Variety (May 1953)

T4 CBATIKK pfiRT&ff Broadway commercial building* on present site of the Empire Theatre. Legit house will be raxed end of next month. . t . .. Louis Vaudable, operator of the famed Maxim’s, Paris, back to the French capital after a month in N. Y. in connection with merchan- dising his private champagne brand, called Maxim’s, He timed himself for the April in Paris, ball, annual Waldorf charity fete. A n_ Other Parisian bpniface, Maurice Carrere, also came over especially for the Waldorf fete which Claude C. Philippe sparkplugs. Subpoenaing of p.a. Ivan Black, current president of the Publicists Guild, by the House un-American Activities Committee caused p.a. Ed Weiner to resign from the PG^ because Black refused to accept Weiner suggestion that he step down from the office and appear before the committee as an indl* vidual, and not as president of the Guild. Weiner, incidentally, had previously served as president of the PG for two terms. Paris Hedy Lamarr sailed for Italy last week. . ^ Alfred Drake due on the Coast around July 15 lor rehearsals of “Kismet/1 ^ ‘ „ . Doris Day and husband Ma^ty Melcher back to the Coast after a Gotham visit. . • Ben Serkowich gifting pals with “Blab-Off/’ TV silencer gadget to k.o. commercials. „ ^ Van Johnson in from the Coast Monday (11) and heads for Toronto tomorrow (Thurs.), Richard Dyer-Bennet flew to London Saturday (9) for his first concert tour of Great Britain. Joe Pasternak due in Monday (18) en route to Paris to begin work on his next Metro picture. Leslie Caron, returned from the Cannes Film Festival Sunday (10) and planed to the Coast Monday. Metro producer A1 Lewin re- turned to Coast Moiiday (ID fol- lowing confabs with homeofflce execs. Indie filmmakers Harry Popkin and Mort Briskin off to Europe Friday (8) on the United States, as was Elsa Maxwell. Mrs. Robert Siodmak, wife of the director/ arrived from the Coast yesterday (Tues.) and planes to Paris today (Wed.). Bea Lillie, who -closes “An Eve- ning with Bea Lillie” May 30, re- turns to Britain a few days there- after, on the Liberte. Dolly Haas heading for London June 6. Her husband,'cartoonist A1 Hirschfeld, trekking to Israel May 22 for a two-month stay. Arthur (Bugs) Baer, Jr., Harvard undergraduate and son of the Hearst-syndicated humorist, en- gaged to Penny Kimball. Carlos Thompson, slated to ap- pear opposite Lana Turner in M-G’s “Flame and the Flesh,” left for Paris yesterday (Tues.). Jane Lynch Geraghty, Coast decorator, renovating General Art- ists Corp. New York office. She did their Beverly Hills branch. Pier Angeli due from the Coast Monday (18) and heads for Paris the following day to appear in Metro’s “Flame and the Flesh.” Charles yidor, in last weekend from Paris where he filmed se- quences for M-G’s “Rhapsody,” re- turned immediately to the Coast. A. H. Blank, prez of Tri-States —--- - - , , , .. Theatre Circuit, midwest chain, to now at the Empire, undertaking wed lingerie stylist Theo Redwood eight-month tour in June. Troupe at Temple Emanu-El on Friday (15). will visit the U.S. under the S. Rex Harrison and Lili Palmer 0urok banner next January, returning to London shortly after -Paramount feteing William Wy- “The Love of Four Colonels” (in ler here for Paris preem of Car- which they’re co-starred) closes hr rie." Having completed cutting of two weeks. Gregory Peck pic, Roman Holi- . Joe Joel, .RKO publicity chief day,” in Rome, the director will Down Under, w.k. in N. Y., a pop vacation on the Riviera for sum- Bing Crosby in from Spain. Joe Milan out of Lido show into “Ballets de Paris.” J. J. Shubert giving Paris musi- cals the onceover. Donn Arden arriving to stage dances of new Lido show. Muriel Gaines and Pepe Costa opening at Boeuf Sur Le Toit. American Ballet Theatre troupe into Palais de Chaillot this week. Hope Williams, back