Variety (March 1959)

86 PfollKfY Wednesday, March 11, 1959 Obituaries ^ Continued 1 Jacksonville, Fla. following a brief illness. He was business agent of Jack¬ sonville’s Motion Picture Machine Operators local 511 since 1920 and belonged also to Jacksonville’s s.age employes local 115 and Chi¬ cago cameramen’s local 666. He was taken into the stage employes local in 1915 and elected recording secretary six months later. In 1917, when the operators local was formed he became a charter mem¬ ber. He began representing IATSE on special assignments throughout IForida in 1930. He joined the cameramen’s local in 1934. His wife and four children sur¬ vive. EARL TRUXELL Earl Truxell, 65, pianist-teacher-? composer and longtime conductor! of the WCAE staff orchestra ii£ Pittsburgh, died Feb. 27 in that' city after a short illness. He stud¬ ied in Europe after graduating" from high school and later gave concerts all over the continent, 32 in Germany alor.e. His career was interrupted by World War 1 when he enlisted in the AEF and served overseas. After being mustered out, Trux- ell toured the U. S. as a solo artist and returned to Pittsburgh in the *20s to take over the staff band at WCAE. He was a member of the Musicians Club and a piece of his, “Valse Chan tee,” won the organi¬ zation’s top prize. His wife and daughter survive. WILLIAM ALLEN CORNING William Allen Horfiing, 54, su¬ pervising art director ajt^he Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer studio^, died March 2 in Los Angeles, after a long illness. / He joined Metro in 1931 as a draftsman. He became assistant in 1936 to Cedric Gibbons, then the studio’s supervising art director. In 1956. Horning was named super¬ vising art director. He received a nomination last week from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his work on “Gigi” It was the sixth time that he received an academy nomina¬ tion. His wife, three sons, mother and sister survive. ERNEST MORGAN rom page 76 also appeared with the N.Y. City Opera Company, in 1954. ALFRED POCHON Alfred Pochon, 80, Swiss violin¬ ist and composer who lived for many years in the U. S.. died Feb. 26 in Lutry, Switzerland. He arrived in the U. S. in the early 1900’s. He founded the Flon- zaley Quartet in 1903 and when it disbanded, organized the Stradi- varius Quartet in New York. Pochon returned to Switzerland in 1937. In 1941, he was appointed director of the Lausanne Conserva¬ tory and held that post until his retirement in 1957. DR. ROGER SHAW j Dr. Roger Shaw, 55, political j scientist and radio commentator, died Feb. 21 in Hartford. At the ‘time of his death he was a member of the Trinity College faculty at Hartford. He had been a com¬ mentator for radio stations WNYC, WOV, WOR, all in New York City. A member of the Overseas Pr?sS Club, he had authored several books on history and political science. Surviving are his wife, daughter and brother. THOMAS MURRAY Thomas Cornelius Murray, 86, Irish playwright associated with the earliest days of the Abbey Theatre, died March 7 in Dublin, Ireland. His plays included “The Wheel of Fortune,” “Sovereign Love,” “Spring,” “Aftermath,” “Blind Wolf,” “A Flutter of Wings,” “A Stag at Bay” and “Birthright.” Two of his best known works. “Maurice Harte” and “Autumn Fire,” both were done in London and New York. HARRY SEDGWICK Harry Sedgwick, 64, who re¬ signed in January as president of the Toronto (Canada) radio station CFRB. died March 7 in that city. Sedgwick, who had been presi¬ dent of the Canadian Assn, of Broadcasters, was elected presi¬ dent of tbe Private Broadcasters Assn, in 1935. He w r as re-elected each year until 1941, when he was elected chairman, a post he held until 