Variety (September 1952)

4 miClIBSTRAS-llilTSIC Steel Pier May Jettison Name Bands; Beefs Vs. AFM on Rates, Remotes Atlantic City, Editor, Variety: We receive many inquiries con- cerning" our use of name bands on Steel Pier, and have made a care- ful analysis in the last three years. We regret to report we find the name bands have been fast failing In drawing-power each year. We are told that we are the foremost amusement establishment in the east consistently using the biggest possible name bands—and prob- ably the only one. We start using, name bands each year on Easter weekend and use the best we can find weekly from about Memorial Day until the Sunday following La- bor Day. Our ballroom is one of the finest in the east and we pub- licize our. bands extensively with everything from window cards to 2^-*’hsnts, plus newspaper, radio, et^. Once our patrons pay .Ihe ad- m'ssion to the Pier,, they are priv-' lle'^ed to visit all attractions with- out further charge, to wit: the cir- cus, water sports, vaudeville, chil- dren's theatre, two feature photo^ plays, fun houses, exhibits, and the Ballroom, In spite of this free admission, less than one-third of' our patrons visit the ballroom. Why should th*s be when the bands are plaving excellent music and are easily uo to the standards, of former great bands? We cannot stick our head in the sand and idly hope that this is just a “cycle”; that the popularity of name bands will soon automatically return. There are caus''s, and we shall list them in the hops that corrections will be made—otherwise Steel Pier may be forced to follow the others and ab.andon name bands, maybe aban- don danoing altogether. Union Attitude Toward Radio The great name bands of the early '49s were popularized by ra- dio remote broadcasts and by disk jockeys. The union, through word and deed, created a resentment so that those in radio have endeav- ored to find means of other late evening entertainment and the disk jockeys have chosen to pop- ularize vocalists rather than bands. Even more damaging in this re- gard is the suicidal practice of many locals of taxing the operator for arranging remote broadcasts for bands. No single action has caused more resentment among producers and radio stations alike than this. New York, where the tax of $7 has been in effect for years, hias almost abandoned the use of mme bands. Operators are human and they have rebelled. No one can blame them for refusing to stand for this type of outrage. The union should not only discon- tinue such charges but should aid promoters in getting all the broad- casts they can for bands. This year, in Atlantic City, the local imposed a fee of $3.50 per week, per man, paid into the wel- ifare fund for remote broadcasts. The result—^remotes emanating from Atlantic City dropped from approximately 25 per week to ap- proximately 5 per week, and is not entirely due to the small fee be- ing imposed, but because of the principal Inyolvedr from past ex- perience, a small fee soon becomes A large one. Booking Offices Although the union does noth- ing to incur the favor of radio and television, the booking offices do very little more. Each booking Office should not only try to sell its bands to operators but should, in every way possible, promote their bandleaders as personalities and, above all, promote their rec- ords on radio and TV. Although Mr. Petrillo, in June, expressed his enthusiasm for name bands, the attitude of many locals is far different. For example: in Atlantic City this past spring we explained, at a meeting with the local, that we spent a fortune on name bands. The AFM president Itaid: “What do we care about the name bands, they don't help us so why should we help them.” He «aid this in spite of the fact that the local gets 10% from each name band, and in the days when danc- ing was popular. Steel Pier used AH Alternate local band at all times. A more fair and cooperative pol- icy should be adopted by all lo- Aa||(, The scale established by 802 and other locals is excessive but on top of this the various laws, rules, taxes, overtime, etc., established by each local brings the cost be- yond the means of most former operators. In Atlantic City, for example, we have an 8-page book- let on local rates, rules, etc. Musicians and many name bands could get bookings in arenas, the- atres and clubs were it not for the union “stand-by” requirements in many places. In other spots the “minimum men” required is pro- ‘hibitive. As a result, neither the name bands nor the local musi- cians get the work. Just look in our area: in 1946 and 1947, Asbury Park, Wildwood, Sun- nybrook (near Philadelphia), Her- shey, Ephrata, Pa., plus the Click •in Philadelphia