Variety (April 1953)

^InesJay, April h *953 PSmEfr 95 OBITUARIES kept his whisky in a hot-water bot- tle in bed. AL ROMA Alexander Isaacson. 56, profes- sionally known as A1 Roma, vaude ttaitat yt t r>D/wr<c and nitery performer, died March rERNARO L. MILLER 27 in Philadelphia, He had played T Miller, 56, vet music Harold L. Groves, 49, president the Keith circuit and reepntiv had Y <* k ? f Har T groves ™ i0 ™ 1 g^iceSys- appeared had March 27 following two tern, Inc., and All State Field wife, the former Betty Wood- £ 0I Jrt attacks early that day. Mil - Service, Inc., firms designed to roffe, who had appeared in vaude ? e 5«c head of the law firm of Mil- keep tabs on film copyright in- under the name of Betty Wood, ler, . aS n?uipr with his brother, Mor- fnngements, died March 24 in survives. y ler & Miller w«n ^ death de . N y He began his career in 1926 . ton, was ac CO ndition for the with the N.Y. Film Board of Trade sprt.^.Aoars. and aIso h a d served with the legal J. WALTER CAMPBELL past five y * h j s firm i n 1926, .branch of the Motion Picture Pro- f Smce op 6 legal counsel for ducers and Distributors of Amer- Marnh 97/i Miller had disk ica March 27 in East Meadow, L. I. He numerous PjJ d ^ters. Recently, In 1945 Grove helped organize ?i? d b a a ? the ?^h U f for i nn Levy’s Leeds Music Confidential Reports, Inc., which p iS* eigb !L?2X s ployed at the New Shenandoah Theatre, St. Louis, died of a heart attack March 20 in that city, * Chains Whittle Continued from page V Brother, 90, of Murray White-1 man, proprietor of Whiteman s i Song Shop, Buffalo, died in ’New; medically, the industry may be less Rochelle, N.Y., March 16. Son, 2^4, of Sonny Burke, Qeccia Records’ artist and repertoire head in Hollywood, died March 29 in Santa Monica, Cal. Brother, 55, of David Niven; a<f- tor, died March 25 in Durban, South Africa. Karl Eberlein, 68, pioneer film studio artist, died March 20 in a traffic accident in Hollywood, Father, 73, of Joseph Mulone, owner of the Cheswick Theatre near Pittsburgh, died March 12 in Pitt. music companies, wnen m laoi, alter serving as its na- S'nPuas formed in the early tional field director and last” year mnw w nr tv SgJ 4 L was Sosely associated became prexy and g.m. of Har- T , diskery’s late co-founder, groves and All State. At the time t c e ^" V lt f TTauD on the legal end. ofhis death he was investigating l 1 ]?,, r n«c 6d rrii arC ^ ul ~ ^ a n\Jin£^World War II he was di- N.Y. theatre ticket agencies and ** 6 ha ^JS reSw oJ the .Office of Price Ad-, boxoffice personnel on a confiden- “ a d ted t ‘n e held interests 9 ! 2 «• Miles Williams, Jr., 39, sound ministration in BrooMyn. He was tia| assignment for tjie League o£ Alba Winnsbo Mount Pleasant t? chn v ‘ c L a ". w * tl > 20th-Fox, died /ounledTe® N Wife^daughter. son, mother. March 24 “ H ° llyw0 ° d aitairs, u«jv & . Mother, 68, of John Roeburt, radio-TV writer, died March 24 in New York. H. Miles Williams, Jr., 39, sound con Jewish Center in Brooklyn. Besides his brother. Miller is survived by his wife and two sons K! a member of the law firm. son, brother and five sisters survive. He began at the Alba in 1917. MARRIAGES WILLIAM HUMPHREYS v T MAURICE FREEMAN: William Humphreys, 78, musical Tr Y J oni iS Se 2 e £, t0 cF° n i ae K!!’ L * deny, -- laitnrhpd Maurice Freeman, 81, former mimic with the old Dumont Min- X eg f s : ? he of and Allen, who actor and vaudevillian, died March strels, died March 24 at his home the late film director, Ralph Seder; his own music publishing- c m 26 in Bayshore,.L.I. He had played in Haddon Heights, N. J. In re- be A with Technicolor. pany. stock in Boston, New York, Chi- cent years employed as a printer, cago, New Orleans and St. Louis. Humphreys had a long stage ca- He had toured vaude from 1908- reer which included several sea- 15 with his late wife, professional- sons on the Keith circuit. Wife and daughter survive. Myra Key to Eric Pausin, Dun dee, Scotland, March 21. She’s skater in British ice productions; he’s ice skater from Vienna. Pauline Larson to Edward F. Clinchard, N.Y., Dec. 19 and just revealed. Bride is a TV singer- BERT BAILEY Bert Bailey, wwu Mia laic wuc, pxUicaaiuuai- tralian legit and comedy star ana ^own as Nadine Winston, in a author, died March 30 at his Home comedy s jut, “Tony and the Stork.” in Darlinghurst, a suburb of bya- F r0 m 1915-18 he appeared.in films EARL (JEFF) JEFFRIES . . ney. He had been retired tor some was j a t er seen orf B roadway Earl (j e ff) Jeffries, 78, oldest P ianist ; ■ . _ . T u years. . . . • . ■ in “Night Hostess,” “Celebrity,” stagehand in Dayton. 