Variety (November 1954)

Wednesday, November 17, 1954 LIONEL BARRYMORE Lionel Barrymore, 7$ z . veteran star of stage and screen, died Nov. 15 in Hollywood, \ A full account of his career ap- pears" on page 2. J. ROSAMOND JOHNSON J. Rosamond Johnson, 81, coi poser, author and actor, died Nov. 11 in New York. He wrote a num- ber ot sohgs with his brother, the late James. Weldon Johnson, au- thor, poet, composer and diplomat. Among their tunes is the Negro na- tional anthem, "Lift Ev’ry Voice: and Sing." As an. actor, Rosamond ; appeared in . such Broadway pro- ductions as “Porgy and Bess," v Mamba’s Daughters" and ‘‘Cabin in the Sky.” : Rosamond, who began playing j the piano at the age of four, I manager, Jensen subsequently be- came division manager and field manager. A native of Brooklyn, N;Y„ he served as a sergeant major in the Army: in the first World War until, his discharge in. 1919 when he became division manager for Goldwyn Pictures! Before forming Artcinema, Jen- sen had ; been vice-president. and safes manager of Inspiration Pic- tures, an executive With Patrician Pictures and served as Eastern rep for both Joseph M. Schenck and Pickford-Lasky Productions, His wife, a sister and a brother survive. james f, McCarthy James F, McCarthy,. 55, Con- necticut district manager for Stan- ley Warner Theatres and a veteran of 42 years in show business, died JWarie |§>axon Studied music both in the U; S. and in London;. Prior to the turn of the century, he and his: brother formed partnership with the w.k. vaudevilliart, Bob Cole. Trio turned out an abundance or tunes, which they sold to name perform- rs. Those, included "The Maiden with.the Dreamy Eyes” for Anna Held, “The* Maid of Tirribuctod” for Lillian. Russell, "My Castle ort the Nile" for Bert Williams, 4 -Ohi. Didn’t He Ramble" for George Primrose, and "Congo Love Song” for Marie Cahill. Cole and Rosamond also did a two-man vaude act, with latter at the piano and former dancing. Duo toured, the U. s. arid Europe and w eve also, costarred i the musi- cals, "The Shoo-Fly Regiment” , of cancer Nov, 9 i a. Boston hos- pital, He started his theatrical, ca- reer at the age of 13 as a balcony, ticket taker at the old Plaza in Bridgeport and later became man- ager Of the house. From 1921 to 1928 McCarthy managed the Loew-rPoli in Bridge- port arid subsequently held similar posts in Cooperstown, N/Y. and in Hartford, Conn. For more than 20 years he held the managerial reins of the Strand, Hartford, and left that berth in 1953 when he was upped to SW district manager, Surviving are his mother and tw sisters, FAY b: kirk ' Fay Baker Kirk, 60, retired stage and screen actress, died Nov. 13,. In Loving Memory November^, 1943 TEDDY HART. DOROTHY HART, LORENZ HART II mi "The Red Moon,” . Act folded when Cole became ill, Johnson then became music director of Os- car llammerstein ? s. Grand. Opera House in London in. 191?. Johnson returned to the U, S. in 1914 to aid in organizing the Music School Settlement for Colored People in Harlem, He also served as a music editor and arranger for several New York publishing houses.. LEO BRAUN Leo Braun, 73, composer, con- ductor and voice teacher for over 50 years, died Nov. 12, of a heart attack in the choir loft of the Free Synagogue of Flushing, N. Y. He had been organist and choir di- In Fond /Mimory Of RIGHARti HUEY C'l Cor ' , Anion") Harold, Yip, Jerry and Bildil rector there for 25 years and was preparing for th.e services when stricken,- Born in Breslau, Germany, Braun attended the Breslau Conservatory of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in Berlin. before coming to the U. S, in 1903. Considered an. authority on German lieder, he conducted the Brahms Club of New York from 1918* to 1929, the N. Y. Opera Guild, the Society of Ameri- can Singers and the Henry W. Savage, Opera Co.., Braun maintained a studio in the Met; Opera House for 39 years as a teacher of voice arid reper- toire, coaching such singers as Jan Beerce, Maggie Teyte, Robert • weede, Polyna Stoska and . Olga Paul, He composed secular ’and sacred .instrumental and vocal mu- sic. ■ Surviving, are his wife and three sons., , BMIL C. JENSEN >. Emil C. Jensen, 62, vet film dis- tvlbution exec, and president and general manager of Artcinema Associates, Inc., died Nov. 15 of a heart attack in New York. He en- lered the film industry as a sales- ma P with Kinemacolor in 1912, re- running with that company*for sev- eral years. Joining. World Film branch of a heart attack in New York. She had placed in stiock companies With her-late husband, John Kirk, and also, trouped in vaudeville. Mrs. Kirk was seen on Broad- way in "Harvey," "Harriet,” "Journey to Jerusalem,” "Dear Octopus” and the Lunt-Foritanne revival of; ‘The Taming of tlie, Shrew.” Her film credits included .