Tlvolri (W); Warner
NCW YORK CITY.
Music Hall (I) 21
Jacqueline Langee .
Edward. Ruhl
Les MafcelUs
Gloria Ware
Chet Clark
Rockettes
Corps de Ballet
Sym Ore
Palace (R) 22
Honey Girls..
Raymond & Lee
Duke ' Dorrell 1
Stylers
Hilton Sr Lee
Kurt Dances
Stump: A\- Stumpy
Lemke's Chimps
CHICAGO
Regal II
Nitwits
Max Bygravea
2 Sterlings
Rita .Marteli
Lorraine .
Dick Calkin
2 Boris
MANCHESTER ^
Hippodrome (S) II
Bill Johnson
Bonal Colleano • ■
Wilson Keppel L B
Chris CrosS
Nixon & Dixon
Beryl A Bobo
Morgan & Manning
Palace (M) II
Tommy Trinder
Woods A Jgrrett.
Sallci Puppets
Flying De Pauls
Anne Harf^
Harry Moreny'
Jimmy Berry
2 Arvings
Freddie: Dexter
Geb Mitchell 4
L Gordon Girls
Dorothy Duval .
NEWCASTLE!
Empire (M) II
Nolman ■ EvUhs
Betty : J umcl
5; . Skyllners
Victor Scaforth
Bil A Bil
J A S ’Lamonte
J Tiller Girls
NORTHAMPTON
New (I) IB
Frankie Vaughn
Audrey Jeans
Alan.Roe
Keither Bros,
Annette
Bill- Maynard
Shane A ’Lamar
M- Murray A Kaye .
Bill Wareham A B
NORWICH
Hippodrome (I) 18
Jack Haig •
Harkness A
Williams
Eddie Hart
Moira Briody .
[ Gene Rio
Laura Pearsons
Girls Co
NOTTINGHAM
Empire (M) II
I Cu.v Mitchell
Rey . A Ronjy
Austral
Johnny Laycick
J Palmer A Doreen
Vera Cody Co
Les Spanglers
Joe Crosble
SHEFFIELD
Empire (M) 18
Ray Ellington
Morecamhe & Wise
Gary Miller
Mayfgors .
Norman Vaughri
Marvels
Manning A Lee
Les Marthys
SOUTHAMPTON
. Grand (I) 18
Diana Decker *
Jack Watson
Monty Norman
Authors A Swinsoh
Tommy Riley,
Gerry Limb '
Krandon A . Kama
Kay & Katrina"
WOLVERHAMPTON
Hippodrome (I) 18
Royal - Kilties Jcs
Betty Driver
Hylda . Baker
Flying Voleros
Freddie Stobbs .
WOOD. GREEN
Empire (S) II
David Hughes
Cardew Robinson
Len Marten
Billy. Thnrburri
Skating Vogues
Carozellas .
Dower & Rogers.
Allen A Albee Sis
YORK
Empire (I)
.Terry Cantor
Ken Barnes A J
Noble 'A Dencstfer
Joy Harris .
Janette Fox
Lake A Rolls
Nudes
No. 1 Fifth ve
Helena Bliss
Boh Uowney
Harold Fonville
Hazel Webster
Hotel New Yorker
Ralph Flanagan Ore
Belmont Plexa.
Joan Bishop
A1 Castellano.
John Barney
Hotel Pierre
Hildegarde' .
Jack Whiting
Gene. Bone
Howard Fentoii
Stanley .Melba Ore
. Hotel - Plate'
Genevieve
J & J. Belmont
Ted Straeter Ore
Mark Monte. Ore
; Hotel. Pk Sheraton
i Irving Fields
Eddie Laytoh
Hotel Roosevelt
Guy Lonibardo Ore
Hotel St Regis
Fernanda Montel
Milt Shaw Ore
Ray Bari .
Hotel Statier
Vaughn Mohroe
R: Hayman Ore
Hotel Taft
Vlncfenl l.nppr Orir
La Martinique
Rose.Mavif
Lenny Kent
Alan Dale
C . Kaly . Dncre
Tl’Cniers .
POpi Campo Ore
Latin (Ruartar
M?e West
Jane Morgan
Ashtons
Debonairs
Golden Mermal
Ralph Young
Plroska
Art Wanei Ore
B HarloWi* . Ore
Le Ruban Bleu «
Julius Monk
Norman Paris 3
Irwin Corey '
Dorothy Louden
Melita
Marshall Izen
Two Guitars
Kostya Poliansky
Misha XJsdanoff
Marusia Sava'
Vet sallies
“Bon Voyage”
Paul Grey
Louise Hoff
Tommy Wander
Margaret Banks
Rosemary O-Rellly
Carl Conway
Betty. Colby
Ann Andre
Rain Winslow
Danny Carroll
Danny Desmond
Don Dellair
Jim Siico
Salvatore Gioe Ore
J'anchitn .Ovv .
Viennese Lantern
Helene Aimed
Dolores Perry
Bela Bizony i ....
Ernest Schoerr : .
Paul. Mann
Charles Albert
Village Barn
Hal . Graham
Jack Wallace .
Mary 'Ellen Trio
Rachel . Ellen
Waldorf-Asterla
Los . ChaVales De
. vEspnAa ' '
Trinl Reyes
Nat Brand>vyAne
Misoha Borr
Village . Valuer
Robert Clary
C Williams Trld
CHICAGO
Black Orchl
Tito' GiilZar
Nino Nanni
Teddl King
Rudy Kerpays Duo
Blue Angel .
“Calypso Festival"
Duke of Iron •
Mary Ann
Trinidad Joe. :
Calvin Ifarlgan
Victor Manuel
D'Lacy Qrc
Angela .San
Blue Note
Bob Scobey Bjind
. Chez Patee
Vagabonds (4)
Maria Neglia
Martha A Bentley
Dunhills (3)
Brian FarnoA Ore
Cloister Inn
Chris Connor
Lurlene Hunter
Ralph Sharon
Conrad Hilton
'Skating Stars'
Margie Lee
Cathy & Blair
Shirley Linde
Weldemanhs
Polo
Perky Twins
Jimmy Caesar
Eileen Carroll
Ray. McIntosh
B Dears. A Dons
Franlcle. Masters Ore
Edgewnter Beach
Frank Fontaine
Francis Brunn .
Dorothy Hild Dcrs
Bob Kirk Ooh
Palmer House
Jean Carroll
Robert Maxwell
Empire Eight
Charlie Fisk Ore
LOS ANGELES
Ambassador Hofei
Ames Bros (4)
Mario & Floria
Rex Koury rc
S«nd Box
Billy Gray
Leo. Diamond
Dorothy Claire
Nicco A Barba
Larry Green Trio
of Music
Wesson Bros (2)
Kilt, Carson
C Callinicos
Eddie Oliver Ore
Tony Martinez Ore
Blltmore Hotel
Moore & Lcssy
Walton A O^Rourke
Mary Raye A Naldi
Hal Derwln Ore
CIro's
Marilyn Maxwcil
Mathurins
Skeets Minton
Bob Street
Judy Brent
Joe Paz
Dick Stabile OrC
Bobby Ramos Ore
; Charley . Fov'l
Wally Vernon
Charley. Foy
Mary Foy .
Sid HurwitZ, Ore
Crescendo
Diotc. Contlno
Margo Good
.Jack Nye ■: Ore
• Mocambo
L Finley Rev
Will Jordan
Payl Hebert Ore
Moulin Rouge
Frank Llbiise
Margot Brander
Szoiiys (2)
CharliVqls (3)
Miss Malta A Co
Doub’lcdaters (4)
Mme Ardelty
Jery LaZarre
Ffolllot Charlton
Tony, Gentry
Gaby Wooldridge
Luis Urbina
Eileen Christy
Bob Snyder . Ore
. Statier Hotel
Cheerleaders
Allan A Ashton
Skinnay Ennis -Ore
MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH
Clover Club
Sherry Britton
Luis Torrent
Harold A Lola
I Baron Buika
3’ony. Lopez Ore .
Seima Marlowe Line
Woody Woodbury
Leon A Eddie'*
Lois De Fee.
Lynn Star
Rose Ann
Rita Marlow
Charlotte Watere
.' Nautilus Hotel
Eddie Snyder
Ahtone & .Ina
Sid. Stanley Ore
Black Orchid.
Jo Thompson .
Richard Cannon
. Sans Soucl
Sacasas Ore
Ann Herman Dcre
Anne Bai'nctt
Saxony Hotel
Grade Barri
Tano A Dee
Nirva
Mandy Campo Ore
Johnny Silvers Ore
The Patio
Sammy Walsh
Nelidn . .
Pat Paulson
Bombay Hotel
Patty Lynn
Link Andrews
Peter Mack .
Dorothy Vincent
iAs Vegas, Nevada
Cabaret Bills
NEW YORK CITY
Bon Solr
Tony A Eddi
Ciel Cabot
Thelma Carpenter..
Norene Tate ,
Jimmy Daniels
Three Flames
Blue Angel
Dwight Fiskc
Susan Johnson
Dick Drake
Geo La fay e-
Bart Howard
Jimmy Lyons Trio
Chateau Madrid
May g Ore
CopaCabana
Joe E Lewis
Barry Si
Four Joes
Bob Sweeney
Peter ConloW
Jean Stevens
M Durso Otic .
Frank Marti Ore
Gale'*
Alan Gale
Jackie Haller
Warner & McG.Ulre
Larry Fosler
i Teddy King Ore
Flamtnge
Beh Blue
Debi'H Paget
. Les: Brown Ore
/ silver Slipper
Sally Rand
! ' Buddy Baer
: Kalyntan
Hank Henry
Desert inn
. Betty Hutton
Sahara
Marlene Dietrich
Last Frontier
Benny Goodman
Buddy Lester
■El Cortez
■Harmonlcats
Golden -Nugget
Gas Lights A Pink
Tights
Sand*
P L . Hayes A M
Healy
' Clark Bros
.El Rancho Vega*
Lillian Roth
S Gibson Rod Caps
Showboat
; ' Minsky's Follies of
1955
Thunderblr
Gaylords
Davis A Reese.
RENO
|. Mapes Skyroom
j patty Andrews
Joey Bishop
D. Arden Dancers
! E Fitzpatrick. Ore
New Golden
Four Lads
llejkie Style*
Tanya A B/agi
Will Osborne Ore
Riverside'
Kay Starr
Jqnes Boys
Starlets
Bill .Cliffor
134
REVIEWS
PfitRmfr
Wednesday, October 20, 1954
Ambassador Hotel, IV. V.
ChaunCey Gray and Jani Sar ■
kozi Orchs; $3.50 and $5 minimum.
Serge Obolensky, . now prez of
the Ambassador Hotel, to Which
he has transplanted himself from
the. Sherry-Netherland which he
formerly headed until its concur-
rent program of conversion into
one of those “cooperative" deals,
will soon put his new Embassy
Club on tile map— 4f he hasn’t
done so already.
An innate showman, with vet ex-
perience at the St. Regis (he was
then married to owner Vincent
Astor’s sister), later at the Plaza
and then the S-N, Col. Obolensky
has gravitated the plush Gotham
hostels and perforce picked up
beaucoup ideas. He: spent this sum-
mer abroad, studying Continental
hotel methods with a further eye
to pepping up the Ambassador,
long a dignified but - not particu-
larly spectacular Park Ave. hotel
operation; All the Park Ave. glamor
seemed focused into the Waldorf-
Astoria
Obolensky obyiously j>rimed his
fall premiere with an'lsye to “the
4,000” who comprise the cream of
the international set's nitery
rounding, and > decided that even
that bunch doesn't like a 20%
nitery tab for the privilege of din
ing out, thus he staggered his en-
tertainment policy to . circumvent
that and yet achieve the best all-
round results.