1948. His wife and daughter survive vaude performer and for years operator of the City Square motion picture theatre in Atlantic City, Ni^f, died there Feb. 27. He organ¬ ized and served as treasurer of the Atlantic City Amusement Men’s Assn, for more than two decades. Survived by his wife and daugh¬ ter. CLAIRE L. MANVILLE Claire Lorraine Manville, 63, former legit actress and sister of Tommy Manville, cafe society figure,, died in Las Vegas March 8 of a heart attack. Besides playing the lead in a 1930s legit musical, “Plain Jane,” she performed as a ballerina and also produced operettas. A daughter survives. DAVID KLEIN David Klein, 59, musical con¬ tractor, died of a heart attack Feb. 21 in Burbank, Cal. Operating for the past year as an indie musical contractor, he previously was at Columbia Pictures for 10 years. Surviving are his wife, daughter, sister and two brothers, Manny and Sol, both musicians. WILLIAM C. HUTCHINGS William C. Hutchings, about 60, v.p. of Fred Niles Productions and long active in the film and record¬ ing biz in Chicago, died Feb. 23 in that city. He had been exec vice president previously with United Film & Recording Studios for years. Wife survives. RILL A P. PALMBORG Mrs. Rilla Page Palmborg, 73, former fan mag writer and biog¬ rapher of Greta. Garbo in the ’20s, died after a lengthy illness in Hol¬ lywood Feb. 23. She was founder and past-prexy of the Hollywood. Women’s Press Club. An adopted daughter survives. MAURY BELFER Maury Belfer, 52. former Holly¬ wood publicist, died of a heart at¬ tack Feb. 2S in Hollywood. Prior to becoming a salesman for Bel Air Engineering, he was associated with Sonja Henie, and also was ac¬ tive in L.A.’s Saints and Sinners. His wife and a sister survive. GUS COATS Gus Coats, 60, manager of the Tiger Theatre Auburn, Ala., died there Feb. 26. A longtime em¬ ploye of Wilby-Kineey chain, he had been manager of the Tiger since 1951 and w r ith W-K since 1935. Ernest Morgan, 59, senior music producer in Toronto for Canadian Broadcasting Corp., died there Feb. 11. In addition to his radio chores, he had been organist, choirmaster and soloist in churches. Starting with CBC as announcer, Morgan became producer, produc¬ tion manager, program director, supervisor of international ex¬ change programs and International Service representative in Vancou¬ ver and Toronto. In 1943 he was loaned to the Bahamas government to set up its national broadcasting system. Surviving are a sister and three brothers. GEORGE HALL George Hall, 66, leader of his own dance orchestra, which played for eight years at the Taft Hotel in New York in the 1930s, died March 3 in N. Y. after a long ill¬ ness. A violinist, he was hospitalized for the last two years. Prior to that, he was personal manager of his adopted daughter, singer Dolly Dawn. Hall retired in 1940 as an orchestra leader to let Miss Dawn head it. The group became known as Dolly Dawn and the Dawn Patrol and made numerous records. Besides Miss Dawn, three broth¬ ers and two sisters survive. ELMER W. ALBRECHT Elmer W. Albrecht, 57, composer of “Elmer’s Tune” and other pop songs, died Feb. 28 in Chicago, after a long illness. Born in Chicago, for a number of years he was a pianist and or¬ ganist in theatres and other places of entertainment. He also had his own orchestra. “Elmer’s Tune,” a hit song of 1941, was based on a snatch of melody whistled ab¬ stractedly by Albrecht, who had the aid of Sammy Gallop and Dick Jurgens in its perfection. FRANK ECKART Frank Eckart, 46. American tenor, died Feb. 24 in Antwerp. Belgium, during a performance of “La Tosca” at the Antwerp Roval Opera. He received his musical training at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and