Variety (January 1953)

Wedntriay* January 28, 1953 turner? 63 A PAM B^UWNTHAL . 1895, made his initial U, S. appear- A Pam Blumenthal,. 48, film ance with the Metropolitan Opera financier and producer, died Jan. Co., in the 1901-02 season. He in Hollywood after* an* illness coached Deanna .Durbin while nf several months, A former as- both-, were wider,contract to Uni- sistant director to the late Sidney versal.. . « . Olcott. he had produced shorts in- He appeared in pix starring dependently in Europe in the late gloria Swanson John Barrymore •20s He founded Stanley Film .Miss Durbin, Grace Moore and Advertising Co. with Jules Mast- Others. Films in which he played Warners in included "The Lovers of Sonya, ' beVming WB Sdustrial "The Red Dance,” "The Man From IS dS chieir Whe“ BUnkleys’-. -lOO Men and * Girl” specializing in fihn f ME- '30s, de Segurola wore a monocle Until 1949 Blumenthal served as which became his trademark. In chairman °^^ 1 ®-^ ard T r^addition to his operatic and thes- and Film Classics. Hia_ ™ost re ping activities, he had also man- cent venture was partnership with age( j W restlers. Howard Welsh m Fidelity Pic- wife and a daughter survive, tures. J Wife, son and mother survive. GEORGE P. JACKSON George Pollen Jackson, 77, American religious folksong au- e *? c I thority, died Jan. 20 in Nashville. DOUGLAS COULTER Douglas Coulter, 52, an 4 _ producer for NBC-TV and a radio He authored seven books on folk- pioneer, died of a heart attack at songs, was a former president of his home in Scarsdale, N. Y., Jan. the University Philharmonic So- 21. . ciety, Grand Forks, 1 . Neb.; founder Coulter established numerous an d first prexy of the 'Nashville radio firsts and set many patterns Symphony Orch, a member of the during the early broadcasting" days, editorial board of the Southern As radio v.p. for N. W. Ayer agency Folklore- Quarterly, former prexy during the late 1920s and early of the Tennessee & Southeastern '30s, he was responsible for many Folklore Societies and chairman Of of the first major network shows, the National Federation of Music He created the "Eveready Hour,” Clubs’ Committee on Religious an early 60-minute show; intro- Folk Songs. - duced the first variety, "Camel His books include "White Spirit- Pleasure Hour ; produced the first ua j s j n the Southern Uplands,” whodunit senes, Eno Crime “Spiritual Folk-Songs of Early Clues,” and about 100 other airers. America,” "Down-East Spirituals,” Among those who made their radio “White and Negro Spirituals,” debuts 6n Coulter Shows included “story of the Sacred Harp,” "Sing, Eddie Cantor,. Will Rogers, Jack Brothers, Sing”, and "White Spir- Benny, Maurice Chevalier, De ituals.” Wolf Hopper, Mills ® r os.’_ Ben A daughter, a son, four sisters Bernie, Richard Dix, Belle Baker, and brother survive, and Joe Cook. Coulter was -program v.p. for rmimc CBS from 1936-46. Before joining _ WILLIAM TUBBS NBC-TV as a producer in May, William Tubbs, 45, American 1950, he was radio veepee for fihn and legit actor; died of a Foote, Cone & Belding, from 1946 heart ailment Jan. 25 in London, to 1949. He was upped to exec Tubbs who went to Europe in producer for NBC-TV last October, 1946, had appeared in more than and had been serving until his 20 foreign-made films since that death as exec producer on "Hall of time. One of his top roles during - . . _ • i. l_. -v X. - — MV MV J3 MBMMV mm 4 ■ 9 A «.» LlAfl . Fame.” Survived by his wife and a son. JACK WELCH ager'and''producer, ^died^Jalf. I had done film acting.in Hollywood, uuu J/I.VWMVV » ^ r ... 