For the later stayeruppers he
snared away Chauncey Gray, long-
time danspation fixture at El Mo-
rocco; so that he's sure of getting
a segment of that crowd. This is
when the 20% cabaret tax goes
, with dancing. For the dinner
Crowd, until 10 p.m., there is the
crack Jani Sarkozi ensemble (“arid
his Royal Hungarian Orchestra,"
is the billing) and this dominantly
strong septet, with the maestro-
-fiddler at the helm, can give the
famed army of strolling fiddlers
at Paris' . MonseigneUrs plenty of
.competition. Maestro Sarkozi is a
soothing gypsy violinist who really
knows how to make his violin cry,
and his seven Romany aides are
ultra iri musical Support. Sarkozi
is a Cinch for a Strong personal
draw, especially for the dinner
trade.
Gray, of course, is perhaps the
best known cafe society bandleader
extant. With himself at the ivories,
and a six-man team . 'comprising
trumpet, three reeds, string bass
and traps, he mixes up the current
show and pop Crop with the melo-
ly foxtrot ballads of the 1920s
and 1930s. For some reason these
pops and show standards *do have
greater perennial substance — and
gets ’em out on the floor as if
, on cue. That’s always been Gray’s
' metier— anybody who can’t terp to
his pert tunestering just ain’t in-
terested.’
There’s no couvert, but a $3.50
minimum weekdays and Sunday;
$5 on Saturday; Mondays closed,
Sarkozi shifts into an hour’s dansa-
pation from 10, and at 11 until
3 a.m — in itself an unusual late-
hour hotel policy — Gray will hold
forth. Incidentally, Sarkozi’s ances-
tors helmed the first gypsy orch-
estra to play at the court of Em?
peror Franz Joseph of Austria-
Hungary— it says here in the fac-
tual Alexander (Sascha) Tarsaidze’s
dope-sheet; he, too, incidentally is
another important aide Obolensky
took over with him 'from the
Sherry-Netherland.
In short order, and with a
scientific eye to the ultimate (class
trade) Consumer, Obolensky and
his g.m., William C. Tonetti, have
achieved a successful pattern..
They have decored their room
in an 18th century salon atmos-
phere, credited to Count Edward
Bismarck, grandson of Germany’s
Iron Chancellor. The Embassy
Club is situated in the grill, under
the Ambassador’s old Trianon
Room, henceforth for banquets,
dominantly, with its spacious outer
lounge. In the basement location
it follows the pattern of the Plaza’s
Rendez-Vous and the St. Regis
.Maisonette, giving it a sort of class
hideaway aura. In design it is said
to be a replica of the so-called
“Ambassador’s Room," ; -one of the
suites of the Schonbrunn palace
of the days of Austria’s Empress
Maria Theresa.
Cuisine is French and Imperial
Russian, with accent on the flam-
ing-sword viands. Henry (now
Gallicized into Henri), is the head-
waiter, long a familiar at the
Sherr^-Nethcrland's Carnaval Room
and has been wisely annexed; by
Obolensky to officiate similarly at
the door. Henri probably knows
the hotelier’s following better
than anybody. Abel.
serving her apprenticeship abroad,
has gained poise andTa sureness in
delivery to make her a fitting sta-
ple in this U.S.-owned boite, which
also features Lil Armstrong in her
fine-fingered piano jazz breaks.
Kansas Fields fills out well on the
drums arid a Gallic quartet, Mar-
tial Solal, gives adequate dance
and listening music. Mote jazz
would help this club’s atmosphere.
^ Miss Rainey is a well-stacked
femme who offers selected sophisto
rep of proven and little-known bal-
lads. She gives these a. throaty and
sugggestive going over that the pa-
trons want. Though her voice lacks
a highpowered range, it more than
adequately caresses and dresses
her offerings. Drinks are reason-
able and club gets a young Gallic
and American clientele, plus show
biz people in passage. Mosk.
1111 (more Hotel, L. A.
Los Angeles, Oct. 12;
J£irby Stone Four; Nanci
Crompton; Nita & Peppi; Biltmore
Starlets (12); Hal Derwih Orch
(10); $1 cover.
There’s ino great draw i this
latest package for the downtown
hostelry, but there's enough enters
taihm.ent to satisfy the average
ringsider,
Headli ing is the Kirby Stone
Four, a unit 20% weaker in man-
power since last Seen here in town
but just as strong eritertainrtent-
wise; Outfit, formerly, a- quintet,
hasn’t, lost any of its zing through
the departure of “Cbw-Eyes/’ now
a single, and socks over a succes-
sion of special material items
spiced with an occasional standard
like “I Got Rhythm," to which they
add their own material. A few of
their one-line gags could be
dropped, since they’re too sectarian
arid riiore in keeping with the
heeds of Billy Gray’s (where the
quintet was last seen), but there’s
little else to complain about. Boys
play a variety of instruments, and
well, and clown easily- and with no
Waste motion.
Petite- ballerina Nanci Cromp-
tpn is back with her rapid toework
that continues to rate 1 as a crowd
pleasing routine. Succession of
pirouettes and some ballet style
terping are good for solid returns
and she makes up in showmanship
what; she lacks in technique to
merit the response. Opening act is
a. fast aerbtum, Nita & Peppi
They’ve got some excellent stunts
that give the act a European flavor
arid they get. the show off to a wal-
loping start.
Moro-Landis gals are seen in
three production numbers, well
conceived ^and executed and eye
fillingly costumed to evoke inter-
est. Hal Derwin's orch continues to
backstop. > Kap.
Sheraton-C/arltoii, Wash.
Washington, Oct. 13.
Carl Brisson, Joe Ricardel Orch;
cover '$2, Saturdays $2.50.
They’ve upped the cover charge
Jor Carl Brissori’s two-week stand
in the Harlequin Room, but the
customers get their money’s worth
as the durable, blue-eyed Dane
turns on 'the charm. Although it’s
been more than three years since
he Was last, here, Brisson has not
been' forgotten arid gets a fine Wel-
come on his return^.
The old master of the supper
club circuit dishes up a combina-
tion. of romantic and comic songs,
jaw breakers, audience participa-
tion, romancing the gals and kid-
ding the husbands, topped off with
a gardenia for each Woman .; in the
audience in keeping with his
theme song Of “White .Gardenia."
For opening night here, Brisson
did one long show, instead of the
customary two. He tees off with a
medley from the film, “Hans Chris-
tian Andersen," and then really
gets to the -audience with “Ring
Around. Rosie’s Finger.” As he
sings he walks around edge of the
floor, shaking hands with, everyone
Within reach and occasionally
greeting old friends by name. This
is a small room, enabling Brisson
to get closer to his audience than
otherwise. It is all to the good,
since the. entertainer works more
intimately with the payees than al-
most any other top act in the field.
After the warmup there are a
group Of songs ranging from the
romantic “With These Hands” to
the mildly risque “Little Manicur-
ist.” Next he interjects a tongue
twister song, offering a bottle of
champagne for anyone who can re-
peat it after him. Brisson hauls a
mike oil a long cable out among
the tables to all the payees who
want to try,, until he finally 'hits a
winner. This gets beauedups
laughs and. lots of applause for the
successful man.
Entertainer follows up by lead-
ing the audience in a chorus of
“Let Me Call You Sweetheart" and
then swings into a comic Texas
number which he sings while on
his favorite perch, .the back of a
chair. Thence back to the romance
mood, and goes off strongly;
Lowe.
South Seas, Honolulu
Honolulu, Oct. 4.
Vicki Young, Gil Lamb, A
Veveiros, Lindsay Lovelies (4)
Wally Ryerson Trio; no cover, no
minimum.
Desert Inn, Las Vegas
Las Vegas. Oct. 12.
Betty Hutton with Jerry Antes
Jack Regis, Nelson Riddle; Lottie
Brunn; Don Arden Dancers (20),
with Art Johnson; Carlton. Hayes.
Orcli.
and “Orange Colored Sky.” „
Miss Hutton gives both Antes,
who > sings ~a solo and then duets
“You’re Right for Me" With Miss
Hutton, and Regis, who indulges,
in a softshoe routine, individual
opportunities. Antes, who is an-
nounced as a Columbia Pictures
prospect, : appears to have the
brightest future, his applause mov-
ing Miss Hutton to say “I feel like
Arthur Godfrey— and I hope you
have humility.”
Up ahead of Miss Hutton’s. hour
the show runs 33 minutes and its
a lulu production by Don Arden
who, between his high score at the
Desert Inn and at the L. A. Moulin
Rouge, appears destined to be the
new Ziegfeld. His ideas, costuming
and staging are bigleague, and his
opening production, number here,
titled “Framed,” a courtroom
melange with sex Overtones like
no magistrate has ever seen, gets
a rousing reception from the audi-
ence. Art Johnson is the , judge-
singer, and good, too, but better
for the libido are the curvy prison-
ers, at the dock, all of whom gyrate
as though they have ants in their
pants. It all evolves in a jailbreak,
and any warden whd’d keep so
many cuties under lock, and key
is selfish. A second Arden number
is a holdover gypsy affair to
tziganer melodies and it, too, is
fine for the eyes.
In between' the two Arden
routines; and the only other act
in the show, is a rarity, a female
juggler. And what makes Lottie
Brunn even more unusual is that
she’s a flrstrate handler Of the
clubs, hoops, balls, etc., working
very fast and without slipup. The
well-gammed novelty act gets ex-
cellent audience resporise.
• Poney Sheriff arid Phil Moody
are billed, for the special music arid
lyrics for the Arden numbers;
Mme. Berthe for the costumes (and
they are excellent), and the Carl-
ton Hayes orch plays the- show ex-
pertly, but gives up the- baton to
Riddle during Miss Hutton’s, tenure
on the Stage. Opening night, at the
first show, there Were a couple of
music miscues, and a stage-wait
'Caused by a mechanical defect iri
a curtain, but none of it detracted
from the entertainment, nor. did
they diminish in any way the
certainty that Miss . Hutton is not
only a tOpgrade personality' and.
entertainer, but also much too
; young to retire. Scho.
Ringside, Paris
Paris, Oct. 19.
Pat Rainey, Lil Armstrong,
Martial Solal Quartet; $2 minimum.
Pat Rainey,. U.S, dusky chirper,
The combination of Vicki Young
and Gil Lamb not only Smashed
opening-night records at this beach
bistro, but on the following evening-
set a new Saturday record by
crowding in four shows.
The perennially funny Lamb had
headlined the previous fortnight,
but held over three nights to help
Miss Young get off to a gala start,
Both of them have, proved terrific
draws, Miss Young hitting fame in
Honolulu by virtue of her “Honey
Love" recording,
It’s one of the chirp’s few nitery
engagements,, but she comes off in
socko style. She scores solidly with
frenetic songs such as “Cell Block
No. 9," then varies the pace with
“Stormy Weather” and “Tears on
My Pillow ” Her comic takeoff on
“I Love Paris," accompanying her;
self on banjo, draws heavy laughs.
Lamb; doubling as emcee, runs
through his versatile array of an-
tics and keeps audience howling
for more. He “swallows” a har-
monica, makes like a frantic be-
bopper; does an adagio “team"
dance (by himself), and— most ef-
fective' of all — sings a nursery
rhyme in styles of various com-
posers.
A1 Veveiros, local baritone,
opens the show with sudh songs as
“Granada," his best; “Three Coins”
and “The Thrill Is Gone," then
makes way for the Lindsay Love-
lies, whose costumes are more
spectacular than their precision
dancing. Gals have lots of flash —
and lots of -flesh — a surefire for-
mula that warms up the Navy
trade. Wally Ryerson Trio backs
the entire show most capably.
. Incidentally, only insiders know
that Miss Young is carrying on the
“she must go on" adage. Her only
child died a few days before she
planed iri to keep this date.
Walt ,
This is presumably Betty Hut-
ton’s valedictory to show business.
If she’s retiring because she’s sick
at heart of the arduous life of an
entertairier, or because she’s so
bloody rich she no longer has to
work, or because she has an honest-
to-goodness yen for total . domes-
ticity, Who can quarrel with her?
But if she’s quitting because she
thinks she’s “washed up,” she’s
suffering from delusions.