from month in Rome, here prior to sailing for U.S. . . George Lloyd and Irene Strozzi into Princess Room of Club de Paris. All French dailies front-paging Samuel ‘Goldwyn defense of Char- lie Chaplin. _ Ruggero Ruggeri’s Italian Co. into St. Georges Theatre with Pirandello rep for brief engage- ment. , , _ Jean Marais, returning from Cap Ferfat vacation, into new pic, “Ju- lietta,” based on the Louise de Vilmorin novel. Mel Fferrer, here from Cannes Film Festival, ‘ goes to England soon for lensing of Metro’s “Knights of the Round Table.” Roland Petit’s “Ballets de Paris,” London The Samuel Goldwyns left Lon- don for Paris on Monday on the second leg of their Continental junket. • - Eddie Fisher, star of the cur- rent Palladium bill, guest of honor at ’ tomorrow’s (Thurs.) Variety Club luncheon. • , « , . Sir Arthur Elton „ and Sinclair Road have quit the directorate of Stereo Techniques over differences of opinion on policy. Sir Alexander Korda hosted a London Films 21st birthday party on stage of Savoy Theatre after preem of “Gilbert and Sullivan” pic. Pat Morrisey off to the Contin- ent after playing eight weeks at the Stork Club, but due back with her husband in time to see the Coronation. Paul Douglas and his wife, Jan Sterling, checked in last week. He will star in a new Ealing film, “The Puffers,” and joined the unit on location last weekend. U. S. 'Officers’ Club in London tossed a Welcome-to-Brltain party to the “Guys and .Dolls” cast and other members of the American colony, at Winfield House. Lawrence H. Lipskin, in Charge of worldwide public relations for Columbia International, in London for huddles with Max Thorpe and other Columbia execs before going to Paris and Barcelona. _ Edward Jarratt, publicity direc- tor for British Lion, presented with his' oil portrait by Air Vice- Marsball Lord Tedder in appre- ciation for his services on behalf of the Royal Air Force Assn. Sir Henry L. French, director general of the British Film Produ- cers Assn., weekended in Rome to work out an allocation of $24,000 which has accrued under the Anglo-Italian dubbed film account. for the first time; son bom in Sydney, Australia, a couple of I weeks ago. Billie Dove, former silent screen star who is now Mrs. Robert Ken- naston, sailed for London last week on the .Queen Elizabeth, accom- panied by her husband. Carroll Carroll, v.p. and direc- tor of the Hollywood office of Ward Wheelock agency, due in Van Dycke, expatriated mer. Tom Broadway p.a. an<L Hollywood scripter, commuting netween • the local Biblioteque Natlonale, the British Museum in London, and Vienna researching on the first play he is writing. Sacha Guitry Co. to London in June for two weeks in actor-au- thor’s comedy, “Don’t Listen, N. Y. today (Wed.) for homeofflce Ladies.” On return here, Guitry confabs on Coast operations. commences production .of “Tonight Columbia Pictures exec veepee at Versailles,” film version of his Jack Cohn, who headed the syn- play, “History of France.” dicate owning the 19-story Berke- Gilbert Miller in city to clear ley office building next to the Har- all rights for U. S. production of vard Club on West 44th, sold it to Franco-Italian play hit, “Dazzling Lawrence A. Wien. Hour” which he and Jose Ferrer National Concert Bureau flying w m stage in N. Y. next Season. company of 50 to Cleveland tomor- row (Thurs.) for the American Mining Congress confab. Company stars Ray Middleton in “Stephen Foster Americana.” Gian-Carlo Menotti, young U. S. composer • (“Medium,” . “Consul,” etc.), who still retains his Italian nationality, was elected to the Na- tional Institute of Arts & Letters last week as honorary associate. N. Y. Journal American pub- Ferrer is doing the adaptation himself. Miller also bought Marcel Ayme script, “Lucienne and the Butcher,” which Anita Loos will translate for him. Chicago, George