1 1 VintHrirf rinnn thorn flvct oe dn in- that period was in Roberto Ros- sellini’s “Paisan.” He also had part in Metro’s "Quo Vadis, filmed in Italy. Before leaving the U. S., Tubbs penned such tunes as "Little Girl,” "Ain’t It a Shame,” "Granada Stomp” and "Sugar Bun.” At one time he was associated with Mu- zak Corp. * . Surviving are two daughters and a. brother. N. Y. Hippodrome. . A sister and wo brothers survive; MME. LOUISE VOCCOLL Mme, Louise Voccoli, 56, v conCert- opera performer and voice teach- er, died Jan. 24 in Brooklyn after long illness. A lyric .soprano. Mme. Voccoli had been a soloist for many years and had a studio in the Metropolitan Opera House, N.Y. She was founder and director of the Voccoli Choral Society. A son, two sisters and three brothers survive. , KRAFT WALTON Kraft Walton, 91, associated in legit for approximately 60 ye&rs, died Jan. 20 in Los Angeles. Walton had been on the staff of producers David Belasco, Daniel Frohman, Henry Harris, Oscar Hammerstein and the Shuberts. . His wife and daughter, Vera Walton, currently appearing with the national Company of "Guys and Dolls,” survive. HORACE A. PORTER .Horace A. Porter, 73, manager and secretary-treasurer of the St. John, N. B. t fair for 21 years, died Jan. 14 iri Rothesay, N, B.. He was a board member and attorney of the F. G. Spencer Co. of St. Jofin, operating a chain of film houses in a partnership with Famous Play- ers. Wife, a son and a daughter sur- vive. 1 y IVAN CHARNOFF JCvan Chamoff, 58, talelit agent, died Jan. 18 in Chicago.’ He was formerly a dancer and. then- built flash acts before becoming a. booker in Boston and subsequently in Chi- cago. Survived by his wife, a daughter, 'and -a son, Irving, a "New. York talent agent, ARTHUR H. HORNING Arthur H. Horning, 63, president and founder (in 1946) of KSIB, Creston, la., died Jan. 15 in Cres- t<m.* His son, Emmert, is station manager. Two daughters, three brothers, a sister and six grandchildren also survive. hisLOs^e^esaDaitment Welch having gone there first as an in (ne JohnM Walsh)Entered show surance man. He appeared in to afa boy soprano “e FaU "Catherine the Great" and “Dead River, Mass., Academy of Music End on the stage . some 60 years ago. As a young man _ Smwived by his Wife, Helen he toured the country in "The Bell McGill Tubbs, Rome correspondent Boy” of which he was star, owner Variety. and manager. - * At the turn of the century Welch MAJ. WM. H. V. GUINNESS was general manager for (George Maj.-William Henry Victor Guin- M.) Cohan & (Sam H.) Harris, ness, 63, actor, theatrical cartoon- both of whom were lifelong ist and critic, died Jan. 26 in his friends. After the famous actors’ Naugatuck, Conn., home of a heart strike, he held the g.m. post for attack. Guinness had worked as a Edgar and Arch Selwyn, Arthur critic for the Philadelphia Ledger Hopkins and Flo Ziegfeld at vari- and also as art editor of the New ous periods. York Mirror. In his long career on Broadway During World War II he served he was part owner or co-producer as a Marine major and created of many legiters such as Jane Cowl many Marine Corps recruiting in "Art and Mrs. Bottle,” Fay posters and art for war bond Bainter in the "Kiss Burglar*” Ray- drives. He and Connie Mack and mond Hitchcock in "The Sap” and the late George M. Cohan were the Frank Morgan in "My Lady only life members of Philadel- Friends.” In recent years he had phia’s Pen & Pencil Club. Burial held a managerial berth with was in Arlington Cemetery. Louis B. Mayer when latter was wife and daughter survive. NICK LAWRENCE Nick Lawrence, 30, program di- rector of WHPE, High Point, N. C. died there Jan. 13. Besides his ra- dio activity he' was active in numerous civiq projects. Wife, two sons and a daughter survive. *'*< at Metro. dauKhter'and^nothCTMn 8 George AlMA CHESTER WHITE Cohln Walsh named after Georfe Mrs. Alma Chester White, 82, M. Cohan. h ’ name r aKer g former legit