Variety (December 1954)

s MISCELLANY Bob Hope, Chevalier Signed (or 1955 Aussie Dates; Sinatra s 2 Jan. Weeks Sydney, Dec. 21. 4 Planing home for a talent-buying trip to the U. S. and Europe, David N. Martin, head of the Tivoli vaude circuit, revealed he has signed Bob Hope and Maurice Chevalier to ap- pear Down Under next year. Mar tin said Hope would earn more than $45,000 playing the main Aus- sie cities, while that Chevalier would get more than $22,500, play- ing only here and in Melbourne because of other commitments. Chevalier and Hope, of course, will appear in separate shows, Mar- tin »aid he has also signatured Winifred Atwell for Melbourne in February; British vocalist David Hughes, to open here Dec. 27; Ital- ian tenor Luigi Infantino, for Syd- ney in February; pianist Julius Katchen, for Sydney in May; and the Hohner accordion group, open- ing in July. Martin said that French singer Jean Sablon, now playing Melbourne in a revue, will come to Sydney in February. Frank Sinatra has accepted an offer by entrepreneurs Lee Gordon and Benn Reyes for $40,000 to do a fortight of stadium dates open- ing in mid-January. Bill McColl, a radio personality who previously has promoted jazz concerts, has the Ink Spots set to play six Aus- tralian cities and three dates in New Zealand (after opening in Sydney Jan. 12, in a 12 day span. Nat "King” Cole, is due to open here Jan. 7 for Lee Gordon, with his trio, June Christy, Rowan and Martin, and Judy Kelly. Harry Wren, who operates as the Celebrity Circuit; states that he of- fered Marilyn Monroe $50,000 for a visit of 12 days, but that her agent wanted twice as much. 20th- Fox office says she will not come here. FRAMER GETS SPLIT DECISION ON ‘RICH’ N. Y. Magistrates Court yester- day (Tues.) gave Walt Framer’s "Strike It Rich” radio-tv show a split decision in its protracted tus- sle with the city’s welfare commis- sioner, Henry McCarthy. Judge Samuel Ohringer ruled that Mc- Carthy’s office couldn’t interfere with program’s format, including solicitation of funds for the "Heart- line” pitch. On the question of studio audience, however, the bench said the show would be re- quired to take out a license. Framer is appealing the license phase of the decision, though he hasn't determined whether he will continue the studio audience. "Rich” was recently cancelled on CBS-TV nighttime (as of Jan. 12) but continues as a daytimer on CBS video and NBC radio. Gobel’s Victor Album Unexpectedly good vocal stint j on his Christmas Day show on NBC-TV may likely earn George Gobel a term disk pact with RCA Victor. Victor execs who tuned in the show were surprised at Gobel’s facile chirping of some traditional Xmas songs and roundelays. It was the first time he displayed his vocal talents on the show. Gobel will likely cut a package of holiday numbers for Victor re- lease next year. ‘Portrait’ Floppola No Surprise to Jennifer, But Where Was David? Quick fold of "Portrait of a Lady” last week was apparently an- ticipated by several people promi- nently associated with the produc- tion. The Jennifer Jones starrer, adapted by William Archibald from the Henry James novel, expired Saturday night (25) at the ANTA Playhouse, N. Y., after a paid pre- view and four regular perform- ances. Miss Jones, who was making her Broadway debut in the drama, re- portedly favored closing the show during its tryout tour, when it drew generally negative notices and spotty business. However, the actress apparently wanted to avoid criticism on the ground of Holly- wood "temperament,” and didn’t make an issue of her desire not to be seen in New York in the show. The star’s husband, film pro- ducer David O. Selznick, who is noted in the trade for his Enthusi- astic interest in projects with which he or his wife is associated, surprised the "Portrait" manage- ment by remaining carefully on the sidelines. Situation became so marked that, immediately after the closing, one person with the show made the reverse-switch observa- tion, "Maybe if Selznick had done some backseat-driving we might have had a chance.” Not only Miss Jones, but also Robert Whitehead and Roger L. Stevens, who were partnered in the venture under the Producers The- atre banner, reportedly wanted to fold the show out of town. How- ever, co-producers Lyn Austin and Thomas Noyes are said to have joined adaptor Archibald in insist- ing on bringing it to town. Following the unanimously un- favorable New York reviews and the lack of boxoffice activity, its scheduled matinee last Thursday (23) was cancelled. Since Miss Jones’ contract called for a layoff Friday night and Saturday matinee (Christmas Eve and Christnfas Day), the only performances were the preview Monday night (20), the premiere Tuesday (21) and the eve- ning showings of Wednesday (22), Thursday (23) and the finale. The production is understood to have involved a loss of most, if not all, of the $80,000 investment. FAILS BY THREE VOTES Writers’ Anti-Commie