Variety (September 1952)

S«|4^Wir 19S2 OBITUARIES X^AMAA TROTTI Lamar Trotti, 51, film .writer, died of a heart attack Aug. 28 in Oceanside," Cal. He had been on leave from 20th-Fox for six months because of a heart condition ag- gravated by the death of his son, Lamar, Jr., in an auto accident two years ago. Trotti won an Academy Award in 194i for the best original screen- play, ‘^Wilson,” Two years earlier he wrote the screenplay and duced “The Ox Bow Incident.” His other screen credits include “Moth- er Wore Tights,” “Captain From C a s t i 1 e,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Story of Alexander Gra- ham Bell,” “Brigham Young,” “To The Shores of Tripoli,” “Guadal- canal Diary,” “Razor’s Edge,” “My Blue Heaven” and “Cheaper By The. Dozen.” His most recent re- leased film was “With A Song In My Heart,” the Jane Froman story. Trotti began his writing career as a newspaperman in Atlanta, and in 1933 edited the Motion Picture Monthly in New York. Surviving are his wife, son and a daughter. PETER KOURMPATES Peter Kourm^ates, 35, a partner with his brother, Paul, in an aerial man, died Aug. 26 in Lincoln, Neb. Hale introduced Will Rogers to the stage in 1899 In his ■ Harry Hale & Associated Players. Florenz Ziegfeld hired Rogers five years later. In 1916, he *led the grand march with Lillian. Ruseell at the Actors Ball In New Yorkl ” Surviving are his wife, a step* son, a stepdaughter and three sis- ters. Paramount Film Exchange execu- tive, died Aug, 22 at his home in Los Angeles, Wlfe» 4$, of Hugo Speck, foreign editor., of WFAA, Dallas, and daughter of Amon G. Carter, pub- lisher of the Fort Worth Star-Tele-”* gram,'died in Dallas Sept. 1. M, G, F, >Vinche*ter, chief mar- shal of Summer Theatre, Birming- ham, Eng,, at Birmingham, Aug. 15. ^ DENNIS SHEPHERD Dennis J. Shepherd, 62, city man- ager of the three Fabian hous^ in Altoona. Pa., died in that city Augv 14. He had been named to the post only a year ago, having ptevionsly been in Johnstown. Before that, Shepherd operated Fabian houses in New Jersey. He had been Wit^ the circuit for more than 25 years, He leaves his wife. EUGENE F. HAINEB Eugene F. Haines, 66, assistant treasurer of RCA Victor, died Aug. 31 in Merchantville, N.J. He; had been associated with Victor and affiliated companies for 50 years. Surviving are his wife, and two sisters. BLANCHE MacD. DOUOLAB Mrs. Blanche MacDonald Boug- IN MEMORIAM Marcus Loew Sopfombon Sth, 1927 act, Barrett Bros., died in Chatham, N. B., Aug. 28, as a result of an 80-fo6t fall. He missed catching a bar in swinging from one trapeze to another, and sustained severe injuries to his head and body in the fall to the ground at the Chatham Fair. Barrett Bros, had been touring the provinces for about three months as a free act with the Bill Lynch carnival, which provided the midway for the Chatham -Fair. The act, advertised as “Modern Suicide,” played vaude last winter. PAULINE H. HOLLAND Pauline Hoffman Holland, 75, Yiddish-American actress, died Aug. 29 in New York. During her 55 years in the theatre, she played with such Yiddish stars as Jacob P. Adler, David Kessler, Bertha Kalich i^d Maurice Schwartz. She also appeared in “Abie’s Irish Rose” and Florenz Ziegfeld pro- duction, “Betsy.” Surviving are her husband, Wil- liam Holland, Yiddish theatrical producer and manager, a son and a daughter. W. C. (BILLY) PAINE William C. (Billy) Paine, 51, singer, died Aug. 25 after a heart attack while in a Boston hank. He was for many years in local nite.ries and radio, returning pro- fessionally several years ago to enter business. A featured ehtern, las, 87, retired vaude performer, died Aug. 28 in Prospect, Conn. Mrs. Douglas •appeared with the Washburn Sisters, a song and dance team. She retired about 40 years ago. Her late husband, Charles W. Douglas, was a comedy song and dance man in vaude. ALEXANDER WISE Alexander Wise, music pub- lisher, died of a heart attack in New York recently. He had been in the music biz as pub and jobber for the past 23 years. Wise was co-owner with A1 Ash- ley of the Ashley Music Supply Co. and the Amsco Music Co. JACK HORN Jack Horn, 65, for many years a theatre manager - and publicist, died in New York Aug. 27 after a long illness. Services will be held tomorrow (Thurs.) at Riverside Memorial Chapel under auspices of The Friars. Mrs. Marie Lavie Thomassey, for many years in the theatre and hotel business in IMtcDonald, Pa., where the Thomassey family oper- ated the now-<jlosed Dreamland, died in (Geneva, O., Aug. 20. Wife, 54, of Donald G. Augur, commercial and ad copywriter, died Polly Van Bailey, veteran stage and screen actress, died, Aug, 25 in Hollywood. Her mother and husband survive. Frank Garllchs, 81, retired treasurer of the Met Opera Assn., died Aug, 25 in Brooklyn. Husband of Lily . Morris, English comedienne, died in London,'Aug. lY. Mona Rerridge, 51, legit actress, died in Worthing, England, Aug. 12 . Jaote* Roger Walker, 44, motion picture technician, died Aug. 24 in Hollywood. Evelyn Dcctreaux, 50, screen actress, died Aug. 28 in Santa Monica, Cal. Joseph ^.'