actress, died at the Motion Picture Country House on MARY MANNERtNG the Coast Jan. 22. She owned ancH^ Marv Mannerini Wadiworth 76 starred in her own stock companies know/ yeaSs agS* on the London *>r many year* and also placed and Broadway stage as Mary Man- wSh? nering, died’ Jan. 21 in Los An- late husband, J-Wliite. geles. She had lived in retire- ■ She appeared on Broa<Iway with ment for a long time in Bel Air. George M. -iJSir and Born Florence Friend in Eng- Dance Man, with William Faver- land, she became a star in London sham and other stars. . in 1892 and was brought to this An honorary member of the country four years later by the Elks, she also took over the chap- late Daniel Frohman. Prominent lain s post with The Troupers among her roles were those in when her husband died. "Trelawney of the Wells,” "Janice Meredith” and "The Garden of . JOE ZILCH Allah.” Joseph A. Zilch, 68, vaudeville Her first husband was the late veteran whose name naturally in- James K. Hackett, stage star, spired the famous "Joe Zilch” tag, whom she married in 1901. She died Jan. 24 at his home in Cam- appeared in a number of ptoduc- den, N.J. Zilch had traveled with tions with him. the last of which a V aude trio headed by his first was "The Walls of Jericho” in wife, Ida May Chadwick. During *905. s he divorced Hackett m an appearance at the old Chestnut 1910. Her second'marriage was to gt. opera House, Philly, he was Frederick W. Wadsworth, who given the nickname of Joe Zilch died in 1927, leaving her a third by comedian Frank Tinney in an of a near $5,000,000 estate. ad Ub. At the time of his death, Surviving are a daughter by her Z ilch was a truck Salesman., gi’andchildren Hackett and four His Second wife survives. ANDREAS DE SEGUROLA _ FRANCIS J. HENRY Count Andreas PerellO de Segu- Francis J. Henry, 48, composer rola, 78,‘ former operatic basso and* of pop tunes and guitarist, died film actor, died Jan. 23 in Barce- Jan. 24 in New York. Henry, who Iona. Segurola, who made his had been associated with Guy Lom- operatic debut in Barcelona in bardo’s orch for about 21 y£$xs» GEORGE J. DE NIKE George J. DeNike, 60, Irving Trust Co. veepee who was w.k. in show biz via his b&nk activity, died Jan. 21 in New York. Wife, a daughter,- a grandson three brothers and three sisters survive. Louis F. Jelinek, 57, exhib, died in Chicago, Jan. 25. He was op*- erator of Sky-Hi Drive-In, Elm- hurst, 111., with his son and son-in- aw.' Survived by wife, son and daughter. Robert Johnston; 68, retired Newton, la.-, exhibitor, died in New- ton.* pfl Jan. 21. .Survived by his wife, a brother and two sisters. Arthur Edward Grant, 73, War- ner studio artist for 20 years, died of a heart ailment Jan. 18 in North Hollywood. A brother survives. Hazel Margaret Roland, 68, host- ess at the Hollywood Studio ClUb, died Jan. 1.8 in Hollywood.. Harry ^Joyce, 80j.Birmingham ex- hibitor, died in Aberdovey, Eng- land,. Jan. 10. Tom Grant, of the Monroe & Grant vaude act, died Dec. 31 in Neyr London, Conn. Brother,* 42,’of actor Dana An- drews died Jan. 24 in Long Beach, Cal. Mrs, Otie Chew Becker, 72, for- mer concert violinist, died Jan. 22 in. La Crescenta, Cal. ' Harry P. Munns, Sr., 62, Chicago legal advisor to Actors Equity, died in Chicago Jan. 22, Father of Troy .Sanders of Para- mount's music department died Jan. 19 in San Diego. Frank S. Madigan, 84, former head of Paramount’s prop, depart- ment, died Jan. 20 in Hollywood. Negro Ads p Continued from pace 1 HARRY MENKE Harry Menke, 66, who operated showboats on the Mississippi River for almost 50 years, died Jan. 26 in St. Louis of a heart ailment. Menke had run the showboats with his three brothers. Lisle Bradford, 65, musician, chorus director and composer, died of a heart ailment Jan. 22 in Salt Lake City. Survived by three sis- ters and a brother, C. Ray Brad- ford, former dance orch leader. Mrs. Charlotte Burton Stockton, 54, concert violinist, died in St. Louis Jan. 17 of a heart ailment. Her husband, J. Roy Stookton, is sports editor of the St. Louis Post- Dispatch. Robert P. Klute, 88, a music teacher for 70 years, died Jan. 17 in St. Louis. At one time he oper- ated the Vienna Conservatory of Music there. Mother of Lou Perry, theatre ooncessidnaii'b, • died in Miami Beach, Jan. 19. