Variety (February 1959)

63 Wednesday, February 2S,1959 OBITUARIES LEWIS JAMES Lewis James, 67, onetime concert and radio singer and in more re¬ cent years active in radio produc- tion in Chicago, died in retirement Feb. 19 in Western Springs, HI. He may be remembered best as it member of the original Revellers vocal group of the late 'Twenties and early ’Thirties, recalled as the first of its hind on radio in the, New York area. It was the group that helped launch the singing * career of another of its members, JTajnes Melton. . ! The group was formed in 1926 and lasted 10 years. Before that, dafc-: ing back to 1521, James had sung with the New York Oratorio -So¬ ciety and with such orchestras as the -New York Philharmonic, the.' Philadelphia, and the Chicago: Symphony. In 1926 he helped or- ; ganize the Revellers with Wilfred Glenn, Melton, Elliott Shaw and: Frank Black, the. latter -serving as: pianist and arranger. During this period, James participated either i vocally or as an arranger in some 3,000 recordings for Victor and Co¬ lumbia. The group toured Europe five times. In 1940, James joined WGN radio in Chicago, taking charge of musical production of “Chicago Theater of the Air.” When the show went off the air after several years he continued on the station’s production staff. He retired in 1956. Daughter, two sisters and a brother survive. F. CHARLES ADLER F. Charles Adler, 69, conductor, died Feb. 16 in Vienna. Born in London and, after a career in Europe and the U. S., he spent the last years of his life in Vienna. A graduate of the Royal Acade¬ my of Music in Munich, Germany, he led orchestra* in several Ger¬ many cities, including Duesseldorf, Hamburg and .Berlin. ^ He also toured the Soviet Union and Italy as a guest conductor. From 1944-47, Adler led the New! York Chamber Orchestra and made numerous recordings for American labels. He made ins first appear¬ ance in N„ Y. as conductor of the WPA-sponsored NY. Festival Or-’ chestra. In 1944, he organized the N.Y. Chamber Orchestra, composed of 38 members of the N.Y. Philhar¬ monic. His final appearance in N.Y. was with th§ Chamber Or¬ chestra in 1947. His wife and daughter survive. HELEN PARRISH Helen Parrish, 35, film and tv actress, died Feb. 22 in Hollywood, after a long illness. She appeared principally in films as a child and teenager, iflthough -she made other films . She also did tv work on both coasts including a weekly variety show called “The Hour Glass.” In her first film role, when Miss Parrish -was two years old, she played 3Babe Rutlrs daughter in “When Babe. Comes Home.” Later when she was six, she appeared with Bill (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd in “First Command,” one of the early talkers. She also appeared in “Ojir Gang” roles. Most recent¬ ly, she had been women’s editor of “Panorama Pacific” a West Coast early morning show. Her husband, tv producer John Guedel, a son and'daughter by a previous marriage to actor Charles George Lang Jr., survive. CHARLES H. NEWTON Charles H. Newton, advertising and tv executive of Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborne, advertising agency, died Feb. 22 in Armonk, New York, after a long illness. Prior to his illness, he had been in charge of BBDO’s tv advertising for the General Electric Company, and had been regarded as a major factor in the Success of “G. ,E. Theater,” which he supervised from its beginning on tele. Originally a freelance writer and for some time a member of the National Broadcasting Co., script department, he joined BBDG in 1945 and spent the next T4 years in various areas of the agency. Spe¬ cializing in radio and tv. His wife, two sons, two daugh¬ ters and mother survive. - . CLAUDE V. CAVER '■Claude V.. Caver, 73, veteran of 43 years in film exhibition, died Feb. 19 ht