Variety (April 1953)

Wednesday, April 29, 1953 Broadway Metro star Jane Powell In from the Coast on a vacation. fvnda Glen back to Paris May 2 for her annual summer sojourn. ttCA prez Frank M. Folsom back from a mild siege with the virus, Metro Director Charles Vidor in town for a day before taking off for London and Paris. Agent Charlie Yates recuperat- ing from a gallbladder operation in New York Hospital. Alfred Hitchcock in N. Y. to see “Dial M for Murder,” -which he’s S et to film in 3-D for Warner Bros. Thomas Scherman, conductor of the Little Orchestra Society, flew to Europe yesterday (Mon.) on biz tri Lydia Mantle, wife of the late drama critic Burns Mantle, has her Forest Hills, L. I., home up for gg]g t George T. Shupert, United Art- ists Television v.p„ Coasted Mon- day (27) to confer with telepix pro- ducers. Russell Holman, Paramount’s eastern production manager, off to the Coast for a week of studio ! huddles. Harry Novak, Universal-Interna- tional’s continental manager, in from Paris yesterday (Tues.) on the America. RCA Victor’s party for Eddie Fisher Friday night (24) at Toots Shor’s one of those mass-capacity turnouts. Hazel McCabe to London and Paris this weekend to open branches for Jules Alberti’s En- dorsements, Inc. William Brandt, prexy of Brandt Theatres, named campaign chair- man of the N.Y. Variety Club Foundation to Combat Epilepsy.’ William Judd, of Columbia Art- ists Mgt., due in N. Y. today (Wed.) after a five-day biz quickie to the Coast, to see various concert artists. Jean Carroll, tattooed lady, and Larry Rapp, Coney Island barker, holding wedding reception tomor- row (Thurs.) night at Hubert’s. Mu- seum on West 42nd St. General director Lucia Chase cocktail-partying Ballet Theatre and friends at her Park Ave. home today (Wed.), prior to troupe’s de- parture on eight-month overseas tour. Eva Gabor and Ilona Massey go- ing to Miami to attend the muscu- lar distrophy drive for funds at the McAllister Hotel, sponsored by the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, May 7. Nick & Arnold pulled a Billy Rose with one of those easily- readable ad salutes to George White whose new revue at their Versailles marks the producer’s- first back-on-Broadway effort since his last “Scandals.” Mrs. Julian T. (Rose) Abeles occupying a Carlyle Hotel apart- ment (which was their former N.Y. home before moving to Green- wich) most of the time while the theatrical attorney is in Tokyo on a show biz legal mission. League of Composers, in coop- eration with Metropolitan Opera and City Center of Music & Drama, holding a roundtable con- fab on “Opera 1953: The Music and the Libretto” at Chamber Mu- sic Hall, City Center, May 6. Dorle Jarmel, retiring as public- ity director of the N. Y. Philhar- monic to join her husband, Dario Soria, in his new disk venture as U. S. distrib for British Columbia releases, is going abroad with Soria May 15 for five weeks of biz and vacation combined. Mme. Lydia Locke, onetime coloratura of the Hammerstein London Opera Co., returns to Britain for the Coronation'with a tiara presented her on the occasion °f a command performance. Mean- while, she plans to sell her West- chester estate. Duluth legit-concert promoter Jay Luryea in town Monday and yesterday (Tues.) to huddle with triumph Productions partners Kosenko and Kenneth Allen on their first fall venture, a Victor Herbert song and dance bill with Lionel Barrymore. Michael Balcon, head of * baling Studios, who’s 2;®? U. S, several weeks to , 3 ‘ D , developments and help .his recently completed aim version of “The Cruel Sea,’ 1 * +hi u Jv S to London today (Wed.) on ^ Mary: Also sailing are icf a AT^hff° r< l Curzon and violin- st Nathan Milstein, among