Variety (October 1952)

62 VAITttEmLII Toronto Ex-Mayor Succeeds Hughes As ONE Boss, Presaging All-Can. Bill Toronto, Oct. 7. After 18 years as general man- ager of the Canadian National Exhibition, Elwood A. Hughes has been permitted to resign his $15,- OQO a year job after a persistent campaign headed in recent months by the new mayor of Toronto, Al- lan Lamport. One of Mayor Lam- port's chief election promises was to clean up alleged inefficiency of CNE management and his query*of •‘where is the money going?" On retirement, Hughes will be paid his full 1953 salary plus a $7,500 pension for life, this imme- diately arousing the ire of city fathers. Hughes' post will be filled by Hiram E. McCallum, former mayor of Toronto, whom Lamport defeated in the last civic election. No showman, as particularly com- pared with Hughes’ 47 years' asso- ciation with the CNE (first as sports director and later press- agent, plus the past 18 years as general manager), .defeated ex- Mayor McCallum" was handed the newly-created job of assistant man- ager to Hughes, an appointment that brought the general charges of “pork barrel" payoff. On that extra year's,, $15,000 sal- ary and the $7,500 pension, Hughes will be called upon for his services as consultant “when available when needed," according to the CNE board’s decision. Hughes said he had wanted to resign the CNE managership a couple of years ago and was glad that the board of directors had finally acceded to that request. On final meeting's decision, Hughes left immediately for New York to witness the World Scrios 'Nationalistic Aim* Mayor Lamport and J. A. Nor- they, CNE president, expressed regret at the parting of the ways and stated that, more than any other individual, Hughes had, in the past four decades, been respon- sible for bringing the CNE to its present high level. There had been vigorous public criticism of Hughes’ actions in his determination to make the expo bigger on the enter- tainment angles of the 24,000-seat grandstand show and. midway,, at sacrifice of what some quarters call the fundamental nationalistic aim of the CNE as a mirror of Cana- dian achievement in agriculture and industry, plus other educational facets. Hughes was a staunch exponent of the thesis that U v S. headliners would pack the grandstand (at $2.50 top) on Such annual draw's as Olsen & Johnson, Danny Kaye and Jimmy Durante. (Tony Martin was the '52 topper). On the rising tide of press and public furore demand- ing an “all-Canadian" motif in the grandstand show, Hughes was fi- nally ousted, particularly on his insistence that Canadian stage talent was incapable of putting on a performance worthy of the CNE’s $50,000,000 plant and its heavy tourist draw from states bordering on the Great Lakes. • ' Salchmo (for Money) SRO In Oslo, So Add 2 Days; Oslo, Oct, 7. Louis Armstrong’s All-Star Con- cert has been held over for two additional days here following a sellout at yesterday’s (Mon.) per- formance. Show was SRO in ad- vance and deal for an additional two nights was concluded when Satchmo arrived in Oslo. Holdover will necessitate Negro trumpeter’s flying to Brussels for a date on Thursday (9). After Brussels, Armstrong’s itinerary calls for stands in Germany and Italy with a windup slated for Lausanne, Nov. 8. There’s a pos- sibility that Armstrong will play Paris after his regular tour. Alan Gale to Keep Going In N.Y. to Jan. 1, Then Fla. Alan Gale’s Celebrity Club, N.Y., will remain open until Jan. 1, when the comedian-boniface will return to Miami Beach to operate the Celebrity Club there. Last season Gale also closed the N.Y. spot on New Year’s Day to re- turn to Florida, Wash. State Slots Ban Downbeating Bistros Seattle, Oct/7.. The recent State Supreme Court ruling kayoing slot machines has affected the talent situation here and in other parts of Washington. Already cafes and private clubs, have felt the effects and have can- celled-shows. The China Pheasant here is re- ported on the verge of closing! The Cougar Quarterback Club, Spokane, is understood ready to give up. Situation, although felt to be tem- porary, is likely to be costly for acts working in