Dallas 4>f * heart attack. JEn recent years wi'yto* associated With. the Phil Isley theatre chain. C*v£r, as^a Cdinanehe, Tex. L ex¬ hibitor, In -1521 had the firsfrdriw- in theatrfe—by accident. Com¬ pelled-to close for remodeling* he - gotva. permit to-ereet it screen on the courthouse--lawn, across, "the street from his theatre; From his projection.booth he continued-op¬ erating. The public attended the free • filming* in- . cars i parked bumper to bumper. .Caver came to Dallas in 1928. io open the suburban Trinity Theatre, and later bought the Rita. Survived by Ms wife, two sons and two sisters. FRANK S. GIBNEY Frank S. Gibney, 57, actor, died Feb. 8 in New York, after a long illness. A graduate of the Jesse Bonstell Drama school in Detroit, Mich., he was active in theatre there. He appeared on Broadway in the 1342 production of “Savonarola” and in I the Barbizon-Plaza Theatre produc¬ tion of "The Eternal Cage” in. 1945. Gibney also appeared in nu- ; j raerous stock productions and ap- I peared in many radio and ty plays. [Most recently he was associated : with Briscoe, Goldsmith and. Ar¬ thur, Inc., N.Y* theatrical consul¬ tants. His brother survives. • MRS. JOHN G. EVINS • Mrs. John- G. Evins, about 65, singer* pianist and former film theatre organist died Feb. T8 in At¬ lanta. As Ruth McGinty she was a, child, prodigy, -Georgia style. After I a first marriage with Walter S,-| Allen she was married in 2323 to Evins, a theatre manager for* the old Lucas & Jenkins circuit. She 'was then at the now-gone Strand on Peachtree Street in Atlanta as featured orgaMst. Her late husband had managed a number of Atlanta showhouses for decades and been, a member of the city council for years upon his death 'in 1941. • Mrs. Evins leaves two daughters. GEORGE BURBACH George Burbach, 75, retired gen¬ eral manage^ of ^fattens KSD and KSD-TV in St. Louis, Mb4 d^ed Feb. 21 in Palm Beach, Florida. He retired about a year ago after 44 years with the St. Louis Post- Dispatch and its radio and tv sta¬ tions. He joined the paper as ad¬ vertising manager in 1913, In 1933,. he became general manager of KSD in addition to his other- duties. In 1951, Burbach relinquished his newspaper post to devote his full time to the radio station. In 1947, he became general manager of KSD-TV when it began opera¬ tion. His wife survives. JOHN TILDEN MARTIN John Tiiden Martin, 61, a radio writer for the Roy S. Durstine ad¬ vertising agency in New York at his retirement 10 years ago, died Feb. 22 in TJnionviUe, Conn. He began Ms • career as a radio reviewer for the Brooklyn Times. About 1923, be joined the National Broadcasting Co., as a feature writ¬ er and member of its publicity de¬ partment. Later Martin served for 11 years in the radio dept of Bat- ton, Barton, Dhrstine & Osborne, doing writing and casting. He also authored two books called ''How -to Write for Radio” afid “Practical Radio Writing.” His wife and sister survive. GEORGE ARCHAINBAUD - George Archainbaud, 68, vet film director, died of a heart attack Feb. 20 in Beverly Hills, Cal. Starting Ms professional career as an actor in Ms native Paris, be came to the U.S. in 1915 and headquartered at Fort Lee, N. J., as a director. During Ms long tenure, he di¬ rected for World Films, Selznick, RKO, Paramount, United Artists and Columbia Pictures. In recent years he had devoted himself en¬ tirely to television, Ms last series being “Lassie.” Surviving are his wife and -daughter. DAVE BRUCE Dave Brilce, 68, 'longtime Scot comedian, died recently in Salt¬ coats, Ayrshire, Scotland. He ap¬ peared in vaude throughout the ILK., and was prominent between 1925 and 1937 in resident -«bows in Scotland. . He was a. member of the Charlie Kemble Entertainment in ' Scot¬ land, a group. wMeh included such top artists- As Jack Radcfiffe, Jack Anthony,- Ike Freedman and Male Wynn. He also appeared in panto¬ mime’ at the old Princess’s (now Citizens’) -Th^tre,-.