0.,» died » Janet Mario Bera to Johnny Possibly the.biggest ster iniAus- -‘ Tom0 rrow’s a Holiday,” “The March 24 in that city. Amoroso, Yonkers, N.Y., March.22. tralian stage history, Bailey started Octoroon,” “Did I Say No,” “Men- Three years ago he was pre- in so-called brush shows, . tray el- dell, Inc.,” “When in Rome” and sented with a gold card by Dayton ing in a wagon a ” d P la J^ “Play, Genius, Play.” His. legit ac- theatre operators upon completion towns. He ultimately reacnea xne tivity also included appearances in of 50 years as a stagehand, most of bigtime in the principal Australian London, where he performed in them at the Keith Theatre, cities and became a national idol. « T hree Men on a Horse.” He re- in 1912, Bailey opened aj the tired about nine years ago. Surviving are two brothers. He’s a vocalist with Tommy Dorsey orch. BIRTHS impressive; economically it will be more-kaund, and the individual 'tittits 'should prosper.” , In N. ,Y. Monday (30), Samuel ;Goldtyyrt' restated an observation which „pe has made several times in past.’. He believes about 5C% of the present theatres will go out of business eventually. Upbeat In recent theatre income was noted by Sol A. Schwartz, prexy of the RKO chain, and Gol- dOnson. Due largely to “better-pic- tures,” the b.o. for the first two months of 1953 was ahead of the corresponding 1952 period, Schwartz said in his annual state- ment to stockholders. RKO’s theatre receipts for •'ll of 1952 amounted to $26,954,000, against $29,550,000 for 1951. Drop for comparable theatres and for cdmparable periods was equal to 8%, said Schwartz. As previously reported, the RKO circuit had net earnings of $1,025,000 last year, compared with $1,322,039 in 1951. Goldenson revealed that UPT’s fourth quarter of 1952 was ahead of the final quarter of 1951. This represents the first time in three years that an improvement was experienced. Earnings* amounted to $1,640,000, or 40c a' share, for the 1952 final quarter, compared with $1,056,000, or 32c a share, for the last 1951 period. , UPT consolidated net profit for the year was $6,861,113, including earnings of $5,613,623 from opera- tions and $1,347,487 from capital gains. Profit, equal to $2.11 a share, compared with 1951’s earn- ings of $10,705,011, or $3.24 per share. JENNIE BLEGHER Died March 24 , 1953 , at 68 So loved. So Remembered; So Mourned’ ' MY MOTHER John Roeburt A. E. CHADICK A. E. Chadick, 50, exec ^epee of Motion Advertising Services Co., Inc., died March 27 in a N. Y. Central train wreck at Ashtabula, Mr. and Mrs. David S. Hall, Jr., WILLIAM L. ENGELHARDT William L. Engelhardt, 61, tax [o^Anaeles TheStr? * th accountant with Loew’s, Inc., for n„ioir,o 30 4> years, died-March 28 in Rock- ^ r -- a ? d Mrs. Robert Dulaine, ville Centre, L. I. Wife and two children survive. ALFRED SEVER son, Hollywood, March 26. Father is deejay and radio announcer. Mr. and 'Mrs. Robert Hill, son, Santa Monica, Cal., March 26. Child is the grandson of Jack E. Air WA j />o i. • * 14 . vmxu jo i/lie 51 auuouii uatn ah. O. , He had been with MPAS for I fiimf J 2!^?’ 2 fi j n r msdent | Baker, Republic’s veepee in charge ok hod nims, uieo iviarcn 40 in in.x. ne over 25 years, and before that had uWn"n "^1 nnnrfVn ? ni^r of studio °P eration been manager of the Saenger a number of ubfmadeSi FoJt Lee Mr ’ and Mrs ' Alexander Carson, Theatre, New °rlea n s, under E.V. p P £s™„d“ra. 0 t L ' son ' N Y - March *• Mother is Richaids. He had been enroute wife survives from the. national convention . of Drive-In Theatre Owners, held in Palace, Sydney, in his own play, “On Our Selection,” a comedy- drama about Australian family life. It was* an immediate hit and be- v —; "wt _ V Mrs. Rose Marie Palmese, 82, re- Milwaukee, to company s N. Y. ti re( j scre en actress, died March . . ... . 21. in Altade.na, Cal. .She was for- Wife and brother survive. nierly under contract at Universal. Surviving ar£ her husband,. 