Opening night here (12) her
Swan Song had the melody of
Success rather than failure. At the
end of her first show— and she’s
on the rostrum for a full 60 min-
utes — a good portion of the 320
patrons who filled the cabaret gave
her a standing ovation. It certain-
ly looked mote like a welcome than
goodbye.
If Miss Hutton needs more of
a convinces she got this audience
response despite the fact that she
was singing with a voice evidently
tired from strenuous rehearsals,
and in face of the .obvious that her
act is not as Well-rounded and
routined as last gear’s turn. This
time around, Nick Castle is her
stager arid; all he put with and
behind her are two singer-dancers,
Jerry Antes and Jack Regis,
whereas last year Miss Hutton had
the Stariighters, a mixed singing
quintet: They had more versatility
to spell the star. Difference now
is that she’s on virtually all of the
60 minutes and belting all the
way. It’s just too much for her,
the audience and her voice.
Some of her material is familiar,
such as “Little. Rock Rhythm” and
“Let’s Go On With the Show,” and
she gives credit to Ray Evans and
Jay Livingston for her song mate-
rial, which also includes a couple
of her past record hits, “The Rock-
ing Horse Ran Away", and “Doctor,
Lawyer, Indian Chief,” As last
year, she does a takeoff on Benny
Fields and Blossom Seeley, key-
noted by “The Lullaby of Old
Broadway” arid “Melancholy
Baby,” and up pear the finish she
again pays tribute to Sophie
Tucker by whamming “Some of
These Days.” “Sexy Sadie” is an
other special song holdover, that
pleases, and she scores at the close,
when she does an afterpiece in a
robe as though she got an audience
call from her dressing room, by
hopping a piano, tinkled by Nelson
Riddle,, to sing “It Had to Be You"
Blue Angel, Chi'
Chicago, Oct. 11 j
“ Calypso Festival ,” with. Duke
of Iron, Trinidad Joe Dyson, Cal
vin Harigan, Mary Ann, Angela,
San Juan, Victor .Manuel, A
D’Lacy Gypsy Orch (5); $3;50
minimum .weekends, $2.50 week
nights.
Focus of the present West Indian
revue, which will be rooted iri this
intimate calypso cavern for . t.h y e
next eight weeks, is almost who)'
on the lighthearted balladeering of
the Duke of. Iron. The giant calyp-
sonian, making , his first Chi nitery
appearance, has penned, some, of
the better-knowri ditties in the
idiom, like “Matilda," “Ugly Wom-
an" and “Out De Fire,” hone of
which he offers here. : The Duke
represents the biggest name the
Blue Angel has showcased ever
since it turned to Calypso some 18
months ago.
Strumming a uke, he. opens the
show with a humorous trilogy, sung
warmly with an appealing lilt that
makes audience participation no
problem. He wraps up the format
the same way with a bluish omnb
bus on male-female relations that
satisfies the need for both song
and mirth. A distinct trial , which
he doesn’t surmount, unfortunate-
ly, ft how to. .keep all the calypso
airs from sounding alike. Never-
theless, he shakes a goodly quota
of laughs from the. crowd, keeps
their ears bent, arid has them
blithely shouting choruses of “Rum
and Coca Cola.”
. Despite an eyecatching costume'
splurge, rest of the bill shapes
weaker than most of the previous
shows here, affording, little in
balance or novelty as nearly all the
other performers are dancers. The
mystic shake dance of Joe Dyson
and “Mambolina” of Angela Ban
Juan are both torrid tidbits, arid
the Island Street Dance executed
by Calvin Harigan and Mary: Ann
is sensual and properly anxiety-
ridden. Terpers, using front stage,
back stage and the aisles for their
shaker antics, tee, off the spread
and join the Duke in a sock
bacchanalian finale.
Midway in the show, romantic
Latin tenor Victor Manuel breaks
the dance concentration with.“Piel
Cariela” and “Begin the Beguine.
He also breaks the festive calypso
mood, and the audience buzz
throughout his stint testifies he’s
out of place on this format. A1
D’Lacy Gypsy orch provides prim
itive percussion accompaniment
behind the calypsos and plays okay
dance and dinner music. Les ,
Sahara, tag Vegas
Las Vegas, Oct. 12.
Marlene' Dietrich, Bernard Bros.
(2), Mary Raye & Naldi, Saharem
Dancers (12), Gee Davidson
Orch (15); no cover or minimum.
Returning to the scene of her
nitery debut, Marlene Dietrich
proves again to be a solid attrac-
tion if a not so solid singer. Her
chore, an unexciting 30 minutes,
spans an unusual entrance and
exit wherein the; glamorous grand-
ma, wearing a strikingly-draped
White chiffon gown, is caught in
the line of fire from' an offstage
wind machiiie and the billowing
material makes an effective pic-
ture; The gown is fairly revealing
in its suggested transparency and in
it the blonde-coiffed la Dietrich
holds the audience by the Sheer
magic of her personality. She is
still svelte pf figure and; With her
fabulous face to' riigtch is a must-
see. Actually, the gown worn this
time around is more alluring than
the bosomy eye-catcher worn by
the star last year.
Voicewise; however. Miss Die-
trich must be forgiven, for she
has been accepted by audiences
the world over for her other, more
obvious requisites. Her singing
voice may be deep, bassy or even
brassy, but she still .gets her flirta-
tious and romantic messages across
despite a soso selection of song&
In the space of less than a year,
she has established herself as one
of the world’s biggest cafe draws
with considerable credit' to Jean
Louis, who executed her wardrobe.
The headliner opens with a
throaty “La Vie En Rose” and
“See What the BOys In the Back
Room Will Have," guaranteed , to :
give .music teachers ulcers.
“Naughty Lola” and “Look iyte
Over Closely” are sprightly and
spicy. “Laziest Gal Iri Town” is
not delivered like Pearl Bailey,
perhaps, but it’s commercial as de-
livered by Dietrich. “Go Away
From My Window” gives the star
the opportunity to cry a liftle. to
the 18th-century folk-song; Sh
brings back “Jonnie” in Germari
lyrics, then does “Lili Marlene”
and her inevitable “Falling In
Love.” Buddy Cole, renders yeo-
man service as the star’s conductor
of *the Cee Davidson orch, aug-
mented by a quartet of violins.
The Bernard Bros., comedy pan-
tomimists, are a strong click With
their zany antics to recordings of
the Andrews Sisters, Kirsten Flag-
stad and “Figaro,'.’ Wearing moth-
er hubbards and little else, the duo
scores with knockabout routines
that include a stuttering carbon of
Mel Blanc in “K-K-Katy.” High-
spot is “You’re In Love,” from
“Call Me Madam,” a clever Ethel
Merman mime that winds with one
brother as a nurse using a butter-
fly net to whisk his straitjacketed
partner off.
Mary Rgye and Naldi return
with graceful adagios and waltzes
to thrill and please. The dance
vets get fine applause response i ’
their two sessions, as they return
following their stint in a George
Moro production of “The High
And the Mighty.” The line back-
ing the pair is strikingly costumed
arid the number is well staged and
deserving of the kudos. Both
Le Rikban Bleu, K. Y.
Irwin CoreV, Marshall Jzen,
Dorothy Loudon, Melitta, Julius
Monk, Norman Paris Trio; $4, $5,
minimums..
The supper spot operated by the
Meles, pere et fils, has a bright
display this session With a series
of turns that are familiar in the
lntimeries. The show is one that
packs a lot of entertainment and
holds up well.
Julius Monk, who . tdnfereri.ciefs
and is. in charge of the talent op- (
erations, again shows, a lot of 1
gemiity in contrasting various tex-
tures of comedy to produce an'eri-.
tertaining blend. Comic Irwin
Corey . contrasts with Marshall .
Izen, whose puppet manipulations
are on the arty side. In the sing-
ing line Dorothy Loudon, in the
pop and standard Vein; also offers
plenty of distinction from the soft-
voiced arid easy - flowing. Melitta,:
who majors, in Latin tunes. The
singularly-named girl is further
described under New Acts.
Corey’s absent-minded professor
routine is standard and yock-pro-
ducing. He has a. collection of
zanyisms. that the chichi gentry go
for. There are ’no gags per se,
but his ramblings produce a net
effect that brings on a lot of ap-
plause. Corey is Wise enough to
restrict his appearance in any sec-
tor of town, so that he retains his
novelty when he returns.
Izen’s top numbers are in the
arty spectrum. His material seems
restricted to. the higher IQ set,
since it deals with takeoffs on
opera, and other iteriis that deal
with longhair music. His big item
on show caught was a rib of the
(Continued on ifege 135)
Wednesday, October 20, 1954
Music Hall, N* Y.
" Showtime,” with Gloria Wa re,
Charles Whiteley, Tony Saverin,
Hal . ‘ Norman, Elvin Campbell,
Jacqueline Langee, Eddy Ruhl,
Chet Clark, Rockettes ( dances by
Emilia. Sherman), Glee Club
( Raymond Paige, director, Ralph
Hmter, associate), Music . Hall
Vocal Ensemble, Corps de Ballet
( Margaret Sande, director) , S\pm
phony Orchestra (Paige, conduc-
tor; Leon Zawissa, John Dosso,
associate conductors). Settings by
James Stewart Morcom; costumes
designed, by Frank Spencer, exe-
cuted by Louise Bayer; lighting,
Eugene. Braun; stage manager,
John Jackson; production assist-
auty Nicholas Daks; special lyrics,
Albert Stillman; assistant to the
Rockette director, Emilia Sher-
man; grand organ, Ashley Miller,
Raymond Bohr, Cecil Bentz;
“White Christmas” (Par), re-
viewed in Variety, Sept. 1, '54.
With Irving Berlin’s “White
Christinas’’ oh the screen and
Paramount’s V ista Vision makirfg
its bow, the Music Hall’s new stage
show has latched bn to . an, appro-
priate theme, “Showtime.’’ pro-
ceedings are in the best tradition
of the Hall and should- leave the
custoriiers with a feeling of having
got plenty entertainment returns
on their admissions.
Since the theatre’s revue by now
has frozen into an accepted and
expected . pattern, it’s surprising
that the staff still manages to come
up with shows that are so dis-
tinctly different and so appealing
in their composition. “Showtime”
is one of those song and dance
potpourris that just hits the spot
with a bang. It’s in a way, a
tribute to one Of the great figures
of show biz, Irving; Berlin.
As usual, the Music Hall Sym-
phony Orchestra, under the direc-
tion of R&ymond Paige, gives out
with a. competent rendition, in this
instance the. Overture to “Mig-.
non." It’s a familiar piece and
one well suited as a curtain-raiser.
Otch gives it standard treatment.
Overture leads into a short in-
tro sung by Gloria Ware, with
Charles Whiteley, Tony .Saverin,
Hal Norman and Elvin Campbell
terping In the background. Rock-
ettes then come on stage for their
“Fashion Showcase’’ number,
dressed i glittering white. Gals
are in. top form and handle their
assignment with the usual astound-
ing precision. Stanza, staged by
Emilia Sherman,- gets heavy hut-
ting from the audience, which also
is a Hall tradition.
“Stage. Struck,’’ combining bits
from, “Carmen,” “Pagliacci" and
“Rigoletto,” is next in line, featur-
ing the voices of Jacqueline
Langee And Eddy Ruhl. It’s the
kind of spoofing that, done with
ah imaginative barbershop setting,
goes over very big. It’s got laughs,
good Voices and an overall zing,
-that contributors to a fine show.
. Les Marcellis, fast-working
aero team, come on next for an
act that has the customers, holding
their breath one moment and roll-
ing in the aisles the next. : Their
stunts are very clevely worked out
and the boys are tops in their
class. Wisely, they also go off be-
fore they wear out their welcome.
The Marcellis, working with noth-
ing more than a cable and two
chairs, are a mighty poteht attrac-
tion.
Chet Clark is featured with his
mouth-prgan Solo of the ”St, Louis
Blues” in the “Between Acts” bit,
and he brings. the. house down with
a virtuoso rendition. Backed by
the vocal ensemble, Clark does a
cracker jack job in : jiving up the
blues.
