Variety (January 1954)

PICTURES Forty-eighth Anniversary No Tunes Like Show Tunes I "r GEORGE FRAZIER— == You may not think so, but the | the lovers of old and obscure show .decor of a powder room can some mVmUumtWe time, have times impose intellectual standar ds. seCn and heard about some glamIf I sound outrageously authority 0rous powder rooms, like the ones live about this, with the solid gold fixtures, for — fiew8f^A*l*r •jgj*' VeigftYTPnt7"CrrrrT-^ which eve rybody The walls of this bathroom, you knows, for God’s : sake!— but of coo wnrp ' H prorated not with any . such recondite enchantments as it is only be; cause, for all ; of a decade, on e of the bathrooms in my apartment was the cause of many an otherw i s c worthy . c i t i zeri’s b c i n g drummed out of my particu-. instance, but mine yielded to none in the matter of nostalgia. There were people who remained in It so long recapturing the past that we pondered sending them supplies for the winter. Finally, though, they would appear, their eyes radiant, yet. brimming with unshed tears too, and say a little breathlessly, "God, what tunes The Boys from Syracuse’ had!” And they would hum snatches— mot of "Falling in Love with Love" or "This see, were • decorated not with any , conventional papering, but with sheet music covers of old and ob. seure show tunes— tunes capable of summoning up the vanished years in all their splendor; tunes that would suddenly flood the heart with remembrance of things past. So that for , a little while— and merely looking at them, mind you— you . would be unmindful of the present and a1! its tomorrows. With their hills to be paid and love affairs resolved and ulcers cured. For a little while you knew on sour les iwiffcs d’antan, and I do not mean d’antan Walker either. Somebody would stroll innocently into that room and all of a sudden staring him in the face would be lingering beguilements like “Mountn'n Greenery'’ and "Experiment" and "Sam and Delilah.” And if he were any 'kind of man, how could he be but stabbed a little, by a montage so redolent of the silvery’ years. And often it would be strange to observe the ; expression of utter helplessness on his face as he came back into the den. for it was strictly a don’ttell me-ril-think-of-it-in-a-minute ; myself expression. But finally, vn . able to endure it any longer, the poor wretch wou’d break down and confess that he just couldn't seem to remember the lyric of "By Strauss." Or maybe it wou’d bo of “As Though You Were There” or "Blah Blah. Blah." In any case, this sort of memory laose did no: automatically cashier, him out .of our company. ? lore often than not, indeed, we gave him the lyric, bo.h verse and choi'U'?. It was on’y when someone c '-.erged' to admit he didn't knev t'loro i i::rc songs that we immediately took a dim, view, of him and his' staggering ignorance. And let someone do that sort of thing often enough and it was off with his chevrons, and never again woiEd lie intrude his shady character mio our chowder & marching socV.y. One niehf a seemingly bright young man from the music department at Time announced that he n-vor knew Gershwin had written a .tune called "I Got The You-Don’t-Know-the-Kalfof-It-Dearie Blues." That was going i just a bit too far, . what with its having been a Fred & Adele Astaire item. After the t, seeing this churlon the street, we woidd r.od curtly and let it go at that. We. such recondite enchantments as “The Shortest Day in the Year" and "You Have Cast Your Shadow on the Sea." Nobody messed around with us. boy! . Sonic Esoteric Samples | If. people happened to. know show-type tunes as well as. merely show tunes, why, that was dandy too. because show-type tunes are, if anything, even more esoteric, being for example, along the lines of the muted rapture of