this area. Some bookers feel that cafes will have to make up losses* from the slot machines by bigger shows in order to pull crowds. However, that seems improbable at this time. PhiDy Terrace Scrams Talent <» In Tooter Defy Philadelphia, Oct. 7. Garden Terrace Room of the Benjamin Franklin Hotel, which has been playing floor-shows for the last decade and a half (and ice revues the last eight years of that time) failed to open a bill this season and so far is continuing summer operations, strictly as a dining room. Hotel's prexy Joseph Mears is reportedly steamed up over the musicians’ union 10% hike this year and refused to negotiate with them to bring back Earl Denny’s orch (10), which in recent years has played for the dancing and the skating shows. Hotel associates said Mears has no immediate intention of resum- ing entertainment policy at the Terrace, and has been bolstered in attitude by fact that room’s Sep- tember gross topped last Septem- ber’s without music and show and fewer hours of operation. DANNY THOMAS’ $7,500 FOR CHI CHEZ PAREE Chicago, Oct. 7. Danny Thomas’ date at the Chez Paree, Chicago, starting Oct. 17, will bring him $7,500 per frame. A tour for the comic is currently being lined up by the William Mor- ris Agency. It’s expected that he'll wind up his nitery stand with a/ Florida date. ‘ Sinatra’s Late St. Loo Bow Floors Chase Club’s B.O. St. Louis, Oct. 7. Frank Sinatra arrived Saturday (4) noon to begin an engagement at thfrvGhase Club here, although to 'have started the previ- ous'night. Before Sinatra’s arrival, the'sfcotel received a call^that the singer wouT^be^unabre. to appear because of illness. More than 600 reservations had been made for the opening night and $ financial loss was suffered as a result. Covers for the Sinatra run had been upped from $1 to $1.50 week- days and $1.50 to $2 Saturday and Sunday in the 800-seater. Sinatra Safari? Sinatra is slated for a tour of South Africa and will play the Palladium, London, and other Con- tinental stops after. This tour would coincide with his wife’s (Ava Gardner) plans since she’s to make films abroad. However, there’s a rift between Sinatra and Miss Gardner, which may alter his itinerary. Galveston Balinese Fixup Galveston, Oct. 7. The swank Balinese Room here has been shuttered for repairs for an indefinite period. Spot has been operated by the Maceo interests. It’s hoped that work will be com- pleted for reopening around Christ- mas. Columbus (0.) Discovers Hildegarde’s Boffo B. 0. Columbus, Oct. 7. This city’s crix reacted favorably to introduction of bigtime nitery policy at the Ionian .Room of the Deshler Wallick Hotel, here, with the' preem of Hildegarde. Chantoosey, who plays’ a two- week stand at this spot, incited the newspapermen to dust 'off some rarely used superlatives after the opening night (3). “Mr. & Mrs. Rodeo’ (Rogers & Evans) Heading for S50G Heavy advance and strong gross- es at the. Madison Square Garden, N. Y\, “World Championship Ro- deo" point 0 to a $850,000 gross, one of highest scored at the Gar- den since 1946.. Headliners Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, doing their Mr. and Mrs. show, are apparently set to rack up that near-record take since the Garden show dwin- dled to 26 days. Only grosses over $1,000,000 to be registered. for the event were in 1945 and 1946. In those years the shindig ran 32 days. One of the lowest rodeo draws was hit last season when lack of a top film cowboy headliner hurt the gate. 1 Optimism for the top pull stems from the fact that last week's busi- ness was strong despite opposition on Wednesday, Friday and week- end matinees from the World Se- ries being played in New York. Advance indicate that many days during the event, which runs to Oct. 19 (43 performances), will-be sellouts. Kaye Repeats S.F. With 60G Advance; Mull 3d Wk.; Portland, Seattle Booked San Francisco, Oct. 7. Danny Kaye returned to the Curran Theatre here yesterday (Mon.), backed by a tremendous $60,000 advance. ^ His show ap- pears to be heading for another sellout at $4.80 top. Spectacular aspect of present runus that while advance sale on previous two-week stretch