‘•The House on Telegraph Hill,” "Chain Lightning” arid "Notori- ous.’* After her retirement, several years ago, Mrs. Kirk was engaged as director of the Episcopal Actors’ Guild and the Park Avenue Players in New York. — —7 JOE BREN Joe Bren, 73, vet Hollywood agent and associate in the Arthur Silber-Joe Bren agency, died Nov. 6 in Chicago, while on a trip east. He started his own agency in 1935, after having produced his own min- strel shows. He concentrated on booking of vaudeville acts, and on the Coast had booked such shows as the Shrine; He also Was for- merly with Fanchon & Marco. Survivors Include his wife; a son, Gene Bren, music copyist at Para- mount, and a musical conductor and arranger, outside; a daughter, Elinor, of San Rafael; and nephew; Milton Bren, writer-producer, — ■ JOSEPH DANZ Joseph Danz, 67, veteran Seattle Showman, died Nov. 10 in that city , In Beloved Memory Of JACK MclNERNEY NOV. 14 th, 1951 Hortens* and Jack Jr. after a long illness. He operated the Embassy Theatre for many years. Starting in show biz 40 years ago, he came to Seattle from Portland in 1903. •>He was a brother of John Danz; head of Sterling Theatres, and of Cy Danz, a house manager for Sterling; Also surviving are his wife and three sisters. MILTON E, RICE Milton E. Rice, 89, who built the Majestic Theatre, Fort Wayne, Ind., died recently in Sterling, III. The Majestic is now known as the Civic Theatre. He, made a fortune with a road show called "The Two Merry Tramps,” which toured the country. In later years Rice delighted in returning to the cities where tie presented "Tramps,” arid other road shows. For the' past 40 years he operated hotels in several Illi- nois cities. DONALD CLUNE Donald Clune, 53. former vaude- ville performer and night club operator, died N6v. 10 in West Philadelphia. For time he Svas paff of the dance and comedy team, ,A1 "Porky” Dean .& Don Clune! Later he managed the Viking arid Bankers Taverns arid became owner of the Bowery Cafe, all in Philadelphia. His; wife and two sons survive.; BILLY BEARD Billy. Beard, 74, retired vaude and: minstrel performer, died Nov. 14, in. Atlanta, Ga. He began his career at the turn of. tlie century. Bear'd was principal median with such minstrel shows as . Har- vey’Si Primrose & West, 'Neil O’Brien and A1 G, Fields. He ap- peared at one time or another With Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor and the late A1 Jolson. ADAM J SCHNEIDER Adam J. Schneider, 69, projec- tionist at the Warner Theatre, Mil- waukee, since the house opened in 1931, died, recently in Aberdeen, S.D; He was a former vice presi- dent and business manager of the AFL projectionists Union, Local 164. Surviving are two.. daughters, two sons, two sisters and two brothers. HARRY A. CUSHMAN Harry A. Cushman, .52, onetime film representative of. Essaness Theatres • in Chicago arid member Of B’nai B’rith Cinema* - Lodge board of. directors, died in Chi- cago Nov. 9; He was the father of Aaron Cushman, publicist for Chez Paree and Terithouse Theatre. Also surviving are his wife, daughter, and three grandchildren. . MRS. GENE KERRY Mrs. Gene Kern 7 , 36, former publicist, died Nov. 12 in Holly- wood after a long illness. She was the wife of Lee Kerry, recently talent buyer for KTLA and for- merly associated ^with the Bill E, Burton management firm. She is also survived by three daughters; MYRTLE BRIGGS .... Myftle Briggs, 78, veteran vaude- villian, died last week in Buffalo. As a dancer arid monologist, she toured the two-a-day and appeared frequently at Buffalo’s old Court St. Theatre for. the late Mike Shea in the 1890s. Surviving are her, husband and brother. ... SAM .LEWIS. Sam (HOrseshoe) Lewis, 68, form- er comedian, died Nov. 10, in New York, after a long illness.. He worked in vaude, burlesque arid musicoriiedy with such stars as A1 Jolson and Sophie Tucker. He be- came an actor’s agent after retir- ing from the stage. His wife survives,. Richard