Variety (April 1957)

Wednesday, April 3, 1957 tSfotlEff OBITUARIES GENE LOCKHART Gene Lockhart, 66, veteran char¬ acter actor, died March 31 in Santa Monica, Calif. _ Born in Canada, Lockhart made his professional debut with the Kilties Band of Canada at the age of 6. At 15, he played in sketches with Beatrice Lillie. In a career that spanned 60 years, he appeared in more than 300 fikuS, including "Miracle on 34th Street," "Joan of Arc,” "Leave Her to Heaven,” “Carousel,” "The House on 92d Street” and "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit.” ' . * A frequent tv performer, Lock¬ hart starred in the "His Honor Homer Bell” series. His career also included concert and operatic singing, writing a newspaper col¬ umn and composing songs. He wrote "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise” with Deems Taylor. He first appeared on Broadway in "Riviera Girl” In 1916. His legit credits also include "Ah Wilder¬ ness” and "Death of a Salesman*” Among his recent activities was a tour last fall in which he gave dra¬ matic readings at colleges. At the time of his death he was working at 20th-Fox on a tv show called "The Great American Hoax.” Wife, daughter, actress June Lockhart, and a sister survive. MAX’OPHULS Max Ophuls, 55, noted film di¬ rector, died 4 March 26 in Hamburg. He was stricken with a heart at¬ tack two months ago while doing a theatre chore in Germany. At various times in his career he was an actor, legit director as well as writer-producer for a . number of German and French radio stations. Ophuls -first attracted attention through his direction of the Ger¬ man-made picture, "Leibelei.” He went to France after the advent of Hitler and subsequently to the U.S.„ where he directed such films as "Letter From an Unknown Woman” (U), "Caught” (M-G) and "The Reckless Moment” (Col). Returning to France, Ophuls won acclaim with a series of taste¬ fully directed, opulent pictures. They were considered somewhat baroque, but were brilliantly deco¬ rated. Among them were "La Ronde,” "Le Plaisir,” - “Madame De . . . ” and "Lola Montes.” Lat¬ ter him became a cause celebre in Paris when it was recently re¬ issued in a recut version. This utilized its original flashback tech¬ nique in chronological order. Surviving are his wife and a son, Marcel, an assistant director. ^ CHARLES R. ROGERS Charles R. Rogers, 64, veteran producer, died March 29 in Holly¬ wood as a result of injuries sus¬ tained in an auto accident Feb. 18. At the time of his death, he was preparing to return to production, after a hiatus of several years. Rogers, who during his long ca¬ reer was both an indie producer and production head of such com¬ panies as RKO-Pathe and Univer¬ sal, started in the industry as an exhib in Buffalo, N.Y. Prior to turning to production, he headed the Buffalo exchange of Select Pic¬ tures. As a member of the firm of Asher, Small & Rogers, he pro¬ duced pictures starring Corinne Griffith for First National and la¬ ter on his own turned out westerns with the late Harry Carey and Ken Maynard. He also produced Pris¬ cilla Dean starrers and produced independently for Paramount and First National. Surviving are his wife?- a son, John, film producer; three brothers and three sisters. HARRY J. MICHAELSON Harry J, Michaelson, 59, former president of RKO Pathe Inc., died April 2 in Miami Beach of a heart attack. He retired from RKO Pathe in 1952 because of a heart con¬ dition. A native of Pittsburgh, Michael¬ son began in the film business with the Universal exchange in that city and later shifted to Radio Pictures. He was made Cincinnati branch manager in 1925 and eastern divi¬ sion manager six years later. When Radio Pictures merged with Pathe, Michaelson became central district manager and subsequently eastern- central district manager. In 1935 he was matte Short Subjects sales manager. He became President of RKO Pathe 1947. Survivors are the widow, Fanny, and two sons, Howard and Robert, both of New York. CHRISTOPHER MORLEY Christopher Morley, 66, novelist, essayist, playwright and poet, died March 28 in Roslyn Heights, N.Y., after a long illness. Morlfey wrote more than 50 books. After doing editorial work for Doubleday, Page & Co. from 1913-17, he worked until 1924 suc¬ cessively for the Ladies Home Journal, the Philadelphia Ledger and the New York Evening Post. Until 1941,' he was a contributing editor to the Saturday Review (of Literature). Morley’s first work was a book %f verse, "The Eighth Sin,” issued in 1912, Among’his bestsellers were /'Kitty Foyle,” made into a film by RKO in 1940, "Where the Blue Begins” and "Thunder on the Left.” His last novel was "The Man Who Made Friends With Him¬ self,” published in 1949. His plays include "Three’s ^ Crowd,” pro¬ duced on