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Feinman, daughter, N. , Y., January 20. Mother is Carol Coleman of the Virginia Wicks publicity office. Mr. and Mrs. Ira Cook, daughter, Hollywood, Jan. 19. Father is a disk jockey there. Mr. and Mrs. Norman Greene, son, Brooklyn, Jan. 23. Father is orch leader-composer. Mr. and Mrs. Hy Richman, daughter, Pittsburgh, Jan. 9. Mother is singer. Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Smith, daughter, Hollywood, Jan. 20. Father is a film publicist. Mr. and Mrs. George Paul, son, Chicago, Jan. 14. Father is a WBKB cameraman. Mr. and Mrs. Mac Greenberg, daughter, Jail. 17, New York. Father is an attorney with Warner Bros. International. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bennett, daughter, Hollywood, Jan. 17. Father is account executive at KTTV there. Mr. and Mrs. L. F. McNally, daughter, Dallas, Jan.. 7. Father is manager of Varsity Theatre there. Mr. and Mrs. Norman Weiner, son, New York, Jan. 24. Father is ad exec with Lawrence Weiner Mr. and Mrs. Bob Stuppy, daugh- ter, New York, Jan. 26. Father is printer in Variety plant. the Night Visitors,” adding that al- though "ope of the three kings is. traditionally a black man, the role has been sung by a whit^f singer.” An NBC spokesman said that after the..first "Amahl” perform- ance last year it had received i few letters suggesting a Negro be cast in the role of one-king.. When the production was reprised, by the! web, Menotti auditioned some Ne-; gro artists and said he didn’t find any who came up to the standards of the singer who had been doing' .the role. However, NBC said, a Negro dancer, Mary Hinkson, has been dancing the role of the shep- herdess, a part which does not spe- cifically call for a Negro performer, NBC added, saying its policy is to cast according to ability and pot ac- cording to race. - When the N. Y. City Center stages "Amahl,” under Menotti’s aegis, one of the three kings is., sung by a. Negro, Lawrence Win- ters, although he does not do the part of the black king, since Me- notti feels his voice is better suited to the part of another king. In the. original.. Broadway production of Menotti’s "Medium,” the role of the mute, which does not call spe- cifically for a Negro, was danced by the Negro artist, Leo Coleman, and a Negro youth has sung the title role in "Amahl” in a midwest production. Schary Cites Complaint Sizeable number of complaints protesting the use of Negroes in subservient and servantile roles in- pictures now being shown on tele- vision have reached Hollywood studios, according to Dore Schary, Metro production topper.- But while the studios have cleaned house on that score, said Schary, there isn’t a thing they can do about the films, since they’re as much as 15 years old. Schary, appearing last Saturday (24) on the Walter White show on WLIB, N. Y., told the exec secre- tary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored, People that Hollywood had done a job of ridding films of objection- able casting, of Negroes. Un- fortunate result of this was to throw a lot of fTegro actors out of work. Lately, he said, strides have been made in casting Negroes as ordinary people doing ordinary jobs, despite anticipated