Variety (January 1958)

62 PICTURES Fifty-second J/^MRIETY Anniversary January 8, 1958 Legendary Theatre Feuds ; Continued from page 3 ; ing up many a team (many times the theme of backstage movie, scenarios). Or one part of the team not giving a good perform¬ ance, being genuinely “off” that day, won’t be accepted as an ex¬ cuse by the other who soon soreads the word: “He ‘threw’ the act and he’s been doing that a lot lately— he’s trying to break up tne act and he wants me to be the one to get Sore!” A team doesn’t always work as •‘team work,” though a successful act is what’s keeping all involved eating: One boasting, concerning hk “bit” in the play, is soon be¬ littled by another. Standard ex¬ ample is the comic in the troupe saying: “When I’m on the sta^e, you can hear them laughing across the street!” “What’s playing across the street?” comes the. counter¬ punch. , “Straight-men” and comed ans are always at odds. The “feeder* to the comic can throw off the pace and the answers, without which the supposedly “fast on the trigger” comic can’t live. As to which of the two is the more im¬ portant in a duo has been, a moot question s:rce the birth;, of enter¬ tainment. To many critics,^ the situation is like the two parts of a sedlitz powder— each, on its own, has no value— it’s only when they’re combined do you get the v'. tar “sizzle.” True, some feuding acts have done better by breaking up, each oil his own attaining in¬ dividual stardom. In the mai , however, both have fallen bv the removal of their leaning-posts . The synthetic, public tv-minded feuds fool nobody— they’re simply’ an act within, an act, with the public not taking it seriously. But the list of genuine feuds, from the d?m past of the theatre, t’ll this moment, is a matter of record. Y Famous Fends for Example . ] Sam Bernard and Louis Maim discussing it in Atlantic City with Bernard, the mention of Mann’s name sent Sam into an indescrib¬ able rase. When he reached calm again, I foolishly said: “You’re mad?— you should see Louis Mann, when I mention your name”— -and then off went. Sam again, but ‘in spades.” Many similar sad and unneces¬ sary battling teams, in the oast, Moran & Mack-Roger Brothers {genuine brothers). Jim Corbett & Billy Van-Weber & Fields-Gerirtdine Farrar and Fritzi Scheff. Fritzi actually stood in the wings and walloped her when she left the stage (M^ss Scheff. a great and turbulent talent), also ^oke up a forthcoming play. While in re¬ hearsal she objected to Sam Bar¬ nard smoking — Bernard, being rich, walked off and show never opened). . . ■ Gallagher & Shean — and the deadliest -of all, the immortal McIntyre & Health, partners 40 years onstage and never spoke offstage for .40 years. Those of the last decade or so: Paul & Grace Hartman. Abbott & Costello. The Andrews Sisters. Joey Adams & Tonv Canzbneri. Maxie Rbsenbloom & Max Baer. Martin & Lewis. Of feuds in opera, it can be any soprano and tenor, teamed in the same offering. Maria. Callas is both the firecracker and the match lately. Famous Friendships On the happier side, lets list a few combinations that have en¬ dured in peace and for the good of the theatre for years: Snrth & Dale-Marx Bros.. Williams & Walker. Fred Allen & Portland Hoffa. And the heart-warming combination of Clayton. Jackson & Durante, not even ending with the passing of one trio,, for Du¬ rante, great soul, sees to it that it Will be remembered as a partner-; sh;p without parallel in under¬ standing and consideration for all. With, the fine line of demarca¬ tion of the paniermache stage and the “personal” lives of the per¬ formers, it is hard for a public to fathom the “play-acting” of these folk from the "real” thing. Little, does it know that a pair on the stage, “breaking up an audience. can’t wait till they can “break it ur, ” In their rooms a feW minutes later. Sure there is more glory and romance to the theatre than there is bitterness and sorrow — that is, to ambitious ones, about to make the tb«-»ft-o their life work. Better so, or else there wouid be no the¬ atre. The great parlay that , keeps three great emotional endeavours going is (1) the smell of grease¬ paint, (2) .circus sawdust and (3) printer’s ink. We don’t know whether we want “feuds” to he eliminated : altogeth¬ er. There is a certain, necessary vi¬ tality about some of theim In some cases, it is “free” entertainment for. the . public; And. in the end, there are always, peace-makers around. As in the case of the twp quarelling actors, over the years. Finally