Variety (January 1954)

71 Jpnwary 20, 1954 n0 V (UNCLE DON) CARNES: ■ 5UW rvarnev. 57, ne Howard 4.D0,lrtnwn on radio for almost 20 Rice; fl<; Uncle Don, died Jan. 14 jta Miami fS.' Suffering from in ■T1?KVibib he had been hostime, fa recent l'|Sm ig28 until _1947. Carney , K hiQ "Uncle Don”, program p fhe kiddies^orn WOR< N. Y. His 8f ,,e «-ac one of the first airers. s,0rprt for Moppet consumption. ffd4aS pnemo7W most. popular jSTsho^ tt was beamed in the ‘‘catniy'wt his popularity p«ak tfesasss incorporated such kiddie lures as birthday announcements, advice to tie iuvcs and the reading .-of fairy ales He also had a regular Sun day show devoted to a rundown of lhOnenpfC Coney’s trademarks Was «n ooening theme song that ended -This is Uncle Don, your Uncle rtfin ” At one point in his career ? nimor was circulated thatJCarnev, thinking his show was off the S let loose with a profane word. However, he denied the report. In 1947, WOR dropped the ‘‘Uncle Don” airer but the Sunday morning segment W .retained fnr n few ixioro months. Ho latei bscame a disk jockey,. agafa slantfag his show at kiddie dialers. In 1948, be joined VZK AT in Miami Beach and recentlv conducted a children s "how on that station every Wed ^He* wrote and recorded eight albums of “Uncle Don” songs that sold over 1,000,0000 copies* , Born Howard Rice, he used the narne Southern ; California and entered the entertainment business as ? musician' and singer. He. played with such bands as these of Bunny Berigan, Barney Rapp and Henry King. During World War II lie served in public relations of the Fifth Service Command and was announcer for a Red Skelton war bond tour of the west.. Dobbins was a disk jockey on WRNS, Coloumbus, from 1946. to 1950 and later was seen as one of “The Nitecappers” on WBNSTV. He went to WCOL, where he operated the “Yaivri Patrol,” . in 1951, . Survived by wife, daughter, mother, sister and brother. 31 YEARS PASSED AWAY DAVID POWELL GOODMAN Died Jan. If. 1923 A loving one from us hoi gone, A voice we loved Is stilled; A place Is vacant la our hearts Which never will bo. filled. Your son. Jack, JACK POWELL and FAMILY STEPHEN E. FITZGIBBON Stephen; E. Fitzgibbon, 70, retired film studio exec,* who at the. time of his death Was a director of Times Square Productions, A tv production outfit, died Jan. 17 in New York. Frpm 1939 until his retirement in 1949, he managed the Fox Movietone studios in N. Y. . For 10 years prior to his association with Fox, Fitzgibbon. managed the Paramount , studio in London and Paris; He had also managed the Pathe studio in the Bronx, N Y,, from 1929-39* While in Europe, he developed a process of dubbing foreign languages into English films. Wife, the former Alice Davis, a son and a foster son, Roger Dann, actor, currently appearing* on Broadway in “The Prescott Proposal,” survive. TINY SINCLAIR Julia Sclineid, 30, night club comedienne known ' professionally as Tiny Sinclair, died of cancer Jan. 14 in New York. She had been ill for about four months. Miss Sinclair was in “Red Hot and Blue'’ oh Broadway for a short time arid left that show to join “The Beef Trust.” Branching out. on her own about three years, ago, Miss Sinclair made, a big hit in arid around Pittsburgh, playing cafes there for a couple of seasons before beginning to move up. _ Prior to her illness, she had been working, sohne of the bigger spots in the East and had made a couple of network tv appearances on “The Arthur Murray Show.” Besides her parents, she leaves a brother and a sister. Don Carney since the, age of 15 when he performed in vaude. : He later appeared with'stock compa. nies and also as a tripk pianist in vaude. He also had a short career in films prior to