-Glatsgow. ' * V Survived by Ms wife. 1 ifARGARETH. TOWNS Margaret H. Towne, 46, piano and ‘ organ accompanist'for silent >ix in the W are y,-Theatre chain during Eeb.-14 an. Washington/- With tier -advent: if soundtracks,'- ..Mrs* Tovraer switched PE£&Bfr to playing for vaudeville acts at the Earle Theatre in Washington. She was one of the first women members of the Washington local of the American Federation of Mu¬ sicians. i Two daughters and a son sur¬ vive. WALTERS EASLEY Walter F. Easley, 79, pioneer Indiana Iheatr^operator, died Feb. 15 in Greensbqyg, Ind., of a heart attack. He owneg- the Tree Theater in Greehsburg, apd the former K-P •Theatre, and formerly -operated the Princess in Rushyille. He was one of the organizers of the Indiana Associated Theatre Owners, which later became Allied Theatre Own¬ ers of Indiana. His wife, two sons and six grand¬ children survive. MARIO YILLANI Mario Villani, 82, former musl- comedy singer who came to the. Uia. 44 years ago from Ms native: Milan, Italy, at Victor Herbert’s in¬ vitation, died Feb. 16 in Summit, ; NX, after a long illness. He. ap¬ peared in Broadway shows until- 1930. He later -became director. of: entertainment for the Ritz-Cariton- hotel chain in 'Atlantic City and’ Philadelphia,- . ’ His wife and four sons survive. ROLAND F. SCOTT Roland F. Scott, 45, comedy- writer for some of the nation’s top comics, died Feb. 15 in Flint, Michigan. , An invalid for 25 years and con¬ fined to a wheelchair with arthri¬ tis, he recently wrote for Garry Moore’s Tuesday- night variety tv show apd Ms “I’ve Got a Secret” Scott also wrote at one time or an¬ other for Chico Marx, Jimmy Dur¬ ante and Fred Allen. KATHRYN ADAMS. . Kathryn. Adams, 65, silent pic¬ ture actress, died Feb. 17 in Holly¬ wood. A veteran of Hollywood, she appeared in the first picture made there, “The Squaw Man,” made in 1913. Prior to that, -she had worked for the Thanhauser Studios, New Rochelle. JOHN J. LOUIS * John J. “Jack” Louis, 63, part¬ ner in the Needham, Louis & Bror- by ad agency, died last Feb. 20 in Palm Springs* CaL, following a stroke. In recent years Louis had been spending much of his time in Phoenix, where he was one of the owners of the radio station KTAR. DONALD GRAHAM Donald E. (Buddy) Graham, 39, program director for KOOO m Omaha, -died Feb. 14 in that city. He was prexy of the Omaha Sports- casters Assn, and also doubled as a d.jl Survived tor wife, two sons, two daughters and parents. WILLARD J. ANDELIN Willard J. Andelin, 76, former concert and radio singer, died Feb. 18 in Chicago. His broadcast cred¬ its included the old “CMcago Thea¬ tre of tbe Air” on the Mutual web. In recent years he had operated a vocal studio with bis wife. Also surviving are two sons. David J. Hopkins, 69, veteran York, Pa., projectionist, died last week at the Will Rogers Hospital, Saranac Lake. N.Y., where he had been a patient for six months. His wife, who survives, is also a Will Rogers patient. Thomas L. Eckersley, 75, long distance radio transmission pioneer, died Feb. 16 in London. Until his retirement in 1946, he was a top; scientist at the Marconi Research Laboratory. * Rupert D. Ingrams, 46, song¬ writer known professionally as John Ridley, died Feb. 15 in Ever- sley Cross, Berkshire, England. He also was a cabaret artiste and radio-tv emcee. Wife, of M. W. Fodor, program evaluation officer of . the Vpice of America and a former^ojcfiign cor¬ respondent/died FebrTO in Wash¬ ington, D.C., aftq^-a long Illness, Ugo parang 49, conductor, vio¬ linist arid, tepoher, died Feb. 21 jn Newark,. Nv/X He was conductor of the .West Hudson Symphony in N. J. since its Sounding in 1939. Fred E. Grow, tfS, owner-opera¬ tor of the - M