time hit a record at $143,800. Dan- ny K4ye grossed $135,000 and Berle equalled the Kaye count in his pre- vious stand at the Roxy in 1947. 1650 Broadway By NED ARMSTRONG ' Gallup. N. M , Aug. 28. Perhaps the neatest job in show business is done here in Gallup every year with the Rig Dance. The Big Dance goes by the fancy title of Inter-Tribal Indian Cere- monial. but is actually a unique amalgam of solid commercial show business, expert staging and—and this is the big and amazing “and” —authentic indigenous parts of American Indian dances and spec- tacles. The Big Dance in Gallup has been going on regularly in mid- August for the past 30 years and a recent Saturday night’s business broke all records, the turnstiles counting a paid reserved-seat house of 4.500. and a standing room at- tendance of 1.500. Since prices range from $3 top to $2 rear in the 4.500 scat grandstand, and standing room is $1.50, the gross approaches $14,250, which, for the (Continued on page 22) Anti-Commie Campaign - Vs. ‘Red-Tainted’ Films Flares Up in Ireland ‘Oklahoma’ Set For TV in Germany as Part Of Cnliural Festival Dublin. Aug. 28. Cinema managers in Ireland have a new headache. Whenever they play a film which includes one of the stars listed in Myron C. Fagan’s “Red Stars Over Holly- wood.” which has been w idely cir- culated here, they are likely to get letters condemning them for giving “aid and comfort” to Reds in Cath- olic countries. Playing of “Bom Yesterday” here also produced letters declar- ing that the film was subtle propa- ganda for Communistic party lines. A similar attack was made by re- ligious weekly on film, but there was no comment on a revival of the same play being staged at the same time. Theatre and Cinema Patrons’ Assn., which was formerly an ac- tive letter-writing organization on this subject, has not been heard from recently, the letters coming from individuals. “City Lights” out on reissue also came in for a blast from letterwritm w’ho objected to showing of film in view of Chap- lin’s political record. However, the picture has been doing record biz for four weeks past at Regal Rooms Cinema here. So far these inci- dents have not been reflected at the boxoffice, but Irish exhibs are watching the situation closely and maintaining contact with the clergy on official attitude on screenings. Benin. Aug. 28. An estimated 1.000.000 Germans will see "Oklahoma” on telev ~ion. under plans now bi*ing workn out by the U. S. Army. Economic Co- operation Administration and t ie German High Commissioner, to TV the German cultural fes- tival. Gen. Lemuel Mathewson. Ameri- can commander in Berlin, last Sunday *26) telephoned Brig. Gen. David Samoff, RCA board chair- man. at the latter’s New York JACK CARSON’S CUCK AT LONDON PALLADIUM Pinza-C'ass Teaming Stalled Hollywood. Aug. 28. NBC’s projected teaming of Ezio Pinza and Cass Daley for gucsUngs on the net’s top TV comedy shows has been temporarily stalled be- cause of the comedienne’s reluc- tance to do guest shots. She and her manager-husband, Frank Kin- sclla. are holding out for their own show. Network’s plan is to pair Pinza and Miss Daley with Milton Berle for a round of guestings on the Saturday and Sunday night comedy lineups. It is then hoped that a show of their own <Pinza and Miss Daley) would evolve from the ex- periment. NBC is confident that the teaming would achieve the suc- cess that resulted from he com- bination of Jimmy Durante and Helen Traubel. London, Aug. 28. Jack Carson, supported by the Three Honey Bros., Marion Colby and Tommy Well*, unloaded an hour of comedy at the Palladium’s new show*, which opened yesterday (Mon.) to become a comedy hit at this house. Carson was forced into a begoff speech. Other clicko U. S. acts included the Deep River Boys, making their third appearance here, who scored heavily with six tunes and two en- cores. Also had to make a speech before exiting. Christine St Moll, a Spanish dance team who have been playing U. S. theatres and cafes for the past two years, went over tremen- dously in their Palladium preem. Others on the bill are Hall, Nor- man St Ladd, comedy musicians; Clifford Stanton, Impressionist: The Roslnas. trapeze, and the Monga- dors, jugglers. tival. Sarnoff. who was awakened from his sleep at the time, agreed. U. S. State Dept, is backing the “Oklahoma” troupe in Germany as a method of portraying the Ameri- can way of life to German Citizenry. At a meeting yesterday 'Mon > among reps of the Army, ECA and the high commissioner's office, plans were launched to obtain clearance from the American Fed- eration of Radio Artists. Equity and the American National Thea- tre and Academy (which worked out arrangements with the State Dept, for the touring “Oklahoma” troupe*, as well as with British and French reps, for the televising. Funds will come from the Festival appropriation. Chicago, Aug. 28. Sonja Henie and Arthur M. Wirtz have ended a 16-year association which netted the former Olympic champion a reputed $10,000,000. Miss Henie said she's tired of long tours and doesn’t need the money. She said she’ll do television shows and possibly an ice show in London. Although the ice star retains an interest in the Cole Bros. Circus in which Wirtz is a major stock- holder. latter claims she has no stock in the ice enterprise. “Holly- wood Ice Revue.” which has long been her starring vehicle. Meanwhile Wirtz has signed Bar- bara - Ann Scott to take over the Henie spot in the blades display. Wirtz has also signed Michael Kir- by. Miss Henie's -skating partner for many years. Miss Scott, also a former Olympic champ, will start (Continued on page 22) KELLERHANN’S BI0PIC Hollywood, Aug. 28. Annette Kellermann's biopic starts rolling in December with Esther Williams ir. the yesteryear No. 1 mermaid’s role. Arthur Homblow’, Jr., produces from Everett Freeman’s script. Latter did “Jim Thorpe” for War- ners. Final title unset yet. Venice, Aug. 21. Venice tourist biz, usually given a considerable hypo by the current film and subsequent music and drama festivals, seems this year to be doing so well on its own that the added visitors have resulted in overcrowding of facilities. City and the Lido are swamped with new- comers of all classes. Yank, French and Italian tour- ists lead the list, followed by Aus- trians, Germans and others. Hotel rooms in almost all price ranges are hard to come by. Two local tent cities, free to all who bring their own, are crowded with open- roaders. Influx, reportedly superior to last year’s Holy Year biz. Is said to be due to the fact that the pilgrims had little time to spend on their way to Rome. In contrast, this year they're taking a good (and. In many cases, a second) look around: Subscription Order Form Enclosed find check for $ Please send VARIETY for ?"* v“ r _ tPlenac Print Name* Street Regular Subscription Ratos On# Year—$10.00 Two Years—$11.00 Canada and Foreign—$1 Additional per Year 154 West 46th Street