^-Rauisey, €1, singer, died Aug. 25 in Lons Angeles. MARRIAGES Miliza Korjus to Dr. Walter Shecter, San Fernando, Cal., July 18, just revealed. Bride is concert and film singer. Ginger Clayton to Frank West- more, San Fernando, Cal., Sept. 1. She’s a skater; he’s a makeup artist. Dorothy Rogers to Bert Steam, Pittsburgh, Aug. 28. Groom is head of Cooperative Theatres there and was western division sales manager for UA. Leontyne Price to William War- field, Aug. 31, New York. Both are singing leads in “Porgy and Bess,” which begins its European tour Friday (5) in Vienna., Reta Shaw to William Forester, Snow Hill, Md., Aug. 20. Bride Is an actress; he’s actor-stage mana- ger, Both are in national com- pany of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Agnes Lumsden to Holmes Her- bert, London, recently. Groom is a screen abtor. Opal P. Davis to Dick Aker, Aug. 9, Brownfield, Tex. Bride was formerly with KDWT, Denton; groom is an annoimcer at KTFY, Brownfield. IN MEMORY WILLIE BERGER 20 Yeori — September 3, 1932 tainer at the Cocoanut Grove at Hie time of the fire disaster, he was credited with saving the live.-> of a dozen patrons, leading them to safety at risk of his own life. Survived by wife. BERTRAM COLTER Bertram Colter, former organist at Loew’s Theatre, Boston, and pianist with several Boston orchs, died in that city Aug. 24. Since 1941 he had lived in Man- chester, N. H., where he was mu- sical director for WMUB and St. Anselm and Mount St. Mary col- leges. In Boston, he was musical director for the radio network pro- f ram, “Spreading New England’s ame.” BILLY VAN Billy Van, 75, for many years a theatrical agent, died in Portland, Ore., Aug. 17. For many years Van was associated with William Shill- ing. In recent years, he managed sportsman shows throughout the country. Van was in many phases of show business before turning to agent- ing. Earlier in his career he toured ' in vaude with Loretta Grey as “Flip Sc Flapper” and later agented Miss Grey’s acts. Aug. 29 in New Rochelle, N. Y. Other survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Hobe Morrison, wife of the Variety staffer, and Jean, in the research department of the Young & Rubicam ad agency; and two grandsons. Widow, 81, of orch leader George W. Johnson, died Aug. 29 in Abing- ton Hospital, near Philadelphia. Before her marriage Mrs. Johnson was a concert singer. Two daugh- ters survive. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Ala.* Marston, son, Hollywood, Aug. 25. Father is an actor, Mr. and Mrs. Dick Noble, son, Chicago, Aug. 25, Father is Chi- cago announcer. Mr, and Mrs. Norman W^in- stroer, daughter, Aug.' 27, New York. Father is sales manager for Coral Records. Mr. and Mrs, Joe Bock, daugh- ter, Pittsburgh,'Aug. 25. Father is head of WDTV scenic department there. Mr. and Mrs, Frank Blandi, daughter, Pittsburgh, Aug. 24. Fa- ther was longtime manager of Pitt Playhouse Grill. Mr. and Mrs. Gene Adam, daugh- ter, Pittsburgh, Aug. 26. Father is on WDTV sales staff there. Mr. and Mrs. Wally Imes, daugh- ter, .jGlendale, Cal., Aug. 23. Father is a TV actor. Mr. and Mrs. Kirby Grant, daughter, Burbank, Cal., Aug, 26. Father is an actor. Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hunter, son, Santa Monica, Cal., Aug. 29. Parents (she’s Barbara Rush) are screen players. Mr. and Mrs. Irving Allen,,son, Hollywood, Aug. 29. Father is a film producer. Mr. and Mrs. Carl Lindemann, Jr., daughter. New York, .Aug. 31. Father is commercial supervisor of the Kate Smith TV show. solely for export in order to ac- quire much-needed foreign ex- change. ' Farflainar Impacts While the main objective is pro- motion of the bond sale, .there are two Impoi’tant corollaries. One is to demonstrate to American busi- nessmen the prospects for profit- able investment in Israel, and the other is to show merchants, import- ers and processors in the U. 