Variety (April 1952)

r T X ft P MISCKIAANY Washington, April 1. ■¥ Eve Ettinger, story editor for Co- lumbia Pictures, and three other radio-film people told, the House Un-American Activities Committee in executive session at L. A. last September that they had once been members of the Communist Party, but had long since severed their connections. The testimony of Miss Ettinger,' Eugene Fleury, Anne Ray Frank and Robert Shayne, was released Sunday (30) by the committee. Committee also released the testimony of four other persons — Arthur Strawn, Prokop Jack Prokop, Helen Schwartz Donath and Bella Lewit- sky Reynolds—who refused to an- swer questions on Communist af- filiations on the ground of possible self-incrimination. p ‘ Strawn was accused by the, com- mittee of having worked on screen stories with Lester Cole, after Cole was convicted of contempt of Con- gress; Cole allegedly used the name of J. Redmond Prior on these scripts. Miss° Ettinger told the committee she has been vtdth Ca- (Continued on page 27) * Probe of Yankwich Asked by Rep. Vail In Lester Cole Verdict Washington, April 1. A Congressional Investigation of Federal Judge Leon B. Yankwich, who first ordered the film Industry to rehire one of the'Hollywood 10 and to pay him damages, was de- manded last week by Rep* Richard P. Vail, of Chicago.. Vail, a member of the House Un- American Activities Committee when the "unfriendly 10” refused to testify at the October, 1947, hearings, pointed out that the in- dustry has been caught between the 'upper and nether millstones because of the Yankwich verdict. The legislator bluntly charged Yankwich with lending “his Influ- ence and exalted position” to aid this country’s "enemies” in the two trials which gave Lester Cole dam- ages and restored him to a job at Metro. Vail has already talked In- formally with some members of the House Judiciary Committee to de- termine whether he should Intro- duce a resolution or whether a friendly member of the commit- tee should do so. Nothing has been decided yet. It was the Yankwich rulings, said Vail in a House speech, which set the pattern that caused other stu- (Continued on page 25) Setting Berle Fete Harry E. Could, chairman of the Jewish Theatrical' Guild dinner committee which is feteing Milton • Berle at* the Hotel Waldorf-As- - torla, N. Y., May 3, left last week for the Coast to line up dais guests for the affair. Gould will he on the Coast un- til April 9. ' Feb. Amus. Stocks Off But Not as Severe As Rest of the Market * Amusement stocks listed on the N. Y. Stock Exchange dropped slightly during the month of Feb- ruary, but their decline wasn’t nearly as severe as the slump ex- perienced by the market in general. Figures released by the Big Board last week revealed that the total market value of amusement shares in the 29-day period came to $1,233,781,140 with an average per- share of $20.28. Aggregate value of amusement Issues at the month-end was only $4,501,333 oft from January’s and the per-share average dipped only 8c. In contrast, the average mar- ket price of all stock issues listed on the exchange ‘was $41.18 at the end of February. .JThis compared with $42.48 at the close of January and was the lowest registered since last November, when the average price was $40.83. Amusement bonds’ loss in Feb- ruary was also comparatively 'little. Total value of all issues at the month’s end was $6,829,024- as against $6,873,893 for the preced- ing month. Average *price per- bond dropped only 62c from Jan- uary’s $95.75. Most market observers attributed the February recession to fears that first-quarter earnings in many lines would be off as indicated by higher grosses but lower net in- come. Threat of a steel strike was another factor. Amusement indus- try issues, which include radio-TV fields, tended to maintain dividends and were already at fairly low levels. Hence their ease-off failed to follow the, market trend. N.Y. ‘Abuses’ of Negro Told in Soviet Film London, April 1. A Kremlin eyeview of how New York City handles its Negro- popu- Robt Montgomery Must Explain Charges to D.C. Washington, April 1. Actor Robert Montgomery will appear before House Agriculture Committee April 9 to explain charges he made in a series of broadcasts that the U. S. Govern- ment'is squandering money in ef- forts to stop hoof and mouth dis- ease in Mexico. He was requested to testify tomorrow (Wed.) but was given a week’s postponement. Committee Chairman Harold D. Cooley (D-N. C.) said he was not impressed with statements by Montgomery that the Agriculture Department’s campaign to prevent the disease from spreading to this country is a "boondoggle.” , lation Is confronting Londoners 4n a new Soviet-made film - titled "Harlem, U. £. A.” English-dialog picture has been screened here for the past two months before small groups. Prints are 16m gauge to evade censorship, for only 35m pix are required to be examined under law. Harlem, according to the. film, is a Negro ghetto guarded by white police. The unfortunate residents are beaten and not .permitted to leave the area. Rents are prohibi- tive, white merchants own all re- tail establishments and all food sold has been condemned else- where. Documentary touch is