Art. After serving in the Army, he continued his stud¬ ies at the American Theatre Wing in New York. He sang in opera on the West Coast and in Havana. He GEORGE A. BENSON George A. Benson, St., 69, editor of the Toledo Times, veteran news¬ man and writer on show biz. died Feb. 27 in Toledo after a stroke. He had written many articles on the theatre and music for various magazines, and in Toledo his edi¬ torials on the film and theatre business w r ere almost always sym¬ pathetic toward those fields. His wife, Mildred, author of children’s books; a son. a daugh¬ ter, sister and brother survive. FERNANDO ROSAS Fernando Rosas, 44, ranchero style singer noted for his humorous style, died recently in Mexico City. A veteran of 20 years in show busi¬ ness, he was an RCA Victor record¬ ing artist. One of his hits was “I’ve Brought My .45.” He also appeared in. films and toured the U.S, as well as Central and South America. Surviving are his w^ife, mother and two brothers. WILLARD BOWMAN Willard Bowman, veteran actor who last appeared in “Liliom” with Eva Le Gallienne and Joseph Schildkraut, died Feb. 26 in Chel¬ sea, Vt. He was long associated with John Drew as stage manager. He played in the New York com¬ pany of John Drinkwater’s “Abra¬ ham Lincoln” and toured the U. S. and Canada in Shakespearean drama. His wife survives. JOHN T. MARTIN John Tilden Martin, 61, pioneer radio writer and journalist, died Feb. 22 in Newington, Conn. He was co-author of two books on writ¬ ing for radio as well as a script writer for NBC. A one-time fea¬ ture writer for the defunct Brook¬ lyn Times, he had been with the BBD&O and Y&R agencies. Surviving are his wife and sister. FAYE M. LEMAN Faye Meta Leman, 78, musician, died Feb. 27 in Philadelphia. She was the widow of J. W. F. Leman, a conductor. Mrs. Leman was a member of an all-girl orchestra which toured the old Keith cir¬ cuit. For a time she operated the Weber School of Dancing. Son and daughter survive. EDWARD J. O’KEEFE Edward J. O’Keefe,: 84, former Wife and two sons survive. FRANK W. NELSON Frank W. Nelson, 58, owner of two theatres in McCamey, Tex., died Feb. 23 in Dallas, where he resided. He had been owner of McCamey’s Grand and Twin Cir¬ cus Drive-In since 1954. Survived by his wife, two sons, a daughter and two sisters. SALLY CORNER Sally Corner, 65, character ac¬ tress, died of a heart attack March 5 in Hollywood. She was a regular member of the Pasadena Playhouse before becoming a professional in the early ’40s. Her . last pic was 20th-Fox’ “The true Story of Jesse James.” SAM LEDNER Sam Ledner, 58, veteran Holly¬ wood film studio dance coordina¬ tor, died March 2 in Hollywood. He headed the Paramount Studios dance department from 1941 to 1956. He also w r as stage director of the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas for two years. OLIVER SCOTT Oliver Scott, 64, radio pianist in the midwest in the 1920s and ’S'Os, died of a heart attack Feb. 24 in Laguna Beach, Cal. He also trouped in vaude and toured with USO units during World War II. His son survives. DAVID NEWMAN David Newman, 46, a violinist, died March 4 in Philadelphia. He played with the country’s top ; bands, including Paul Whiteman, Benny Goodman and Meyer Davis. A daughter and four sisters sur¬ vive. CHARLES M. WATT SR. Charles Milton Watt Sr., 72, re¬ tired assistant director, died of a heart attack Feb. 27 in Oxnard, Cal. Surviving are a son, publicist Milt Watt; brother, director Nate Watt, and a sister. MRS. LEWIS J. SELZNICK Mrs. Florence Sachs Selznick; 82, mother of David O. Selznick, film producer, and widow of Lewis J. Selznick, film pioneer, died March 6 in Los Angeles, after a long ill¬ ness. FAN