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VlLJUS
RADIO
VIDEO
MUSIC
STAGE
Publljhed Weekly at 1S4 Weiit 4eth Street, New York 36, N. Y.> by Variety, Inc.. Annual subscription, $10. Single copies, SS cents. Entered as second-class matter December 22, 1905, at the Post Ofilce at New York, N. Y,. under the act of March 3, 1870. COPYMGHT, 1957, BY VARIETY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Vol. 205 No. 12
NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1957 ; — — " ... 1 1
PRICE 25 CENTS
NEW YORK NIGHT UFE ‘DIMOITI’
TV Feelmg Its Oaters With Dozen New Posses to Ride ’57-’58 Season
Television program execs, plagued with a "where do we go from here" problem in terms of emphasis on new formats, have de¬ cided to go thataway. Westerns — call 'em "adult," "action" or what¬ ever else — ^have emerged as the biggest single nighttime program¬ ming newcomer for next fall.
As of the moment — and this is .ftill early in terms of linLig up the fall schedule — ^the three webs have committed themselves to no less than eight hours of new westerns, consisting of no less than 12 shows. This figure by no means constitutes all the new westerns in the works —there are probably upwards of 40 or 50 being prepped by indie producers — ^but represents either complete series or pilots to which the three networks .alone are com¬ mitted. This could be swelled by oaters produced by indies and sold directly to sponsors, or even addi¬ tional purchases or production by the webs.
ABC, already In the van with the oaters via its "Cheyenne," "Wyatt Earp," "Broken Arrow," "Bin Tin Tin," "Lone Ranger" and the borderline "Jim Bowie," has by far outstripped Its competitors In setting new oaters. Web is com¬ mitted to three new hourlong west¬ erns with Warner Bros., which turns out Its current "Cheyenne" (latter, incidentally, moves up to every-week status besides). On tap are “The Texan," "Sugarfoot" and "Oklahoma Kid." In half-hour form are Walt Disney’s “Zorro," Lou Edelman’s "The Californians" and "Primrose," based on the Luke Short stories.
NBC runs second, with two hours on the slate. One is "Wagon Trail," to be produced by MCA’s Revue Productions as an hour entry oppo¬ site "Disneyland" on Wednesdays at 7:30 (this is the first stanza set for the web’s 7:30 period for the fall). Also in the works, out of the (Continued on page 40)
Mayehoff Legit Click May Cue TV Reprise Of ‘That’s My Boy’ Series
CBS Television Film Sales -has stirred up considerable interest in the 13 filmed stanzas of the "That’s My Boy" series of a couple of sea¬ sons back as a possible summer replacement entry. Big factor in the interest in the show is the bal¬ lyhoo surrounding Eddie Mayehoff, who drew raves last week for his loudmouth general role in "Visit to a Small Planet" on Broadway. The reviews, plus a slfew of fea¬ tures on the comic, have sparked sponsor queries on the show.
Series was filmed as a CBS house property, but was cancelled after 13 weeks by Plymouth, its sponsor. Pix of course reverted to CBS, which turned them over to CBS Film Sales for summer re¬ placement sale.
4 ^
AGVA Wants Bonds
Vs. Cuban Bombs
As a result of the miniature revolutions in Cuba, the American Guild of Variety Artists has taken the position that they must get bonds or cash-in-advance for any of their members playing the is¬ land. Union has declared that the periodic outbreaks of violence may make it difficult for some cafes to pay off, and therefore surety of some sort must be given the union.
According to national adminis¬ trative secretary Jackie Bright, all the major clubs have provided bond. The Nacional, Tropicana, Montmartre and Sans Souci have insured pay for the talent.
IQ Influences OnDancehallBiz
The Charles Van Doren Influence is rubbing off on the local dance scene. Local ballrooms, once main¬ ly angled to the over-28 trade, are now going egghead. In a new twist, a college degree is required for entrance to one terpery, and in others, the pitch is angled toward the cognoscenti with lectures, read¬ ings and "intellectual entertain¬ ment" The weekend editions of the N. Y. newspapers have become the directory for the choreographic cognoscenti.