others. Toy tycoon Louis Marx, w.k. in ?jn 0W i h l z as Evident Eisenhower’s tn ’pi his three sons OpJ!? r *'i®S rer » ^a., headquarters of NpSrt ra * ? mar Bradley, and Time, Newsweek and Life, all in one thrill’ .Polished pix with their godfathers. Emmett VnHfXu Mark has a double-featured godfather in Major General Em- mett (Rosy) O’Donnell and the President; Spencer Bedell Marx’s godfather is ..Under-Secretary of State Lt. Gen. Walter Bedell Smith; and Bradley Marshall Marx is named for General George Mar- shall. Paris Georges Ulmer into the “Moulin Rouge” show. tt Bp rra h Minevitch hack from U. S. where he spent the winter. Margaret Biddle appointed for- eign editor of Woman’s Home Com- panion. New Roger Ferdinand play, “Third Woman,” into the Fontaine next week. Sonja Henie and her ice revue to play the Palais De Sports here May 9 to 22. “Carmen’ to go into present repertory of Roland Petit’s “Bal- lets de Paris” at Empire. Tony and Eddie, after hit at Lon- don’s Palladium and Colony Club, into Spivy's East Side here. . Danielle Delorme and Daniel Ge- lin to Spain for research on their next pic, “Blood and Light.’ Zsa Zsa Gabor and George San- ders, back from the Cannes Festi- val, to spend two weeks here. Frank Sinatra to do a one-week stint in the new Lido show, “Voila,” after his Coronation date in Lon- don. Ruth Gordon to play in the Thornton Wilder play, “Merchant of Yonkers” in London late this summer. Jan de Hartog to his Riviera home at Cap Ferrat after attend- ing preem of his play, “Four- poster,” at Michodiere. Edith Piaf and Jacques Pils to do new Jean Cocteau playlet, “The Beautiful Indifferent One,” as Part II of their recital which goes into the Marigny. , Philadelphia By Jerry Gaghan Tony Grant, Steel Pier showman, in Atlantic City hospital for an appendectomy. Marie Cohen, owner of Zodiac Room, back after convalescing at Hot Springs, Ark. Buddy De Franco, local clarinet- est and bandsman, set for Euro- pean tour to start July 1. Singer Jackie, Cain and pianist Roy Krai joined’Charley Ventura’s orch at Ventura’s Open House Club ( 22 ). Sleepy Hollow Ranch, near Potts- town, Pa., is launching night club policy, in addition to its hillbilly fare. Thieves broke into Strongbox at PM Bar, midtown cafe, and stole $1,300, owner Stanley R, Stevens reported to police. Raymond Rosen, RCA-Victor lo- cal distrib, left estate valued at $1,227,725, according to will pro- bated here. Rosen died last year. The Press Photographers Ball, in the Bellevue-Stratford (25) had as guests Victor Borge, Magda Gabor, Larry Storch, 'Grace Kelly, Estelle Sloan and Piercq Knox. Ronnie Graham, currently on tour with “New Fames,” will leave company in Chi in the next couple weeks to make screen test with Judy Holliday at Columbia. Local talent is spotted in top spots this week: Four Aces, at Chubby’s; Joey Bishop, at Latin Casino, and Buddy Greco, at the Rendezvous, all Philadelphia acts." Omaha By Glenn Trump Gil Gray Shrine Circus returned at Hastings April 13-16. Theatre manager Joe Damon was entered in “Friendliest Omahan” contest. WOW-TV carried series of meat trimming exhibitions as feature of Meat Board convention here. Macdonald Carey and Frank Fay were featured at Creighton University’s Diamond Jubilee cele- bration. Carl Rose reopened his York Drive-In. Other ozoners bowing were Golden Spike, Omaha; 7-T-7 at Sioux City, and Star-Lite, Chadron, Neb. India Uday Shankar dance group slat- ed for two weeks at the New Globe. Carbon copy of “Samson and Delilah” (Par), in Hindi is titled “Woman” released here. Foreign film house, the New Elphinstone, turned to India his policy. Original idea was pull down the theatre and reconstruct as an air-conditioned