Final two scenes.- of '’Showtime”
age tops in every respect ‘Miss
Liberty,” highlighted by a replica
of the Statue of Liberty slowly
rising Into view, features'the Corps
tie Ballet in a sock number that's
outstanding for its costuming,, with
the gals Wearing frocks glittering
silvery on the one side and red on
the. other* Margaret Sande's direc-
tion of the; dance is an expert bit
of staging. Hift.
Apollo, N. Y.
Coleman Family (4),. Margie
McGlory, Five Keys, Bobby Or-
ton’s Teen. Aces. (6 ); 'Chico O’ Far*
rill Orch; “Veils of Bagdad*’ (XJ).
The Harlem Vctude/flagship is on
a semi-mambb kick this session,.
With the Latino beat being pro-
vided by Chico O’FarrilFs mambo
band and Bobby Orton’s Teen
Aces> The Orton lads are talented
drum beaters who provide frenzied
rhythms as they work over the
bongo, timbali and Congo drums.
They’re a- showmanly group and
continue the reception they re-
ceived on Broadway in “Two’s
Company” and at the Th underbird
in Las Vegas. They're the hit of
the show, although hot in the top
bracket billing. ‘
The Five Keys are the marquee
lure and give; put with more than
satisfactory harmony. For this
engagement, the Keys have mul-
tiplied to six, featuring^ a former
member for the brunt of the solo
work. Lads have tailored their
act for both sight, and sound and
display interesting movements in
shifts for mike position. Their
numbers could be spaced better,
by alternating the. rhythm and
blues tunes.
The Coleman Family, made up
of mom, pop, b r °ther and sister,
have a degree of aud recognition
via. several tv outings. It’s hand-
some family; group that combines
song and terpology to good effect.
Margie McGlory is a song im-
pressionist. Her carbons of Billy
Daniels, Lena Horne, Pearl Bailey
and Louis Armstrong please the
pewholders. She is particulary
effective, in her Armstrong im-
presh. There’s no objection to
the Daniels’ one, but his song
style seems to be overworked by
the imitators.
O’Farrill’s band , at show . caught,
appeared to be unsure of its cues
in backing the show. It does
okay, though, when it has the spot-
light for solos. Holl.
Palace, X. V*
Wilfred Mae Trip, Gene Bianco,
Ladd Lyon (2), ’Nikki & Noel,
Rex Weber (2), The Renowns
(3), Artie Darin, Louis & Oliver
Sisters (3); “ The Bob Mathias
Story ” (AA).
The Palace 'bill is, a well-con-
structed affair this week, with most;
of the acts having done well at
this vauder on previous occasions.
The standard act value is topped
by Artie Dann, in his next-to-clos-
ing slot, and fresh interest is pro-
vided by Gene Biaiicq, a jazz-harp-
ist, new at this house, but who.
has been around.
Dann has a likeable set of rou-
tines and gets hi^’ message over
in this emporium. His gab on his;
oversized sch ' and his under-
sized frame provide a good focal
point for laughs, and his observa-
tions on a fairly broad field of
subjects do well for him.
This particular bill goes heavy
on acts that Carry comedy with
it. Ladd Lyon, aided by a femme
plant in the audience, carries out
a good brand of aero mixed with
laughs. The balancing turn* holds
up the trey spot well.
The Renowns, a trio comprising
two males arid a femme, show up
well in the comedy dance field.
Their routine still needs consider-
able tightening for maximum im-
pact, but they hit a salvo for what
they show.
Rex Weber does a ventriloquist
turn without dummies. He’s helped
for orie brief period by a femme,
who purports to be singing, but
walks off leaving Weber holding
down the mike without moving his
lips. It’s a good novelty that’s well
appreciated.
Bianco is a fine harpist, who
does well with the Lyons & Healy
on a series of jazz numbers. He
does a punchy “Limehous.e Blues”
.And hits a hot mitt with a rendition
of boogie-woogie.
'. The fore and aft, sections are
by Wilfred Mae Tito, with two
girls' 'and a male in series of.
juggling pf hoops, that’s well, liked, ;
and Louis & Oliver Sisters, who
have a lively balancing arid hand-
to-hand turn that makes for a fine
curtain. Nikk5 & Noel are listed
under New Acts.- Jo Lombardi
showbacksr sharply. Jose *
Olympia* Miami
? Miami, Oct. 15.
• Molly Picon, Nazzaro, Great
Glasso, Edwards & Lorraine, A.I-
den & Ettore, Les Rhode House
Orch; “ Passion ” { RKO ).
Components of this week’s bill-
make for well-balanced vaude,
with added novelty for the regu-
lars here being the fact that, none
of the acts has played this house
before r~ a departure from the.
custom of repeating talerit semi-
annually or annually.
r Molly Picon’s only previous ap-
pearances in this area have been -
on the Beach side for the Israel
bond drive, Booking here seemed
art odd prie for the type of patron
attracted, but the vet trouper . comes
through in fine fashion to win
solid response. Her compote is
artfully devised, albeit some of the
material has been kicked around.
Knowhow and showmanship negate
that facet and 1 wind ijitb her “Tale
Of The Shawl,” topping th me-i
P'Akiety
REVIEWS 135
lange pf stories and special song
bits to walk her off a winner*
.Novelty work of Nazarro, an off-
trail impressionist, sits well. Works
his body into the act to aid on
the facial work. Circus stunter, the
Great Glasso, is another plus fac-
tor in the proceedings, his balanc-
ing stunts keeping the gaSp-mitt
meter . rising, sensational one-
finger stands wrapping up for him.
Ducting arid solo, vocalistics by
Don Ettore and Jurie Alden are
also aud-pleasers with their ver-
sions. of the standards and musi-
comedy arrangements well han-
dled.
Edwards & Lorraine offer up in-
telligently conceived ballroomolgy
With mixture of Latino and state-
side patterns. Les Rhode and house
orch handle the sho whack Chores
in apt manner. Lary.
Science Helps; Golden
Wedding Annis Specialty
Of Lone N.Y. Kosher Cafe
The wonder drugs of the past
10 years may yet prove the savior
of the last remaining strictly
kosher cabaret in New York arid
possibly in the United States. Little
did Sir Alexander Fleming arid
Selig Waksman realize that their
booris to humanity with the discov-
ery of the antibiotics and the use
of cortisone, ACTH, etc., ; wpuld
have as important byproduct the
rescue of Arele’s New Roumanian,
the lone nitery citadel where di-
etary laws are observed.
The brothers Goldsteiri, Dave &
Nat, operators of the spot on the
lower, east side, point out that the
bulk of their trade is in family
-functions. The strong family ties
on the Hebrew elements in New
York, of late, have created a myri-
ad of family circles and oousins
clubs, and then of course, there’s
the usual round of weddings, en-
gagements, barmitzvahs, anniver-
saires, etc. However, a new nugget
of business has been appearing of
late. There have been more golden
wedding anniversaries than prac-
tically any other type function. It’s
become, an importarit source of
coi , sez Dave Goldsteiri. This
catering to the very old and the
very young (iatter With barmitz-
vahs) provides the biggest source
of revenue.
The Goldsteins explain; that with
the changing character of the lower
east side in which Puerto Ricans
have displaced ■ many of the Yid-
dish . eleriierits,': .there is virtually no
drop-in business. Most of the trade
is a result of solicitation, and nego-
tiation. Consequently, -they know
almost the exact amount of revenue
that they’ll take i . For their reg-
ular customers, explains Dave, they
need no mi imurii cards. But. some-
times, when some strange faces ap-
pear, they’ll trot out the minimum
cards ori the table. The cafe had
been closed for; the summer and
recently reopened. They had been
on a weekend policy, but now
they’ve got Michel Rosenberg, one
of the stalwarts in the Yiddish the-
atre. The surrounding show has a
trio of acts comprising a Negro
song and dance pair, Givens &
Sweety Pie, dancer Freda . Faye,
arid singer Carolyn Carpenter.
Rosenberg is one of the genuine
stage humorists. He has a rich vein
of folk humor which draws on the
Yiddish homelife on the . lower east
side, but which is not only ap-
plicable to the. Yiddish life else-
where, but has universality as well.
Rosenberg has; any number of
stories which he tells bilingually.
Some of the yarns dealing with his
long service in the • Yiddish theatre
are howlers. Indeed it may be that
the humor that Rosenberg purveys
may be the fountainhead of the
Yiddish comedians that moved up-
town. But here the stories are at
the peak of richness. His skill at
the tales deserves a wide sweep- of
uptown trade. v
I'he brothers Goldstein have to
make concessions to the younger
element that frequently find them-
selves i this spot, maybe as part
pf a family circle celebration or
something, and for that reason the
Jivey turn of Givens Ac Sweety Pie,
a Negro couple, who play the.
drums, and have a good line of
song and dance, serve their func-
tion well. More of them as well as
the Misses Faye and Carpenter un-
der New Acts.
Of course, the New Roumanian,
(not to be confused with the Old
Roumanian, owned by Jack Silver-
man) is operated for a numerically
smaller Yiddish community. But
apparently they bank on a rebirth
of Jewish interest, which has been
evidenced for the past few years.
Jose. .
Night Club Reviews
^ Continued fi
Le Kuban Bleu* IV. Y..
Italian , opera. He’s a skilled per-
former. with proficiency in several
fields, inc!uding -singing; ivorying
and doll manipulation. His operatie
satire's are funny, but for a limited
audience. This is one of the rooms
that he fits into nicely.
Miss Loudon has a good bounce
in her deliveries. At‘ show caught
she did a variety of oldies and
novelties to put her ahead. She
indicates a lot of promise and once
her style matures she can expand
her operations to the larger halls.:
The Norman Paris Trio remains
one of the top instrumental groups.
They offer a lot of musical excite-
ment. Jose.
Chez Siizy Soli dor, Paris
4 Paris, Oct. 19.
Suzij Solidor, Georges Henri
Martin, France Noel, Jacques
Reverdy, Andre Gueri; $4 mini -
m
After absenting, himself from
the Paris nitery scene for two sea-
sons,; Suzy Solidor conies back in
her own boite on the Rue Balzac
pff the Champs-Elysees. Walk-
down Club has been furbished ifl a
rococo, offbeat style in keeping
with the milieu being catered to
She is aiming for the monied and
show hiz set, with her following of
friends also coming in. Boite is
decorated with paintings of Miss
Solidor by the many artists she’s
known. It makes on interesting, if
specialized frescoing. Tabs . are a
high $4 arid there are two shows,
one for the. early comers at 10 p.ni.
and anbther at 12.
Club Js small arid any success
will depend on the Solidor draw.
She is in fine voice and her song-
alog benefits from her poise,, in-
terpretation and savvy and han-
dling and rep. Her injected poems
are also of the high calibre.
Georges Henri Martin takes sec-
ond spot with his titillating finger
dances as masks cover his hand to
let him dance a ballerina, a ’20s
flapper and an oldie-type Betty.
Bdop-voiced song-and-dance girl.
This is a very diverting stint in a
small boite and mitts are big.
Rest, of Show is strictly of f-the-
beaten-path and for the habitues.
Two people recite and a third gives
a shaky mime dance, ftecitations
are by ex-boxer Andre; Gueri and
actress France Noel. Gueri is in-
teresting if -a bit grotesque in his
poetry on the man in the ring
while Miss Noel adequately mouths
a charming Colette poem. Jacques
Reverdy Is a West Indian who
does a series of wiggles and con-
tortions. Next few weeks .will tell
if there is a place here for this
intime styled, 20s-type nitery.
Mosk.
Bar of Music, I,. A.
Hollywood, Oct. 9.
Dick & Geiie Wesson, Kitt Car-
son, Cdnstantine Callinicos &
Freddie Katz, Eddie Oliver Orch
(5); $2 minimum.-
In bowing at this L\ A. nitery as.
a team, the Wessons, . Dick and
Gene, come up with enough
comedy impressions to rate a good
hand. Back together as a brother
act following a six-year split, their
27-minute stint is brightened with
amusing antics which compensate
for lack of name draw. For the.
record, Dick appeared as a single
several years ago, but this time
around he has his brother for
straight-man.