coming to New York to join station WMCA in 1928 as an announcer-entertainer. Later that year he joined WOR. He had also been with KDKA, Pittsbugrh, early in his radio career. MRS. GEORGE F, CLARK ' Mrs. George F, Clark, known throughout the midwest because of her association with the former Shrine auditorium, how known as pes Moines’ KRNT Theatre, died m Topeka, Kans., Jan. 16, She had been hospitalized since Dec. 19 with a heart ailment. From 1932 to 1947 Mrs. Clark, who was known to hundreds of performers as “Marj,” booked road attractions into the 4,139-seat auditorium and was credited by many show people with being one of the tew successful house managers in a business that grossed about $50,000 annually. She not only booked iiie road-shows hut arranged rentals, hired employees, managed the advertising and incidental details, native of Canal Fulton, Ohio, Clark was reared in Topeka voi "a? a s°Prano lead in vaude^,e "hen it was in its heyday. tiruVCuniQ,*° Des Moines in 1914 "ith her husband, Geo. F. Clark, thoV-0ul,ed Elbert and Getchell, heatnea1 producers there, Clark ci,8. „ narn e }} manager, when the inlrion^A ucJL^°V*um building opened .-riaiv Dui’ing. those years . Mrs. anri ... 'vt)rked With her husband, tho ,uas managing the theatre for ^i^'.hetore his death in 1932. <uk is survived by her wbnm ^r\ Frank E. Brush, with s ? had made her home in °peka since retirement, in 1947. . JOSEPH W. DOBBINS io/irifph Dobbins, 37, disi OniSuand sportscaster at WCOL twnUSus’i v£as killed along wit! vatft enda the crash of a priJarf ^oant!?ear Knightstown, Ind. ine ‘ f 2‘ TJle three Were return basko the 0hio State-Illinoii in u i? L1 at Champaign a Dobbins had announced radio nyiau v6teran of Columbui ai0' Dobbins attended the U.: o HARRIS P. WOLFBERG Harris P. Wolf berg, 71, president of the Wolf berg Theatres, owners of the Broadway, Paramount and five drive-ins, Denver, died in a Chicago hospital following several months’ illness. Entering the industry as a rider in Essenay Wild West films in 1908 in Chicago, Wolf berg soon switched to the selling end, and owned his own distributing company in Chir cago prior to World War I. After the war he became district manager for Metro over Indianapolis, Cincinnati arid St. Louis. Wolf berg went to Denver in 1945, acquiring the Broadway and Paramount, first-runs, and building the five drive-ins. Survived by his wife, and; a son, John M., Los Angeles theatreowner. , NEIL O’BRIEN Cornelius J. O’Brien, 85, a retired minstrel and vaude performer, professionally known as Neil O’Brieii died Jan. 13 in New York. He joined a traveling minstrel show during his youth and later appeared with the Primrose & Dockstader Minstrel Co. as end man for several years. • Following the company’s breakup, he went with Lew Dockstader. O’Brien later was seen in vaude and in 1913 forrned his own minstel show and toured the country with it until 1925. He appeared in Vaude in a comedy act with James J. Corbett, the boxen He retired in 1929. r ' A son survives. i fai— HUGH W. McCLARIN Hugh William McClarin, 55, former vaudevilliari, died Jan, 17 in Hackensack, N. J*A singer and dancer, he had played, the Palace, N. Y., with his Vife, Mrs. Helen Sweet McClarin, in an act tagged McClariri & Sweet. He was also a former theatrical booking agent in Philadelphia. At the time of his death, he was with the N. Y. Times as head proofreader on the lobster shift. Surviving, besides his wife, are a son and a daughter. EDDIE MANSFIELD Eddie Mansfield, 54, city division manager for Commonwealth Amusement Corp., died of a heart attack at his home in Kansas City, Jan, 10. Marisfield was bom in Kansas City and spent his entire career in the theatre, virtually