'S, the variety of items available for pur- chase. Hypoing the b.o. has been an s.a.- filled pubUcIty-ad campaign worked out by iVteyer Steinglass, public re- lation director for the bond cam- paign and former national publicity director for the United Jewish Ap- peal. Ads, designed and placed by Donahue & ()o., agency which han- dles numerous film accounts, fea- ture the eye-filling hostesses at the exhibit. The 12 gals, all born and bi;ought up in Israel, are the product of considerable femme-ogling by Steinglass and his associates to get hostesses who are not only attrac- tive, but could speak English well and spiel intelligently pn Israel, its problems and products. Chief hostess Haya Tamer is fre-, quently subject to test by Yankj visitors who view the curvaceous redhead and doubt that she’s a mc- coy product of the Holy Land, They begin firing questions at her in He- brew, to which they get in reply I generally much better Hebrew. Miss Tamer is assigned to the exhibit on leave from El Al, Israel airline. Actually she’s been In the U. S. for varying periods in the past couple years as a publicity gimmick for El Al, and created a mild sensation with a guest appear- ance on the Groucho Marx TV show last year. Other of the gals were already in the U. S. as exchange teachers or students. Added to the staff last week was Dina Peskln, young actress who played the principal role in “Faithful City,” Israel-made feature currently in U. S. release by RKO. Steinglass has also recently im- ported for previously-advertised tours of the exhibit .Martha Scott and Burgess Meredith. He is work- ing out similar tieup deals with legit and film press agents to get celebs. That brings crowcls, of course, not only to see the exhibit, but the personalities. While the patronage is predomi- nantly Jewish, of course, the staff is being constantly surprised by other visitors. Among them are many nuns to see products of the Holy Land. Also the Japanese am- bassador and the Turkish ambas- sador, obviously to see what can be done in the way of promotion for products or their own coun- tries. Exposition was conceived, and pushed by Benjamin Abrams, prez of Emerson Radio & Television Corp., who Is chairman of the New York bond committee. Products shown were contributed by the 128 exhibitors. Stars Naedling C* CoHtlnued from pRse 1 ‘Whistle Slop.’ Contimied from page 1 Stevenson campaign, hops back to the network nightly, where it will be used on all CBS-TV hews shows. Sunday afternoon program will be specially edited from the compiled footage, with Charles Collingwood serving'as narrator. Web followed a similar pro- ! cedure last year .. to ' cover the i United Nations sessions from Paris, kinescoplng the UN meets there dally for use on all news shows and then editing the foot- age for a special Sunday afternoon halfhour. That one was narrated by Walter Cronkite. HARRY N. HALE Hariy N. Hale, 72, veteran show- James N. Vincent, *72, financial secretary of the Treasurers Club of America, a group of hoxoffice men of New York theatres,., died Aug. 31 in New York. Frank P, Steyer, 79, former operator of the old Spicer Theatre, Akron (now called the Vogue), died Aug. 26 in that city. His wife and four daughters survive. Marie Ryan, of’the Ritz Theatre staff in Pittsburgh both under- WB and present Loew’s management, died Aug. 28 in Pittsburgh. Frank Bonomo, 51, commercial artists who numbered Albany the- atres among his clients, died in Albany Aug. 26. "ishmael G. While, 77. retired Israel Expo Continued from page 1 Slation Primer Continued- from p.'ige 1 City offices of the Irving Trust Co., with remnants of tellers’ cages and vaults still j/isible. B.o. income is only a minor coh- sideration, of course. About $200,- 000 worth of Israel bonds have been sold to the visitors who pa- tiently—and somewhat proudly— trek through the impressive dis- plays ..of everything from Israeli- assembled Kaiser-Frazer cars to false teeth to Yemenite embroi- dery. Most surprised of all are the visitors from Israel iiseK, who never see in their .stores the va- ried goods manufactured almost and announce records. They are not critics and at no time are they to criticize an artists or a record- ing on the air. By the same token WMFS announcers are not to ex- presEf their opinion in favor of a record. And labels are not to he credited. The audience is not in- terested whether