The new trend is best evidenced by the ad which appeared re¬ cently in the N.Y. Post with a pitch by an organization calling itself the Young College Graduates Club which is bidding for ladies (20-26) and gentlemen (22-32). It’s not sufficient for a prospective terper to claim that he attended an insti¬ tution of higher learning. This out¬ fit wants proof in the form of a final transcript, alumni card, a col¬ lege ring with your initials in it, (Continued on page 63)
$9.20 TOP FOR ‘GIRL’ SETS NEW B’WAY HIGH
The boxofficc scale for "New Girl in Town," the forthcoming musical version of Eugene O’Neill's ‘,‘Anna Christie," will set a new high for Broadway. The top price will be $9.20 for the orchestra divan seats Friday and Saturday nights.
The Frederick Brisson, Robert Griffith & Harold S. Prince pro¬ duction, scheduled to open May 9 at the 46th' Street Theatre, N. Y., will have a weeknight top of $8.60 for the divans. The regular orches¬ tra seats will be $8.05 weeknights and $8.60 Friday and Saturday nights.
H BIG CAFES
By JOE COHEN
The recent foldo of the Ver¬ sailles, N. Y., has caused more gloom among bonifaces than was generally thought possible. Feel¬ ing among the owners is that with any large nitery passing out of the picture, New York will lose its sta¬ ture as a nightclub town.
Among the larger operations, the west side has The Latin Quarter and the east side has the Copacabana as the major showcase. It’s felt that New York should be able to support several more niteries of substantial sixe, and establishment of same is deemed necessary in order to safeguard New York’s rep as a nightlife centre.
Right now, the bonifaces feel that the two cafes alone cannot do it. The hotels are a great help in aiding to maintain Manhattan’s rep as a cafe town, but it’s felt that large shows with lines and names are the necessary items to attract the visiting firemen. The intimeries, rooms with novel policies such as calypso, have their place, 'it’s maintained, but for genuine lure and interest, spots big enough to support names are needed.
This point was recently proved when the combination of Frank Sinatra at the Copacabana, Lena Horne at the Waldorf-Astoria, and Lilo at the Pierre forced the SRO signs in these hotels and benefitted (Continued on page 54)
Is Joe Louis A Deductible Item?
Washington, Feb. 19.
In connection with a campaign recently organized to collect money from the public for a fund to be used to "emancipate" America’s most celebrated and publicized "tax slave," ex-heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis, there is no clear indication that the Treasury’s Bureau of Internal Revenue would "settle." With interest on interest, the ex-champ now is in hock for life to the tune of $1,200,000.
A check of Federal records shows Uncle Sam made only two such settlements in the past year with show biz figures, one with Mack Sennett and the other with the estate of late songwriter E. Ray Goetz.
Sennett, pioneer producer of slapstick comedy shorts in Holly¬ wood and inventor of the Keystone Kops, is now somewhere between 75 and 80. The Government went after him for $6,817. This was allegedly owed for 1949 and 1950 income taxes and the interest and penalty on the unpaid tax. The case was settled for $500.
The internal revenue man who investigated the case ^and recom¬ mended the settlement reported to (Continued on page 18)
$1,750,000 Fik Deal May Make ‘S.P.’ Top Moliey Show of Rerant Years
Sonny James And
Liquor Don’t Mix
Toronto, Feb. 19.
Nitery patrons will never see Sonny James, he told Helen Mc¬ Namara of the Toronto Telegram in a phone interview from Dallas last week. His Music Corp. of America contract, he said, stipu¬ lates that he never be asked to appear at any club where liquor If served.