and the Million Dollar Pier here all used name bands. Yet, today the Steel Pier alone survives as a regular stand for these bands. It is our opinion that the top bandleaders, with representatives of the booking offices, and the unions must meet at once and for- mulate plans to preserve our in- dustry. It is not enough for the National Headquarters to sit in its Lexington Ave. office and count the revenues from royalties, wel- fare fund, etc. It must take an active interest in the problems facing all of us—^musicians and op- erators. The first point to realize is that the union’s worry should no longer be to get higher wages for musicians, but rather whether the union may be pricing and “regu- lating” the traveling bands out of existence; The standard bandleaders like Sammy Kaye, Tommy Dorsey, Guy Lombardo, Vaughn Monroe, Harry James and many others who have devoted their lives to music, know the answers. Let us urge that the union and booking offices seek them out and conduct a meeting at which the interest of all concerned will be considered. It must be realized by all that the operator today is faced with tremendous headaches in the form of ASCAP, BMI, the competition of TV, Drive-In Theatres, and the like. It must be remembered that the music purveyed by name bands is like a lot of other entertainment —a luxury item—^which the pub- lic can take or leave and, as in the late 30's and early 40’s, the public must be sold! sold! sold! Name bands were once the greatest at- traction In show business and they can be made so again—with, com- mon sense and proper guidance. jR. Endicott. (Manager, Steel Pier) Wiener Roast to Heat Toledo Ballroom B;0. Toledo, Sept. 9 l Something new in Toledo danqe circles has been added. The Cen^ tennial Terrace, outdoor dance pavilion at Sylvania, near here, held a wiener roast dance Satur- day night. Sept. 6, and planned a similar event for Saturday. Sept. 13. Dancing was to Jack Runyan’s orchestra. Several community fires were built near the dance hall and maintained for the dancers so they could roast their own hot dogs. Patrons "were advised they could bring their own accessories, and could also buy dogs, mustard, rel- ish, and ketchup at the concession stand. Sticks for roasting the hot- dogs were furnished. What Cautious Tenor Chose to Accept $100 in Cash Instead of Victor Stock for Each Waxing? * ★ ★ one af fht many editorial feotures In the special ReA VICTOR NUMBER in OUT THIS MONTH James L. Shaw writes OR The First Recording of Jaz^ (Originally Spelled Jass) | * * * I I an Interesting byline feature in the special RCA VICTOR NUMBER in P^iSfY OUT THIS MONTH Rustic Cabin, N. J., Starts Clicking With Name Band Policy; FaO Roster Set With fall marking the start of his third year with a name band policy, Bill Levine, operator of the Rustic Cabin at Englewood Cliffs, N. J., feels he may hit the jackpot this time. Previously business had been somewhat inconsistent, but Levine thinks that months / of stressing names havq produced a following by now. , ■ In line with this theory, Levine has booked an array of names that extends through to the first of the year. Art Mooney opened at the spot Friday (5) for two-and-a-half weeks and Sunny Gale is set for Sept. 26-28. Harry James moves in for the weekend starting Oct. 3. Full weeks resume Oct. 7 with Tommy Tuck- er's crew. Others due to follow are Blue Barron, Frances Wayne-Neal Hefti, Stan Kenton and Count Basie. Levine drew stout business with six weeks of Louis Prima late last spring, but switched to names on weekends only during July and Au- gust. Although his 1,200 capacity Cabin fronts on the heavily trav- eled Route 9W, Levine is of the opinion .that it's the steady trade that counts and it’s la mistake to rely upon casual customers and transients. BRIT. TOOTER UNION EASES FOREIGN BP London, Sept. 2. Relaxing its longstanding oppo- sition to the employments of for- eign musicians ;in Britain, the Mu- sicians Union has okayed the en- gagement of a Swedish alto star, Arne Domerus, who will appear with the Geraldo orchestra at a Festival Hall concert on Sunday Sept. 28. Issue of the necessary work permit by the Ministry of Labor is now regarded as a for- mality. The Swedish musician was orig- inally booked to appear with Geral- do at the jazz Festival earlier in the year but ns a result of a MU edict the British orch was barred from 'iparticipaUng. An aggregation com- posed ^ non-union fiiusicians was hurkedly got together on that oc- casion. M-G-M Hypos Fall Biz With Cut-Price Albums j In a move to get off to a fast' fall sales start, M-G-M RecoYds is readying a special album package for October release. Package, which will contain nine new titles