it is a Capitol, Decca, Columbia or Victor release. It is interested in the selection and the artists.” Primer also cued its spinning staff to lay off the gimmick sounds by advising them to follow the rule that “if you can’t sing it or hum it, don’t play it.” Very few listen^^rs, the management adds, are im- pressed with instrumental gymnas- tics. Ing package shows, Aldrich says. “Some were excellent this season and some were not. When they were badly cast, usually because the agent failed to take the trouble to do the job properly, or because the star hogged the money and left insuffifcient to' attract competent ' supporting players, the results' were terrible for the theatre man- agement, “We booked none of these so- called big Hollywood names at in- flated prices, and we had a fine season at Dennis and the best ever at Falmouth, Some of the touted, overpriced star packages lost money repeatedly at other places, and we mlsffed nothing by passing them up for the Cape. If- summer' theatres are to continue in busi- ness, and they must operate in the black to do so, some of the leading managers who respect each others*' artistic ability and financial In- tegrity must join in a loose asso- ciation to keep certain agents from exploiting them by overcharging for stars and old scripts.” Aldrich resigned two years ago from the Stock Managers Assn, There were no union complica- tions this summer, at least at any of his Cape theatres, Aldrich re- veals. He employed the usual num- ber of musicians at the Cape Cod Music Circus, Hyanttis, but was not approached to uire any men for the straight-play operations at Den- nis and Falmouth. There was also no stagehand trouble at any of the three spots, perhaps because the grips union members are all em- ployed in television. As for the Ass’n of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers, he uses its members when available, but few established ones,' afppai'ently, are willing to take barn assignment^. Throwaways Best Generally speaking, Aldrich has found that throwaways are now tho most effective form of adverlising, at least on the Cape. Most summer visitors don’t read the local pa- pers, so reviews and even ad space tend to have less impact than for- merly. Throwaways are now stressed, the amount being in- creased according to local condi- tions and the kind of 6ho\v. The season at Falmouth, its fourth, was the spat’s, best so far in attendance, gross and net profit, according to Aldrich. Only “Glass Menagerie,” with Dana Andrews, Incurred a small loss, he says, add- ing that the show was generally a disappointment, for Us entire tour. “AJthough our new air-condition- ing system didn’t work too well, partly due to the hottest weather in Cape history, we did fine busi- ness almost every week, “Beatrice Lillie broke the house records previously set by Tallulah Bankhead, Helen Hayes and Gert- rude Lawrence,, and then -Faye Emerson broke it again. In fair- ness to the stars who set the pre- vious marks, however, we raised our regular $3,6G .scale to $4.20 Saturday nights. “The 26th season at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis was one' of its best artistically and not bad financially. Business was not up. to the other two spots, but we still operated in the black. The audi- ence at Dennis is changing from all-summer residents to one-week and two-week transients and trip- pers. Instead of subscribing for the entire season they now- pick and choose their stars, just as the Broadway public now buys hits only. This causes a fluctuation in business from capacity with Peggy Wood in ‘Here’s Mama,' Constance Bennett in T Found April’ and Beatrice Lillie, to poor attendance at the Slavenska-Franklin-Danilova ballet and ‘Menagerie,’ our only two weeks in the red. “The Music Circus at Hyannis had its be.st season since It opened in 1950, doing capacity most of the summer, although ‘Mile. Mo- diste' and ‘Countess Maritza’ were • lemons, with poor books, and failed ! to draw. The problem in all tent : musicals Is 1o find enough top material. We tried two experiments ! this year — an operetta, ‘Die Fled- ermaus,’ and a repeat, ‘Chocolate ' Soldier.’ Both sold out, so in the future we can apparently do shows like ‘Carmen’ in English and at least one or two repeats a year .^’rom previous seasons. The Circus ’las lost some of its novelty, but as long as wc give tbcm firs..-elass voices and good shows I believe 1 the public will keep cour’ic.”