hit $96,000, this was sparked by a Civic Light Opera Assn, mailing list campaign, while the current boxoffice advance is exclusively the result of window sales, word-of-mouth and mail or- der, with practically * no • money spent in advance advertising. If public demand continues, the Curran and Civic Light Opera may be forced to pick.up. option, of a third week, extending closing from Oct. 19 until the 25th, when the house must turn over To ’JbSfe’ Greco and his troupe. Following the Curran, Kaye is set for four days at the Paramount, Portland, then five days at the Par, Seattle, both scaled to $4.80. This will be the first time for either. Paramount house to depart from straight films in some years. The Portland showplace, a 3,400- mtejc,.._hssn.’.t liad^Jive one in about 15 years. Kay may follow the Seattle date with a two-day stand in Vancouver. Comedian opens' Christmas Day at the Dallas State Fair and may go on to New York later to play the Palace. Lineup for show, which includes the Dunhills, Pirro Bros., Carmen Torres, Rex Ramer, is the same with exception of Calgary Bros., replacing Joe Jackson, Jr. Vivian Smith Named Asst. Choreog, Music Hall, N. Y. Vivian Smith, who was one of the dancers in “Top Banana" on Broadway last season, has been ap- pointed assistant choreographer of the Radio City Music Hall corps de ballet. She’ll assist Margaret Sande, who replaced Florence Rogge recently as the corps’ di- rector. Miss Smith started as a member of the Col. de Basil Ballet Russe, then joined the Music Hall corps de ballet in 1937, dancing with it for 10 years. Lately she’s been dou- bling between tele and legit. Wednesday, October 8 , I952 Talent Reps Making Last-Ditch Appeal To AGVA on Franchise Status Qno Mpls. Nitery Ops Fight AFM 10% Hike Demand Minneapolis, Oct. 7. Nitery owners here are engaged in negotiations with the musicians’ union in an effort to avert a boost in scale at a time when, they say, “business is dragging rock bottom and the outlook is bleak." For their new contract, the mu- sicians, who earn up to $100 a week in some instances, at first demand- ed a 20% increase. They’ve offered to compromise at 10%, but the bistro owners insist that no raise of any amount is justified. Heme Extends Indpls. Run To Overlap Wirtz Indianapdlis, Oct. 7. Another shot was fired by Sonja Henie in her hot ice war with Arthur M. Wirtz when she extended the closing date of her show at the Butler Fieldhouse here from Oct. 11 to the 18th. Wirtz’s “Hollywood Ice Revue" opens at the Coliseum Thursday night (9) to remain through Oct. 26. Henie’s announcement of the extra week was made by her press rep a few minutes before the cur- tain went up on her opening night last Friday (3). :Rumors that she would stick around were heard as soon as her original dates were revealed, however. The two shows, meeting in a di- rect competitive situation for the first time, now will have 10 over- lapping dates instead of three. Henie has put on a personal ex- ploitation campaign unprecedented, for her, in more than 10 years of appearances here. Barbara Ann Scott £nd other members of Wirtz’s troupe arrived Sunday afternoon (5) to get in their promotion licks before their double premiere, for RCA Employees Assn, officials and critics Wednesday night and the public Thursday night. Near-capacity audience estimated at 7 V 000 turned up for Miss Henie’s preem. Coliseum reports advance sale for Wirtz show is heavier than last year. *** iu oaV6 A It ists Representatives Assn. i n ill present state. Appeal will be ad- dressed to the American Guild of Variety Artists, whose national board is currently meeting at th* Taft Hotel, N. Y., and will be made by Bill Kent, ARA president, rep. resenting indie agents; Nat Lefko. witz William Morris Agency; ££ ns Schrier, Music Corp. of Ameri- ca, and Jack Katz, counsel for Gen. eral Artists Corp. n Agreement between the union and ARA expires next Wednesdav (15), and AGVA has indicated that no further extension will be grant- ed. New union rules call for is- suance of free franchises to all agents who qualify. Under present ARA agreement, all percenters coming in through the