Variety (August 1953)

CHATTER Wednesday, August 19 , 1953 Nanette Fabray due from the Coast Saturday (23). Restaurateur Bob Olin Inked a 16-year lease with the Mayflower Hotel, which houses his eatery. Loew veepee Joe Vogel and his wife robbed of $44,000 in jewelry, missing from their 868 park Ave., home. Actor Bill Gaxton, now a Starn- lord (Conn.) resident; elected chairman of the Merritt Parkway Commission. Metro star Elaine Stewart in 0otham for a week before head- ing on a 16-city tour to plug “Take the High Ground/' ; Metro, eastern publicity manager pan S. Tex;reli back. Monday -.(17) frpm two weeks of studio confabs on plans for upcoihing releases. /Oscar Ifomoika arid Joah Tetzel (Mrs, HornOlka), currently filming in Vienna, return to New York In January; They have no US, com- mitments, however. .-./ Radio City. Music Hall prexy Russ Downing cocktail-partying Audrey Hepburn, following a screening of Par's “Roman Itoli- ‘ Roman Itoli- Fund promoting and benefiting. Advance ducat sales Indicate SRO. Frank Briggs, Shamrock boni- face, puts that hdstelry back in the name bracket after a year of so-so bookings with a fall lineup, comprising Dick Haymes, Gene Austin, Jan Garber, Willie Shore* Carmen Miranda. Old style rehearsal will preface Sophie Tucker charity dinner at Shamrock Aug* i20. .More moola for La Tucker’s ; charities? Other fundraising gimmicks; include' 20 local models hawking raffle tickets on two top bracket cars.and a sure sellout at the $50 plate dinner make the affair an almost $75,000 cinch:;- ■ “Mister Roberts’" winds up eight-week engagement at Play- house, professional' th.eatre-in : t;he round, and although seating lim- ited to 300, better than I9.0QO will have seen it before closing/ This is a Houston record for stage.plays, both in duration and attendance j and is believed to be a national record /• for theatre-in-the-round. “Roberts’’ to be followed, by a mu- sical, “Walk Tall/’ said to be get- ting a pre-Broadway tryout here.; day’’ In Which she costars With Gregory Peck.; Joe Magee* on leave from the William Morris office with Radio Free Europe in Munich* returns to the agency end of September, probably be in TV arid legit de- . partments* as formerly. • Manie Sacks; just elected NBC veepee and aide to RCA-NBC board- chairman David Sarnoff. flew, to Nantucket for; weekend- . conferences with the topper where Sarnoff : is vacationing . for two weeks,' ■; Metro produce! Arthur Freed and director Vincente Minnelli; due in from the Coast Monday (24) to confer With Alan Jay. Lerner about fllmization of latter's musi- cal, “Brigadoon.” Pic will star Gene. Kelly and Cyd Charisse. Ellin and Irving Berlin’s young- est daughter, Elizabeth* visiting her oldest sister, Mary Ellin, and her husband in Austria, where they are holidaying. Latter (Mrs; Marvin Barrett) and her ek-Time mag staffer-husband will make the. .Berlins first-time grandparents around Xmas. The third sister, Linda, is currerttly strawhatting. with .Miriam Hopkins’ “Hay Fever/.' Two new in time bars opened in Copacabana recently. “Thief of Venice” (20th) and: Italian pic, “Hawk of the . Nile;’- recent newcomers. “Greatest Show’’ (Par) playing an unprecedented fourth week in eight-theatre circuit. “Gallant Einperbr,” latest play; by author-councilman and script- writer Raymundo Magalhaes, Jr.; opened at the: Teatro pulclna. . Nelly Lujon, : formerly with Dunham dance troupe, now singing' at. Giro’s, Copacabana . bar. She also is appearing on TV and radio here. :v ' Recently inaugurated Texas Theatre features - single-feature showings of old actiohers. House Was formerly / the Parlsiense of the Castro Circuit,: Stacey Hunter came over from N. Y. to marry Tom Hedl In Lon- don last week. Groom is in “Guys and Dolls’’ at the Coliseum. The Ulster Group Theatre brought “Dust Under Our Feet/’ a first play by Michael Murphy, to 'the Arts Theatre Club for two Weeks. Frances Day announced she is going into theatre management, her first production being a new play by Denis Johnston, titled “Blind Man’s Buff.” The Royal Danish Ballet made its first visit outside of Scandinavia by presenting a triple bill at Cov- ent Garden: last week, receiving universal praise; ; v- Yolaride Donlan. announced her resignation from directorship of Conquest Productions having de- cided, to confine her activities to stage/and film; acting. Emlyn Williams Included a Welsh translation - of a Dickens; reading at -Rhyl when he appeared at a special performance to aid the National Eisteddfod fund. John Loder back after 13 years to rehearse for a new play, “Down Came a Blackbird/' in Which he will co-star With Betty Paul ‘next month. Show will have a pre^Lon- don tryout at the “Q” Theatre; Sol Hurok signed up. a company of Japanese Danders for a tour of the U* S, and Canada, also: con- tracted for Roland Petit and his Ballets de Paris, for an American tour, while on his trip to London. Albert Broccoli,, one of the pro- ducers for Warwick Productions planing from Paris to Hollywood via N. Y, next Monday (24). Then goes to Canada to consult with Alan Ladd on his next pic for the company. - ... • -/ (“Empress of China”) and Curtis Bernhardt, U.S. pix currently running at local preem houses include “Fabu- lous Texan” (Rep ), “Bells of San Fernando” (Lip),“Garden of Al- lah” (Selznick), “A Tale of Two Cities” (M-G), “Mutiny” (UA) and “Black Castle” (U). Andy Arcari will be soloist with, the Ocean City Symphony (26). . Toni Ross, a last-minute replacer ment (12) for ailing chirper Helen Phillips; at Big Bill's. Roger Courtland, former p.a'. for Musician’s Union (Local 77V, joined the Red Cross Staff. Milt Shapiro, local flack, to Miami, for promotion, work on BBS Records new songbird, Ruth Ry- dell. Ciro’s Pin-Up Room to. get new decor and name, Spot to be called the Balinese Room;and will .open Sept. 3. Mac Lorn'or, of Lou’s Moravian; Impressed with Ciiristihe .Jorgen- sen at . the Copa (Pittsburgh), put up $3'500 per frame, highest price ■ ever paid for talent at. this spot. By Lewia Garyo Spanish tenor Manuel Paredes appearing In niteries here. Erasto and his 12 dancers off to North Africa to. work in. niteries there. ' Crooner Abilio Herlander and singer Fernanda Peres on a tour of summer resorts., Italian pianist Victor Alloggio a. hit at Hotel Palacio Estoril and Wonder Ba r hitery.’ Carmen Mendes,. chantoosie of Teatro Apolo, in Madrid and Bar- celona for nitery dates. Maestro Rafael Kubelik and pianist Sergio. Varela Cid appear- ing with Portuguese National Ernesto Half ter and cellist Cas- par Gassado off ,on concert tour Of Portuguese Africa for the Cir- culo Cultura Musical. . Anrerico Gbvdes and his man- ager,: Azevedo Pereira, off to Ma- drid to make arrangements for next season at their Teatri) Coli- seu. ■ Four inflated-price films in town this week. ■ • Tek Beneke orch at : Jantzen Beach Ballroom for one-nighter. Spike Jones and his Revue of 1954 - inked into Auditorium Aug 23. ' Jerry . Owen, comic and emcee, joined the Corisuela Theatrical agency. • Jack Marshall, Wanda Curtis, and Rita Rehm were held for second week at Clover Club. The Cinema Bums completed 11 weeks at the VFW Club in Pasco Wash.; opened at Lake Tahoe this session. “Goodnight Ladies” set to open at Hamriqk’s Playhouse Theatre next month. First legiter for Playhouse. Arthur Lee Simpkins and The Glenns held over a third frame at Amato’s Supper Club; with Della Rhythm Boys to follow. . Atlantic City By Joe W. Walker Don Cornell into Yacht club. Charlie Spivak . band opens at Marine Ballroom Aug. 21. . Louis Prima followed Gaylords and Buddy Greco into Dude ranch. Louis Prima orch held over for second week by Ben Coley at Dude ranch. Michael Rabin, violinist, featured at suburban Veivlnpr’s summer Music Festival. Louis Armstrong into Steel Pier Aug. 16 with .Johnny Long (y*ch in Marine Ballroom (14^20), Will. Mast in TxLo w.i Uv ;Sammy Davis, Ji\/ into 560 , Club Monday .