Jessel making the rounds of the AB-PT tele studios u nr «. , r . , - Film attorney- Thomas McCon- lisher Walter Young turned over nelI off on European vacation, his Palm Beach house to the new- “Mrs McThlng” and “Dial M lywed Mike Todd, Jrs. (she. was For Murder” close here May 16 Sarah Jane Weaver) for * their honeymoon. Producer’s son is now an ensign in the Navy. Marion Davies, silent films star and prez of Davies Building Corp., will haye a 22-^tory office building herei Cyd Charisse and Tony Martin celebrating fifth wedding ann J here. Mr. and Mrs. Mike Todd. Jr’., spending part of their honeymoon at 460 Park Ave., northwest Corner 57th "St., in her name. She leased land for construction there to Tishman Realty & Construction Co. “Uncle” Henry BerUnghoff, of Les Brown joined Chi Variety staff to cover pix, vaude, music and legit. Eddie Seguin, Chicago Theatre publicist, in Highland Park, 111. the William Morris Agency, came f or hip operation in from Camp Intermission, Sara- Gertrude Bromberg off to New *L a c i acca Pj a Sold York after the closing of 166-week i Th -^ rs ’ from S e run of “Dial M for Murder.” °i n Maggie Ettinger planed in for nrarnifivntinn ** s mern k ersh *P in the Betty Hutton show, which ends organization. , two-week stay this weekend. 20 vm™ f? 1311 William Ross Howard in for 3*5Dorothy Lamour’s, his wife, ap tres in the film buying department, tendered a farewell luncheon Mon- day (11) at Hotel Astor on his re- tirement from active business. He’ll make his home in Florida. , • The 1924 Broadway Corp,, head- ed by Leon Lowenstein and Archie O. Joselin, filed plans with the Housing Jc Building Dept, for con- struction of a 22-story, $4,200,000 pearance at the Chicago Theatre Lee Scheinman left Allied Art ists Agency and here doing ad vance publicity for Dorsey Bros orch: • • Dorothy Bromiley, Joan Elan and Audrey Dalton here to do personals for “Girls on Pleasure Island” which opens at the Palace this week. Reno By Mark Curtis Lake Tahoe’s Cal Neva opens late in June, with Marilyn Maxwell package. Glen Rolfson, organist-pianist in local spot, penned “Am I Losing You?,” newest Eddy Howard Mer- cury release. Kay Starr opens at Riverdale May 14 for third time in one year. Lancers Quartet, her accompanists, only other act booked. Gambling take in Nevada hit all- time high in first quarter this year, with $414,482 taken in by state with its 2% gross tax. “Silver Spurs” awards to be pre- sented at Riverside May 16. Mont- gomery Clift stands in for Gary Cooper, winner with “High Noon” role. Director Fred Zinnemann gets his “Spurs,” too, for “Noon.” This is fourth annual award for best western film efforts. Barcelona By Joaquina C. Vidal-Gomis Tenor Hipolito Lazaro back after absence of 15 years. Pedro de Cordoba at the Bodega del Calderon nitery. Paul Arland at Emporium nitery after scoring at the Paris Moulin Rouge. Violin soloist Miquel Thillipe Candela at the Casa del Medico for one concert. Vicky Autier at Rigat Nitery, also Magra and Ernesto, new Spanish dancing team. Las Pequenas Cantoras de Port- ugal choir at Medina (Spain), con- ducted by Virgilio Pereira. The. Teatro Calderon has the new opera, “La Medium,” by Ital- ian Carlo Menotti. Rosario Gomez and Juan Tena are singing the leads. Comico Theatre has the new musical show, “The Tris Tras Trust.” It stars Manolita Ruiz, Nancy Moore, and features come- dian Gometes, . Luiz Cuenca and Juanito Navarro. Ireland By Maxwell Sweeney S. Jay Kaufman gandering Ire- land for N. Y. Daily Mirror. Jooss Ballet in for short season at Olympia Theatre, Dublin. 