Variety (April 1953)

76 UTMATI Vcdntsday, April 29, 1953 ANPA—and the Free Press With the American Newspaper Publishers Assn, in convention in New York last week, rededication to the principles of the freedom of the press was as much news as the current events. The John Peter Zenger Memorial Room, formally premiered April 23, in New York s Federal Hall, and the N. Y. Daily News’ captioned “Granddad of Your Free Press/' editorial in part observed: “This exhibit, depicting the epi- sode which made Zenger the hero that he was, will commemorate a man who was largely responsible for the fact that the press in the United States is a free press. “It was not ever thus in this coun- try. In the old days under British rule, the Americar colonists were subject to a law against printing unpleasant remarks about persons in authority, true though^ such statements might be. Zenger (1697-1746) was a New York printer. He and some friends started a paper called the Weekly Journal in 1733. In it, they pub- lished a lot of items*exposing the activities of a grafting and oppres- sive colonial governor named Wil- liam Cosby. This fellow eventually had Zenger arrested for criminal libel. The publisher might have drawn a long jail sentence and lost his newspaper if he had been con- victed. “Into the case barged an eminent Pennsylvania lawyer named An- drew Hamilton, who defended Zenger with fire, fury and aston- ishing skill, and got the jury to ac- quit him. “The acquittal blew the mustn’t- criticize-big-shots law to bits as far as the American colonies were con- cerned. It also laid the foundation for the free press guaranty which the Constitution's framers wrote into that document's first amend- ment after we cut loose from Great Britain. “As long as your press remains free, you and your descendants can expect to remain free. There are few men, living or dead, to whom Americans owe as much gratitud.e as they owe to John Peter Zenger. . Walter Winchell (April 24) in his column addressed the publishers convention as follows:-"Darkness intensifies the light of stars. Simi- larly, every threat to the endur- ance of liberty increases the re- sponsibility of the free press. The task of a newspaperman requires numerous rare qualities: He must have the judgment to foresee and the discrimination to decide, un- fettered journalism not only re- flects current issues, it plays an active role in forging the course of events. It is both an historian and a soldier. The free newspaper Is constantly the target of numerous pressures. It is occasionally guilty of honest error. But if it compro- mises its integrity, then it has sur- rendered the primary purpose for its existence. As long as our news- papers retain their passion for truth and devotion to integrity, then the forces of darkness will never dim the light-bearers of civilization.” Hearst columnist Louis Sobol saluted: “From far and wide, the big newspapermen of the country are assembled in New York, I really mean the Big Newspaper- men—the editors and publishers— and not the members of * the Fourth Estate who are so much better known because they have bylines. It is these visiting fellows, most of them laboring behind a cloak of anonymity, who*are the power- ful forces in our setup and not the extravagantly compensated ‘stars’ whose names are a by-word among the readers because they know how to put words together with dash and style. “The truth is none of the better known luminaries of the news- paper world could put their dubi- ous messages across at all if these editors and publishers didn't give them the green light. They could put all byliners out of business by simply firing them or refusing to give space to their syndicated of- ferings. Maybe that explains why, in addition to an unconquerable humility I suffer whenever I see a cop, 1 also find myself saying ‘sir’ to editors and publishers. Look Likes Scully Look Magazine has bought a batch of Frank Scully’s nursery rhymes from “Blessed Mother LIMITED NUMBER "of ■ FIRST EDITION (de loxe binding) including miniature VARIETY, with excerpts from the issue of Feb. 27,1929, in pocket of back cover. CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE Life Story of A. J. Balaban by. Carrie Balaban (Published 1942) "For showmen 'Continuous Performance' is a nostalgic work, highlighting anew many a facet of our business Which too many have grown to accept casually, without any par- ticular curtsy to the men of good mind who made this pos- sible. For layment it's arresting reading." ABEL GREEN Variety .. as a documented history of one of the lively arts, noth- ing less than a super-duper-colossal." JOHN DRISCOLL New York Herald Tribune "... a really good book .. . engagingly naive ... the more likeable because the author has made no effort to gloss over the subject's humble beginning ..." GEORGE FREEDLEY The Stage Today . . a must ... an exciting journey back do%n the trail of memory . . . alive and gleaming brightly . . J. B. CLARK / WDNC, Durham, No . Carolina NOW ORIGINAL PRICE *10“ - ’6 s * NOW CLOTH ’3 50 - ’2 s ! Address: CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE NEW CITY, NEW YORK Pft&ffifr Goose,” which House-Warven pub- lished last year. Cowles mag hoped to have a layout for Easter but couldn't* make the deadline, and plans now to hold them over to nearer Christmas. First edition sold for $7.50. Book is now out in a $5 edition but still deluxe. Microfilm of the book was* sunk in a time capsule under Pershing Sq. in downtown Los Angeles. Publishers insist it’s the “first civilized version of nurs- ery rhymes in the history of Eng- lish literature.” New York pub- lishers are trying to work* out a deal for a low-priced popular edition. The mugg's idea of a low-priced edition Is 25c. “I got ulcers,” he said, “trying to make the publish- ers stop confusing Scully with Shelley” L. A. Critic's Switch Less than 24 hours after he had been lauded in a full-page promo- tional ad for his ability as legit reviewer for the L. A. Daily News, David Bongard quit his job and jumped to the L. A.