pro- vided at the end when several Negroes attest to the accuracy of the picture’s contents. Subscription Order Form Enclosed find check for $ Please send VARIETY for Two YeTrs 4/2 (Pleas* Print Name) Zone. . .. State. Regular Subscription Rates One Ye«i*— $10.00 Two Years—$18.00 Canada and Foreign—-$1 Additional per Year PSklETY Inc. 154 W.it Wh Street New York 34 , N. Y. — . ' ■ < * y> J » j ') CHARLES SANFORD MUSICAL DIRECTOR "YOUR SHOW OF SHOW’S” WNBT N.Y. State Okays Sunday Show Biz • Albany, April 1* Gov. Thomas E. Dewey^on Sun- day (30) signed an Assembly Rules Committee bill amending sections of the penal law to end a more than century-old ban on Sabbath participation sports and granting communities power to permit circuses, stock car races and other spectator sports and entertain- ment. Enforcement of a blue law which halted two benefit perform- ances scheduled by Ringling Bros.- Barnum & Bailey Circus in Pough- keepsie last August, under Amer- ican Legion auspices, brought the Sabbath observance issue to a head. The measure, effective imme- diately, amends Section 2145 to cover "public sports and exercises on Sunday,” repeals several other sections, and inserts a new one on "public entertainment fin Sunday.” Participation sports, now legalized, must not "constitute a serious in- terruption of the repose of religi- ous liberty of the community.” Municipalities are authorized to permit, after 2 p.m., by ordinance or other local law, the spectator sports—those staged for an audi- ence. Present provisions / permitting baseball, football, hockey, bowling, basketball and motion pictures after 2 p.m. on Sunday are not changed. However, the effect will be to permit films and stage shows, now starting before 2 o’clock, to continue. BOOKS) AT $4,000 FEE Vladimir Horowitz has' already been booked by bis manager, David Libidins, for 37 concerts next season, the limit the pianist wants to do .in 1952-53, All are’ In the northern part oi the U. and at a $4,000 straight fee. Libidins* also has booked Horo- witz for 33' concerts in the ’5;p54 season, with about' a half-dozen more dates still to fillr Eight con- certs already are booked for the ’54*’55 stretch. Dewey Signs Tougher’ N.Y. Law-K.0.ing Nitery Theatre Discrimination Albany, April 1. Gov. Thomas E. Dewey Satur- day (29) signed the Roman bill extending jurisdiction of the State Commission Against Discrimina- tion to restaurants, hotels, resorts and other places of public accom- modation or amusement, with a message declaring the measure "should take its place as one of the significant accomplishments of the 1952 Legislature.” The gover- nor also approved a supplemen- tary Rules Committee bill which provides that such prohibition shall not bar^ religious or denomi- national organizations from limit- ing admission or giving preference to persons of the same religion or denomination, or from making a selection to promote religious principles. The neyv statute, which becomes effective July 1, was advocated by the governor because sections of the Civil (Right law, on the books since 1881 for the purpose of* giv- ing'equal accessibility in places of public accommodation, resort and amusement to all persons, had not proved enforcible. Dewey told the Legislature that "the criminal penalties provision simply does not work.” The five-member Commission Against Discrimination, created in the executive department under the Ives-Quinn Act of 1945, has a •record of success in 90% of corn- paints filed with it involving bias in employment. It has rarely been forced to invoke the punitive pro- visions of the law and its authority has never been challenged in the courts. Motion picture theatres will not be affected, since they do not dis- criminate in this state. Legit houses, nightclubs, hotels, restau- rants and other places will be af- fected, observers believe. $10,600,000 Request For films Gets House OK i v Washington*, April 1. House Appropriations Committee lias okayed the'full $10,600,000 State Department’s motion picture unit has requested for the fiscal year beginning July 1. Committee report, released past weekend, disclosed that the com- mittee recommended $27,500,000 for the "Voice of America” inter- national broadcasting division, for operating expenses. "Voice” asked $30,000,000. In addition, Appropri- ations Committee favors $20,500,- 000 more for the acquisition and construction of new broadcasting facilities. This is part of a con- tinuing program which has ex- tended over the past few years. State Department asked $36,727,- 000 for the work during the next fiscal year. "It will be noted,” said the re- port, "that the largest increase al- lowed is for radio broadcasting. This committee has consistently approved appropriation requests for this media, w’hich is our most effective way of reaching the peo- ple behind the Iron Curtain.” For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1952, State Department is spending a little less than $20,- 000,000 on broadcasting operations. Report did not comment on the . slight increase provided in motion picture funds. •• * •' Kornblum’s Auto Crackup Hollywood, April 1. I. B. Kornblum, show biz lawyer and former pop. tune writer, suf- fered a