(16)*. replacing Frances Faye, .Jack 'D.iirant and Tommy Wonder. Ted Weems welcomed, by Mayor Altman on his return after years of absence to Steel Pier; ballroom-re- made special detective. , Frankie I.aine hack in vaudeyille house where he. did . hoff business 1 last summer. - By Les Rees Dozter Boys top Augie’s show. “Dream Girl” on tap at Edyth Bush Little Theatre. • Horace G. McNabb here ahead of “Maid of Ozarks,” Lyceum under- line. Hotel Radisson Flame Room has song stylist Judy Johnson and her two Dates.' Royal American Shows again to have midway at Minnesota Slate Fair Aug. 29-Sept. 7. Spanish dancers and musicians Teresita & Elnyilio Osta. brother and sister, here'in' concert/ Minnesota/s-July-federal cabaret tax collections from niteries fell in July to $77,000 from $82,000 a year ago. Composer Alec Wilder here for Minnesota. U. Summer Orchestra’s presentation of his orie-act opera, “Sunday Excursion.” Local iceshow owner Morris . Chalfon;to-accompany hik “Holiday ; on Ice.” starring Sonja Henie, on ;its American tour next fall and Winter., 1 .• By Gordon Irving. ^ Tom . Arnold's “Coronation Ice Cavalcade” has Glasgow opening at AI h a m bra, . Oc t, 13 . Maple Leaf .Four, . Canadian vocal team/ joining summer show tor one week at Troon, Clvde coast resort. ■ .Deep River Boys to .Empire; Glasgow, Lefe Lawrence, British singer, follows for one-week start- ing Aug; 31. Gateway Theatre, Edinburgh, holds world preem Aug. 22 of “Heart Is Highland/’ new play by Robert Kemp. New. T. M. Watson play, “John- nie Jouk the Gibbet,” teed off at Perth Theatre on tuneup tour her fore Edinburgh Festival, Tom Arnold switched pantomime at Glasgow Alhambra from “Old King Cole/’ as first planned, to “Babes in the Wood,” Willi same .cast. IjiSjSi' Continued from page ijpSS*' cies feel that they’ve got to go out with the top people and make ; a visit to a city a community project-. The William Morris Agency’s Martin juroW, : who returned to New. York from, the : Coast last week, is working on th0 first: Of the Morris office projects to get the customers to the bdxpffice. Jurow is working olit details for the pro- duction of “The, Trial of..Pontius Pilate/’ by Robert E. Sherwood,. to be done in the manner of “Dort Juan in Hell” and “John Brown's Body.” Jurow says; that it/ isiy't an original project, of course* .the path haying been pioneered by Paul Gi^egory, who toured these -dramas* - . Jurow says that the pixters are how more willing than ever to go out with a venture of that kind/ This kind of proposition, accord- ing to Jurow, appeals to the actor; for several reasons, one being that it provides a possibility for large, earnings, and a hit in a venturei of this kind, puts the performer in a better bargaining position with studios and might even, bolster his film values. ; . At the same time, according to Jurow, the nature of the produc- tion, which would be sans scenery and sans Orchestra, would put the actor in a position,to do well, es- pecially with percientagO arrange- ments. According to Jurow, he’ll be de- voting most of his time to projects that will necessitate a community tieup, with the sceneryless: dramats comprising most of the efforts from that office. However, / the major project of the office is to continue to exploit the filmster’s “will to work/’ Should sufficient number of pix players