a 1 e ? a.t i c Theatre,. Crooksville, O., for- n?ore than 4£h years, died Fob. 4. Wl$e, sob and 5 two brothers survive. | Abel Vieira Crux, 60Jhead tech-' uidan In Portuguese vRadio. Na- ciohab died Feh. 12 in Lisbon. Wife, 89, of Frank Scbudde, -pro¬ duction manager of Terrytoons, died Feb. 19 in Glendale, N.Y. Surviving besides her husband are two sons and her mother. Dudley Edmunds, 65, theatre manager, died recently in Darling¬ ton, Eng. He managed the Hippo¬ drome Theatre, Darlington, from 1952 to 1956. ~ Frank Abrahams, 75, retired stagehand, died Feb. 14 in Chicago. He had worked for the Balaban & Katz circuit for 20 years. Sur¬ vived by wife and son. Laddie Watkig, 56, longtime radio singer and treasurer of CJOR, Vancouver, died • in that city Feb. 12. Her daughter sur¬ vives. Edward Joseph Lango, 58, man¬ ager of the Jubilee Singers, five- member oft-touring vocal group, died Feb. 13 in Chicago. Survived by four brothers and two sisters. Roy Don (Henry Thomas Parker), 59, died recently* -in • Portohello, Scotland. He was long a singer and. comedian, and later Was manager of Palladium Theatre, Edinburgh. Irene Dayton, 57, chief account¬ ant "for ' McCann - Eriekso-n ad agency, Chicago, died-in that city Feh: 14. Survived by four sisters and four brothers. MatRde Moreno; 84, retired -legit actress, died Feh. 14 in Madrid. For decades .she was a top person¬ ality -of the Spanish stage. Widow* 54, of Gaetano Merola, founder and first -director of Frisco Opera Company, died Feh. 13 in North Hollywood. Noel Datttpn, 56, an actor who scored his biggest success in the long-running farefe, “Worm’s Eye VieW,” died Feb. 17 in London. Mother* 72, of Harriett Johnson, music critic and editor of the New York* Post, died Feb. 18 in Minne¬ apolis, Minn., after a brief ,illness. Walter C. Vance, 51, projection¬ ist, died Feb. 17 in CMcago. Sur¬ vived by wife and a son. Mother, 73, of actress Bebe Dan¬ iels, died at her daughter’s London home Feb. 20. Frsaefiy Nudity -■ ■ i - Continued from page 1 Katleman’s Rancho Vegas through prior commitments despite its strong b.o. The economics of imported nude revues is a strong point in favor of the foreign revues. It’s strictly a price equation. La Nouvelle Eve is a meagre $15,000 weekly 4tem for Katlcman’s casino; it’s about half the usual top name. The lido show from Paris is a much cost¬ lier investment, sai<j to run up to $300,000 all told, hut its amortiza¬ tion over 26 weeks—and surpris¬ ingly strong enough to hold an¬ other sixmontb — has long since reduced the risk element. Price Is Righter Minsky’s show cost at the Vegas Dunes is said to be the lowest. The Thunderbird tried a Frenchy type of nude show also but didn’t fare well, being a road company of the overwhelming impact of the Stardust’s Lido production. Min¬ sky’s burlesque blackouts and strips are, of course, indigenously, Yank in flavor, only in recent years copied by the Paris boites (Crazy Horse Saloon, etc.). I As far as Florida is concerned, nitery operators have been eye¬ ing the Vegas results and hope to emulate it at the earliest opportu¬ nity. The clubs, such as the Latin Quarter, have long argued that they cannot pay the prices for names which are current in hotels. ■ They have no casinos or $4Q-a-day rooms to make up losses in nitery operation. Therefore, they must find a comparatively low-priced policy if they are to open next year. It is expected that several tests will be made during the forthcoming season. In the film industry, Brigitte Bardot has become' Frances most: prominent exports' ah# Gins Jtxfl- lobrigda has given Italy its great-' 1 est prominence since the days of Garibaldi. In ballet, the bra-les’s natives -in “Les.Ballets Afric&ins,’* provided <t boxoffice Simulant In New . York, ■ at the Martin Beck Theatre, until tKq-city