all of it as manager of the Regent Theatre, downtown grind house. Wheri the Regent was purchased by the Commonwealth circuit in 1942 Mansfield went with the house, and in .recent years had served as city manager, with supervision of four or-' five other houses, • Survived by ari aunt and several cousins. ANNIE HUGHES Annie Hughes, 84* former British actress, . died Jan. 7 in Sidney* Australia. Making her initial London legit appearance in 1885, she algo performed in the U. S. and Australia. Her career spanned 52 years. She made her iriitial U. S. appearance in 1906 in “Mr. Hopklnson.” Miss Hughes returned to . America and was seen in “Hawthorne, u. S, A.,” “Henry V,” “Macbeth,” “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” “A Woman of No Importance,” “The Blue Pearl” and. “The Saving Grace.” In 1924, she toured Australia and later returned there to live. EMIL HEERMANN Emil ; Heeririann, 68, concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra since 1910, a year after he joined it, died, in Cincinnati, Jan, 13. Bom in Frankfurt, Germany, he began violin studies at the age of six with his father andv later studied with Anton Seb-* cik' in Prague, a renowned teacher. In 1946 Heermann was; acclaimed as a violinist Who had been cOncertmaster with an orchestra: longer than any other man in the United States. Surviving are his wife, two sons, two brothers,, one of whom, Walter Heermann; is director of music for the state of Wisconsin. HEINRICH HAAS Heinrich Haas, 63, film producer, died recently in Zurich. A native of Graz, Styria, he was “thet lucky man among producers,” . because practically all his pix had a top b.o. He owned the Styria producing company and was a partner in the Styria distributing company. Haas had his first success back in 1930, When he discovered Hilde Krai, who starred in “Maedchen Pensionat.” Among his best known pix are “The White Inn,” “Alraiirie”’ and “The Sinner” with Hildegard Neff. P.E. WILSON P. E. Wilson, 61, a partner in Enterprise Theatres, Iric., died in Dallas Jari. 16 after a long illness. He had been in pix biz as. an exhib for 34 years* and vrith the Enterprise org for the past 25 years. Wilson's Dallas; firm once operated several Negro theatres th ere , and still has one local exhib house. He was a charter member^ and organizer of the Variety Club, Tent No. 17, in Dallas. Surviving are^his wife,, three sons, two sisters and a brother. | GEORGE D. BROWN George D. Brown, 62, vet vaudeyillian, died Jan; 8 in West Hollywood, Cal. He did a champiori walking act for many years and performed with his regular partner, Pete Goldman, as well as with Pat Rooney, Bill Robinson and many other headliners who he spotted in his act. During recent years. Brown siipplied transportation for the film companies. Wife survives* A VO P. (Bomby) BOMBARGER A vo ’ P. Bombarger, 57, singer, professionally known as Bomby, died Jan. 15 in Providence, R. I. He was a vocalist with the original Roxy Gang in 1920 and later was a member of the Major Bowes troupe until 1926. He had also sung in New York and Rhode Island niteries. Wife, a sister and a brother survive. HARRISON CHRISTIAN Harrison Christian, 55, retired, operatic baritone, was burned to death Jan. 16 in a fire that swept through his . apartment ini Lynchburg, Va. He made his singing debut at Carnegie Hall, N. Y., over 20 years ago. He later sang in Italy and toured the U. S. After retiring he became a singing coach in Lynchburg. BERNARD A. LESLIE Bernard A. Leslie, 66, for 30 years manager of the Empire Theatre, Glasgow, died at St. Andrews, Scotland, Jan. 7. He began in show biz as a chorus boy, and. toured with many stars. jri 1944 Leslie retired to the golfing resort of St.