organization get their . union license through ARA. Indie agents pay their $50 fee direct to the union, while those applying through ARA pay $50 dues to the organization and obtain their franchises free. ARA is at- tempting to seek extension of the same pact. It s felt that the agency org will lose considerable strength under the system to be put into effect by the union. There’s considerable opposition within the union to extension of Rule B, the present agreement cov- ering union-agency agreements. As a matter of fact, opposition is so adamant that it was made clear that .agency reps would speak to the .board not as ARA representa- tives, but as spokesmen for their particular office. Because of the lengthy discussion on the Insurance question, no time had been selected by the board for the agency org appeal. It was ex- pected that ARA spokesman would be permitted to speak to the board by either late yesterday (Tues.) or today. Meanwhile, ARA is preparing for its annual elections. Nominating committee has named for the board of governors Nick Agneta, Willard Alexander, Hattie Althoff, Milton Berger, Eddie Elkort, Dick Henry, Jack Kalcheim, William Kent, Ben Kutchuk, Harry Lawrence, Nat Lef- kowitz, Leon Newman, Harry Romm and Art Weems. Election will take place Nov. 10. Board sub- sequently elects ARA officers. That Keaton Fellow, His Silence Is Golden Nugget For Paris’ Cirque Medrano SAN ANTONIO 7 OAKS SETS MAESTRO NAMES San Antonio, Oct. 7. Col. B. F. Chadwick, owner-op- erator of Club . Sevenoaks, has pacted several name orchs. Clyde plays a one-nighter on Friday (10) and Russ Morgan is booked for two nights, Oct, 17-18. Wayne King is set for Oct. 24-25. One-nighters to follow include the Ink Spots, Noy. 1; Jan Garber, Nov. 3, and Tex Beneke, Nov. 17. Wrightsen, Morrow Teamed for 2 Dates Earl Wrightson, tele, singing star, launches his first personal appear- ance tour in more than three years at the Thunderbird Hotel, Las Vegas, Nov. 13 for a week’s en- gagement. Wrightson will be teamed with songstress Doretta Morrow for the Thunderbird and also set for a one-week date at the Capitol Thea- tre, Washington, beginning Nov. 27. Cafes’ OPS Break Washington, Oct. 7. Night spots in Alaska, Guam, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Vir- gin Islands that want to install a cover charge or boost the present one, to pay for entertainment, may now apply for permission to the territorial director of the Office of Price Stabilization, OPS has an- nounced. Heretofore, there was no way which territorial iiiteries could do this legally under price stabiliza- tion. Paris, Sept. 30. Buster Keaton walked out of the silent past and into the ring of Cirque Medrano to socko reception by public and press last Saturday (27). Comedian performed act based on scene in one of his old flickers, “Spite Marriage." Keaton and his wife, Eleanor, appear as tipsy couple returning home from a night out. Keaton goes through routine of trying to get wife to bed and, this failing, attempts various complicated methods of landing himself in the hay. When he has done so, the alarm clock sounds and he must get up again. Keaton hasn’t changed. He still .wears a..desperate, determined ex- pression and the old, voiceless filih clothes—the flat hat, the big, black bowtie and misfit pants and coat. He is still a great pantomime artist and never breaks the magic silence. Rest of Medrano bill is good. Three sets of clowns, Alex & Beby, Nino & Charly and Boulivot & Loriot perform. There is an expert English juggler, Peter Woodrow, and a hep American tapper. Bobby Brandt. An elastic acrobatic trie, Les Whisky, do well. Ernest Schu* mann with his horse teams anfl trick equestrians, Les Ricono, in rest of evening. In all, a wd* balanced program. Keaton is at Medrano for three weeks. Present act has been done on American TV and when present engagement is completed he goes back to the U. S. for more video. Cirque Medrano, 1,750-seater, * doing capacity biz nightly, Keaton being big draw. C urU ic Outskirts, San Antoni *y, is slated to tee off “V. c. Spot is owned and °P er J"L Jave McCurdy and a wester 1 will be featured in a ne