Bart Howard’s “If You Leave Paris" or Alec Wilder’s, lovely "Sneden’s Landing" or Bud Reading's classic “The End of a Love Affair." The sort of gems, in other Words, that are done so superlatively . by Addison Bailey in the posh Drake, Room at the hour when dusk washes down over the city, or by Jimmy Daniels in the Left Bankish Bon Soil* at midnight or by Mabel Mercer at four in the morning in the loft called the Byline Room, all in Manhattan. of course-^where else! We. the lovei*s of show and showtype tunes as well as of those who interpret them' affectionately, abe possess ed of a willful and persist: ent nostalgia. All of us — and HORACE HEIDT Opening . January 1 , 1034. at. the i Kdgewater -Beach Hotel, Chicago. I 'Then -to New York . . .Opening J February 1, 1.9 .>4, at , Hotel Slatler. Under -Personal Management WALTER PLANT Statler Hotel, New York City, N. Y. Can Resume the hour when dusk waishes down i Toughening of the legit booking over the city, or by Jimmy Daniels situationi both in New York and uv.the Left Bankish Bon Soil* at ' . ... midnight or by Mabel Mercer at of town, is seen as a possible four in the morning in the loft result of last week's d'smissal of called the Byline Room, all in Man the Government’s antitrust suit hattan. of course-r-where else! .against the Slniberts. Legit trade W e. the lovers of show and show , ,. . . ° , type tunes as well as of those who doesn 1 exPect immediate developinterpret them affectionately, abe merits in that direction, however, possessed of a willful and persist. particularly in view of the uncerent nostalgia. All of us — and ' tain situation within the Shubert among us are such disparate per-organization following Lee Shusonalities as Marcus Blechman, the bert’s death. (See separate story portrait photographer; Peter Arho. ^ on Lee Shubert’s will. ■ Morton Gottlieb, the theatrical' producer; Al Simon of WQXR. Bob ■Bach, the radio and: TV producer; Dorothy Kilgallen,. who remember? the lyrics to, of, all things, "The Scam Is on the Beam"; Bos .'.leaser, the newspaper publisher — are touched, and deeply so. by the same lingering magic, whether the •Continued oil page 56) Although there’s some difference ^ opinion in managerial circles, certain producers and managers.. figure that the Shubert organization may take the court decision as a green light to continue and even expand tactics that, have aroused objection in the past. However, that may depend on who (Continued oil page 56) irsary Wednesday, January 6, 1934 NO GLOOM AHEAD it 1953 goes into the annals as the year when third-dimension worked the salvation of the picture business, 1954 should be as potent via color TV in the lore of broadcasting. Paradoxically and running true to the pattern of all progress through the ages’ what at first looms like a bane frequently becomes the boon of an industry. This was true with black-and-white TV in relation to the picture business when ^Hollywood finally met the challenge with a technological evolution all its own. Just which process will be the ultimately definitive realization— widescreen or any of the Scopes— is beside the point, for the moment any way. Fact is that the excitement attendant upon the development of new cinematic techniques created the desired end-result: the public once again became film-minded. The show biz adage that there is nothing more permanent than change has certainly been dramatized by current tangents Through the electronic evolution, vast new horizons of vaster audience, appreciation for any and all of the seven Lively Arts are in the offing. ^ The picture business, unquestionably the greatest form of una$s entertainment this side of boy-meets-girl and certainly ' the cheapest, hence the most popular form of family entertainment Will see itself fortified by new