*; Andrews and became proprietor of the Links Hotel. JOHN SLATER John Slater, 54, president of Radio Representatives, Ltd., died in Toronto Jan. 13, In radio for some 25 years, he earlier had his own qrchestra, became producer, and musical director of several radio shows, and was an agent for artists. In World War I, he was bandmaster of the 2d Division, Canadian Expeditionary Forces. Survived by wife and son. \ LILIAN HATHAWAY Mrs. Lilian Marcus, 78, onetime legit and film actress, professionally known as Lilian Hathaway, died Jan. 12 in Englewood Cliffs, N. J. Born in Liverpool, Eng.; of American parents, she came to the U. S. at a young age and later became an actress, performing both iri legit and pix. Her last Broadway, appearance was with Douglas Fairbanks in ’’The Cub,” A son and a daughter survive. r> Jan. 13 in Belle Harbor, L.I., N.Y. Wife and two daughters survive besides Krlm. , Wife 6f vet film actor Paul Pan-, zer died Jan. 6 in Hollywood. A . daughter and son survive besides her husband. Kenneth Chubb, 63. stage technician, died in San Antonio Jan. 15, For the past 40 years he had been associated, with various theatres there. A Stepmother, 93, of J. Harold Ryan, vice president, and general manager of WBPD, Toledo, died Jan. 9 in St. Petersburg, Fla. Brother, 50, of C. Harry Schrelr her, RKO city m^naiger in Columbus, died in Chcstertbwn, Md.t Jari. 14. KYLE HEAD Marshall (White) S. Johnston, 59, professionally known as Kyle Head, died Jan. 15 of a heart ailment in Des Moines. He had been ill nearly four years. He appeared in “The Vagabond King” arid “The Student, Prince,” and had been iri Vaudeville arid also radio work for years. ' His wife survives. • Alexander Ramsey Calder, for 25 years conductor of the Glasgow Orpheus Opera Club, died in Glasgow Jan. 9. Longest-serving member of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music; he studied singing under Signor Moretti, of Milan, Italy, Laz Lansburgh; rioted; lawyer and a founder of the San Francisco Light Opera Co., died recently in San Francisco/ He was an executive with the old Orpheum circuit which later became the RKO chain. His wife, two; daughters and a brother survive. Raymond Moore, 53, chief engineer at KTLA, died Jan. 13 in. Holly wood, Fourteen years ago he helped install the KFI transmitter and last year he supervised the telecast of the atomic bomb explosion in Nevada. His widow and two children survive. Mrs. Angela Gianelli Persinger, concert violinist, died in New York Jan. 14. Surviving are two^ sons arid her husband, Louis Persinger, formerly conc.ertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic Orch and director of the Chamber Music Society. Ben Strahm, 50, menjber of the Allied Artists transportation de Sartment, died of a heart attack an. 10 in Hollywood; Mother of Minnie McIntosh, Scot exhib, died at Dundee, Scotland, Jan. 11. MARRIAGES Renate Hoy to Brett “Halsey, Munich, Germany, Jan. 13. Bride Is Miss Germany of 1954; he’s an American film actor, Marilyn Monroe to J oe DiMaggio, San Francisco, Jan. 14. Bride . is a film actress; he’s, former (Outfielder of the New York Yankees baseball club. June Hobson to Geoffrey Dewsbury, Leicester, Eng., Jari. 3. He’s clown currently with Tom Arnold circus; bride also is a circus performer. Gloria Cutting to Karl Kritz, New York, Jan. 11. Bride is a ballet dancer; he’s associate conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Mabel Beers SteppUrig to Robert Freker, Pittsburgh, Dec. 29. He’s on WJAS sales staff, Anne Blackman to Fred Woodress, Dec. 31. Birmingham. He’s Variety mugg and Birmingham Post-Herald entertainment editor. Sharley Jean Hudson to Keenan Wynn, Puerto Rieo, Jan. 