respond to various stimuli extended by the talent agencies*, then they can shift many of them into yau.de and cafes. The film companies themselves haye unconsciously . encouraged Coast players’ speculation on ad- visability, of' personal appearances. By sending out their stars to ex- ploit top pictures, many of those that have madeIthe trek have been approached by agents about; the possibility of making appearances for their own benefit instead of the studios.. The proposition is striking home, according to the percenters. ' ..Cwll B. DeMiile celebrated 72d birthday. . Irene Dunne recovering after miner surgery. Donald O’Connor laid up with virus infection. -' 4 Jose Jturbi to Mexico City for a benefit concert.. “Dan Osborne recovering frotn major surgery in Burbank Kathryn .Grayson opens her con- cert tour Oct. 1 in Wichita; Giriny Simms returned from tou r of service camps and Iro* n U tais,. ■ Joan Fontaine returned to work at Paramount after an attack of :yirus.-: ; - : r•/'■: : - -. / Rock Hudson broke his collar bone while swimming at Laguna Beach. : .. ■/• / Edmund Lowe out of the hosni- tal after a long siege with jineu- monla. . " ■ . .. • Maury King in from Munich where he produced “The Carnival Story.” . •■ • Jack Jacobs of National Screen Service recuperating after eye operation, Mischa Elman suffered ah in- jury in a motor collision near Hol- lister, Cal, Neil Agnew and C. Bruce New! bery in from N. Y. for week of sales huddles at Republic. Gov, Frank Clement of Tennes- see cited WB for its portrayal of Grace MoOre in “So This I# LOve.” By Lary Solloway A1 Bernie a hit at Nautilus Hotel. ^ Willie. Shore : into the Sans Souei Hotel last. week. . Pat Morrisey heading up new show at the Clover Club. Duke Stewart; manager of Roney Plaza for many years* resigned. St. John Terrell won’t reopen, the Music Tent here next winter. Joe Lieber, former exec-secre- tary for Pennsylvania cafe owners group, named to same position by. Florida Cafe Owners Ass’n. Fdrmer ; N.; Y. sports ahnouncer- . disk jockey Steve Ellis newest mid- night-air addition locally from Van- derbilt Hotel’s Pago Pago Robin via indie WINZ. Norman Schuyler, 5 O’clock and Beachcomber owner, named Florida chairman for Sophie Tucker 5Qih Jubilee Dinner. She’ll work for him this season at the Beach- comber. . By Jerry Doyle . “Guys and Dolrs’’ here Sept. 21- ' Oct. 10 at ihe Music Hall. Anothei' in-the-round, /The Al- . Icy; V is now sold out for the next ; tvvo Weeks with “Elizabeth the -Great,” Chuck Cabot’s orchestra a Bali- nese Room, Galveston, click, and Buddy Moreno jamming Marine Room On the Pleasure Pier. Carl Ravazza due here to film 13-Week TV special job for Kamin Ads. Ravazza inked with local out- = t-fdfl6wing=Shamrock = appearanrrr With Ray Noble band, “Ice Cycles of 1954” booked for leven-day stand at the Coliseum starting Sept. 24, with the Milk I By R. T. Hawkins Finest Hemingway off to Mom- basa for. African onceover/ Greta Garbo yachting along local coastl i ne, for once not dodging Cameras. Noel Sherman’s “Aqua .Parade’’ . into local Luigi Ferraris Stadium for 10-day stay. The Rex Harrisdns (Lilii Palmer) back at their PortOflno summer home after an Italian tour, ^FernicriO^Tffgliavihir'PiirTassT^ nari and Fedora Barbieri off to South America on the, Augustus, Plan series of operatic concerts in Brazil Hazel Scott appeared at. Colum- hia Theatre for U.S.; forces,, here. .Capitol, local film unit, 'prep-' ping Egyptian-German eo-produc- . tip.n,; Peter van Eyck pacted. for Ideal pic, “Chase After Rommel Treas- ure.” / .. .' ' - , “Miracle, of Milan” chosen as August Film by German Protestant Film Guild. “ // Victor Vicas. an American, di- recting “Way Without Retour,” a German film, with an international U.S, Air Force Band will ap- pear; at opening of Berlin’s Cultural , Festival; Aug. . 