'Sir John Barbirolli and Halle orch back to England after four- city toqr. Comedian Jack Kirwan inked for 13-week stint at Isle of Man sea- side spot. Leo McCarey in for brief look- see with RKO Ireland manager Hubert McNally. Hilton Edwards-Michael Mac- Liammoir Gate Theatre Co. to the Opera House, Cork, for season. Tooter Bobby Murphy has formed showband combo ‘with warbling comedian Paddy Tyrrell as gabber. Australian Warbler . Shirley Ryan powed out 1&f Dublin’s Crystal Hall for strawhat season at Seapoint. Galway. Longford Productions Co. in from road stix for Dublin season at the Gate, opening with Shaw’s “Mrs. Warren’s Profession/’ Longhair batoneer Michael Bowles, recently returned ' from three-year stint with New Zealand Radio symphony orch, sailed for Canada for tour, with prchs there. Paula Baumann planed in from Karlsruhe, Germany, to sing femme lead* in “Tristan and Isolde” at Dublin opera season after Ema Schluter (Munich .Opera) became ill. First performance was nixed because Baumann could not make it in time. Scotland By Gordon Irving Billy Daniels due at Empire vaudery May 18. Tivoli, Dundee, opened its doors again after being out of operation for six months due to fire, Margaret Mitchell, Scot singer, joining Tom Arnold's “Over The Moon” at Alhambra, Glasgow. Alec Finlay, Scot comedian, tak- ing messages from relatives to Scot troops in Korea during his tour of battle zones. “Night of the Fourth,” murder play, with Paul Lukas and John McCallum, due at King’s Theatre, Glasgow, May 18. Harry Gordon, Scot comic, sailed on Pretoria Castle for entertain- ment chores at the Bulawayo, South Africa, exhibition. Jimmy Neil, character comedian, acted for three years in Alec rutin's winter show at Metropole Theatre, Glasgow. Cavan O’Connor,. Frederick Fer- rari and Anne Shelton, British vaude names, inked for Scotland’s smallest theatre, the Ritz in Irvine. Sam Wanamaker, producing Sean O’Casey’s “Purple Dust” on world preem at Theatre Royal, Glasgow, gabbed to drama students about British and U. S. theatres. Teddy Johnson, British, radio singer, to Glasgow to record six episodes in new radio thriller, “Enough Fingers to Make A Hand.” Co-stars with, native thrush Jose- phine Crombie. Berlin By Hans Hoelm Fritz Kortner came to direct a play at the Schiller Theatre. “Ave Maria” is the next Zarah Leander film by Gloria. Alfred Braun will direct. Cinema Paris celebrating third anni with Marcel Carne’s pic, “Drole de Drame.” Berlin’s most popular radio show, “Guenther Neumann and his Islanders” (RIAS) in its 50th ses- sion. This year’s Berlin Cultural Fes- tival will run only three weeks as against four weeks last year. It opens Aug. 30 at the Schiller Thea- tre.. U. S. pix currently running at preem houses include “Sword’s Point” (RKO), “Battle of Apache Pass (U), “Colt -'45” (WB), “And Then There Were None” (Indie). Kurt Maetzig still looking for suitable actor to play title role in “Ernst Thaelmann,” biopic on Ger- man Commie leader. Pic has been in work for more than 15 months. The American made “Martin Luther” film currently dubbed into German with Wolfgang Lukschy doing the voice of Luther- and O. E. Hasse handling the voice of the Pope. Memphis By Matty Brescia “Guys and Dolls” booked for one week beginning Oct. 12 at City Auditorium. Tys Terwey, WMPS newshawk, to Korea for tape recorded, broad- casts for the Memphis ABC outlet. * Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in for a two-day visit this week at nearby Osceloa, Ark., hometown of the later. Ed Sullivan booked to emcee Cotton Carnival show at Audi- torium May 12; it also hits TV air- lanes over Memphis’ WMCT. Olivia Browne, WMCT femme spieler along with Charley Sulli- van and Bill Kelliebrew of TV’s “Hartoon Time,” here shuttling by plane -in the south to hypo Cotton Carnival over WMCT and WMC. Miami Beach By Lary Solloway Charlie Farrell current there in Blue' Sails Room. Ole Olson (& Johnson) reported buying the Surrey Hotel here. Fran Warren played convention date Monday (11) at Sans Souci Hotel. Lillian Roth held over again at Clover Club, with