Impersonations , and patter are
the Wessons’ stock , in trade, and
they do it suavely and in perfect
timing. With a flip of a wrist and
a few facial changes they turn to
ex-President Trunian, Liberace —
who seems good for any body’s, im-
pression these nights — Slapsy
Maxie Rosen bloom, etc., for top
rCsporise.
Current layout’s . opener is the
piano team of Constantine Callini-
cos— former musical director frir
Mario Lanza— and Freddie; Katz,
on for l'iye excellent numbers. Kitt
Carson, blonde blues warbler
With a capable voice, provides di-
staff interest with some throaty
renditions, Eddie Oliver and his
orch hold over to dispense tuneful
dance rhythm. Whit.
Hotel Roosevelt, "S» B-
New Orleans, Oct. 10.
Russ Morgan Orch (16), Nor*
man Brooks, Tim Herbert, Pah
Merriman; $2.50 minimum.
The customers come out in full
force when Russ Morgan and his
musical aggregation make their pe-
riodic stand in this spot. Add to
these the tourists and other btfn-
regulars and result is capacity biz.
It's Morgan’s music that gets top
billing. The big, husky maestro, a
om page -I3 ^a s a.
longtime fave here, serves a choice
musical menu that appeals to the
sentimentalists and nostalgic, pa-
trons; Tableho’ders just don’t, stay
anchored to their seats when the
Morgan crew is around. They flock
lb the fleor durihg the knee-action
sessions.
The “Morgan manrier” portion
of the' .. .ertai ment -features the
leader, with assists from Maugene
Hughes, a capable thrush; A1 Jen-
nings, his slide trombone, sidekick,
and Eddie Wiltser, pianist, who
also, trots out a unique slide cornet
for a couple of numbers that evoke :
accolades. Morgan’s own trombone
stint arid lively banter provide
showmanly touches.
Topping the floor acts is Normari
Brooks, making his debut herb.
He’s a handsome chap who posses-
ses a natural, unstudied voice that
bears a resemblance to the late
A1 Jolson. Naturally he sings some
of Jolie’s . songs to; please . his,
audiences, but he has rio intention
of being typed.
Tim Herbert, tooth-flashing
conric, turns in happy routine
of hoke, gags, songs and dancing
to net a nice ha rid. Pari Merriman,
one of the most exciting dancers
to play the Blue Room in months,
shows a fast line of precarious
stunts in which her aero abilities'
get full play* She performs flashy,
handless cartwheels,, body bends
and flips , that draw,, plenty of palm
pounding. *
Morgan also, emcees the show
nicely. liuz . '
Black Orchid, Clil
Chicago, Oct. 12.
Tito Guizar, Nino Nanni, Teddi
King, Rudy Kerpays Dud; $4 mini-
mum. '■
A1 Greenfield has done admir-
ably with balancing another all-
song format in his intimate. supper
club, all members of which are
playing their first dates in the
room.. Headliner Tito Guizar hasn’t
been ... in town in yearis, and his
draw here should be ample. Spread
gets diversity from Guizar’s La-
tino mode; Teddi King’s American.,
modern, and Nino Nanrii’s spe-
cialty song yarns that have a com-
edy impact.
In black Mexicano garb and with
guitar held vertically, Guizar takes
quick dominion of . the room
through a winning potpourri of
Spanish standards. He has ingen-
ious charm Which shows up espe-
cially in his- lumbering intros, his
ungainly but honest Way of coax-
ing the audience to respond. The
crowd buys -this approach, charg-
ing it probably to Latin effusive-
ness, and buys his virile songalog
equally.
Nino Narini has a delectable lirie
°f .Patter, song and keyboarding
which he delivers warmly iri a deep
distinctive voice, Guy’s material is
almost all in the same key, fraught
with cliqko sex innuendos, but it’s
choice entertainment for this room.
Much of his output is special ma-
terial, some of it overly long, but
it all lands solidly.
Teddi King is under New Acts.
Rudy Kerpays and Dave Poskonka
provide excellent piano-base back-
grounds for the acts* Les.
Drap 0’Or, Paris
Paris, Oct. 19.
Dany Dauberson , Leo Fuld,
Carmen De Santana, Lili Bon-
temps, Jean Marc, Drop D’Or
Orch ( 6 ) ; $5 ^minimum.
After A ine-month hiatus, the
Drap D’Or is opening its plush
doors again to try for a place on
the nitery scene.
Headlining is Dany Daubersdn,
swathed in a form-fitting, glistbh-
ing dress, that makes her easy on-
the eyes, but her repetitive rep of’
husky, pounding, downbeat songs
are. not .enough-, to give her an' in-
dividuality arid class needed for a
top spot. She needs a change in
pace and songs with more expres-
sive hand and body movements be-
fore she can be considered well-
rounded and versatile enough. Leo
Fuld has a big voice and good pres-
ence; and adds an offbeat note with
his Hebraically melodious songs.
He has a way With an audience and
knows his way around a novelty
tune, with the result that his stint
is in for good; palms.
Carmen De Santana supplies
some carioca shakes which are
more nitery than . flamenco, but
makes an acceptable entry in style,
dyriamics and looks. • Lili Bontemps
is a soubrette of impish and pleas-
ing mien, and her dips into oldie
chants are a welcome spice to the
program. Jean Marc supplies a
competent magico tour, and the
Drap D’Or Orch (6) is okay in the
dance and accomp category.
Mosk,
136 LEGITIMATE
Uahiety
Wednesday, October 20, 1954
Treasurer assignments at six of-
the 17 Shubert theatres in New
York have been switched for the
new season. Shakeup had been
expected as a followup to J. J.
. Shubert’s takeover of the Shubert
firm after the death of his brother,
Lee Shubert, last December. Shuf-
fling in b.o. appointments for the
1954-55 season also takes in
subordinate personnel at, other
Shubert houses,
Treasurers affected are William
Rinaido, who's been moved from
the Majestic to the Broadhurst;
Max Sager, Broadhurst to Im-
perial; Aaron, Helwitz,. Winter Gar-
den. to Longacre; A1 Hildreth.
Century to National; William
Goldhart, Imperial to Winter Gar-
den, and Abe Baranoff, Mark Hel-
linger to Majestic.'
BaranofZ. is the only one of the
six n«r employed at a Shubert
theatre last season. He had a con-
tract calling ..for 52 weeks' pay at
the Anthony Brady Farrell house,
In the case of Hildreth, the Cen-
tury is no longer functioning as a
legit showcase, having been leased
by the Shuberts to NBC-TV;
Present staffs at Shubert houses,,
with last season’s assignments in
parentheses, follow: Broadhurst,
Rinaido, Benjamin Chasin (Sager,
Ch’asin);.. Imperial, Sager, Helen
Monroe, Richard Surace .(Gold-
hart, Miss. Monroe, Arthur Feine);
Longacre, Helwitz, Herman Fallick
(Murray Lang, Dan Melnick.
Also Majestic, Baranoff, Mary
Ackley, Frank Youngs, Gerard
Connell (Rinaido, Miss Ackley,
Fred Gasida); National, Hildreth,:
Abe Potal (Anna Hirsh, Gerard
COnnell, Lewis Melnick); Winter
Garden, Goldhart, Anna Yurxlin
(Aaron Helwitz, Fallick, Kathryn
Walsh).
Also Barrymore, Betty Barker,
Jack Melnick, GaSida (Barker,
Miss Melnick); Belasco, Cora
Gibbs Margaret . Hildreth (Miss
Gibbs, Richard Surace); Booth,
Jack Pearl, Lewis Kasfen (Perl,
Youngs); Cort, Genevieve Stewart,
Georgia Fursman (same); Golden,
Nellie Beamish, Mitchell Kanter
(same).
Also, Plymouth, Constance
Coble, Philip Kenney, Irehe Bolte
(same); Royale, Harold Stehle,
Essie Friedman (same); St. James,
Charles Thomas, Harry Steinberg,
Arthur Meyers (same); Shubert,
Murray Helwitz, Josephine
O’Brien, Helen Glenmore (same).
Remaining Shubert theatre, be-
sides the Century, is the Broad-
way, which has temporarily
switched to films, with the current
showcasing of the puppet pic,
‘‘Hansel and Gretel."
Assignments at non-Shubert
houses for the new season follow:
Alvin, Gordon Cramer, Luis Valle
(Cramer, Rod MacMahon, Valle);
Bijou, Catherine Low, Camille
Jacovine (same); Coronet, Clifford
Whiteman, Marvin Roth Williams
(same); 46th Street, Charles Bow-
man, Paul Meyers, George Handy
(same).
Also 48th Street, Julius. Spector,
Harry Goldhart (same); Fulton,
Ylerman Lewin, Robert Burke, Wil-
liam McKenna (same); Lyceum,
Lillian Peabody,. Mildred Anker
(same); Martin Beck, Dora Chamr
berlai , Ethel Archer, "John Kiefer
(Misses Chamberlain' and Archer);
Henry Miller, Frank Frayer, John
Bowman (same); Morosco, J.
Michael Onoroto, George Beatty
(same),/:
Als Music Box, Hugh Mc-
Gaiiley, Walter O'Connor, Ray
Metz (same); Mark Hellinger;
Charles' Walters, Jerry Sheehan
(Baranoff, Sheehan, Walters);
Playhouse, Thomas Bortherton,
Marie Dickson (Same); Ziegfeld,
Lewis Harris, Irving Morrison,
Louis Berge (same); .City Center,
Angelo Casslini, Pearl Keyser.
William . Weigand, George Bald-
'in (William Jakob, present staff).
Paul Green W rites New
Drama, ‘Wilderness Road*
Berea, Ky., Oct. 19.
Paul Green is writing a new his-
torical drama, “Wilderness Road,"
which Will be presented for a 6Q;
performance fun beginning next
June 29 as the highlight of a cen-
tennial celebration next year of
Berea College.
Play will be staged in a 1,500-
seat amphitheatre now under com
struction on Indian Fort mountain
the college-owned forest just out-
side town.
Actors Fund Sec’y-G.M.
Warren P. Munsell was appointed
last -week secretary and . general
manager of the Actors. Fund. He
succeeds Robert Campbell, who
died, recently/ Appointment is ef-
fective until next May, when the
annual election will be held..
Besides his Fund duties, Munsell'
will. continue his Broadway produc-
tion and managerial activities, be-
ing currently partnered with Ken-
neth Banghart. in the scheduled
production of . William. 'McGieery’s
“Running Mate," to star Faye:
Emerson. He also, has Other pro-/
ducer-manager plans.
Walter Vincent is Actors Fund
president, with Gilbert Miller first
vice-president, Katharine Cornell
second vice prez and Vinton Freed-
ley treasurer.
Opens North American
Tour With O.K. Troupe
Montreal, Oct. 19.
. Excellent principal dancers; a
good ensemble, a repertoire loaded
with old; laves and added commer-
cial attractions should make the.
North American tour of London’s
Festival Ballet a b.o. cinch.
Tour started Oct. 12 at Quebec
City to solid biz, moved to Ottawa
for a one-nighter to capacity,
played three days and four per-
formances in Montreal to okay re-
turns and is currently in Toronto
at the Maple Leaf Gardens. First
U. S. appearance is next Thursday
night (21) in Detroit, and the
troupe moves from there to the
Coast via Chicago.
Opening night in Montreal was
given over, to a full-length version
ol : “La Esmeralda," a heavy-handed
adaptation of Victor Hugo’s
“Hunchback , of Notre Dame," .with
choreography by" Nicholas Berio-
soff, sets by Nicola Benois and
music by Cesare Pugni,. This is a
ponderous vehicle, with little to
recommend it other than a brilliant
second act which could easily be-
come a standard offering in an
evening of ballet excerpts, Tamara
TounYanova, as guest star, and.