30, at Olympic ] Stadium. ■'■■■ Members of. the U.S. community organizing shows for performances I at local East German refugee camps in West Berlin. Carl Esmond returned to Berlin ■Mler .an absence of 15 yea rs / He WiirsTa v Th ^Dawh of Love;” loca f film produced by Algefa. Three. Uv S. screen directors cur- rently in city/ Victor Vicas ("Way Without Retour” Steve Szekeyl Russian Emigres Continued from. page 1 life inside the Iron Curtain to the American people. The group approached Sussan, wlvo had directed the Freedom Foundation award-winning docu- mentaries on the Old Ken Murray TVer on CBS .and had also done the 41elen Hayes starring Red Cross film/and asked him to pack- age the series. Sussan. whose cur- rent TV work Is directing the Ed- die Fisher show oh NBC-TV, jumped at the chance* The emigres, who speak; little English—that’s the reason the scripts were written In Russian— are former scientists,, playwrights andn^ Theatre who have come to the U S. within the past few yeairs via the un.dergrbund and who are now ac-: iiye in ; anti-Communist .causes* Head of the jgrpup Is geologist Leo* hid Smirnov, now a; geologist with Standard Oil of. New. Jersey and author of several Collier’s articles on life in Russia, : Another is Aha* tolij Sergeev, . a playwright and editor of a: Russian newspaper in Ne.W York. A third;is Sergei Oslov- sky, Who was registrar of the Mos^ cow Art Theatre and now; is with WWRL, a foreign-language station in N/ y;. ' /;. Several members of the group are with the State Dept, and others are with the Voice of America. Some are ‘Currently writing, and publishing ahti-Communist periodi- cals and publications that are said to be smuggled inside the Iron Cur- tain by underground sources. All feel, however, that the real story df^ilfff^ under" The^Comihunis'-s' hasn't been ; , told,/and they feel that a dramatized story of daily life in the Soviet Union is the way to tell it. Ethel Waters here for “Member of Wedding” at Shit Creek straw- hatter. Christine Tary, associate flack of Max Cooper, has left job for trip : to Europe. Marty O’Shaughnessy, former Variety niugg, to edit and publish Boulevard, Weekly: newsletter di- rected at .radio and TV execs in' Chi area, . Ballerina\ Martha ' Ann BentieV, u . current at Palmer House/ is work- .. ing with an invisible plastic cast on her Wrist, Which she broke three days'before show’s opening.; Frances Langford filling in at . Edge water Beach th is week for Marguerite Piazza, who missed • opening because of throat ailment, Miss Piazza's bpw next Friduy is contingent upon her recovery. By Geeno Garr Dancer Pepita Marco back after six years’ tour of Latino countries, working in niteries and revues. Comedian Pepe.. Barcenas left revue compa ny, Morel I & Pe pe Blanco, to head cast of' new. rev tie at Lope de Vega. Irene Lopez Heredia; doyenne of Spanish -legit stars; will appear:' with her company at the -Teat r.o Espanol this month. ; Singer Miguel de Molina* popular here*, before the civil war, will come., back to work in Spain after 17 years in South America. . /South American impresario En-. rique . Robles del Monte here to look for. fresh local talent to in- troduce in Latino countries. By^^ Jay Mallin^ ^ . . Singer Pedro'•.yargas 1 -;scheduled to return to Montmartre Aug, 24. ... Third InternationarTourist Con- gress to convene in Havana Sept. 7. Cinemascope slated to be in-, stalled in at least three theatres of the Carrera circuit by the end .. of the year. _.u=A^xitish^concem,:J5jly.er^CjLv = ^ Airways, has : asked the / Cuban, governmeht for permission to establish a route between Key We>t and Havana to fly tourists and their cars In huge air transports.