values, and new plus divertissements the like of which the. celluloid pioneers never envisioned, As with ballet and legit, Vaudeville and Concert, which already have been brought into the home via the image orthicon, theoretically "for free," the comeback of "live" shows, in electronic' patterns, as a plus, value. for picture theatres, is inevitable. That may take the shape of an important sports event, a Broadway premiere, a Metropolitan Opera production, a supervaudeo entertainment. It may be piped direct into the homes via tollVision; or into auditoriums as supplementary fare, lii some form of closed-circuit theatre. There is no. question but that year after year the magic of the electric impulse is making Fallen Arches, Ark., as privy to top entertainment as any deluxer on Broadway or Hollywood Blvd, More than ever "everybody has his own business— and show business." ; With 3-D a reality in ’53, ancl 1954-C (color TV) inevitable in fruition this: year, there is no room for any pessimistic 4-F’s in the present scheme of show biz. It’s a far cry from a half-century ago when Tony Pastor put the "family” into family vaudeville, and the picture business, with its vast skein of screens, networked the country— and then the world— with a new brand of mass entertainment. . As vaude and legit found new horizons in television, the ad ‘ vent of the spectrum values enhanced that medium, just as a new technological process took Hollywood out of its doldrums. It was a challenge for the picture business but when, in Its nadir, a picture like “The Robe” (and a new technique) can. emerge : as. perhaps the ultimately top film grosser of all time, that, best tells the story of an industry which has the faculty of besting all hazards. Especially when these "threats” were, athirst, • regarded as insurmountable. Abel. HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT By HARRY HERSHFIELD Marie Antoinette squandered | but wouldn’t spend a dime on a the wealth of France on herself, good gag-writer. She had a eood The By-Liners In This Issue Trade' "LirU Ht/rlstcrcd FOUNDED BY SFME SILVERN \N Published iVe-'rly by VARIETY INC Harold Enc-lis, President lo4 West 46th St Now York 3«. N V Hollywood 28' 6311 Yueon Street Washington 4 1292 Nation T Press Building Chicago 11. 612 No ■ M.l'ohi can Ave. London WC2 8 St Margin's PI. trafalgai Sq SUBSCRIPTION Annual 810 Foreign Sit Single Copies 25 C’eni< ABEL V./MOEN Editor Vol. 193 No. 5 INDEX Bills Foreign Legit Music Obi Is Pictures Radio-melevKiort Vaude DAILY VARIETY (Published in Hollywood by . Daily Variety. Ltd.) $15 a Year $20 Forelgh John Abbott 226 James R. Grainger .. . . . 49 .Joev Adams 45 Carl Haverlin ...... . . . . 228 Mel Allen 100 Peter Lind Ilayos .■■. 247 Ned Armstrong 272 Harry Ilershfield .. . 4 Ellis Arnall . 53 Burnet Hershey . . . . .... 275 Art Arthur 20 Morgan Hudgins . . . 43 P at Ballard 224 Edward L. Hyman . . .... 61 Howard G. Barnes 99 Alan Jackson 25 Lucius Beebe 11 Felix Jackson .... 101 Jack Benny . ........ 9 Coleman Jacoby . . . . .... 93 ? lac Benoff . ........ 103 George Jcssel .... 88 Bunjamin N. Berger 7 Erie Johnston .... 25 Maurice Bergman 19 Milt Joscfsbcrg .■! . .\ 68 Ted Bergman n . . ! 104 Hal Kantcr .... 38 Claude Binyon 39 John Karol 100 B-n Bloom 227 Rcub Kaufman . . . 104 N. J. Blumberg 45 Cliarlcs O. Kennedy 275 Malcolm Boyd 97 Ralph T, Kettering .... 273 Charles Brackett . . 26 l.Ienry King . . . . 25 Alan Bunce 103 Robert E. Kinlner . . 101 Kuethe Burr 2 'i5 Edwin Knopf 25 Kav Ca.mpbell 39 Arthur Kobcr . . . . 6 J’ddie Cantor 2M Samuel Kurlzman . , . i2 Carroll Carroll . . .*. . . . , . 92 Arthur B. Krim . . . 5 Bennett Cerf . 11 Lawrence Langner. . .... 3 Cower Champion 268 Joe Laurie Jr. 24/ Peg Connelly . . 227 Jerome Lawrence . .... 88 Bob Considinc 95 Robert E. Lee ...... 