Proviso Due Up Again in April Hollywood, Dec. 28. Writers Guild of America failed by a three vote margin to adopt a constitutional amendment which would bar Communists or anyone who has evoked Fifth Amendment before congressional investigation committee. Majority writers voted affirmative but resolution fell just short of two thirds needed for adoption. N. Y. and L. A. members of Writers Guild participated in secret balloting. This anti-communist proposal will probably be brought up again at WGA membership meeting next April. Subscription Order Form Enclosed find check for $ Please send VARIETY for years 12 29 To Street (Please Print Nam«> City Zone. . . . State Regular Subscription Rafts One Year—$10.00 Two Years—$18.00 Canada and Foreign—$1 Additional per Year y&fZIETY Inc. 154 West 46th Street New York 36. N. Y. Wednesday, December 29, 1954 Soviet Propaganda Campaign Cues Era of Russ Brainwashing Pix HORACE HEIDT For Swift A Co. Starting Jan. 8th Offices—J. Walter Thompson, Chicago No Cure Yet For Newsreels’ Woes In C’Scope Age Newsreels, which have been hav- ing a rough time of it in 1954, are engaged in a price war in their continuing attempt to maintain their market. One of the companies reportedly is willing to sell a "fresh” reel for as little as $4 firstrun, taking a loss of around $7 on the reel. Some of the distribs are trying to stem the tide, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to hold the line. One of the solutions to the sit- uation, it’s suggested, is the pro- (Continued on page 55) 'Susan’s Black Eye To B’way Seers How Broadway can reverse the road and also cross up the crystal- gazing of theatre management was illustrated last week by the fast flop of "Black-Eyed Susan.” The A. B. Shiffrin sex farce had drawn moderately good critical no- tices in its tryout engagements in Hartford, Boston and Philly, but ran into a blast of unanimous pans from the New York first-stringers and staggered out after only four performances. Severity of the re- views probably killed any outside chance of a film sale and hurt the script as a stock item. Folderoo represented an equally stunning blow to the Playhouse, which has had only spotty book- ings in recent years. Because of the current theatre shortage, the house management had a choice of bookings, and turned down such likely longrunners as "Bad Seed” and "Witness for the Prosecution” in favor of "Black-Eyed Susan.” Ben Marden, owner of the Play- house, not only liked the Shiffrin play well enough to pick it over the Maxwell Anderson and Agatha Christie clicks, but reportedly agreed to put up $10,000 for pre- liminary advertising and promotion to get the comedy started. With the theatre shortage already easing a bit, he must now hustle to find a likely run prospect to carry his 990-seat house. Louis Sobol hungers for and deplores the • absence of These Yesteryear Broadway Feuds * * * \ a bright byline piece in the 491 h Anniversary IS umber of PftniETY OVT NEXT WEEK Saranac Hosp’s 1st Pro Show in 5 Years Is SRO; . Perfect Holiday Tonic By HAPPY BENWAY Saranac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 28. The first professional show in five years to entertain the Will Rdgers Memorial hospital patients drew a packed house last week (21) and proved a real holiday tonic for the ailing gang. The show provided a 100% mental lift This was the first annual Christmas Show spon- sored by New York's Cinema Lodge of B’nai B’rith for the patients of the entertainment industry’s hospi- tal here. Full cooperation of AGVA, Theatre Authority and AFM Local 802 made the show possible. Will Rogers Hospital au- thorities held up the start of the performance until ambulatory pa- tients of nearby Ray brook Veterans hospital arrived. Buddy Roth tied together pro- ceedings in his job as emcee, which went far in making the show of six specialty acts jell. Irving Sacher teed off with a piano solo, to be followed by Bob Coffee and his standard harmonica act. Fred Hal- lette contributed his skillful one- legged hoofing act. Then Dario Cassini scored nicely with his tenor ballading. The Amazing Mr. Ballantine (Carl Ballantine), comedy magico act, and the Two Zephyrs followed for solid returns. Margie Coates, AGVA’s national director of sick and relief, brought the show to a close. She also directed the whole show. Robert K. Shapiro, N. Y. Para- mount Theatre managing director, is chairman of this Cinema Lodge project, which was developed as a special industry proposition. Mil- ton Livingston, veepee and pub- licity chairman of the lodge, ac- companied the unit, as did Ned E. Shugrue, exec director of the Rogers Memorial Hospital, who co- ordinated this entertainment junk- et. They were met here by Burton E. Robbins, president of the lodge, and Dr. George E. Wilson, medical director of the hospital, and his staff, who acted as hosts. Invited guests included Mayor A. B. Anderson, who also is manager of the Pontiac Theatre here; George