11 MAX THIEL l children, 17 grandchildren and 10 Max Thiel, 74, professionally great-grandchildren, known as Maximo the Great, ma- . . . _ _ __ gician, died March 24 in Glendola, , Fideucio Carbajal Penna, 92 N. J. Born in Germany, he came Mexican composer who helped Carol Channing, ipusicomedy per- former. Mr. and Mrs, Stanley Smith, daughter, Hollywood, March 17. Fathfer is a Metro makeup man. Mr. and Mrs. J. Robert Lee, son, March 10, Erie, Pa. Father’s of the American Theatre there. Mr. and Mrs. Edward G. Robin- son, Jr., daughter, Hollywood, March 27. Father, a quondam film player, is the son of film star Ed- ward G. Robinson. Mr. and Mrs. Albert Rudman, “Xl to theU..S. In 1896. He had toured Juventmo Roxas arrange the music (um ws . „ il)ell nuuulwl , Si ,f,P: here and abroad and was a former for .“Over IJ.e Waves," died March son Buffalo, recently. Father is Sftir sh T, ^ dean <>£ the N. J. Society of Ma- 26 in Cuernavaca, Mexico. a clarinetist, formerly with Vaughn alter World War I, his only en ; sicians . . - . Monroe's oreh. Wife, 35, of Jerry King, presi- All-Night Ozoner Continued from page 1 gagement there. He never played the U. S. “ Daughter survives. gicians. Surviving are his wife, Martha Wuensche Thiel, who had assisted dent 9f the Standard Radio Tran- eddie lewis Eddie Lewis, 52, American manager for Edith Piaf and Les him in his act, and a son. ANDREW GRAY Andrew 7 Gray, 80, radio pioneer, died March 22 in a hospital near scription Service, Los Angeles, died March 24 in L.A. Surviving besides her husband are her par- ents and two brothers. Green Continued from page 7 Compagnons de la Chanson, died e J?j^rvoxT t 1 rKwith the William Birken, 38, formerly; very tightlipped about it. He has March 26 after an operation in fl?? d ??;SrSrSnff oer- with Joey Sims and Maurice Spi- stated in the, past, and said, so New York. Lewis recently had 5at- talny orchs ^ Pittsburgh, died at again last week, that he would ~ - ’ - - - - hade Sl'SSJKr&ato his home there March 22 of a come up with a “surprise” at the vied- “iSnS. lat He S eve^uaUy ra be°- He leaves, his wife, 20th stockholders «*t.ln N..Y. Agency’s N. Y. office as a president. Prior to tho came technical general manager of Mar,ne - fold C. Fischer for 20 years. He a dancer. made frequent trips to Europe •il?v?- pandered talent with pos- sibilities for the American market and ^spotting U. S. turns on the Continent. Communication Co. Gray retired 21 years ago. WALTER R. GOLDING Walter R.* Golding, 57, who bad ^ ors ^ssn. operated the Community Theatre, May 11. While Green himself has _ „ _ _ . _ dropped hints that he controls as E. M. Rush, manager of Lyceum many as 600,000 shares of 20th Theatre, Leeds, England, ioi .35 s t oc i^ a more conservative estimate years, diad March 9. in that city. puts jii3 and his associates’ hold- gf E b xhibi h - to S s at about 60,000 shares, with of British Cinematograph Exhibi- an opUon on anQther iQ 0QQ Under 20th’s cumulative voting system it night policy have also opposed the practice, pointing out that it would arouse both church and municipal authorities and bring about har- assment from city officials. These ops note that ozoner operation is based on catering to the family and this trade could be harmed by in- stituting the d&wn-to-dusk policy and reviving charges against “pas- sion pits with pix.” Several of the all-night theatres showed five different features after midnight in addition to five car- toons and other shorts. Snack bars were; kept open throughout the night for purchases and a few even served free doughnuts and coffee during the early morning hours. All-night practice is still ’being followed in Houston where the general reaction from a biz stand- point appears good. A 1,060-car emporium in, Houston was three- fourths full all during last Satur- day night. Another, with a 508 capacity, was full throughout the night. All-night policy was originated in the midwest and recently spread to the southwest.