house. Madras government decided to exempt legit and other stage per- formances from paying entertain- ment tax another year starting April 1. Travel concessions also have ; been given dance, drama, music and circus parties traveling over 100 miles by rail. Portland, Ore. By Ray Feves “Ice Follies” opens run at Port- land Arena May 4. Local spots getting set to sell liquor-by-the-drink starting May 4. Joe Cappo and Jacqueline Hur- ley at the Clover Club for two weeks TV station KPTV opened its new studips and telecast the first live show last Monday (27). Rex Raymer & Eileen Marsh, Yvonne Moray, and Mel Qdy held for second week at Amato’s Supper Club. • 1 Annual Home Show closed here last Sunday (26) with stage revue including Rudy Vallee, Jack Mc- Coy and Will Mahoney. Freddy Martin orch,- set for Jantzen Beach Ballroom for one- niter next week. Frankie Carle band set to follow later in May. Ireland By Maxwell Sweeney Fred Johnson, former Abbeyite, inked for Salzburg Festival. Variety Club Tent 41 planning big Coronation show in Belfast the first week in July. George Lodge, owner of Opera House and other Belfast theatres, sailed for combo biz-vacation trip in U. S. James C. Fagan, prexy National Film Institute of Ireland, planed to Malta for Congress of International Catholic Cinema Office. Finance Minister Sean McEntee has told small rural exhibitors to submit certified accounts to back up their claims that the tax bite is crippling their biz and should be reduced in next month’s budget. 1 Las Vegas, Net. By Bill Willard Van Johnson’s smash at Sands doing turnaway biz every show.' Peter Lind Hayes & Mary Healy head new Sands stanza starting May 1. Latin Quarter Revue at Desert Innunto fifth week and still ca- pacity. Marge & Gower Champion into the Flamingo for two weeks open- ing April 30. Liberace returns for 12th date in four years at Last Frontier, with Phil Foster on same bill. Gordon Jenkins preems his nitery showing of “Manhattan Towers” at Thunderbird opening April 30. Walter Winchell and Bob Hope in prologue to Desert Inn’s “Tour- nament of Champions” staged put- P finiETY London Leslie Caron, currently at Cannes , Film Festival, makes her first visit. here next week. Billy Daniels inked for a return date at the Palladium, opening July 6 for a fortnight. John Schlesinger, chief of Afri- can Consolidated Theatres, planed out on a visit to New York. James Mason, currently filming here, turned disk jockey this week on a British Broadcasting Corp. “Music With Mason.” On its return to London from Montreal, the Festival Ballet stars a new season at the Royal Festival Hall beginning July 9. Pat Morisseyi, now in her fifth week at the Stork Room, invited by Ted Heath to play a Palladium Sunday concert May 24. After a brief shuttering during court mourning, Ciro’s reopened last week with Christopher Hewitt filling the cabaret spot. Leslie Knopp. technical advisor to British exhibitors, planed to Hollywood for the SMPTE conven- tion on 3-D which opened this week. Robert Taylor arrived in London this week to take up his starring' role in the Metro-British produc- tion, “Knights of the Round Table.” Ilya Lopert had a short London stopover for confabs with Sir Alexander Korda before going on to Paris and the Film Festival at Cannes. Sarah Churchhill returned to London this week and is to star in one of the TV films being made by her husband, Anthony Beau- champ. Mike Mindlin sailing on the lie de France today (Wed.) after hav- ing completed his studio publicity chore at Shepperton on “Berlin Story” and “In Every Port.” Robert Weiss, European rep for Capitol Records, is submitting their 16m sales film-, “Wanna. Buy a Record?” as a documentary