censor op- position In the south. T Danny Fish, 59, prop man at Universal-International for 26 years, died of a heart attack Jan. 19 in North Hollywood. Wife and daughter survive. Alfred Hoegerie, former Phila- delphia rep for New York’s Met- opera and one-time manager of Philadelphia’s Academyti^of Music, died Jan. 20 in that city. Harold E. Louls> 39, manager of the West Theatre, Chicago died in Chicago Jan, 23. Survived by wife and two children. Dr. Teresa Bromberg, 75, moth- er of actor Edgar Barrier, died of a heart attack Jan. 21 in Holly- wood. Marshall Ruth, 55, character ac- tor, died Jan. 19 in Hollywood. Bob Reano, 80, retired legit ac r tor, died Jan, 22 in Brooklyn. He appealed Sjl V Jumbo” at the, old Minority Group 7 —^ Continued from .page, 4 his clients had accepted or been promised any "consideration” to enter the withdrawal. Whereupon Kipnis made a stout denial and'tes- tified that the step had been taken "freely and without , any promises.” Receivership petition was part of a derivative stockholders’ suit brought against RKO last Nov, 13 by Eli B. Castleman and Marion V. Castleman, who hold 2,500 shares, and Louis Feuerman, holder of 25 shares. Also named defendants are Howard Hughes, the firm’s former controlling stockholder, and sev- eral subsidiary corporations. Com- plaint generally charges "waste and mismanagement.” In addition, it’s^asked that Hughes be com- pelled to make an accounting. Although the receivership mo- tion has now been discontinued, Kipnis emphasized that the suit proper will be pressed. Actual withdrawal of the receivership pe- tition was accomplished by a stipu- lation entered into between Kipnis and RKO attorneys. It withdraws the motion "without prejudice and without costs.” Among those attending the 10- minute hearing wefe Albert R. Connelly of Cravath, 'Swaine & Moore, RKO’s rep, and Isidor KresCl, ■ Latter was there as an observer for David J. Greene, a Wall St. broker who has substan- tial, holdings-in RKO. MARRIAGES Helene Schuck to Richard Jans- sen, Jan. 24, City Island, N. Y. Brid§. is with NBC- press depart- ment. Emily Malato to William Newell, Los Angeles, Jan. 17. Bride is a film studio secretary. Jean Burgess to Derek Tansey, London, Jan. 23. 1 Both are former thespers with Dundee Repertory Theatre in Scotland. Florence Sando to Arthur Man- son, Pittsburgh, Jan. 26. Bride is on TV in Pitt; groom is exploita- tion man for M-G in Canada. Marylin Morris to Vinnie Faye, St. Louis, Jan. 12. Bride was chorine at Casino in Pitt; groom is a house singer in burlesque. Patricia Tucker to Dr. Anthony Kenwick, Pittsburgh, Jan. 10. Bride is chief of Pitt Playhouse box- office staff. Naiicy Evans to Francis B. New- comb, Chicago, Jan. 2l..^ide is nitery, radio and TV singer, Monja Kulczycki to Jimmy Cha- pin, New York* Jan. 24. Bride is secretary to Howard' Sinnott, head of General Artists Corp. one-niter department; groom is drumrper in Tony Pastor orch. Glory Martha Schuyler to Byron RosS Chudnow, Paris, Jan. 14. Groom produces telepix with his father, David Chudnow. Merrie Roberts Donnelly to Ed- ward G. Murray, Jan. 24, Phila- delphia. Groom is a film buyer for WPTZ there. Mary C. Letteriello to Edward J. Devenney, Jan. 24, Upper Darby, Pa, *proom is merchandising "di- rector of the Philadelphia Inquirer stations, WFIL and WFIL-TV. Eva Goldstein to Harry Rosen- berg, Jan. 25, New Orleans. Bride is on secretarial staff of Harry Kal- mine, Warner Bros. Theatres’ topper. Mrs. Georgia Neese Clark to Andrew J. Gray, Washington, Jan. 24, Bride, outgoing U, S. Treas- urer, is a former actress. Ann Brown to Amon Carter, Jr., Fort Worth, Jan. 24. Groom, is son of the publisher and radio and TV station head and prez of the* Fort Worth Star-Telegram.