M. Kilgore, 29. man- ager of the Brookland Theatre, Richmond, was found dead Nov. 8, in his car parked three blocks away from his Richmond home,* Medical examiners attributed death to a heart attack. Mildred Franklin^ 79, former vaudeville, actress, died Nov. 5 in Hollywood, For nearly half a cen- tury she trouped with her husband, Joe Haymari, as the team of Hay- riian & Frankli . He is ; her sole survivor. Douglas D; Rothacker, 67, nOn- ,theatrical and educational film pro- duceirdistributor for over 40 years, died Nov, 12, in Great Neck, N. Y., after a long illness. Surviving are his wife, a son and three daugh- ters. Jairies B. Sharp, 87. known as “Professor Sharp,” died Nov. 8 in Dayton, O. He was noted as a mu- sician, ventriloquist and magician. Two daughters and three sons survive. I • •’ , »■ Mother, 70, of John F. Murphy, i a veepee of Loew’s Theatres, Inc., j died Nov. 13 in New York after a long illness. Also surviving are ! four other sons and three daugh-; ters. { Max Willenz, 66, stage and screen comedian, died Nov. 10 in Hollywood following heart at- tack; John M. “Jaek’* Harvey, 73, pio- neer cowboy actor, was found dead Nov. 10 in his Hollywood home. Police said his death was due to natural causes. A son sur- vives. John Meehan, 64, actor, writer and former stage director, died Nov. 12 at the Motion Picture. Country Home in California. His, Wife, sort arid two daughters sur- vive. . Carl II. Schroeder, 72. clarinetist .ind saxaphonist with the Milwau- kee Philharrnohie orchestra, died recently in, Milwaukee. His wife, a son arid three daughters survive. Louis Seymour Tedesco, 47. chief usher at the Alvin Theatre, N, Y.. died Nov. II, in New York, after a. long illness.. Surviving are three sisters arid four brothers. Alfred Weiner, 78, owner arid publisher of Film^Kurier, German tradepaper, died of. a heart attack Nov. 11 in Hollywood. Surviving are two stepsons. Father, of Sidney Sayetta,: resi- dent St...Louis manager for Mid- West Drive-In Theatres, died Nov. 2 in Kirkwood, Mo., of coronary thrombosis. . Father, 85, of Ira A. Hirsch- niarin, wner arid president of inop- erative radio staion WABF, N.Y., died Nov. 10 in Baltimore, after a long illness. Mrs. J. P. Winroth, longtirne Hastings, .Neb., musician; died there recently after a long illrihss. Survived by husband arid son. Son, 3. qf comedian George De- Witt died in Miami Beach, Nov. 8, of wounds resulting from a dog bite. Mother and brother of Bert Mil- ton,. songwriter, died in an auto Crash, near Gibson, 111., last week. Mother of Tom Aspell Jr., Metro’s Los Angeles manager, died recently in Grand Rapids, Mich. Lester Elliott, 66, ^stage arid screen actor; died of a heart ^at- tack N6v. 9 in Van Nuys, Cal. Luigi Orsini, 78, dramatist and j poet, died Nov. 8 in Imola, Italy. ] Test Exhibs Continued from page 1. inaking machines, charigeovers and cueing .devices, chair repair sefv<. ices and faibric patch.kits, cleaning mechanism’s, crowd control equip- ment arid devices, curtain controls and tracks, interior decorators, dimmers, display frames and post- ers. Drive-ins have outdoor equip- ment roblems of their own. In addition to the many products needed for daily operation by hard- tops, the qzoners require items for ground maintenance as well as fencing material. As added come- ons, they offer praGtically full res- taurant service and playground games for children. A detailed itemization of every product needed for a theatre or drive-iri operation would be too Smorgasbord Next? St. Louis, Nov. 16. Packaged foods providing a . new variety of snacks, exhibit- ed at the 36th annual conven- tion of the Missouri Illinois Theatre Owners’ here last week,., indicates that the offer- ing of srtiorgasbord for film ’custom , especially those who patronize ozoners, may be i the not too far. distance. Along with popcorn and soft drinks the new edible special- ties are a shrimp roll and turkey roll; either of which may be eaten like a candy bar; frozen fisli sticks; pizza pie; and chile ice crearn. space-consuriiing. but. industryites agree that exhibitors spend consid- erable time of their working day seeing salesmen peddling products that, on the surface, have no con- nection with ruririing a theatre. In the last analysis, however; they are essential to the operation of a.mod- erpu theatre. While the picture may^jlraw the customers