on all three speeds, will be peddled to distributors and dealers at a reduced rate. Albums in the package will fea- ture Billy Eckstine, George Shear-1 ing, Macklin Marrow, The Canter-1 bury Choir, Philip Green orch and' Lionel Barrymore. Kardale Going Into Pub Biz for Himself Chick Kardale, who ankled his contactman’s post- with Sheldon Music last week, is setting up his own publishing firms. Firms Kar- dale will operate are Carol Music and Dale Music. Former will be li- censed by ASCAP and the latter by BMI. Kardale, who was with Sheldon about six months, previou.s’v had been associated with disk jockey Martin Block’s publishing firm. Wednesday, September 10, 1952 , I,, iirifrr ■•1 — ^ ■■ ■ ■■ T~>iiwi Songs With Largest Radio Audience The top 30 songs of week (more in case of ties), based on copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index, Published by Office of Research, Inc., Dr. John Gray Peatman, Director. Alphabetically listed. Survey Week of August 29-September 4 Any Time Hill & R. Auf Wlederseh’n Sweetheart Hill & R"" Blue Tango Mills Botch-A-Me Hollis Delicado Remick Half As Much Here Comes That Mood Life Here In My Heart Mellin High Noon—t“High Noon” Feist How Close Life I’ll Forget You ...Witmark I'm Yours Algonquin Live Oak Tree Burvan Lovely To Look At—-fLovely To Look At” JHarms Maybe ^ Robbins Meet Mr. Callaghan Leeds My Love and Devotion Shapiro-B Once In a While Miller Roses Of Yesterday Berlin So Madly In Love Shapiro-B Some Day Famous Somewhere Along Way United Song Angels Sing Feist Sweethearts Holiday Mayfair Sweetest Words I Know ... Life Till the End Of the World Southern Walkin’ My Baby Back Home DeSylva-B-H Where Did the Night Go.. Chappell Wish You Were Here—*“Wlsh You Were Here”... .Chappell You Belong To Me. ‘ Ridgeway You Intrigue Me .... Remick Zing a Little Zong—t“Just For You” Burvan Second Group Because You're Mine—t“Because You’re Mine”.,.. Feist Carmen’s Boogie Broadcast Down By the O-hi-o Forster For Autumn Erwin-H For the Very First Time Berlin Forgive Me Advanced Goody Goody DeSylva-B-H I Love You So Jerome I’ll Si Si.Ya In Bahia Burvan I’ll Walk Alone Mayfair In the Good Old Summer Time Marks Jambalaya Acuff-R Kiss Of Fire Duchess Luna Rossa Bregman-V Rosanne ; ABC Smoke Rings Am Academy Sugar Bush .Schirmer Vanessa ^. Morris Walldn' To Missouri Hawthorne Watermelon Weather '. Morris West Of the Mountains Goday Top 10 Songs On TV Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart..; Hill & R Blue Tango Mills Half As Much Acuff-R ' Lovely To Look At—t“Lovely To Look At” Harms Lover Famous Some Day Famous Somewhere Along the Way United Walkin’ My Baby Back Home DeSylva-B-H Watermelon Weather.. .* Morris Wish You Were Here—=5‘“Wish You Were Here” ... .Chappell FIVE TOP STANDARDS Ballin’ the Jack Marks By the Sea Shapiro-B How About You Broadcast Indian Summer Harms •September Song DeSylva-B-H * t Filmusical. * Legit musical. fliJlTCIA Iji Rsllriwim tickets was denied ad- VilldlgtS la. DdlirUdlU mission, although he said he had Wilb* Anil danced at the ballroom oh at least nlin illin"n0gro dies two previous occasions. The ball- |\ • i i TV • rooni is owned by Prom, Inc., Chi- Uuring Armstrong Dale operator of the Trianon and Mninoc Q Ai’agon, Chicago, the Prom in Min- Des Moines, Sept. 9. neapolis and the Terp In Austin, Carroll Anderson, manager of Minn. the Surf ballroom, Clear Lake, la., Edward Boyle, Surf's attorney, is facing charges that he refused said: “No one is refused admission to admit two Negroes to the ball- of his color and it is not a vnnm fhiic 1 n Pobey of this ballroom to refuse denying, their civil admission because of color, and no rights. Two cases are pending be- sucli policy has ever been dictated fore the justice of the peace at or set by any officials in Chicago.” Mason City. One of the Negroes '^.nderson said persons frequently had purchased Uchets to hear Louis Armstrong but on presents- dress or known reputation might ■ — —_ tend to create a disturbance. The charges are filed under a IPs Not Generally Known 1 hiisdemeanor statute. Conviction /JIT ! carries a maximum penalty of $100 ■* i fine or 30-day jail sentence. The Battle of the i ^ Speeds Is an Old Story Garlock, Schcrer Set Up * * * Music Publishing Co. ont of the many editorial features Mickey Garlock, contactman with ... , , Bregman, Vocco & Conn, and Ber- " nie Scherer, of St. Nicholas Music, RCA VICTOR NUMBER have left their respective firms to set up a new publishing company, Scherer-Garlock Music. Meantime, Jerry Lewin, who left the business a couple of year* ATIT TTHTTc ^80, returned to his old job as pro- u imj) IVkUINlll fessional manager of St. Nicholas Music, Johnny Marks’ firm.