Broadway in 1919, and "Thursday Evening.” Wife, son, three daughters and two brothers survive. JOSEPH H. BERNHEIMER Joseph H. Bernheimer, 48, presi¬ dent of the Louis Bernheimer Theatres circuit, died March 3F in Washington, following an opera¬ tion. He was in the motion pic¬ ture theatre business all of his adult life, first as a projectionist and later as maintenance supervi¬ sor of the circuit founded by his father, Louis Bernheimer. When his father died in 1951, Joseph Bernheimer became president and treasurer of the company. His circuit included the Jesse, Newton and Village Theatres in northeast Washington; 'the Vernon, in Alexandria, Va.; and two drive- ins which he added during the past five years, the Super-Chief and the Palmer, in suburban Prince George’s County, Md. He was also managing director of the Best cir¬ cuit of nabe houses. :i - He is survived by his wife and two' children. PHILIP J. DOYLE Philip J. Doyle, 70, a Pittsburgh stagehand 45 years and a longtime business agent for IATSE Local 3 until illness forced his retirement several years ago, died of cancer March 22 in that city. He had worked in every Pitt theatre, in¬ cluding • the long-departed Alvin and Pitt legit houses, during his long career. His last job was at the Warner during its Cinerama tenancy. » Doyle, had been in and' out of hospitals almost continuously since first being stricken in 1953. He was a bartender for the late George Jaffe' in the old Liberty Hotel, across the street from Jaffe’s burlesque house, the Acad¬ emy, and it was Jaffe who induced him to give up mixing drinks for backstage work in 1912. He leaves a son and a sister. MORRIS GOLDMAN Morris (Moe) Goldman, 68, vet¬ eran exhibitor, died March 26 in New York following a long illness, He began his theatrical career over 40 years ago. At the time of his death Gold¬ man was actively engaged in the operation of numerous theatres, including five Spanish language houses in the New .York area. Among his New York City theatres were the^Bronx x Victory, Canal, Apollo, Studio, Lido, Metropolitan, Delancey. In Scarsdale, he oper¬ ated the Plaza Theatre and in New Rochelle, the Town Theatre. Surviving are his wife, Sally, treasurer of the Troupers; a son Harold, v.p. of National Telefilm Assoc., two brothers and five sis¬ ters. --—, LAURA BOWMAN Laura Bowman, 76, veteran legit character actress, died in Holly¬ wood March 29 after a lengthy ill¬ ness. She had been bedridden since suffering a paralytic stroke about seven years ago. Miss Bowman toured the U.S. and Europe with various legit cmn- panies for roughly half a century. She spent 14 years as a member of the Lafayette Players in New York and appeared on Broadway in support of Helen Hayes, Tal¬ lulah Bankhead and Miriam Hop¬ kins, among .others. Surviving is her husband, LeRoi Antoine, said to be the first Haitian singer-actor to come to the U. S. Twenty-eight years 4*er junior, he wed the’actress in 1935. to the Lone Prairie” as typical of his hill billy formula which gained him a considerable radio-ty- fol¬ lowing. . HENRY F. CORNFORTH • Henry F. Cornfobth, 74, pioneer exhibitor and theatrical producer, died recently in Birmingham, Eng. He started his show biz career: as: a boy when he puttecL filmy | through a lantern at oldtime Bio¬ scope shows. Later he, worked in a theatre booking agency .m Cornforth, who also sponsored pantomimes and unit roadshows, managed, the Scala, Birmingham, for 25 years. In 1945 he also be¬ came manager of the Futurist Theatre, Birmingham.^- His son, Derrick, who succeeds him as general manager .of the Scala and Futurist, survives. PHIL GOULDING Phil Goulding, 39, WMGM, N.Y., staff announcer and conductor of the "Music With A Beat” program? died March 29 in. New York after a long illness. Goulding joined WLLH, Lowell, Mass;, in 1937 as an announcer. In 1941, he went to WEEI, Boston, where he served as news editor until 1943. ;His next assignment was as staff -anhouncer on WABC (now WCBS) for CBS. He joined WMGM in 1944. Wife, former radio actress Thel¬ ma Hansen: a brother Ray, mem¬ ber of the Bob & Ray radio team, and another brother survive. • ALBERT FLORATH Albert Florath, 68, German actor and film pioneer, died March 10 in Gailsdorf-Nordwuertemberg, West Germany. A veteran of more than 40 years on the stage and screen, fie started his legit career at a Munich theatre in 1908. Florath later moved to Berlin, where he was seen under Max Reinhardt’s direction. After World War II he worked with the Stutt¬ gart Theatre as a character actor and also-continued his film career. He was best known in Germany for his oortrayal of Geiziger. in Mo- liere’s comedy of that name. tions. Survived by a sister and a brother, John, who was the last manager of NVA clubhouse in