John . Gilpin, the. company’s leading
male dancer, are the only saving
graces.
The pyrotechnics of Nora Kovach
and Istvan Rabovky, particularly in
“Scheherazade," are outstanding!
Dancing as Zobeide and The Negro,
her favorite, the duo display amaz-
ing technique, but stretch the line
between, ballet and acrobatics pret-
ty thi
In “The Nutcracker," with Vi-
olette Verdy, John Gilpin and
Nicholai Polajenko dancing leads,
the company is in its element and
presents a first class performance
throughout. Toumanova’s “The
Dying Swan" scores over a ill-de-
vised “Don Quixote 1 ,’' with Oleg
Briansky,
Most other ballets, such as
“Prince Igor," “Petrouchka," “Les
Sylphides" and “Napoli" get credit-
able performances. Artistic direc-
tor . Anton Doli appears briefly
in “Esmeralda," and a. full orches-
tra under the impressive baton of
Geoffrey Corbett and guest con-
ductor Robert Zeller ably backed
this talented troupe. Newt:
Migatz Will Try Fall
Season at Fox Valley
Chicago, Oct.. 19.
Marshall Migatz, operator of the
Salt Creek Theatre, Hinsdale, 111.,
and the Fox Valley Playhouse, St.
Charles, 111., is trying a fall season
for the latter house. Schedule of
six weekly productions starting
tonight (Tues.) is being, under-
written to the .extent of $9,000 by
St. Charles business men.
Migatz is on the. prowl for name
stars and recent Broadway plays
not seen here;
Hollywood* Oct. 19.
National ..tour of the “That's
Life” will open Nov. 8 at the Alca-
zar (United Nations), San Fran-
cisco. That will be two weeks
after the revue closes an 18-week
run at Lais Palmas Theatre here.
Show has thus far earned back
around $16,000 of the original
$24,000 cost.
Much of the recouped coin, how-
ever, will- be needed to revise the
production for the tour of conven-
tionally-sized theatres. “Life" will
go on a full Equity footing instead
of the present little theatre basis,
and. will thus -need :a larger bond.
Additional coin will also be needed
for orchestrations, etc. Show has
been operating at Las Palmas on
a weekly nut of around $3,500. In
contrast, it will need around $11,-
500. for its end on the road.
' Producers Danny Dare and Sam
Lewis figure to tour the revue east,
in easy stages, arriving in New
York late this, season.
Colette Marchand Star
Of New Szilard Ballet;
Japan Tour Next Month
New dance troupe, the Paul
Szilard Ballet of N.Y., has been
formed by dancer-choreographer
Szilard, and will be off next month
for a tour of Japan. Colette Mar-
chand, former Roland Petit Ballets
de Paris star who also played lead
in the pic. “Moulin Rouge," and in
a couple of recent Broadway musi-
cals, will be. principal dancer, along
with Milorad MiskovitcH, Maria
Angelica and .Michael Lland. Jac-
ques Bazire, Miss Marchand’s : hus-
band, is musical director. Other
dancers include Barbara Ann Gray,
Rochell Balzer, Janet Miller, Stuart
Fleming and Victor Reilley.
Group will fly Nov. 16 to Japan
for dates in Tokyo and three other
cities. A Japanese corps de ballet
of 24 will be engaged, to support
the principals. This will be Szi-
lard’s third visit to Japan, he hav-
ing appeared there both in 1952
and 1953 as guest choreographer
with the Komaki Ballet of Tokyo.
Norah Kaye joined him for the ’53
date.
Szilard plans a ’55 *56 tour of the
U.S., when a U S. corps de ballet
will be -chosen. Samuel Lurie is
American rep for Szilard.
EDDjE BLUM WITH 'FANCY'
. Eddie . Blum, who recently re
signed from the William Morris
legit-tv department, has joined
Richard Kollmar and James Gar
diner as production assistant anc
casting director on them upcoming
musical, “Plain and Fancy.”
Tuner goes into rehearsal Noy. 1
and opens Jan, 20 on Broadway,
.. Boston, Oct. 19.
Hub ballet fans had a merry-go-round during the Ballet Russe
de Monte Carlo stand at the Opera House here last week; Main
foulup apparently stemmed from an ulcerated tooth of Frederic
Franklin, who was skedded to appear in the pFeem of Massine’s
“Harold in Italy."
The piece had been postponed at both the Washington and
Baltimore stands, but was slated for unveiling here Tuesday (12).
However, Tuesday night customers, instead of attending the
promised world preem, wound up sitting through a program of
oldies including “Coppelia,’’ “Scheherazade" and the pas de deux
from “Don Quixote." *
On Wednesday night (13) the “Don Quixote’* pas de deux was
substituted for the announced “Black Swan," and “The Mikado "
which had been presented Monday, was repeated. “Harold in
Italy" finally made its appearance Thursday (14) with Leon
Danielian subbing for Franklin as leading dancer.
Things had reached such a state of confusion by that time, how-
ever, that prior to the performance a lobby rumor was-.rampant
that Massine might dance the leading role himself.
Inside Stuff— Legit
As predicted in Variety last week, Herman Levin Is the new presi-
dent of the League of N! Y. Theatres, succeeding Leland Hayward,
who resigned due to ill health, He was named at the annual, meeting
last Thursday. Reelected were Louis A. Lotito, vice-president; Herman
Shumlin, secretary* And Gilbert Miller, treasurer. Attorney A. L.
Berman and producer Alexander H. Cohen were elected to the. board*
succeeding theatreowners Irving Berlin and Irving Maidman. Reelected
board . members were Mrs. Martin Beck, Herman Bernstein, Kermit
Bloomgarderi, Alfred de Liagre Jr., Max Gordon, Lawrence Langner,
Dorothy Leblang, Ben Marden,: Richard Myers, Arthur Schwartz, Irene
M. Selznick and Robert Whitehead.- James F. Reilly continues as
executive director and Milton R. Weir as attorney. Rules covering
the makeup of the board of governors was changed. Instead of pro-
ducers and theatre owners being equally represented, board members
may now be chosen without regard to category.
Theatre Associates, new investment syndicate with a $24,000 stake
in the upcoming Saint Subber musical, “House of . Flowers," is headed
by Donald H. Coleman and Howard Merrill. Latter, a radio-tv writer?
producer, is currently scripter of NBC’s “The Adventures of the
Abbotts," co-creator and program supervisor of CBS-TV’s “I’ve Got
a Secret" arid associate producer of. ABC-TV’s “The Name’s, the Same.”
Latter two shows are Goodson and Todman Productions, Coleman at
one time was associated with Ballet Theatre and until partnering with
Merrill was. a practicing attorney. .Besides its investment in “Flowers"
firm is planning its own productions for Broadway this season.
Backers of the Martin Gabel-Henry M. Margblis production, “Reclln-
ingy/Figure,” at the Lyceum Theatre, N. Y., include co-producer Gabel,
$11,800; his actress-wife Arlene Francis, $9,200; film producer A^rmand
Deutsch, $1,500; attorney Morris M, Schrier, representing Music Corpu
of America, $750; actor Hume Cronyn, $750; Abe. Burrows, the show’s
director, $750; co-producer Margolis, $22,500. Production * capitalized
at $75,000, with provision for 20% overcall.
son Lehr-May Freedman comedy,
“So Much Velvet," with himself as
star and John Gerstad as stager
, ... Film director William Wyler
has Withdrawn as stager of Kermit
Bloomgarden’s scheduled produc-
tion of “The Lark," the: Lillian
Heilman adaptation . of Jean
Anouilh’s drama about J oan of
Arc, for which Julie Harris is set
as star; '
Robert Lewis will stage the
Broadway production of Agatha
Christie’s melodrama, “Witness for
the Prosecution,’’ which Gilbert
Miller will present in partnership
with 'London producer Peter
Saunders, with a cast including
Francis Sullivan, Ernest Clarke,
Patricia Jessel and Una O’Connor.
. . . Richard Aldrich, co-producer
with Richard Myers of “Dear
Charles," planed to London over
the weekend to discuss a possible
film sale with co-authors Marc-
Gilbert Sauvajon and Alan Mel-
ville.
London production of “King and
I” has passed the one-year mark
at the Drury Lane, being the
fourth successive Rodgers-Hem-
merstein musical to do so. Shows,
with the number of performances
of each, have been “Oklahoma"
(1,513), “Carousel" (566), “South
Pacific" (792) and “King and, J”
(417 through last week) ... Sam-
uel “Biff". Liff has resigned as
production stage manager of “By
the Beautiful Sea" to take a simi-
lar stint with the new Sidney
Kingsley . play, “Lunatics and
Lovers." Len Bedsow has. moved
up from stage manager of “Sea"
to succeed Liff, with Dennis Mur-
ray taking over as stage, manager
and Charles Millang remaining as
assistant. Incidentally, the Liffs
have adopted an infant son.
Wolfe Kaufman has resigned as
president of the Assn, of Theatri-
cal Press Agents & Managers to
go to Paris to live. He’s being
lunebeoned next Friday 7 (22) at
Sardi’s restaurant, N. Y. ,. , . Coast;
producer Edwin Lester, in for to-
night’s (Wed.) premiere of “Peter
Pan;" returns immediately to at-
tend the San Francisco opening of
the Old Vic’s “Midsummer Night’s
Dream," under local Civic Light
Opera sponsorship, but wall be
back to New York in about 10 days.
Gateway Stock Co., stock opera-
tion at the Great Smokey Mt. Na-
tional Park, Tenn., will give two
performances of “Ah Wilderness’’
at the Brandon House, N. Y., next
Tuesday - Wednesday (26-27) . . ,
Carol Bruce returns to New York
from London in midrNovember fol-
lowing. a seven-month West End
run in “Pal Joey," which winds- up
Oct. 30 at the Prince’s Theatre . , .
George Schaefer, associate pro-
ducer of“Teahouse of the August
Moon," will direct John. Hunting*
ton’s production of John .Cecil
Holm’s “Southwest Corner,” slated
to open on Broadway in January.
Evie Hayes baeje in New, York
after three years in Australia as
star of “Annie Get Your Gun,"
“Oklahoma" and for the last year
in “Call Me Madam" in Brisbane
. . . Jerome Cowan, currently star-’
ring in the George Brandt road
company of ‘“Moon Is Blue," ex-'
pects his family to join him for the
Angel Casalini new boxoffice
head at N Y. City Center, succeed-
ing William Jakob, resigned . , .
Julian Olney, manager of the Paul
Gregory Booking Office, has.
switched his headquarters from
White Plains, N.Y„ to Hollywood,
but. is due back, east in December
or January;
Chicago: Bits
Chicago, Oct. 19.
Paul Groll, company manager of
the touring ‘“Wonderful Town,’*’
has enrolled as a student at Roose-*
vfelt College, Chi. . ... Jim McKen-
zie, owner and former producer, at
Dobbs Ferry (N.Y.) Playhouse, '
the new publicist . at the Showcase
Theatre, Evanston, 111. r - His aetress J
wife. Jeanne Bolan* is featured with
Gavin Mooney in “The Family Up-
stairs," which opens, at the spot
tonight (Tues.) . . . Producer Leon-
ard. Sillman, busy doctoring “Mrs.
Pattersbn,” has cut 10 minutes
from the Eartha Kitt-starrer. try-
ing out at the Harris.
JULES PFEIFFER WELL,
READYING ROADSHOWS
Chicago, Oct! 19.
Twpfer specialist Jules Pfeiffer,
recovered from an illhess that idled
him for a couple of months, is back
'in action again. He's starting re-
hearsals in about 10 days With a
touring production of “School for
Brides," opening Nov. 4 at the
Court Square Theatre, Springfield,
Mass. It will star nitery-vaude
comic Jackie Kannon.
Pfeiffer is also negotiating with,
the Theatre Guild and author Wil-
liam Inge for the rights to “Pic-
nic," having bought the scenery
of the touring version which closed
recently here* He hopes to tour the
Pulitzer and N. Y. Drama -Critics
Circle prize-winner, again.