BOURKE Fan Bourke. former musical comedy performer, died March 9 in Norwalk, Conn. She last appeared in “As Thousands Cheer. Other shows in which she played in¬ cluded “Magic Ring” and “Head Over Heels.” A sister survives. Sylvester W. Reilly, 67, Colum¬ bus, O., magician and dealer in theatrical and magic supplies for many years, died Feb. 24 in that city after a long illness. He w f as a former president of the Columbus Magic Club, and for the last 28 years director of the Columbus Magi-fest, an annual gathering of magicians. Father, 72, of Sandy Spillman, Hollywood tv producer, died Feb. 21 in San Francisco. Other sur¬ vivors include his wife, another son and a daughter, Mrs. Philip Lasky, wife of executive director of Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. on Coast. F. Charles Adler, 70, longtime orchestra leader, died Feb. 17 in Vienna.. A native of London, he directed at operas and concerts. More recently he batonned for radio and disk companies in Vienna. Infant grandson of Nat Lefkow- itz, William Morris Agency exec, died March 2 in New York a few days after birth, a victim of a virus. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Burton Litwin. Sam Goldstone. former vice- president of Famous Pictures Ex¬ change, died last week in New York. His wife, son, mother, brother Harry (founder of Famous) and a sister survive. Mother of off-Broadway producer Ben Bagley died March 5 of tuber¬ culosis at the Vermont Sanatorium, Pittsford, Vt. Showman himself is a guest at the Will Rogers Hospital, Saranac. Mother, of actor Jim Backus, died March 5 in St. Petersburg, Fla., of cancer, after* a long illness. Also surviving is a grandson. Johnny Bell, Cleveland disk jockey. Wife, 63. of Frar.k R. Smith, president of radio station WBVP in Beaver Falls. Pa., and longtime manager of WWSW in Pittsburgh, died Feb. 27 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Wife, of Myron P. Kirk, retired senior vicepresident of the Kudnei advertising agency and retiree veepee of WGR Radio-TV Corp. ol Buffalo, died Feb.‘ 25 in New York. Ethel Teare, 65, silent picture actress, died March 4 in San Mateo, Cal. She is survived by her widower, Frank F. Risso, assistant to president of Bank of America. Frank Gershon, 66, associate treasurer of the Shubert Theatre, Boston, for years, died at the theatre Feb. 26. Surviving are three brothers and two sisters. Neal C. Bishop, 63, former sec¬ retary-treasurer of the Chicago Motion Picture Operators Union, died Feb. 25 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Wife and a brother survive. Mrs. Edith C. Harris, 71, who at one time played in vaudeville, doing dramatic sketches with the Charles Dramatic Co., died March 2 in Greenwich, Conn. Mrs. Grace Salter Windholz, manager of musicians and other entertainers, died Feb. 25 in Tea- neck, New Jersey, after a long ill¬ ness. Walter F. Larew, 49, tympanist with the San Francisco Symphony for 18 years, died Feb. 27 in Oak¬ land, Cal. Two daughters survive. Mrs. Ethel O. Risso, 65, silent film actress known as Ethel Teare, died March 4 in San Mateo, Cal. Husband, son and daughter survive. Father, 82, of Joe Wolfson of the William Morris Agency and Lou Wilson of- the Ashley-Steiner | Agency, died Feb. 26 in New York. Edward O’Conner, 80, longtime auditor with Paramount Pictures, died March 2 at the Will Rogers Hospital, Saranac Lake, N. Y. Cecil Elphicke, 56, managing di¬ rector of CKPG, died Feb. 1 in Prince George. British Columbia. His wife and son survive. Mcther, 65, of Robert F. Reid, manager of marketing at WGY and WRGB-TV, Schenectady, N. Y., died March 4 in Albany. Yrjoe kilpin*sn, 67, Finnish com¬ poser, died March 2 in Hel^n 1 -: 