in, many of the concessions items mean the difference between, profit and loss. And catering to the comforts of the audiences pays off in building a steady clientele. Tim recent TheaJle Owners of America convention in Chicago had 208 equipment and concessions firm disputing their wares; ‘B’ Films mmmmmm Continued from page 1 ^^^ is how to tap the new audience po- tential of 20;000,000 persons that he. estimates will come to be withi the next five . This coujid rep- resent big growth factor •■for theatres, said Goldenson, if pix [appeal to the “most important seg- nient’’ of the future audience— those between the ages ot 15 and 30, So far as this, group is con- cerned, "star. r alue more often than npt. takes precedence over story content," tire, excc added.. Goldenson urged new methods of exploitation . arid sh wmanship to win over the youngsters arid recommend an. intense study of television to .determine how it can be used most effectively for promo- tional purposes^ Today’s new gen- eration ' is growing up on tv, he stated, underiining its. importance as An ad inedium. Goldenson,. discussing the short- eried supply of films! and producers’ claims of a story and star scarc- ity,-suggested that exhibitors and filmmakers work together to ‘‘.eval- uate stories and stars.” Theatre- men,. he declared, “could be ex- tremely helpful in the selection of what, is ‘boxoffice’ and w.e could, by proper publicity and exploita- tion on the local level, help estab- lish : new' stars.” The prez urged theatremen her to encourage both foreign and do- mestic independent production so as tq step up the film supply. MARRIAGES Renee Dumas to Feniando tGale- ana, Mexico City, Ocf. 30. Bride’ an Argentine actress; he’s a Span-, ish screen .writer, . Nancy Closson to Herbert Seitz,. Blobmingtori, Ind.. Nov. 3, He’s program director lor Indiana’s U.’s radio-tv dept; ''’Sara Hadley to Ray C. Wilcox, ! Santa Barbara, Cal.; Nov. 6. He manufacture, motion picture and television'equipment. . Helen Stoner to -Adolph DeutsCh, ;Las Vegas,'Nov, 11. He’s a musical ! director at Metro. |. Betsy von Furstenberg to Guy Vincent. Chaslenct de la Mai so n- euve, New York. JUne 16. * Joanne Johnson to James Nel- son. Toluca Lake, Cal.> Nov. 13. He’s a tv sound editor, Mary Elizabeth O'Connor to. Richard Walsh, New York, Nov. 13. Bride ' daughter of Thomas O’Connor, vicepresiderit and treas- urer of RKO Theatres, , Mrs. Antoinette Barbara Harri- son to.William H. Weintraub, Jr., New York, NoV. 14. He’s in charge of radib-tv production at the Wil- liam II, Weintraub ..ad! agency, which his father heads. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Herm Sehoenfeld, daughter, New York, Nov. 10. Father is. a . Variety staffer. Mi*, and Mrs. Robert S. Eisner, daughter. Red Bank, N. J., Nov. 7. Mother is an actress known profes- sionally as Marylyn Monk. . Mr. and Mrs, Lee BeBlang, daughter, Brooklyn, Nov. 8. Father is assistant ad and promotion man- ager of WCBS-TV. N.Y. Mr., and Mrs. Willard Kirkham, daughter, Los A n S el es, Nov. 7. Father ’ assistant screen di- rector. Mr. and Mrs. Martin Janus, daughter, Chicago, Oct. 17. Father is press agent for Black Orchid nitery in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Marty Falpon, son, Pittsburgh, Nov. 8. Father’s a rtiu- sjcian; mother is Patti .Eberle, a dancer, Mr. arid Mrs. R. Kuhar, son, Pittsburgh, Oct, 29. Mother was formerly with- Par; exchange. Mr. and Mrs. Dale Shaffer, son, Rochester. Minn.. Oct, 30. Father’s the soil of Edgar E.. Shaffer, vet- eran Pittsburgh district theatre owner, .Mr. arid Mrs, Peter Van Eyek, i daughter, Los . Angeles,, Nov. 10. !. Fat her is . an actor. ! Mr. and Mrs. Aft S.'irno, daugh- ief. Santa Monica, Call, Nov. 7, Father is a flack, at Par mount. Mr. and Mrs, .Robert Farouk Forood, dauglifeiS Nov. 2, in N. Y.. Mother is daughter of society bandleader Meyer Davis, Mr. and Mrs, George Goldman, daughter, Philadrlphia, Nov, 10. Father is clii-eclor of television proi- motion fou WCAU stations, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smith, son. White Plat , N; Y.. Nov. 4. Mot her formerly vv,is. a CBS-TV secretary; fathlrr' is with th web’s sales de- velopment; dept. . Mr.- and Mrs. Richard Clark, daughter, Nov. ll, N. Y. Mother is Judith Abbott, producer George Abbott’s daughter and; a casting l director; father is a former actor.