88 Pierre Crenessc ......... 102 Sam Levenson 91 Charles Dale .......... 2,8 Arthur Levey . ... 31 John Dalv . . . 94 Al Lichtman .... 48 Fddic Davis 18 Max Licbman . . . . 89 Ilal Davis . 198 Robert L; Lippei t . . . 61 Louis Derman 95 Aim Lipseoit .... 89 Nat Dorfnian 272 . Edward D. Madden . . . . . . 93 A !en Dueovny . . 196 J. P. MeEvo.v ...... r... . 18 Albert Duffy 102 Magyi . McNeil is . . . . ... . 94 Dr, AMcn B. DuMont . . . 102 Arthur L. Mayer . . . . . , . . 10 Ken Eriglund ........ 6 Noel Meadow .... 43 Mon is L. Ernst 45 Rich-ai'd Men land' ... .... 3 S. H. Fabian .......... 8 William Molyncux . . . . . . 103 Me.i k Ferris . . 13 Abram F. Myers . . . . .... 12 A.’ah M. Fishburn ...... 63 Morris S. Novik . . . . .' . . 99 Aaron Fishman ........ 248 Mort Nusbaum . . . . . . , . 198 George Frazier ......... 4 Arch Obolcr 34 Sm*. Henry French ...... 202 Robert J. O’Donnell . 25, 31 Hy Gardner 38 William’ Ornstoin ... . .... 31 .Tames J. Geller 12 Robert Gessner , . 93 William Goetz 8 ‘■’a! ban D. Golden 9 Leonard H. GoldensOn . . 8 Dr. Allred N’. Goldsmith . 92 Lester Gottlieb 91 Edmund Grainger ...... 5 Loon Pearson H. I. Phillips. . . . Theodore Pratt . f.Bpnny Rabin . . • Jo Ranson . . Walter Rcado. Jr. Ronald Reagan . Harold Robbins Francis Robinson . . Arnie Rosen . . . ... Norman B. Rydge . Manie Sacks Sol Saks . . Robert W. Sarnoff . William Saroyan . . . Robert Saudek .... Al Schwartz ...... Sherwood Schwartz Maxwell Shane .... Arnold Shaw . ...... James Sheldon .... Max Shulman ..... George T; Shupcrt . Abner Siiver Phil Silvers .... H. Allen Smith .... Joe Smith Pete Smith . ..... Bernard Sobol .... Spyros Skouras . . . Harry Sosnik .... Leonard Spinrad . . Alfred Starr ...... Kay Ashton-Stevens Albert Stillman . . . Robert Stolz ..... John Cameron Sway Dan Terrell Danny Thomas , . . .' Richard Thorpe . . . Henry Tobias ..... Terry Turner Ernest Turnbull . . . Solly Violinsky . . ; . Jerry Wald :. Hal B. Wallis ...... Richard F. Walsh . Lou Walters ...... Carl Ward Jack L. Warner David Wayne ...... Sylvester L. Weaver Julian S. H. Weiner George Weltner . . . Riobert M. Weitman R. B. Wilby . . Charlie Williams . . Earl Wilsoh Frank Wisbar Mitchell Wolfson . . Herbert J. Yates . . Darryl F. Zanuck . . . ■Maurice Zolotow . . Harry ilershfield hut wouldn’t spend a dime on a good gag-writer. She had a good head on her Harry ilershfield no bread. \ Shakespeare knew his politics when he had one of. his characters cry: "Invest me in my motley, give me leave to speak my mind." The jester speaks the truth. And none know it better than the smart politicians of today. As' did the Chinese, when they said: "One picture is worth 100,000 words." And today’s candidate knows that an apropos gag • which is but an illustration) will put his point over better than all the spellbinding of a whole campaign. Abraham Lincoln, though .not the first to employ that forihbla, was the most active in clinching an argument with an exemplification. I think it was some later President who started his stuff with, "A funny thing happened to me on my way to the White House’’ —though funnier things happened alter they got in there. Some, of our leading political figures have their personal pressagents, many call on leading comedians, as well as gag writers, to supply "boffo” wisecracks to alleviate a situation. The smart ones, however, know that the best nifty means nothing unless tied up to subject matter that makes headlines. Adlai Stevenson is presently the quoted boy. Harry Truman knows when to spring a punchline. Second to none, is an experienced youngster named Win*, ston Churchill. How many of tt>e space-getting "ad libs" are rehearsed is a moot question. It is claimed that some have, arranged for world-$haking events (Continued on page 56)