a: third party brought them to¬ gether and bought them a drink and told them to toast each other. One raised his glass to the Other and said: “Here’s wishing for. you what you’re wishing for hie!” “Oh, you’re starting in again, eh?’’ came the reply. French Still Snoot Continued from page 3 in Keokuk Whom he had kissedonce and to whom he considered himself pledged. G.L’s left behind in Paris chew¬ ing gum , Coca-Cola; jeeps, juke¬ boxes and pinball machines (how big here). Credit them, in part, for hamburgers and hot dogs. The French language itself gained from the Yanks, such words as strip¬ tease; blues, tilt quick lunch. Hoopla on. Sports French have adopted the dra¬ matic U. S. attitude towards sports with, the fanfare and publicity pay¬ ing off. Publicity is still a young art here but under U.S. tutelage and . growing more daring. Stock | car races. Wrestling (controlled) stylized violence in boxing— all are American influences here. Baseball has never caught on, and the two top French sports still remain by cycle facing and Soccer. Religion, says Arts, is not Amer¬ icanized even if television is allowed into churches, priests be¬ come popular singers and an abbei leaps from a 30-foot tower to raise money , for his parish. Protestant Billy Graham laid an evangelistic egg here when he tried to restore I the “Moral Fibre” that President Eisenhower had declared was weak in France; ' li ‘Papa’ Hemingway, Etc, In literature, it is felt that the American dynamism, vitality and virility: was, needed by the . French and they were benefitted from Ernest; Hemingway, John Dos Passos. Also esteemed, here are Henry Miller, John Steinbeck, Erskine Caldwell and William Sar¬ oyan. However, most leading .writers feel that U.S. literature is elementary and. masochistic. But the U.s; detective story has taken a firm hold here and spawned many disciples. Science fiction is just beginning to make inroads." French feel superior in legit. j theatre, and: claim that U.S. drama) is predominantly vulgar in writing, has prefabricated themes and rests on an elementary psychology. Help¬ ing . overcome this estimate are newly. experienced (by French) works of Eugene O’Neill, Tennessee Williams; Caldwell and Steinbeck. Recent hits Were Arthur Miller’s “Crucible,” Williams’ “Cat on Hot Tin Roof,” William Faulkner’s “Requiem for a Nun.” Arts tact¬ fully skips over the French flops in New York. The sheet castigates U.S. tv in a silly; rudimentary, fashion, claiming that it is bad technically; which means that whoever wrote it was Watching from this side. It adds that Yank video is searching for a style. Many U.S. pix and vidfilms are used on France’s nationalized video. In dance, the French blandly state that they taught the Ameri¬ cans to terp. George Balanchine and Jerome Bobbins are respected though Roland Petit denies any “American influences” in ballet, Paul Anka, Ottawa schoolboy who scored with the disking of his own “Diana’’ on the ABC-Para¬ mount label; last year earned $100,000 in about six months. That also covers songs of his. hone by others and . the rock ’n’ roll shows he’s been touring in the U. S. and Britain. That’s the figure: estimated by Ottawa freelance Writer Paul A. Gardner in an article for the Jan. 4 issue of the Canadian Maclean’s mag titled. “What It Takes To Crash Tin Pan Alley at 15.” (This refers to; the year previously.) The juve will keep . about 30% of it after expenses and taxes, accord¬ ing to Gardner. Recalling, a pop singer who once told him, “I only own 30% of my¬ self,” Anka. is qUoted as saying he owns 90% of himself — presumably referring to the 10% his agency. General Artist Cofp., takes, though that’s only on dates. Chicago. Wilding Picture Productions Inc. upped three sales execs , last week in reassigning: Dean Coffin, former district manager of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh sales and service offices, to head the company’s Great Lakqs sales division in De¬ troit. .Coffin was named a veepee. In the Change, Lawrence T. Young was promoted to district manager in Cleveland and Quinn Short to the same post in Pittsburgh, both succeeding Coffi Wilding is active in the field of industrial pix and filmed commer¬ cials; How ; Continued from page 3 ; ograph every day. One puhlidty | manager inserts , the word indis¬ criminately. . There is also a sales executive who fashions himself as an editor although, as far as could be ascer¬ tained, he has never had writing or editing experience. He is an adjective inserter.. “This