Prpducer’s illness which forced
the delay in launching “Brides’*
apparently cost him most of tha
midwest and western bookings ha
had lined up. The route was tiiken
over by Danny Goldberg, his
partner in the three-year “Good
Nile: Ladies"' expedition, who has
-sent but a farce called “Naughty
Natalie," *
Danilova Opens Tour
With Own New Troupe
Ballerina Alexandra Danilova,
who for years headed the Ballet
Russe de Monte Carlo, began the
first tour last week with her own
small troupe under the Hurok ban-
ner. Mmei Danilova played Orch-
estra Hall, Chicago, Oct. 12, for
her breakin date, hardly suitable
spot for ballet, but drew good
notices.
Danilova, whose group Includes
Michael Maule, Roman Jasinsky
and Moscelyne Larkin, and pianists.
Richard Ellis and Dan Gordon, will
play 44 dates ih the 11-week tour
Sol Hurok has booked; . The com-
pany then goes to Honolulu and
Japan.
Elliott Nugent. mulling a
Broadway production of the Wil-
. %
Christmas holidays, when show hits
Cincinnati enroute to the Coast;
Wednesday, October 20, 1954
" W 1 l 1 —
LEGITIMATE 137
CHARGE ACCOUNT SHOW TRIPS
i
Minneapolis, Oct. 19.
“Naughty Natalie,’? touring farce playing a break-in engage-
ment at. the Lyceum here last week on twofers, is a “horrid,
travesty on the theatre arts,” according to the Minneapolis Star
reviewer. Notice by George Rice, pinchhitting for regular critic
John K. Sherman, gave the show one of the most severe paps i
local stage history.
Asserting that he could think of nothing the body civic had
done to merit Such a show. Rice suggested that the . public
“deserves an apology.” He continued, “To, describe this thing i
any terms common to the theatre would be laughable. ' It is
poor burlesque house walk-on dragged over three ‘acts,’ - It
tasteless, asinine thing with two ingredients: mistaken identity
and female impersonationi” He concluded, “The opening night
crowd was small.”
Show was scaled here at $3.90 top; but sold on ,two-for-ones.
Danny Goldberg is touring the Neil E. and Caroline Scliaffrier
farce to take over dates previously booked by Jules Pfeiffer for
“School for Brides;” 'When Pfeiffer became ill some time ago,
“Brides”, was shelved.
London, Oct. 19. -
History is about to repeat. The
opening of “Can-Can” at the Lon-
don Coliseum last Thursday (14)
received only one favorable review
and ya host of pans from the na-
tional press the following morning.
Nevertheless, it has all the appear-
ances of a *bOxoffice smash and
bright prospects of a healthy run.
. Apart from the solitary rave by
Alan Dent in the News Chronicle,
the London reviewers were critical
of the book and considered the
Cole Porter score to be below his
standard. They generally praised
the dancing and lauded Jerome
Whyte’s direction..
Most of the critics also gave the
nod to Irene Hilda, the French
star, who made her London legit
debut in this production. They
also praised the two male leads,
Edmund Hockridge and. Alfred
Marks.
The Daily Express notice by
John Barber was headed “Smart,
Slick, Empty,” and commented
that the show “has the frantic
gloss with which producer Jerry
Whyte Slicks up every job into a
routine smash hit. But ‘Can-Can’
merely a triumph of smart pack-
aging. There is nothing inside the
(Continued on page 140)
Oakdale (Conn.) Tent
Hit 170G Season Gate
Wallingford, Conn., Oct. 19*
Oakdale Musical Theatre has
put its first season in mothballs,
having surmounted practically
every ,kind of stumbling-block that
ever threatened such an operation.
Producers Ben Segal, Carl Spear
and Bob Hall had an uphill battle
to raise the initial coin . on the
project, .but accomplished it a bare
three Weeks before the July 3 cur-
tain-raiser* Tent Theatre then ran
into spell of unfavorable
weather, including one actual hur-
ricane and one threatened one, in-
volving one cancelled perform-
ance arid; property damage.
Climaxing the headaches was a
post-season lawsuit tossed by a
stockholder who claimed a mixup
on percentage of ownership of the
project. This stockholder, New
Haven wholesale drug exec A.
Allen Johnson, sued for $75,000
damages, alleging that his $5,000
initial investment, plus a $12,000
loan, entitled him to a orie-fourth
interest.
Despite such headaches, Oakdale
had a click first season in a setup
new' to Connecticut musical fans.
Original 10-week sked was ex-
tended to 12. Capacity houses were
plentiful, and final figures showed
an estimated total attendance of
90,000. and an overall gross of
$170,000.
As evidence of the favorable Im-
pression created locally, prior to
season finale several hundred citi-
zens of Wallingford turned Out at
a shindig in town’s leading hos-
telry, St. George’s Inn, as' a good-
will party for the Oakdale person-
nel
Old Vic’s Vet Emcees
40th Anni Celebration
London, Oct. 12. -•
Andrew Leigh, who was a mem-
ber of the Old Vic’s original
Shakespearean company, which
opened, with “The Taming of the
Shrew” on Oct. 5, 1914, emceed a ,
40th anni celebration' at that thea-
tre last week. Hutin Britton (Mrs.
Matheson Lang), who .played the
Shrew ori that occasion, was among
the artists who took part in the
special presentation*
The celebration took the form
of a private performance to mem-
bers of the Vic-Wells Assn. The
artists who participated included
Claire Bloom, Alec. Guinness, Miles
Malleson and Michael Redgrave.
Berger Thwarted Again
As ‘Town’ Bypasses Mpk;
Minneapolis, Oct. 19. .
Latest crusher for Bennie
Berger, operating the Lyceum, is
the routing of “Wonderful Town”
away from Minneapolis. After the
booking of “Caine Mutiny Court
Martial” into St. Paul instead of
here, and the cancellation of a fall
date here for “King and I,” that’s
three in a row on the chin for
Berger. i
Having taken oVer the Lyceum
in the middle of last season from
James Nederlander, who had op-
erated it for five years, Berger
has had tough going with the local
legit flagship. He’s found it much
more difficult than buying product,
for his film circuit. The annual
$20,000 rental is a hurdle from
the start, he says.
Except for a twofer flop, Berger
so far has been able to book only
one legiter so far and has nothing
in prospect for the rest of the year.
Also, the single regular booking,
“Picnic,” was in mid-August, when
the weather was still hot for . the
non-air-conditiOned . house. The
Theatre Guild's promised subscrip-
tion season of Seven offerings isn’t
materializing, Berger notes.
“King and I” was “tentatively”
set for a November fortnight as
a Guild subscription offering and
on the strength of that arinounce-
ment (many subscriptions were
sold. But the show’s management
decided not to play Minneapolis
until after its Chicago run, which
may continue through the current
season.
Meanwhile, “Wonderful Town”,
was routed to ‘the Coast through
Kansas City, with Minneapolis
eliminated on the assumption that
“King" would be playing here. Be-
cause the “Town” contracts have
been sighed, the dates can’t , be
changed. “Town” is now promised
for next May, but then the weather
likely will' be warm arid conditions
may be less favorable, Berger
feels. There’s also a question
Whether Carol Channing will re-
main as star of “Town” that long.
By HOBE MORRISON
The legit theatre could conceiv-r
ably get its biggest biz hypo in
years from- a new company to
operate show junkets to Broad-
way by. train, bus and air and from
New York for out-of-town tryouts.
Another of the- outfit’s numerous
projects is a plan for charge ac-
counts for tickets for all Broadway
shows. Latter should be in opera-
tion next week.
Unlike show trains and show
buses conducted by various groups
from time to time in the past, the
new plan calls for frequent' trips
on a large scale, all with the
charge account feature. For ex-
ample, a show train Would be run
from Atlanta, with sleeper accom-
modations instead of .■ the lounger.
seat cars generally used in the
past. All tickets will be for or-
chestra seats,
Atlanta junket would cost around
$130 per person and would include
roundtrip fare, five days and four
nights in New Yurie, with accom-
modations at hotels like! the Para-
riiount, Taft, Edison, dinners at
Sardi’s and Lindy’s, etc., attend-
ance at two musicals and two
straight plays, a late evening at the
Latin Quarter and two sightseeing
(Continued on page 140)
i
Apparently unauthorized use . of
a U. S. comedy sketch iii a recent
London revue may stir up an in-
ternational copyright dispute. Facts
in the case aren’t definitely estab-
lished, but the Dramatists Guild is
investigating in behalf of the
sketch author, Arnold B. Honvitt.
Skit in question, titled “The Ac-
tress,” was used, in the revue,
“Cockles and Champagne,” which
had a three-month run at the Pic-
cadilly Theatre, London, and has
since reopened at a non- West End
house. Show’s program credited
authorship to Arnold Aubach, pre-
sumably meaning Broadway scrip.t-
er Arnold Auerbach.
Horwitt, whose “The Actress”
sketch, has never been produced in
the U. S., had authorized New
York agent Kenneth Later to sub-
mit it to London managements
However, as far as the author and
Later know, no deals for the ma-
terial were ever concluded. Hor-
witt learned only last week of the
use of the “Actress” skit in
“Cockles.”
A Mi d aa miv nnn ifpt
*‘Tonight iini - Samarkand,” * Bruce
Becker-Robert Ellis Miller produc-
tion to costar Paul Henreid and
Mai Zetterling, is budgeted at $61,-
200, including bonds, plus $23,300
for reserve tnd tryout loss. It’s
figured likely to break even, at
around $17,000 weekly gross.
Project is being capitalized at
$ 100 , 000 .
Rehearsals are slated for early
December, with Herman Shumlin
directing. There will be a four-
week^ tryout, with the New York
opening planned for late January.
The Jacques Deval drama has been
adapted by Lorenzo Semple . Jr.
Musical ‘Huck Finn’
Greensboro, N. C., Oct. 19.
“Huck Finn,” a musical comedy
based on the Mark Twain classic,
“Huckleberry Finn,” will be pro-
duced at Catawba College, Salis-
bury, N.C., during November, with
a brief tour of the state to follow.
Piece has been adapted by Ar-
nold Colbath, drama professor at
the college, with 13 songs by Billy
Burke, of Salisbury.
Seen in Shuberts League Bowout
College Theatre Troupe
Returns From Army Tour
Granville, O., Oct. 19.
Denisoh Players have returned
to their home base at Denison U.
here after a 10-week tour of mili-
tary stations in Europe, backed
by the Defense Dept, It included
Germany, Italy, Austria and
France. Group of 12, including
students, drama teachers arid pros,
was headed by Prof. Edward A.
Wright, director of drama at Deni-
son. !
Unit, gave a total of; 66 perform-,
ances of “But Not Goodbye,” “I
Like It Here” and “Hay Fever.”
Foldo of Hero’
“Home Is the Hero,” Walter
Macken drama which closed last
Saturday night (16) at the Booth,
N.Y.,. after a 29-performance sub-
scription run, involved a loss esti-
mated at about $30,000. It was pro-
duced by the Theatre Guild and
Worthington Miner, with the latter
doubling as stager;
Play was produced for $26,415,
including $6,227 for the scenery,
$543 for props, $1,065 for costumes,
$1,034 for electrics and sound, $475
director fee and expenses, $6,019
rehearsal salaries and expense,
$4,174 preliminary advertising and .
publicity expense, $1,250 for gen-
eral manager, $1,250 for legal fees
and expenses, $486 carting, $1,233
transportation, $450 for cancelled
actor contracts and $702 for the
tryout, at the Westport ( Conn. )
Country Playhouse.
The production was capitalized at
$40,000. Cast included the author,
Peggy Ann Garner, Glenda Farrell,
J. Pat O’Malley,. Art Smith, Ann
Thomas and Frances Fuller (Mrs.
Miner).
Macken sailed Sunday (17) with
his wife for Eire. He will go to his
home in Galway to “lick his
wounds.” ACtor-novelist-playwright
has a new novel, “Sunset Through
the Window,” due for publication
iri London soon and in the U.S.
next spring, and he has the idea
for a new one oil which he hopes to.
begin work shortly. He has no im-
mediate plans -for a new play or
any acting.