- For the after- midnight shows, some ozoners have been exhibiting quickie exploita- tion-type burlesque filnts. One was reported also presenting an in-the- flesh strippe^. Lewis had been suffering from West st * John * N * , B ” , for A e v Past James A. Callahan, 56, vet mem- Jakes approximately 200,000 shares ulcers for some thne and had gone 26 years and previously had been b er of the projectionists and stage- to elect a director down to Florida for a rP«5t a TTnnS ™ film distributing staffs, died m hands union ’ died of hear t disease Spokesmen for 20th have mdicat- arrival in New York hP MitcwS st * John March 21 * M d b £? n March 19 in St. Louis. His wife and ed on several occasions that Green Polyclinic Hospital whereaneS 111 three days Wlth hea J* tr0 } 1 ^} e ’ six children survive. ■> may be able to elect a director. gency operation was SoLJS He was a charter member of the performed. Canadian Motion Picture Pioneers. Brendan A. Poutree, 24, vocalist Jim Thorpe ^ „n„ „f sistos.'oni of the latter being the M7 rc h“5l'wh^n car 'he" waT drivi the greatest athletes e of ’au’tfme* wife of R ’ G '. Ms «5i, v? 1 ” dls ‘ ing went out of control and over- and the subject of a S film in 1051 ’ mana 6 er for 20th-Fox. turned near Rawlins, Wyo. ’ MRS. SAMUEL. HELD Thorpe' Survived by a brother and two w j 10 had toured the midwest, died Donald D. Brehm, 32, Lincoln, Mrs! Dorothy Sandler Held, 50,1 Neb., musician, died March 17 after ^ 1A ‘” an extended illness.’ tte deeathlon and pentathlon known professioSSily is Dorothy ai" extended 'illness. He was a sto ^in a SSSuJS 1 one te?W PS ' • Saunders formersongstressdied drummerforseveralbands^ ^tto toect U repUed that aiei was deprived of the honor March 24 m a Long Island hospi played Lincoln niteries. burvivea , . own ershir» nrovided an in- .the disclosure th?t he tal. ’ Miss Held, who. had played by mother and brother, At the brokers’ * meet, Green was asked' whether he had tried to “compromise” with Skouras arid he replied that he had tried to do so on several occasions. At the start of his talk, he asserted he had never officially announced a 20th proxy fight. Green, asked whether owning com- that had Dlaveri l nr rt f U15 - 10Sl l re tllat he luA circuits centive to work well. He added that 1909 P an d d 1910 f l ° nal baseba11 in as a^inger, began^her career as a e. WlUiam Pearson, 48, CBS ra- directors should be competent and After the Olvmnin ,* i u nifprv vnoalist dio engineer for 23 years, died honest. When asked whether he Wa>’ed as a J ^Husband! Samuel Held, a retired March 25 at his home in Woodland thought 20th directors were incom- ’' ~ * petent or dishonest. Green quickly replied, “Absolutely not,” and de- anJ* as , a pro in both ha^hall *• Husband, bamuei neia, areweu Marcn zo s uJlL footl) all. He retired b fwmi restaurant owner, a daughter and Hills, Cal. sport*; retired • from "here ] 1P n( l„ We . nt to California an e xt ra e |F C< ^, sl0na U y worked as “Jim ! n Warner Bros. based on°h?Q’ A1 ^ Ameri can” was uiero Us n ^!- S - cai : eer - He made nu- a brother survive. ^nnec’tinn i?*°6S a i a PPearances in March 22 from burns received 7 n forme r ^g reports foreign revenue blocked nection with the showing of the when his clothing was set alight WilH^ H^phreys, 79, former overseas> In this 2 0th follows the Surviving o • ■ by electric fire in his home. J d regular Industry pattern of includ “ three bls Hlird wife and Known on stage and radio, he Haddon Heigh ts, , . . ing in Its earning report Only dol- * four sons b * | the'TOTalid who I Joseph L.Markolf. 60, last em- ^ actually received in New York. Maurice Clark Turner, 74, prez clared he had never said that, JAMES ANDERSON of the Dixie Lecture & Concert Green discussed 20th's past divi- TflmpK Anderson 81, character Management Bureau, Dallas, died dend record and criticized mariage- actor. died in a Glasgow hospital March 22 in that city. ment for not including in its earn- March 22 from burns received * - BBC Chief Loser Continued ’ from page 2 these cancelled their programs on the night the news was announced. Main entertainment casualty is the BBC sound and TV programs. From the time of Queen Mary’s passing until after the funeral, only modified programs are bejng aired, with a partial merging of the three national wavelengths for spe- cial memoriam features.' One of these was Noel Coward’s “Caval- cade” which was dne of Queen Mary’s favorite shows. Decision to limit court mourning to a month indicates there will be no suggestion of revising Corona- tion plans. That ceremony will be staged on June 2, as arranged, with nation-wide junketings to follow. When the death was first an- nounced, Jack de Leon tentatively switched the opening of “Red Headed Blonde,” scheduled for the Vaudeville tomorrow (1), until the following Saturday, but when it was confirmed that it would preem after the royal funeral, he reverted to the original date. The Old Vic’s opening tonight (Tues.) of “Mur- der in the Cathedral” proceeds as scheduled.