story needs a buildup” is his slogan.. Several publicists have found a way td outwit their superiors. They insert a praiseworthy adjective before every noun. This is a superlative which the executive may replace With another superla¬ tive to out-superlative the first one. The buildup Words crime out placed in such a manner so. that such newsmen as use haridouts can bluepencil every other word of a two-page handout and emerge, with one sentence that contains a com¬ plete and detailed version of the company’s : “news.” . Press releases,, if you make a study of them, are cleverly de¬ signed. Invariably they contain a statement surrounded by quotation marks by one or more executives. These statements are placed at the bottom of the release so that they can be quickly and harmlessly discarded by newspapers. These statements, however, serve as ex¬ cellent window. dressing, especially when they are presented: for the. approval of the executive who. is supposed to have uttered the imr mortal words. He beams with satisfaction at his own cleverness, although the thought, expressed in the statement may never have occured to him. The statement is usually an innocuous one and goes something like this: “This action, hailed as the most unique in the industry, is in keeping with our policy of providing our customers with hard-hitting and unprecec dented support and comprises an essential package for the most modern and economic operation.” Toujours Precedental If the announcement involves ;a. deal between two. companies, there’s sure to be an acknowledge¬ ment from the other side. “We are . happy to be associated with Blank Co.,” it invariably says. “Blank’s position in the industry plus our contribution will result in a combination that will make it possible for us to maintain our pre-eminence and to serve our au¬ diences more effectively;” Suppose the release reveals the signing of a new performer whom the studio feels has a bright future; then an executive Usually remarks in print: “Several important ve¬ hicles are being considered for him to take advantage of the ex¬ pected enthusiastic public reac¬ tion; following the release of his first picture.” Every picture apparently Is re¬ leased With an unprecedented pro¬ motional campaign. This is how it is announced; “Following the promotion and merchandising pat¬ tern which was so successful on ‘I Was a Teenage Monster Who Con¬ quered the Frankenstein From (The Taking of Berg-op-Zoom) , and “Jean, III/ comedies of his youth. Ait biographical drama he had the sauve touch. He could instruct without boring. “Jean de ia Fon¬ taine,” “Franz Hals,” “Beaumarchais” and. .“Talley¬ rand” serve as vivid and witty portraits. Occasion¬ ally he would tamper with historical events to fit them to the pattern of the stage. It was always the stage that mattered most. He revolutionized, the movies with his “Story of Cheat,” creating , a new style of moving-picture narration. It was so imitated that he regretted in¬ venting it but his Own films done in this fashion — ‘Pearls of the Crown;” “Walking Up the ChampsElysees” and “Nine Bachelors”— are classics today. Since the war he Wrote and directed a trio of Continued from page .3 all and one day, g Guitry and Woods sat at a cafe table’, they decided to both write what they consid¬ ered the proper sum on a piece of paper and ex¬ change notes. When Guitry read Woods’ note he found inscribed: Twice as much, as you’ve asked.” I A Nazi Collaborator? After the war Guitry was arrested and charged with collaboratmg with the Nazis during the Occupatmn. He was held In prison for three months and cleared at a sensational trial. “Why is the day of my alkin Serye^ *** 9* Liberation? ”• *e Would Actually his war record was, as proven, a sbothad used his position to save Tristan many) jealousy against him ran so high that this correspondent remembers that there was moil talk of shooting Guitry than there was of captX ffit all-star casts and . all were spiced with Guitry’s blend of wit. In “Napoleon” he played one of his favorite char¬ acters, Talleyrand, who recalls the career, of the Emperor as he sits in a comfortable chair surround Like his favorite dramatic author n/r«u~» v. „ ed by lady listeners. “Will you; tell us everything in harness; Stricken and unable to leav?Hi«fc£l;d about Napoleon?,” one inquires. “Everything I re he directed a revival of one of his h ’ member.” he reDlies. “About Waterloo?” “No; That’s room. His last days were scent nn ■ su^m" rio. The afternoon before he ^er-t..Slem.ftz.’ Eat a? iis bedside. Guitry who barf' Outer Space/ Blank Co. will launch an all-out national and local level publicity arid promotion campaign utilizing Star personalities, series of special events and national tieups as well as an intensified local level pre-tested newspaper ad cam¬ paign highlighting the dramatic selling elements and star values of the picture;” Does any picture ever flop’ Of courise not. Each and every one is a record-bfeaker, either “equal? ling or surpassing” the grosses of the company’s previous epic. No matter how unimportant the pic-, ture may. be, it’s certain to estabK li a record somewhere, even if it’s at a two-seat theatre in Afghan¬ istan where it scored more busi¬ ness for. a rainy Tuesday between, the hours of 9 a.m; and 10 a.m. than any; other film . that ever played the house. Somehow . the film company can always obtain a quote from an exhibitor substan¬ tiating the claim. “The pleasant surprise for us here this week,” says the willing theatreman, “was the outstanding gross rolled up by ‘I Wais a Teenage Monster Who Conquered the Frarikenstein From Outer Space/ and the tremendous teenage reaction to Mirig-^Toy Epr stein and Melvin Schwartz.” The . pr'essagent-writers appa¬ rently have their worse case of adjectivitis when announcing or de¬ scribing festivities in connection, with film premieres.. You can be sure that at every opening there will be “a glittering array of stars, religious , leaders., social leaders and industry leaders” and that it will be “a black tie and evening gown audience.” “A red carpet/' of course, “will guide their steps” arid . “the scene will be illuminated . by a pathway of brightly flashing golden beacons, the same lights that guide pilots to night landings at LaGuardia and Idlewild air¬ ports.” The theatre will; be “filled to Capacity arid thousands more’* will view, “the theatre-front festivities from ; behind police barricades.” The debut of the picture, it is duly noted, “was one of the major en¬ tertainment and social events of the year” which received “national ; television and radio coverage.” Arriving , celebrities, it’s pointed opt, “were interviewed by local ra¬ dio commentators, while a taped account of the glamorous opening was syndicated to over 200 import¬ ant radio stations throughout the nation.” The . announcement of film com¬ pany-production plans are also well documented arid distributed. Each year, as the annual produc¬ tion schedule is hailed, executives “enunciate the company’s faith in the future of the motion picture industry throughout the world” ? and they “emphasize the com¬ pany’s sense of .responsibility for Its exhibitor customers throughout the. world in providing a steady flow of important boxoffice pic¬ ture capable of producing grosses which spell mutual success and which will enable the. company to reach even greater heights than in its previous record-breaking years.” Included in the company’s pro¬ gram -are “outstanding • boxoffice attractions*' based on “national best-selling novels” by “disting¬ uished” authors which will be brought to the screeri by “famed film-makers.” The “diversified’' group^of motion pictures “feature a wide variety of subject matter/' Appearing in these pictures are “a mammoth roster of today’s top star names” who are backed by a “distinguished” or a “huge cast of colorful supporting personalities/' The, “important” story properties are “in various; stages of produc¬ tion” and among them will emerge “more than 30 high-budget fea¬ tures.” Some of the pictures will he made at “remote” locations. It seems that the pressagents have done a masterful job of paint¬ ing a rosy picture, building up the egos. of ; their employers, arid tell¬ ing the world ;• that ■ “movies are your best entertainment.” So why is busiriess so bad and why are so many pressagents being fired? member,” he replies. “About Waterloo?1 something for the. British to remember/ He had his own. notions^ of film acting. “On the screen the actor before doesn’t act. He has acted. So the camera must act for him.” In 1926 the enterprising A1 Woods persuaded GuL try to; undertake an American tour with his actresswife, Yvonne Printemps. No salary was mentioned of °Sacha 'Guitry/ who°/aa to the very ond an Inspired ina/of 803 P&G Vidbliirb Pact Music Makers Inc., has been con¬ tracted .to create the music for four television commercials for the Procter & Gamble product Dreft. The cominercials will be super-vised by Arnold Brown of DancerFitzgerald-Sample.