‘ Herald & Express. He succeeded W. E. “Bill” Oliver, who recently retired after invoking the Fifths Amendment in his appearance before the House Un-American Activities Commit- tee, Under provisions of the News- paper Guild contract, Oliver col- lected approximately $7,000 as a retirement benefit. Mike Stern’s Click Book Michael Stern, vet foreign cor- respondent, now roving European feature ‘writer for True mag (he first broke the William V. Hol- ahan case: the OSS major who was murdered behind enemy lines in Italy) has a very readable galaxy in “No Innocence Abroad” (Random House; $3). This is a rogues^allery of famed and notorious interna- tionals, done in a clinical and doc- umented manner which is devas- tating under the Stern typewriter treatment. Thus, his closeups on Virginia Hill, Rossellini, Dorothy DiFrasso, Freddie McEvoy, George Dawson, Moscatelli, Luciano, Gul- benkian, Guiliano (the self-styled “Sicilian Robin Hood”) is amazing reading. Fawcett’s True mag click, under the able editorship of Ken Purdy, and the publishing outfit’s edi- torial director, Fred Daigh, has' a truly star reporter in Stern. He’s of the stripe that probably made for the Richard Harding Davis and Floyd Gibbons tradition. Stern’s a reporter who comes to grips with his subjects, gets distressingly nosey (distressing to the subject, that is), and when he comes away with a story you know this is it. “No Innocence Abroad” is icono- clastic ~and explosive in its treat- ments of the w.k. press familiars. Stern’s reportage betimes is a closeup of the modern mores— and collapse of morals—as never before done, because its corollary identification with persons and events creates an important reflex. His observations bounce off real people; names right out of the headlines. No respecter of per- sons, he. Abel. Redbook’s 50th Anni Redbook, currently celebrati/ig its golden anniversary with its cur- rent (May) issue, reports its circu- lation is the highest in its 50-year history. Anniversary issue contains an editorial pledging to continue appealing to so-called “young adults.” New ‘Discovery’ Printing “Discovery No. 1,” first issue of Pocket Books’ new periodical an- thology of original writing, has sold Out its first printing of 150,000 copies, and a second printing of 50,000 is already on the newsstands and in bookstores. “Discovery,” a 35c. literary bi- annual, is edited by John W. Aldridge and Vance Bourjaily. Eva Le Gallienne’s ‘Quiet Heart’ Eva Le Gallienne’s second book of reminiscences, “With a Quiet Heart” (Viking; $1.50), carries for- ward the actress-manager’s stofy from the days of which she wrote in her first autobiography, “At 33.” “Heart” is precisely what the title'suggests—quiet. Opening with a moving account of Miss Le Gal- lienne’s’ courageous battle with pain and disfigurement (the result of serious burns sustained in an accident), the author reports pro- fessional life as she encountered it. There are occasional flashes of the crusading spirit responsible for Civic Rep and the American Rep- ertory Theatre—-but in the main, Miss Le Gallienne is in mellow mood. Some of the lady’s philoso- phy shines through in her discus- sions of rep, in her report of an argument with FDR about Federal Theatre, and in her decision to re- ject an opportunity to work with Belasco. There is almost no stress placed upon personal life apart from the | SCULLY’S SCRAPBOOK f \ 4 » 4 44♦ # ♦ ♦ f-t -fr-f♦ » By Frank Scully Los Angeles. Ever since I caught him at the opening of CBS’s Television City pushing Jack Benny’s Maxwell (you know, the car they ground up to make those tasty coffee buds) I wanted to write about the de- cline and fall of Hizzoner Fletcher Bowron, who obviously is now on his way out as the mayor of the largest city next to Glendale, Calif. He ran behind. Hon. Norris Poulson in the Los Angeles primaries this month-and is doomed, in my-book,‘to be licked in the runoff next month, thus ending a 12-year term, as honest a mayor as any town ever had. Poulson will get practically all the votes of the run- nerups, meaning that poor old Bowron will have to run into n sure defeat with all the simulated zeal of a guy who thinks he’s out‘front and sure to win. This is a non-partisan office, it says here, and though registration in Los Angeles runs about three Democrats to every two Republicans, the four leading candidates for mayor were Republicans. In fact, there wasn’t a Democrat in the race, Mike Fanning, an old 20th-Fox flack, and currently postmaster of L. A., having refused to run for mayor. Many people in show biz will be sorry to see Bowron go. He was an accommodating public figure and proved he could take direction, because he became quite a comedian on TV in his off hours. This, in fact, may have been his undoing. He held this following admirably as long as he remained as dry as* desert vermouth and shook his head like a nettled schoolteacher at the perfidities of the city council- men. But when he began learning how to play opposite Jack Benny and Burns & Allen, his followers began to fall way as if ha had been bribed by peddlers of deep freezes, mink coats and influ- ence. I doubt if he can make the transition from politics to trouping, however. Being carried by such sterling troupers as Benny, Burns & Allen isn’t a surefire diploma to going out as a single