New York. Deceased’s last position was as manager at Lyceum Theatre which he had to give up because of ill¬ ness. NORMAN ROWLEY I .L,..Norman Rowley, 63, pioneer fcinema exhib, .died suddenly at Liverpool,. Epg., March 24. He had held a cineifla,license for 42 years, starting as apian'lst in. days of the silent films^ s ' For many years he was manager of the Super Cinema, Birkenhead, and later opened the Plaza, now Gaumont, in Allerton, Liverpool. He was first manager of the Cap¬ itol, Boltpn. For the past 21 years he was manager of the Scala cin¬ ema, Liverpool. LENNOX T, CINNAMOND Lennox T. Cinnamond, 33, man¬ ager of San Francisco radio sta¬ tion KSAN, was killed March 29 in a headon auto crash near Palo Alto, Cal. A native of San Francisco, he first joined radio station KYA there. Later he worked for KJBS, Frisco, and KNTV, San Jose, Cal. Last August he was named KSAN manager. His wife, daughter and son sur¬ vive. WILLIAM PHILLIPS William Phillips, latterly night manager at the Laurelton Hotel on West 55th St., off 7th AVe., New York, where he also resided, but better known in the music business as a veteran songplugger, died of a heart attack in his apartment at the hotel. He was 80. His career as a song demon¬ strator and plugger dates back to the pioneer days of the Remick and Waterson, Berlin & Snyder firms, among others. A son, Howard B. Phillips, four sisters, and a grandchild survive. CARSON ROBISON Carson Robison, 67, songwriter and entertainer, died in Pough¬ keepsie, N.Y., March 25 after being in the hospital several days fol¬ lowing surgery. Robison Was born In Chetopa, Kans„ where his father was a vio¬ linist. He began his radio career on WDAF, the Kansas City Star station in Kansas City, and went from there to network programs. He also had a sizeable recording career. He composed more than 250 bal- . lads, among, them "Carry Me Back 1 CARL NAPP Carl Napp, 67, veteran German humorist and vaude comedian, died of a stroke March 22 in Berlin. He headlined German variety events for years and was a regular performer at Berlin’s big vauders of the -pre-war era,, notably the Scala and Plaza. One of Napp’s many specialties was his famed "Nappkuchen” (pound cake, verbally) routine.. He also was noted as a mimic. His last stage appearance was a month ago when he topped the bill at a Berlin carnival. . GEO. W. (SPIKE) HAMILTON George W. (Spike) Hamilton, 56, former orchestra leader and song- smith, died March 31 in New York. Hamilton conducted hotel orches¬ tras in N.Y., Chicago and San Fran¬ cisco. He also appeared in two films, "George White’s Scandals” and "Sunday Night at the Trocad- ero.” His songs include "Betty Co-ed,” "Wild Honey,” "Bye Bye Pretty Baby” and "I’ll Never For¬ get.” Two sons, daughter and brother survive. A. EVERETT AUSTIN JR. A, Everett Austin, Jr;, 56, direc¬ tor of the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Fla., died March 29 in Hartford. A former director of the Wadsworth Atheneum there, he was known also as a painter and lecturer. , Austin operated a summer thea¬ tre at Windham, N.H. for the last six years. He was a pioneer in the little theatre movement. His wife, son and a daughter survive. FLORENCE VEAK Florence Veak, 54, operator of the Rialto Theatre in Yillisca, la., was found dead in a rest room of the theatre recently. Coroner De¬ laine Sellergren said she had taken her life with strychnine sulphate and attributed it to business wor¬ ries. . She had operated the house for three years for Oky Goodman of Oskaloosa, la., and took over the lease March 1. PAUL BILDT Paul Bildt, 72, a top German stage and film actor, died March 16 in Berlin. Known throughout several generations of acting in Berlin, he toured Germany in a number of plays. Bildt, who appeared with the Max Reinhardt Theatre and the Schiller Theatre, played more than 120 film roles. He was last seen in the German film production of “Anastasia.” columnist, died in Sarasota, Fla.. March 28. Irma Wanda Beck, 76, pianist, died March 23 in Dallas. She was a former soloist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Capt,. Carey Harrispn Rippcteau, 67, actor and. technical advisor known as Carey /Harrison, died March. 