mSde them put on more. clothing above the waist last week. • MARRIAGES Davida Josephson to Morton Zimmerman, Forest Hills, L.I., Feb. 15. Bride is daughter of Joseph Josephson, East Coast Productions’ editorial and technical consultant; he’s an account exec for WNTA-TV. Anne Eccles to Michael Cager, London, Feb. 14. Bride is an actress; he’s a stage manager, cur¬ rently with “Rose Tattoo” at the New Theatre. Loraa Reid to Donovan Kendall, London, . Feb. 14. Bride is an actress. Hazel Needes to Richard Martin- dale, London, Feb. 14. Bride is assistant to Bobby St. John Roper, West End stage costumier. Iris Shiftman to Jack Witkowsky, Ferj;. 15, Chicago. Bride is secre¬ tary to program director of WBBM- TV there. Marie LaMont to Vincent Clif¬ ford, Pittsburgh, Feb. 10. Bride’s a nitery dancer. Diane Wardell 'to Jonathan Watts, New York, Feb. 20. Both are members of the New York City Ballet Company. Joan Elise Burnham to Harry W. Mir£in, Santa Mon ca, Cal., Feb. *20. Bride’s a tv singer, j Anna Lett to Chirstopher Chat- ! away, London. Feb. 20. Bride’s a producer for Southern Television; he’s an interviewer for BBC-TV. Raquel Torres Ames to Jon Hall, Las Vegas, Feb. 14. She is former actress; lie's film and tv actor. BIRTHS Mr. and M-s. Stan Kamber, daughter, tV?:ta -Monica, Cal., Feb. 13. Father's a iihn actor. Mr. and Mrs. Je ; \my Levin, son, Chicago, Feb. . I'rJher is on pro¬ duction staff of VBBM-TV there. Mr. and.Mrs. Jai-k Wartlieb, son, Chicago. Feb. 18. Fp.ther is produc¬ tion manager for WBBM-TV in that ! city. I Mr. and Mr.'. Buddy Logan, daughter, Glasgow, .”cb. 15. Father ! is a yaude l:«d raf io singer, and [nephew of I. la Laja^. i Mr. and Mr*. Les I-sure, daugh¬ ter, Leunux-cv.n. Scotland, re- j cently. Fr : fhi-«* -s pr^ps supervisor at Scottish Television headqusr- I ters; mother is a former ballet dancer. Mr. rrd M-s. Tad Colt, son. New York. Feb. £0. Father is v.p. in charge <« N;uiosir-l Telefilm Associate-* e'-t.plated radio¬ tv sr- iio”'; itsOi/ii. • ' •=.’>? Oakland, d a -tr. Mr. and rliU Martin,'son, HolMvoo-i I*-, b. M Father is sound editor c ? ?’:e Bums Show.” Mr. and Vn.c^nt Nircflla, son, Pitt-v-nrgk, !•<!>. 15. Father’s the son of I? te h .nd’e- i Nireila. Mr. and M:v. I /;crt Brannigan, j daughter, V..- ,■■■>:«*. X.Y., Feb. 1 17. Fathe’’- ht ad electrician on “Two for Soe-a-v.” mother is for¬ mer dancer /nn Mr. and Mr--. 7 T n Bellairs, son, Chicago, IV\ V. rather is radio personality cn V VM in that city. Mr. M v i «>\ IX-yo, daugh¬ ter, Holly vend. Fob. 22. Mother is' actrr"c X*rr-t Flair; father is a tv oroducer. I Mr. and M-s. David Majors, daughter, Omaha, Feb. 8. Father is musical divertor for the civic nr«r. Ak-Far-Fcn. Mr. and M" Bert Libin, son, Washington, Fab. 17. Mother is a ; W1\IAL radio eree. Mr. and Mrs. John Springer, [ daughter, "tow York. Feb. 12. Mother is M^-btoa L"ne, former tv, Broadway r-’d n'tery singer; father is 20th Fox f ; lms national magazine contact Mr. and Mrs. James Karen, son, New York, Feb 5. Mother is folk singer Susrn Reed, daughter of presragent Isadora Bennett; father is an artor. Ginsr^Etta Finds - - i Continred from pa^e 5 - - - rama Prodtfctioiis Corp., the watch¬ dog company which currently shares profits with Stanley from Cinerama operations, an oppor¬ tunity to swap their shares for equal amounts of Cinerama Inc. shares. More than 700,000 shares were exchanged as a result of the offer and SW now holds Cinerama Productions Corp. stock. The Shares acquired by Kidder, Pea- /bedy eventually went to Reeves | and his associates. I Reports of tbe pending loan j from Prudential skyrocketed Cine- jrama Inc.-shares and made it one of the most heavily traded stocks . on the American Exchange for r; \'?r?l weeks. It Ivt a new high of 17 curing last week and closed at 16% yesterday (TuesJ.