to niteries, radio or TV. This is not intended to belittle the skill required to become a TV comedian. Red Buttons, Red Skelton, Martin & Lewis, Jimmy Durante, are not exactly adolescents. All of them have had years and years of ex- perience, and Uncle Miltie began taking the play away from others practically in his mother’s womb, though in all fairness it should be added that he has been trying to pay her back ever since. In fact, Mayor Bowron’s rise, among the princes of pratfalls, sultans * of seltzer-siphons and crown princes of custard pie comedy could easily develop into a brief for the Dale Carnegie school^of success, heaven forbid. I say this because this Fletcher Bowron was per- haps the dullest material the lights shone -on when he began. He reflected.no brightness whatever. Yet look how far he has gone in 12 years. s The Price Is Right The first time Bob Hope essayed an m.c. role in Hollywood, which, if my memory serves (and it certainly does), was at a dinner-dance at the Coconut Grove after a premiere of a Par picture of the same name, he was no brighter than Bowron. Look how far he, too, has gone in the same 12 years. He had better writers?. Well, Bowron can have them because writers are a dime a dozen in Hollywood right now and the best of them will not haggle over'price. I ^mention this because Bowron will not have much spare cash. He had no great expenses but since he was an honest mayor, writers will gain no bargaining point by-hinting that he could raise the coin by making an overnight trip to certain bank vaults in Mexico City. That he ate out almost every night and therefore could save much of his^salary is true, except that practically nobody can live on his salary these days. That’s why swindle sheets were invented. When was first elected mayor of the City of Fallen Angels, I was there. In fact, I could have had the job for the asking. But I was already running for the lowest elected job in the land at the time and the law would not permit a switch. Besides, it looked like any- body who took the job would be a dead pigeon, and it was figured that a guy as little known as Bowron wouldn’t be missed, despite the fact that his burial would have to be recorded in Forest Lawn. One day an acting captain of the police (Earl Kynette) planted a bomb under the starter of a former police chief’s (Harry Raymond) car. That blew up the car and exposed the combination between the goons ins uniform and those out of uniform. Raymond got 186 slugs in him and still lived to run Kynette to the can on a 20-year rap. Several of us had spent a weekend at a desert retreat only a week • before Raymond got his. . He was one of us. In fact, he was the bodyguard of A. Brigham Rose, the attorney who was rousting the key figures in the combination between the gendarmes and the racke- teers. Rose was the one who pushed hardest for the reformers to set- tle on Bowron as their candidate, though, as I say, a dogcatcher, or even a dog, could have had the job after that bombing. Seems that Bowron, who had been secretary to a governor and had been rewarded with a judgeship as the gov was pulling out of office, had nominated key men for the grand jury which exposed, under Rose’s direction, the unholy alliance between vice and civic virtue. Rose thought this called for Bowron’s elevation to a post where he could be shot at easier. The cops had ruled that the likes of us could not parade on Holly- wood Blvd. without a permit. We were having a rally in Hollywood High School and we decided to march from Gower Gulch to High- land Ave., permit or no permit. We had a parade a mile long. Borrah Minevitch dup up a long, open-faced Rolls Royce for the Scully Circus—dogs, kid, candidate and all. He decked me out in a white flannel suit, black 10-gallon hat and all the props of a charac- ter since made famous as Sen. Claghorn and San Fernando Red. Right behind us paraded a guy with a sign: “Kynette Clinked Us The Last Time We Paraded. Where’s Kynette Now?” He was, as everybody knew, m the can himself. Cops looked on grimly, not daring to ask us if we had a permit. * We all piled into Hollywood High. Though it was my party and my parade, I allowed Rose to bring Bowron. That was his first pitch ™rii n ™r ror i an ** a ^ ess a Promising candidate I never saw. Backstage Will Morrissey, Jack Pepper, Joe Cunningham and Charlie Gordon were cutting up. Morrissey kept walking across tlie stage behind Bowron as the candidate talked. Each time Morrissey had a doll SS.*,** ar J 1 V an u’ eacl \ ^ me a different doll. He always walked from right to left, hurried around back of the curtain and appeared at ei ^rance again in a matter of seconds with a new doll. cr owd howled. Bowron couldn’t understand why anything he t the n ® e( * °* a chan S e in mayors could produce such belly- \\ i u l pect tlmre the germ *was planted in his mind that he had the makings of a comic. It took him 12 years to get into fast company, and, as the best of them know, that's par for the course. I hope they stiU find parts for him when the old mob returns to power next month and gives him the old heave-ho. writer’s Interest in her career and her country home. Miss Le Gal- lienne pays tribute to many of her associates. She has little bitterness (save for the IATSE). Various pro- fessional defeats are cited without rancor. Assessing Miss Le Gallienne’s contribution to the' American stage from this book is not easy—for she writes disarmingly, almost con- vincing the reader that her rep ideals are practicable; that one day, elements Conspiring, her dream will be realized. In view of Eva Le Gallienne’s good will and her generously vital spirit, one closes (Continued on page 78)