1 !. Hellyn M. Williams, 55, manager of comedian Lee Allen, died Feb. 19 in Hialeah, Florida. Her hus¬ band and brother survive. Max Albright, 35, NBC studio musician, died of a heart attack Feb. 23 in Hollywood. His wife and mother survive. Carl Werschinger, 72, pianist and composer died Feb. 28 in New York, after a long illness. His sis¬ ter survives. Fred F. McHenry, 64, former Forth Worth theatre manager and ad executive, died Feb. 28 in Dallas. Father, 68, of Freda Mundy, dis¬ taffer of the miming duo, Mundy & Earle, died Feb. 13 in Glasgow. Edward L. Mixer, 66, member of the original Harmony Four, died Feb. 17 in Mechanic Falls, Me. Mother, 88, of A1 Butler, press agent of touring “My Fair Lady,” died Feb. 19 in Los Angeles. James E. Gregware, longtime musician, died March 5 in Troy, N. Y. Two brothers survive. , Father, 66, of tv sportscaster John (Bud) Palmer, died March 4 in Camden, S. C. Wife, 57, of Gordon Avil, vet Walt Disney cameraman, died Feb. 27 in Hollywood. Alexander Murdie, 94, Gaelic singer and narrator, died Feb. 17 in Edinburgh. Paul J. Poag, 73, retired Del Rio, Tex., exhibitor, died there Feb. 21. MARRIAGES Miss Lewis Tipton Stringer to Chet Huntley, Lake Bluff, Illinois, March 7. She formerly was on NBC’s Washington affiliated sta¬ tion, WRC-TV. Her late father Arthur C. Stringer was an official of the National Assn, of Broad¬ casters; groom is a newscaster for NBC. Norma Stibel to Donald J. Bezahler, New York, March 1. He’s the son of Joel Bezahler, sales executive at Loew’s Inc. and an attorney with the S.E.C. in Washington. Marley Shofner to Onslow Stev¬ ens, Las Vegas, Feb. 28. Bride’s a former N.Y. actress, now column¬ ist for Santa Ana (Cal.) Register; he’s a stage-screen actor. Sunday Hill to Corrado “Con¬ nie” Codarina, New York, Feb. 14. Bride’s a model; he’s a member of the Four Lads. Rosalind Ginsberg to’ Irving Strouse, New York, March 11. Bride is a niece of the late Lew Fields (Weber &) and a cousin of playwright-lyricist Dorothy Fields; he’s head of the Stage & Arena Guild of America Inc. Sylvia Drulie to John (Josh) Mazzola, March 7, Boston. Bride is a legit producer and investment syndicate head; he’s an attorney. Winifred Ainslee to James Pres¬ ton. South Bend, Ind., March 5. Bride is an actress; he’s an off- Broadway producer and national representative for Broadway Thea¬ tre Alliance. His parents are actor James Coots and actress Edna Preston. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Henry Untermeyer, son, San Francisco, Feb. 16. Fa¬ ther is Bandelier Films v.p. Mr. and Mrs. Leo Hochstetter, son, Frankfurt, Feb. 17. ^Father is manager of Motion Picture Export Assn, for Germany. Mr. and Mrs. James Jonker, son, Wichita, Kan., Feb. 25. Mother is a former Miriam Sage dancer, Diane Murray. Mr t and Mrs. Tommy Michaels, daughter, Pittsburgh, Feb. 26. Father’s with Rex Theatre on Southside Pitt. Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Press, daughter, Hollywood, March 2. Father’s an actor. Mr. and Mrs. Roger Mayer, daughter, Santa Monica, Cal., March 3. Mother is a story analyst at 20th-Fo3j; father’s a Columbia Pictures studio attorney. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Lilley, son, Burbank, Cal.. March 5. Mother is Peggy De Castro, one of the sing¬ ing De Castro Sisters; father’s a music publisher. Mr. and Mrs. Lalo Robles, daugh¬ ter, Lps Angles, March 2. Father’s an actor. Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Sarnoff, daughter, their second. New York, Feb. 28. Fr+her is chairman of the board at NBC. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hamilton, daughter, PockviPe Centre, L.I., Feb. 28. Father is station man¬ ager of WRCA Radio.