LaPan, president of the Adirondack National Bank, Irving Altman, Benny Ressler and Larry Doyle. JESSEL THE BONIFACE He’ll Produce, Perform and Do Ambassadorial Chores For Flamingo Hotel Las Vegas, Dec. 28. George Jessel closed a deal to be "Goodwill Ambassador” for the Flamingo Hotel, beginning with the new year, on a setup that cuts him in for an interest in the hostelry. Pact was completed over the holi- day weekend with reps of the new management of the Flamingo. Under the terms of the deal, Jessel will produce and appear in one show annually at the Flamigo. Format hasn't been determined, but it probably will be a showcase revue starring Jessel and intro- ducing Hollywood starlets. For the remainder of the year, Jessel will serve as a roving am- bassador for the Flamingo, pub- licizing the hotel by mentioning it in each of his speeches. The na- tion’s "toastmaster general” al- ready has a schedule of 50 speeches for 1955. Telefilm Award Nominees Hollywood, Dec. 28. Five nominees for the television director award of the Screen Di- rectors Guild have named tlw tele- films they consider their best works during 1954. Candidates and their choices are: William Asher, "Lucy’s Mother- in-Law” ("I Love Lucy” series); Robert Florey, "The Clara Schu- mann Story,” ("Loretta Young Show”); Roy Kellino, "Interlude” ("Four Star Playhouse”); Ted Post, "High Wafer” ("Waterfront”); Jack Webb, "The Big Producer” ("Drag- net”). 4- By ART SETTEL (Variety’s Iron Curtain Mugg) Kremlin’s current total propa- ganda crusade, which has reached a new pitch in intensity, reveals that the Iron Curtain film industry has been saddled with what the Agitprop—top level echelon in Cold War strategy—calls "new im- portant tasks” in the year ahead. The All-Union Congress of So- viet Writers holding daily confabs in Moscow, is dishing out the same treatment to all information media —increase your production, or else. Novelists, People’s poets, histor- ians, critics and translators, news- men, radio scribblers and film- makers have been lumped to- gether for tongue-lashing, shot-in- the-arm treatment. In essence, what Agitprop told verse writers applies to all others: “We are proud of the fact that Soviet poetry has become the instrument of prop- aganda of the ideas of Commu- nism.” A report by Comrade A. S. Gera- simov on Russ film biz, broadcast by Radio Moscow and dissemi- nated to the provincial press for reprinting, sets production norms for 1955 at 150 films per year. "This is in line with the tasks of Communist education and the greater cultural requirements of our people,” said Gerasimov. Film makers patted on the back for 1954 "greats” such as "Chapa- yev,” "Deputy of the Baltic,” "The Great Citizens,” "Maxim’s Trilogy,” "We Come from Kronstadt,” "Len- in in October,” "Lenin in 1918.” "Great successes have also been achieved by film art in our Repub- (Continued on page 55) BERTHOLD BRECHT GETS STALIN PRIZE Washington, Dec. 28. Berthold Brecht, who wuu a Stalin Prize last week as an "out- standing poet and playwright,” was one of the 19 persons subpenaed in October 1947 for the original Hollywood Red hearings before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Brecht testified at that time that he was not a Communist. Although writing in this country, he was not actually employed in Hollywood. Later he returned to East Germany where he has lived since in the Communist sector of the country. Guernsey, Zinsser Swap Posts on N.Y. Herald Tnl Otis L. Guernsey Jr., film critic of the N. Y. Herald Tribune, and William K. Zinsser, drama editor, swap assignments effective next Saturday (1). Double switch was reportedly decided on by the sheet’s top editors about a week ago, and was announced Monday (27) without explanation. Walter F. Kerr remains drama critic and Bert McCord continues his daily drama news column. Guernsey, who was acting drama critic for several months during the 1950-51 season following Howard Barnes’ exit and prior to Kerr’s ar- rival, has generally attended the Broadway openings since then. He is a graduate of the Yale drama school, and wrote a play, "What’s Hecuba to Him?”, which was pro- duced there. Zinsser, who recently returned from an African vacation, during which he wrote several pieces pub- lished by the HT, subbed as film critic for a month last summer while Guernsey was on vacation. Chandler’s Nitery Bow At Las Vegas Riviera in April Jeff Chandler makes his nitery bow April 29 as second headliner at the new Hotel Riviera in Las Vegas, following Liberace, who opens the inn April 8. Actor, who emerged as a disk artist earlier this year, has been set for a four-week stand at the nine-story hotel. Salary is undisclosed, but hotel indicated it’s on a par with top prices paid other filmites who debuted at Vegas hotels. Star currently is making "Female on the Beach” with Joan Crawford at UI. He’s also to make “Spoilers” with Anne Baxter be- fore launching his nitery career at the Riviera.