at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Sam Goldwyn arrived in London yesterday for a two-week stay. With him on the Elizabeth were Robert S. Wolff, RKO Radio m.d., and David E. Rose, independent producer. ting contest; won by Hope and refereed by Phil Harris. Gregory Ratoff-Susan Zanuck preem at El Rancho Vegas (20) found 20th-Fox exec Darryl Zanuck hosting table including Marlene Dietrich, Bryan Foy, the Charlie Feldmans, -Peter Lawford, Lou Irwin and Billy Daniel. Variety Club Tent 39 annual in- duction dinner at the Sahara raised over $12,000 to aid Variety's School for Special Education, with Walter Winchell made life mem- ber of local org and all Strip top- pers showing for a three-hour show. Special showing of “Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima” for St. James parish benefit boosted by un- expected arrival of Danny Thomas, Dick Powell, June Allyson and Edgar Bergen, to augment special show with Susan Whitney, Jimmy Boyd, Eddie Bracken, Anne Jef- freys & Bob Sterling, Nelson Eddy and Joe Breen, Jr. San Francisco By Ted Friend Bill Bendix doing the Seven Hills. Jerry Zigmond in for “House of Wax” opening. Chubby Jackson and Bill Harris Sextet into Blackhawk. The Herb Caens back from quickie New York looksee. Mary Livingston and daughter Joan, latter a Stanford student, visiting Jack Benny during vaude run here. Harry Zevin, Harry Davies, Jack Present, Joe Moss and Bob Hector turning sidewalk in front of the Alcazar into roadshow Shubert Alley. Berlin By Hans Hoehn Circus Mikkenie here with Sabu. DEFA plans to make a film ver- sion of Goethe’s “Faust.” “Sauerbrach,” biopic on Ger- many’s famous* surgeon, has O.E. Hasse playing the title role. Berlin’s Mayor Ernst Reuter in- vited „Eric Johnston to attend the forthcoming Berlin Film Festival. Jaester Naefe, German film •star, returned from Italy. Her next film is “Prisoner of a Dream,” with Ros- sano Brazzi. Berlin students protested against the Sartre film, “La Respecteuse Prostitute,” claiming the author was a Communist. “The Merry Widow” from Ham- burg’s Operetta Theatre was the first operetta to be televised by NWDR, North West German Radio Station. U.S. pix currently running at preem houses include “Singin’ In Rain” (M-G), “Payment on De- mand” (RKO), “Razor’s Edge” (20th), “Carson City” (WB), “West- ern Pacific Agent” (Lip), “Tower of London” (U), “Narrow Margin” (RKO), “Sirocco” (Col) and “Tar- zan and Slave Girl” (RKO). Tokyo By Richard H. Larsh “Niagara” (20th) garnered $472 at its paid preem. House was 72% filled at 55c. per. Herbert Tonks, Universal Inter- national Far Eastern general man- ager, in for huddles on 3-D. Miss Giuliarna Stramigiolil, prexy of Italian Film Corp. in To- kyo, back from Italian visit., French chanteuse Damia due here April 29 for three-week recital tour sponsored by Yomiuri Shim- bun. Nagamasa Kawakita, Towa Films prexy, back from France with news that a group of French film figures will visit Japan this fall. Nola Pardi, Afro-Cuban dancer, appearing at Nichlgeki Music Hall after appearances in Bangkok. She is working her way back to San Francisco home after appearances in Europe. Players Inc., Catholic University professional Shakespearian troupe, arrived for tour of service installa- tions in Japan and Korea. This is second trip to Far East for group which includes 10 men and four women. Hollywood Susan Hayward planed in from Europe, Edward Nassour laid up with throat trouble. Walter Pidgeon back from Wash- ington and N.Y. Edward Everett Horton planed to New Orleans. Ray Milland bought a beach house in Balboa. Ronald Reagan will emcee Sil- ver Spurs Awards in Reno. Fr&nk King left for Germany to* produce “The Carnival Story.” Mickey