'^he 27-year-old Alabama -bom singer, whose Capitol biscuit "Young Love" is a big click, gave these reasons: "The Man Upstairs was good to me. Teenagers buy my records; they can’t go into places like that, so why should I sing in them? Besides, clubs get only 10% of bookings anyway. I’m busy enough appearing in theatres, au¬ ditoriums and county fairs."
He doesn’t smoke or drink, and is a member of the Church of Christ.
EyeNewSardTs In East Sde N.Y.
Sardi’s restaurant may get a "second company." The additional eatery is planned for the east side of Manhattan, in the Park Ave. area currently in the process of major development. The exact site isn’t disclosed, but It’s in the 50’s.
Vincent Sard! Jr., who took over management of the famous theatrical restaurant several years ago on the retirement of his-father, reveals, that scenic designer Jo Mielziner will do the decor for the new establishment, and the firm of Ketchum, Gina & Sharp will do the architecture.
Sardi stresses the fact that the (Continued on page 54)
SALEM FEARS HURT TO wrrcHCRAn BOXOFncE
Salem, Feb, 19.
Possibly the biggest "tourist town" in New England, this "Witch City” (every old house has a boxoffice) is jealous of its billing. Is¬ sue arises because of solemn ef¬ forts in the Massachusetts legisla¬ ture to exonerate "witches" put to death in 1692. A lively sense of publicity runs through the Bay Colony’s vice of ancestor worship and there have been suggestions (tongue in cheek) that since Salem Witchcraft trials were under the British flag the matter should now have a United Nations hearing.
Boston Herald gagged "It may be true, as critics have asserted, that we are trying to declare our Innate superiority over our super¬ stitious forebears; posterity has al¬ ways been committed to the illu¬ sion of progress/’
Revenue bf at least $1,750,000 from the scheduled film edition of "South Pacific” may make the mu¬ sical the biggest payoff legit show in recent years. The show has al¬ ready made about' $5,000,000 profit on an original Investment of $225,000. Only "Oklahoma" and possi¬ bly "Abie’s Irish Rose," the latter a quarter-century old, may still be ahead of "S.P," as money-makers.
According to a letter sent last, week to backers of the stage pro¬ duction, the picture will be pro¬ duced and owned by South Pacific Enterprises, Inc.,' in which Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein 2d are the sole stockholders. Magna Theatre Corp. will finance the pro¬ duction and will distribute the film in its pre-general release engage¬ ments throughbut the U. S. and Canada. The subsequent general worldwide release of the film will be made by 20th-Fox via an agree¬ ment with Magna.
The Magna-Fox distribution deal is for an overall period of 10 years froni the date of the first public showing. At the end of that term, all distribution rights will revert to SPE, which will also own the negative. The 10-year span, how¬ ever, may be extended three more years in a few countries.
Under its deal with Magna, SPE retains $1,750,000, plus 47% of the profits of the picture. Of the basic coin, $500,000 has already been paid, with the original legit pro¬ duction getting the customary 40% split, less 10% for commissions (Continued on page 54)
Ask Comedy Historians To Trace Origin of Gags Involved in Detroit Suit
Detroit, Feb. 19. Whether gags can be copyrighted is the issue in a Federal Court suit expected to start here in about two months. A pre-trial hearing last week (13) before Federal Judge Thomas P. Thornton failed to per¬ suade the plaintiff, Fred Gymer of Cleveland, to drop charges against the London Chop House, Detroit restaurant and nitery op¬ erated by Les Gruber.
Gymer claims that the following gags or mottoes have been copy¬ righted by him and were used without his permission on table cards and menus at Gruber’s spot: "You have possibilities of becom¬ ing a complete stranger"; "my mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts"; "don’t be obnox¬ ious, leave that to me," and "stop and think — ^there must be a hard¬ er way."
Gymer issues a monthly letter to subscribers based on a society for better mottoes. Included in the humorous letter Is a motto or two which the London Chop House has been using for many years. ■ Gruber’s position Is that these (Continued on page 54)