fractured skull and verte- brae In an auto collision Sunday <30) in LaQuinta. Until recently ) e was Coast rep for Actors Equity. His bbndltidh' is bfiticaT. ’ / Students Drop Case Houston, April 1. A $600,000 damage set for filing against the Mocambo cocktail lounge by. a group of 12 Latin- .American students from the Univ. of Houston, who said they were discriminated against, has been dropped. Willard Hadjes and Jimmy Menutes, owners of the club, who were not present, said the incident was due to "inexperienced” help. Following their public apology, the proposed suit was shelved. YES WE HAVE NO McCOY BELL-RINGERS IN SWITZ By Lt. Col. BARNEY OLDFIELD Berne, March 25. Somewhat in the vein of Milton Befle’s perennial quest for the whereabouts of Fink’s Mules, I came here looking for a Swiss Bell- Ringer. This being the capital of the country, from which at least 25 of vaudeville's yesteryear cowbell caroleers were reputed to have come, and the country itself being a small one, it should be simple. But there doesn't seem to be anybody around who recalls this particular kind of export to what was once America’s little-big, mid- dle, and big-smalltime. Home of precision workmanship, as Switzerland is, which produces townhall clocks in which 4,389 Sep- arate things happen when the hour is struck, it is sort of pooh-pooh de- partment to call up any pride of origin for such a simple gimmick as to have three or four people belly up to trays laden with - 20 or so varying sized bells grabbing hither and yon to shake out a rea- sonable replica of a tune. One of the local burghers further (Continued on 'page ’7Sf) Y 1952 Cues Binge For Metro if going on a music* Wnge. Having racked up g rosst 1 of well over $4,000,000 each lad year with "The Great Carusol "Show Boat” and "American i’J Paris,”'.and having raked in thl Academy Award, for "American H as well, the oiitflt apparently feeli the 'melody pix are about as closi as Hollywood can get to thi formula for turning out s profitable product. In any event, M-G has a plen( jazzed-up lineup.^ "Singin’ in th Rain” swings into key dates acroi the country within the next -fej days. "Skirt# Ahoy” goes out j May. "Lovely to Look At,” froi the legiter, "Roberta,” is complel ed T arid "One-Piece Bathing Suit finishes lensing shortly. "I Loye Louisa,” based on thl Broadway hit, "Band Wagon,” goe before the cameras in July. Other on the slate include "Studer, Prince,” "Invitation to the Danced "Brigadoon,” a tuned-up versioi of "Goodbye Mr. Chips,” "Even! thing ! Have I# Yours” and "Bi cause You’re Mine.” Last name] will be M-G’s fourth Mario Lanz] starrer. M-G’s fondness for musicals ii not new, of course, but the com- pany clearly is stepping up tin number. Comment by a company exec was that the • outfit over thi years has really lost money on only one song and dance pic. That was! surprisingly enough, "The Great!* Ziegfeld ” MAXIM'S (PARIS) PLAN FOR N.Y. SITE UP AGAI1 The idea of a Chez Maxim’s for New York is up again with the arrival in the U. S. of Maggie and Louis Vaudable, w who own the famed Maxim’s in Paris, and Mau- rice Carrere. • Latter operates a boite bearing his name, in the French capital, as well as a road- house (during the summer season) some 20 miles outside of Paris. Idea would be for Carrere to op- erate the N. Y, Maxim’s, when and if. They are currently in Gotham along with many other personali- ties including ‘Arletty, Greco, Ann Vernon, Claude Dauphin" Tino Rossi, Les Freres Jacques (lat- ter opening at the Blue Angel, N. Y., this week, all of whom will par- ticipate in the "April In Paris” soiree at the Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y. Claude C. Philippe, of that hos- telry Is sparking the latter, along with Bernard Gimbel, as treasurer, Elsa Maxwell, as entertainment chairman,, plus others. Benefit is for the French Hospital In N. Y. The visiting French personalities are part of the Franco-American rapport for the hospital and gen- eral international amity. From the French viewpoint it’s another natural tourist pitch, since the French Tourism Bureau has ex- tended the. 2,000th anniversary celebration another year. Once before the Maxim’s-Car- rere idea cropped up but, because j of building conditions, was. tabled, but now it is figured the restric- tions will be eased. v Still another idea for a class N. Y eatery that is still very much in the discussion stage is an eastern branch of Romanoff's, Beverly Hills, on the site of the now va- cated Duveen Bros, art gallery on 5th Ave. and 56th St. Idea would be for Mike Romanoff to com- mute between both coasts attend- ant to this venture, with Harry Crocker chiefly in charge in BH. Groom Merrill Almost Couldn't Get to Wedding Roberta Peters was left anxious- ly- waiting at the temple for more than half, an hour Sunday (30) afternoon before Robert Merrill could reach the Park Ave. Synagog, N. Y., in time to solemnize their marital vows. An announcement to the crowded temple stated that the delay _ was caused by the opera star’s difficulty in crashing pasf * Fifth Ave. parade celebrating Greek Independence Day. The ceremony and reception drew more than 1,200 friends of the couple, both stars of the Met- ropolitan Opera.