comic Ken Barry joining-the bill. * Finished on location assignment with UA’s “Shark River” company at Naples, Fla., Carole Mathews and Bob Cunningham spent week- end here at Sans Souci. Wednesday, May 13, 195 3 Hollywood Bob Ml'tchum and Jerry Colonna to Dallas. Warren Douglas in from Ketchi- kan, Alaska. Elizabeth Taylor recovering after eye surgery. * Philip^ Carey changed his name to Jed Carey. Doris Day in town after five weeks of vacation. Vic Damone released from the Army in San Antonio. Jose Iturbi to Evansville, Ind to open a concert tour. * Charles Vidor returned from France and Switzerland. Glenn Shaw joined Jack Donald- son agency as an associate. Bert Friedlob fell down stairs in his home and broke two ribs. Van Johnson to Toronto for week's dale pt Casino theatre. Clifton Webb back to work at 20th-Fox after heat prostration. David O. Selznick left for Lon- don to join his wife, Jennifer Jones. ' <> Judy Holliday in from N.Y. to start work in Columbia’s “A Name For Herself.” Arlene Dahl will be crowned queen of the Motion Picture Sales- j men of America. Burt Lancaster in from Hono- lulu where he played in “From Here to Eternity.” Eddie Cantor signed Connie Russell to a seven-year personal management pact. Don Hartman addressed Down- town Optimist Club at its anuual Mother’s Day luncheon. Debbie Reynolds, Pier Angeli | and Carleton 1 Carpenter returned I from tour of Latin America. George Murphy became first honorary member of the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI. Charles Brackett and Jean Negu- lesco cited by the Southern Cali- fornia Motion Picture Council for “Titanic.” Edward Arnold will be presented with an Award for Americanism by the Hollywood American Le- gion Post next week. Jane Froman, Liberace, Danny Kaye, George Murphy and Ezio Pinza lined up to entertain at the White House Photographers ball in Washington. George (ex-Paramount Studios) Brown and his bride, Mrs. Grace Martin; to Honolulu on delayed honeymoon, following surprise -April 25 wedding in Santa Bar- bara. Ex-pix ad exec now operates La Serena Hotel, Palm Springs. Cleveland By Glenn C. Pullen Alex Wintner, building new drive-in in nearby Brooklyn area. Blue Baron, ex-Clevelander, playing dance date at Aragon Sun- day (17). Hamish Menzies, Decca singer- composer, back for Theatrical Grill date. Lenny Herman orch replaced George Duffy’s crew at Hotel Hol- lenden for eight weeks. "Tony La Scola, seriously ill drummer in Henry George’s orch, received check for $2,000 raised in Cabin Club’s benefit party. Barry Bernard appointed RKO field exploitation rep here; also covers Cincinnati and Indianapolis. Joe Longo moved to Boston by RKO. Maureen Cannon at Vogue Room, De Marco Sisters in the Sky- Way Lounge Club, and the Gay- lords teamed with Buddy Greco at Moe’s Main Street Ross Hunter, Universal, film pro- ducer, visiting parents here for two weeks and speaking to dif- ferent groups including his alma mater, Western Reserve U. Milton Krantz inked Norman Krasna comedy, “King Sir,” with Joshua Logan producing and di- recting Mary Martin and Charles Boyer, for week on its pre-Broad- way trek. By Geeno Garr Mexican producer Juan Orol here to prep production of a pic which will be done in Madrid stu- dios this summer. Impresario Massegnam Leoz and company of opera singers left for an extensive tour of Canary Is- lands and North Africa. Hungarian director Alejandres Perla pacted Milagros Leal- and Joaquin Roa as comic couple for his new pic “A Man Has Disap- peared.” At Teatro Espanol, new play. “Dead for 15 Years,” by Jimenez Arnau, witty. Adolfo Marsillach, Jesus Valdes, Jose Seoanes, shap- ing hit of present season. Legit. star Pedro Lopez Lagar, who for last 15 years lias been working in Mexico under contract to Cesareo Gonzales, to do a pic for Suevia Films and appear on stage. *