8. Bride and groom are screen players. Betty Hossack to Bernard Hodgson, Leeds, England, Jan. 9. Bride is Austrian-born ice show artiste; he’s an ice show technician. Sylvia Shirt to Denis Meehan, Dublin, Jan. 6. He’s assistarit station supervisor at Radio Eireann. Evelyn Kolack to Jack Braverman. New York. Dec. 31. He’s an NBC-TV engineer. R. B. Thompson, 54, technical mgirieer with British Broadcasting 2orp., died at Glasgow, Jan. 11. He joined its radio, staff in 1927... and lad been associated with most of ts important outside broadcasts rom Scotland. James Farragher, 61, violinist with the Youngstown, O., Symphony Orchestra and also a player with the John Boyle orch there, died Jan. 12 in Houston, Tex., where he had lived for 20 years. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schneer, ■ daughter, Hollywood, Jan. 9. Father : is exec assistant to producer Sam j Katzman at Columbia! | Mr. and Mrs. Addison Fowler. I daughter, Jan. 2, Providence. Jayne & Addison Fowler operate the 1 Arthur Murray dance studio there. Daughter is named Florenz Tamara Fowier, for the late partner-wife of Fowler & Tamara, long a standard ballroom team. George W. Stitsel, 88, musician vho played cornet and violin for 10 years with the . Princess Stock 3o., and later with the Pitt Bros. ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin” Stock Co., lied Jan. 11 in Toledo, O. Charles _R. Fisher, 79, longtime musician, organist and choir leader, died in Laconia. N. H., Jan. 9. He was a native of Hartford, Conn., and had resided in Laconia for 35 years. Ernesto Domlnici, 60, basso, died recently in Turin, Italy. He had sung in Europe, Africa and the U. S. His last performance was at the Carignano Theatre, Turin, Jan. 10i Joseph, A. Farrell, member of ^ocal .74, IATSE, died recently in Jriffin Hospital,. Derby, Conn. He vas a stagehand for 53 years in slew Haven and nearby communiies. Ronald Diggle, 69, organist and composer, died Jan. 13 in Los Angeles. , His symphony, “Fairy Suite,” was played recently by the L. A. Philharmonic. Frank G. Eastman, 73, research counsel for the Leo Burnett ad agency in Chicago, died. Jan. 15 in Evanston, 1)1. Survived by wife, a daughter and three sons. Father, 83, of Arthur B. Krim, iresident of United Artists, died Mr. and Mrs. Sid Siegel, son, Jan. 13 in Chicago, Father is Clil songwriter. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Tragesser, daughter. Pittsburgh, Jan. 9; Father. formerly with KQV and KDKA. is now in Westinghouse ad department. Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Rosee. daughter. New York. Jan. 15. Father is a tv producer; mother is the niece of Dorothy Hirsch, of Variety’s adr vertising staff. Mr. and. Mrs. Armond Lisle, son, Santa Monica, Jan. 11. Child is the grandson of actor Joe E. Brown. Mr. arid Mrs. George Gilbert, son; Englewood, N. J., Jan.' 14. Father is a Variety staffer. Mr. and Mrs. Jay Gould lit, daughter, Santa Monica, Jari. 14; Mother is Lina Rom ay, actress. Mr. and Mrs. Gene Fowler Jr., daughter, Hollywood, Jan. 15. Father and mother are film editors; mother is the daughter of NUnnally Johnson. : Mr; and Mrs. Richard Draper, son, Jan. 17, in N. Y. Father is a composer; mother is former actress Marion Hart. Mr. and Mrs. Larry Laurent, son, Washington, D. C., Jan. 10. Father Is radio-tv reporter for the Washington Post. Mr. and Mrs; Robert H. Friedman, son, Albany, Dec. 29, Mother is Elaine Drooz, director of women’s programs at WROW, Albany. Mr. and Mrs. Jack Gaines, son. New York, Jari. 14. Father is chief of tv development branch U. S. Information Agency. , Mr. and Mrs. Murray Secher, ; son, Jan. 13, in New York. Father ! is. producer of radio’s “The Big Story.” '