Spillane in from.the east for huddles with Victor Saville. C. Bruce Newbery in from N. Y. for confabs with Herbert J. Yates. Charles Stevens playing his 400th Indian role in “Rope’s End.” Lauren Bacall planed out for England to join Humphrey Bogart. Raymond and Frances Hatton heading for the Coronation in Lon- don. - Lois Butler broke in her new nitery act at Long Beach Veterans Hospital. Tex Williams staging a benefit show for the Shriners’ Children’s Hospital Fund. Corinne Calvet to Kansas City for world preem of Nat Holt’s “Pony Express.” James R. Grainger left for N.Y. with stopovers planned for Dallas and New Orleans. Cecil B. DeMille returned from Washington after huddles with State Department. Philip Tonge celebrated his 50th year as an actor on “Elephant Walk” set at 20th-Fox. Coleen Gray and Touch Conners to Moscow, Idaho, for Treasury Department Bond Drive. Milton 'Gunzburg spoke on Na- tural Vision before the Motion Picture Industry Council. Edward Arnold will emcee Eagle Scouts dinner fn Van Nuys. Montgomery Clift will sub for Gary Cooper in acceptance of the Silver Spurs Award in Reno. Sol Lesser moved his staff into new offices, former headquarters of Charles Boyer’s French Founda- tion. Darryl Zanuck hosted James Francis Cardinal McIntyre at screening of footage from "The Robe.” George Lodge inspecting Para- , mount’s all-purpose v reen for possible installation in his theatres in Ireland. Chicago . Sally Rand starred at the Rialto this week. Reuben Rabinowitch in ahead of “Pal Joey.” “Dial M for Murder” passed 100th performance last week. Sir Michael Balconn weekend visitor with the British consul. Lauritz Melchior in for a con- cert with Lake Shore Club chorus. Dave Tannen, after finishing his Edgewater Beach Hotel stint, off to Havana for a siesta. Jule Styne making rounds of the radio and TV stations plus the papers to plug “Pal Joey. Bill Balaban, son of John Bala- ban, head of Balaban & Katz, back after two years of service in the Far Eastern command. Joe Kaufman, head of Cinerama theatre operations, in for long- awaited signing for new medium with Palace Theatre officials. Starts about July 15* Copenhagen By Victor Skaarap Danish-born Dutch bandleader Boyd Bachman- in for two weeks at the Nygade Theatre. ' lb Schonberg will produce the Circus Revue this summer. The late- Oscar Holst started this re- vue 15 years ago. * Danes going to Sweden by ferry to see “Limelight” (UA); which' will not be shown in Denmark while the 30% rental top exists. “Dial M for Murder” will follow Shaw’s “Millionairess” into Fred- eriksberg Theatre after four good months, marking Lily Broberg’s debut as actress-manager. Pittsburgh By HaLV. Cohen Publicist Ken Hoel and his wife celebrated 27th wedding anni. Jackie Kahane featured at Copa this week where Dolores Hawkins is topper. Bemie Armstrongs planed to Miami to buy a home; moving there in June. Bill Penn replaced Richard Cleary in cast of “Stalag 17” last week at Nixon. Jackie Heller sailing next month on Holland-America line’s Ryndam Coronation Cruise. T. C. Jones back at Carnival Lounge again and reunited on same bill with Mickey Mercer. . Ted Lewis launched his 40-week tour Monday night (27) with two- week engagement at Horizon Room. John Harris to Hollywood and won’t be back until June when John, Jr/, graduates from Central Catholic High. Will Jason, TV and film director, hexe with family for short visit with his sister, Mrs. Moe Silver, wife of WB biggie. Vladimir Bakaleinikoff, recover- ing on Coast" from serious illness, and his wife have taken a house at Malibu for summer. Jules Green, who quit WB here several years ago to join Jimmy Saphier, leaving latter’s agency to open his otfn in New York.