25 in Los Angeles. , • Wife, 60, of Jdhn P. Brown, manager,of the Latchis Theatre, Newport, N. H., died March 24 in Newport. Adeline Hibard, 95, retired con¬ cert pianist, died March 23 in Hav¬ erhill, N.H. Wife, 48, of radio-tv news com¬ mentator William Winter, died March 26 in Los Angeles. Her mother and brother also survive. Brother, 23,* of English singer Pauline Lumb, was kitted March 24 in an auto crash at Halifax, Eng. Ellen Rafferty, 66, theatrical landlady at Blackpool, Eng., for some 30 years, died there recently. Mother, 65, of Irving Levin, prexy of AB-PT Pictures, died March 25 in Hollywood. -Fred Mindlin, 63, salesman for National Screen Service in Chicago, died March 25 in Miami Beach. Othmar Sclioeck, 71, Swiss com¬ poser and conductor, died March 8 in Zurich. Gary Mortou-Jones, 28, a Welsh opera singer known professionally as Gary Morton, died March 26 in New York: Father, 77, of playwright Ten¬ nessee Williams, died March 27 in KnoxVille, Tenn. Harry Depp, 71, veteran charac¬ ter actor, died March 31 in Holly¬ wood. Mother of N. Y. agent, Brooklyn. Herman Fialkoff, died March 30 in JOHN J. GLYNN John J.' Glynn, 63, vicepresident and treasurer of Warner Bros. In¬ ternational Corp., foreign subsid¬ iary of Warner Bros. Pictures, died March 30 in New York. Glynn joined Warners in 1929 and was transferred to the foreign subsidi¬ ary when it was established 1944. Wife, brother and two sisters survive. PATRICK CROWLEY Patrick Crowley, 5^,. bandleader whose outfit was resident band at the Pavilion Ballroom, Ballybunion, Kerry seaside spot, died March 23 in Cork, Ireland. His stint at the Pavilion was said to have been an alltime record for an Irish terpery. ADOLFO F. BUSTAMANTE Adolfo Fernandez Bustamante, 56, playwright, screen writer and director, died of a heart attack March 18 in Mexico City. He was-"| chief of the Mexican capital’s arhusements supervision depart¬ ment. His wife and sister survive. HOWARD STUBBINS Howard -Stubbins, 65, co-owner of the Allied Artists’ west coast film distributing franchise for the ■last 20 years, died April 1 in Los Angeles after a long illness. Wife and daughter survive. JAMES TROUPE James Troupe, 70, manager of the Mark Hettinger Theatre for the last six years, died March 31 in New York. He was also the late George M. Cohan’s theatre man¬ ager for 30 years. Daughter and son survive. PATRICK F. LEDDY Patrick F. Leddy, 68, died March 30 at Eye & Ear Hospital, N.Y. Prominent for years in theatre management also he was active in Treasure Club affairs and, also in other theatre managers organiza- Mrs. Stephen E. Klefsky, 66, wardrobe mistress for stage and jee shows af Omaha’s Ak-Sar-Ben from 1945 to 1955, died in Omaha re¬ cently. Survived by husband, two sons and two daughters. Louis Hallen Grover, 91, known as “The Farmer” On a children’s ra¬ dio program at Edmonton for more than 20 years prior to his retire¬ ment in 1945, died March 17 in Vancouver, B.C. Sydney Urwm, 63, magician, died at Sunderland, Eng., March 22. Huston-Hesht : -- Continued from page 2 —J begin work under Marton or what¬ ever director takes over. ‘Nothing To Bo With Personalities’ Paris, April 2. John Huston- told Paris Herald Tribune columnist Art Buchwald that he was literally pushed off the direction of "A Farewell to Arms” (20th) by producer David O. Selz- nick. But he was not "fired” and left the Italo exterior sets on his own volition. Although conceding hjs couldn’t get along with Selz- nick, Huston said, paradoxically, disagreement had nothing, to do with personalities, Huston declared he got $300,000 for his last pic, but accepted $250,- 000 from Selznick who maintained it was all he could afford. Biographic Films SSS Continued from page 2 — had exposure on television. Keaton was deadpanning when the Key¬ stone Kops were a force but he’s done some latter-day tv also. Durante is known via all media. Point here is that there’s no ar¬ bitrary rule about obscuring the original subjects of biopix. The above-named trio have name value; the problem is in deciding' .how much play the names should be given and how much attention for the pictures themselves. Par went heavy on selling “Ed¬ die Foy and the Seven Little Foys” as just that—-a picture about a show business family. It proved profitable. Capt. George W. Young, 68, a member of the Warner Studio plant protection department for 30 years until his retirement in 1954, died March 15 in North Hollywood. Robert Ray, 57, assistant film di¬ rector for years, died of a heart at¬ tack March 26 in Hollywood. Sur¬ viving are his wife and his brother B. B. Ray, film director. Mrs. Helen lone Gray, 71, one¬ time vaude performer known pro¬ fessionally as Helen PaMar, died March 26 in San Francisco. Her sister survives. Father, 84, of Mrs. Nick Kenny, wife of the N.Y. Mirror radio-tv * Theatre Cleanup , Continued from page 1 Equity listed violations in all the houses spotlighted by the union, including the Winter Garden, Shu- bert, St. James, Imperial, Broad¬ way, Royale, Plymouth and Broad- hurst. As yet, Equity hasn’t re¬ ceived any report from the health department. The union plans extending the backstage cleanup drive; to Phila¬ delphia, Washington, Boston and other cities where the Shuberts have houses. Frank Maxwell is chairman of the Equity committee handling the matter.