TO DOUBLE ON LIGHTS
Demand for a $425 minimum pay
hike for designers who double on
lighting is the principal snag in
current negotiations, between the
United Scenic Aftists and the
League of N. Y. Theatres.
Union wants the present regular
minihiuiti upped from $850 to
$1,275 if the designer doubles on
lighting. Present contract doesn’t
call for additional payment for
doubling.
Mi imum for designers who do
Only sets . would remain $850, and
the minimum for doing just lights
would stay at $450. Increase for
the double-duty workers would re-
late only to the first set* Payments
for additional sets would remain at
the present scale of $400 each for
the next four and $250 for each
thereafter.
New St. L. Muny Prez
St. Louis, Oct. 19.
Execs of the Municipal Theatre
Assn,, sponsor of alfresco musicals
in the Forest Park playhouse, last
week elected investment broker
Albert M.. Keller as prez. They also
revised the bylaws whereb^ the
tenure of the prez in \the future
will be limited to two one-year
terms,
1 Keller succeeds Jacob M, Lashly,
who served 12 years and declined
1 to run again.
Prospect of future complications
in the legit union setup on Broad-
way and perhaps the road is seen
in the recent exit of J. J. Shubert
from the League of N. Y. Theatres,
It’s expected that the Shuberts will
hereafter insist on negotiating sep-
arate deals with the unions in
many case?. As members of the
League, they were formerly repre-
sented by the producer and tltea-
treowner organization union
matters.
it’s feared that producers book-
ing Shubert theatres , may be in a
spot if, as might happen, they
were bound by a League contract
with a union, while the Shuberts
Were either still in negotiation or
Were in a dispute with the same
employee outfit.. Such a situation
could readily, involve the stage-
hands’ or musicians’ ions, for
example.
Unless and until the Shuberts
produce another show,, there’s
little prospect of a stymie of that
kind arising in connection with Ac-
tors Equity, the Dramatists Guild
or perhaps the scenic artists’
union. Negotiations between the
latter group arid the League are
currently in progress.
Although the Shuberts have not
officially held membership, in the
League for some months, there
was apparently not ari open break,
and it was generally assumed that
they would in normal circum-
stances abide by union agreements
(Continued on page 140)
How to Find Lost Hound:
Legit Director Takes
To Tele to Locate Him
According to his friends, legit
director arid drama critic. Harold
Clurman generally takes a dim
view of television. But when his
dog was lost last week, his first
thought was to turn to video to get
it back. What’s more, tv did the
job, locating the purp and haying
it returned pronto to Clurman and
his wife, actress Stella Adler.
The Clurmans were at Darieri,
Conn., for the weekend when the.
poOch, which film-legit star Marlon
Brando got in Venice last year and
brought them as a present, disap-
peared. After scouting the neigh-:
borhood by motor and telephone
without success, Clurman. fantically
called his friend. Howard Teich-
mann, co-author of “Solid Gold
Cadillac,” who Was a tv-radio
scripter before collaborating with
George S. Kaufman on the legit
comedy success.
“You know about tv, Tike,” said
Clurman after a preliminary word
of greeting and an explanation of
the loss of the cherished canirie.
“Get them to announce it .on the;
air. You can offer a reward,” he
added.. After trying vainly to con-
vince the stager that it might be
difficult to. get item . like a
strayed mutt on a crowded news
program, Teichmann agreed to try.
He hung up, sat and stared out
the window for a few minutes arid
then phoned his friend Kenneth
Banghart, the tv commentator-an-
nouncer (and spare-time legit pro-
ducer). There might be an un-
usual news story, he suggested, in
the fact that the noted theatrical
director Harold Clurman had lost
a rare arid valuable dog, a Lahassa
terrier, and would give a part in
his next Broadway show to th
finder.
Banghart didn’t have a scheduled
news show that night, but he gave
the info to his NBC^TV colleague
John Wingate, Who put it on the
air soon afterward. Teichmaiiri and
Banghart figured • that the . high-
ways to Connecticut would be
jammed with cars filled with ac-
tors hoping to land a stage job by
finding the pup. But a Connecticut
resident, not an actor, picked up
the prized anirhal and returned it
to Clurman, so that the director
presumably won’t have to make
good on Teichmami Y reward offer*
138
LEGITIMATE
PTESnSTr-
Wednesday, October 20, 1954.
on
Tlie: Tender Trap
Clinton Wilder production of comedy,
in three acts, (four scenes) by Max^Shul-
man and Robert Paul Smith. Stars Robert
Preston, Kim Hunter, Runny. Graham;
features Janet Riley, Jack Mannin .Julia
Meade. Parker McCormick. Joey Faye.
Staged by Michael 'Gordon; scenery • and
lighting, Paul Morrison; costumes; Anna
Hill Johnstone. At Longacre,: N;Y.. Qct.
13. '54; $5,85-94.60 top (S5.90 opening).
Ronny Qrahajn
Charlie Reader
Poppy Matson
Joe' McCall
Jessica Collins
Sylvia Crews
.Julie. Gillis
Earl Lindquist
Sol Schwartz
Parker McCormick.
, : Robert Preston
Julia Meade
..... Kim Hunter
Janet RUey
.. . . . Jack Manning"
Joey Faye
Some funny things are said by
some unattractive people ‘ ‘‘The
Tender; Trap.’’ Before the evening
Js over, the authors manage to
make every character so unpleasr
ant that the audience -is inclined
not to care much what happens to
anyone. That’s practically a defi-
ition of an unsatisfying show.
On that basis, ’.‘Trap” is a ques-
tionable bet for Broadway, al-
though the show’s moderate cost
and operating nut, combined with
Its heavy theatre party hookings
and the revenue from its pre-pro-
duction film sale make it a reason-
able prospect to pay off. If Metro,
which owns the screen rights, , can
make the characters a bjt more
likable, it might get an amusing
picture out of the yarn:
The play’s title refers to a. gabby
young gal who snares a gadabout
but cagey young New York bache-
lor. The big town, according to co-
authors Max Shulman :and Robert |
Paul Smith, is overrun With man-
hungrv career girls who scamper
in . and out of bachelor^ apart-
ments at all hours, including Sun-
day breakfast; keep the sofas
rumpled, the phones ringing and
their, nv'le "rey. deluged with. pres-
ents and affection.
The whirlwind - happy h e r o
spreads his masculine, attention
among Such eager candidates as a.
balmy lass who presents him With
a whitefish caught by her father,
a southern accent number who
brings him. a large cheese, an NBC
Symphony violinist who gives him
recordings and comes around to
cook his Sunday breakfast, and
the non-stop, talker . and weeoer
who finally has him headed for the
altar at the finale.
The girls-chase-man routine is
varied by a domesticated business
associate and schooldays crony
who arrives as the bachelor’s
house guest and is soon ready to
ditch his wife and three kids back
home for one of the on-the-make-
girls. This so unnerves the bache-
lor that he gets 'engaged to two
girls at once.
There are some undeniably
funny jokes in the script, but
‘‘Trap” can’t rise above its un-
savory characters. After awhile, it
just doesn’t matter which selfish
guy gets which predatory gal.
They pretty much deserve each
other.
Some, ingratiating actors make
game but futile efforts to put
across the unpr&possessihg ma-
terial. Robert Preston is particu-
larly engaging as the visiting medi-
cine man who tries tq sample big-
city sin, but the part finally, be-
comes so lowlife that it’s no audi-
ence hardship when he goes, hack
to wife and kids.
Kim Hunter gives a skillful per
formance as the amorous fiddle
player. ... although it’s hardly con
ceivabie that such a good-looking.
Intelligent and self-respecting girl
would be hard up for a man. But
the authors ultimately cross her
up, too, as it turns out that she
merely wants a husband and is
ready to settle for almost anything
In pants, if only, he can be ma
neuvered or tricked into marry-
ing her. Even so; she takes the
play’s slight remaining interest
with her when she •f inally exits.
Ronny Graham, as the bachelor
who never had dalliance so good
back in Indianapolis, is moderately
disarming in a grinning, jittery
way, but the authors ultimately
make him just a slaphappy kind
of jerk, so he’s an audience dud,
too.
Tile various transient , girls, in-
cluding Janet Riley as the human
talkathon,: Parker McCormick as
the daffy fish-giver and Julia
Meade as the down south accent,
remain pretty much incidental* de-
spite their acceptable perform-
ances, and there are competent hut
relatively unimportant portrayals
by Jack Manning as a lovelorn
chemist and Joey Faye as a hilari-
ously hopped-up jive musician.
Michael Gordon has staged the
comedy adequately, Paul Morrison
has designed an interior setting
suitable for- bachelor depravity,
and Anna Johnstone has provided
decorative clothes. Kobe.
Fragile Fox
\ Paul Vroom (In assn, with Barnard
: Strauss) production of drama in three
acts (five scenes), by Norman A. Brooks.
Stars Dane Clark. Don Taylor; features
James Gregory, Andrew Duggan, Rich-
ard Carlyle. Crahan' Denton. Clem Fow r
lev. Jason Wingreen,. Lionel Wilson. Addi-
son PoivelL Directed, by, Herbert Swope
Jr.; sets and lighting; Ralph Alswang. At
Belasco, N.Y., Qct. 12, '54; $5.75-$4.60 top.
Cabt. Ersklne’ Cooney. . . .Andrew Duggan
Corp; Jackson Lionel Wilson
1st Lt; Joseph Costa Dane Clark
1st Lt. Harry Woodrurf. . ; . . Don Taylor
Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett ... James Gregory
Pfc. Bernstein Clem Fowler
pfe. Snowden - , . . .. Jason Wingreen
Tech. Sgt. Tolliver Crahan Denton
Capt. Gerstad Addison Powell
Pfs, Herman Ricks Richard Carlyle
Pvt, Jacob Abramowltz. .William Hellinger
Tall German Eugene Smith
Short German .......... • Leonard Bell
Pvt. Sneider Robert McQueeney
“Fragile Fox/’ despite its nariie,
is a frequently sturdy melodrama
about officers and Gls during
World War II. Familiarity of the
subject-matter and '. the . cliche-
pattern of certain incidents and
dialog,, however, militate against
its Broadway chances, and a cer-
tain slickness in its presentation
also doesn’t help. Odds are against
its b.o. success.
. This first play by Norman A.
Brooks, reportedly based on> per-
sonal experiences of the author,
has a lot to commend it. Starting
a little slowly, it picks up plenty
pace in the tense and exciting
second act, and continues its mood
and suspense to the end. But flaws
in characterization, certain exag-
gerations in speech or incident,,
crop up too often, to curb enthu-
siasm and interest.
The humor* in the first act (as
with the attempt of a Gl to get to
Paris for a date) is repetitious,
forced and hackneyed, although
there are funny moments in the
second act* Oddly enough, they
still seem humorous though closely
associated with grimness and death.
The story revolves around two
young lieutenants, loyal to the Gls
under them, and constantly in fric-
tion (openly or overt) with their
two superiors; One of the latter is
cowardly,, drunken captain and
the other is a materialistic colonel
who protects the captain because
he needs the help of the latter’s
father to further- his future politi-
cal career back home. The captain
is responsible for the death of sev-
eral men through his Cowardice,
and in a final scene, when he is
about to surrender more men to
the Germans, he is shot by one of
the lieutenants.
What makes the drama persua-
sive are the fine performances by
the all-male cast, good direction by
Herbert Swope Jr. and excellent
Ralph Alswang sets. Dane Clark
brings drive and conviction to the
part of a rough-hewn first louie,
embittered over the needless
death of rhen due to the captain’s
cravenness, and determined to
make him pay for this — even
though the part is overwritten and
distraught towards the close, Don
Taylor impresses as the thoughtful
schoolteacher turned lieutenant
who tries to curb the impetuo&s
Clark, yet who himself shoots the
captain at the finish.
Andrew Duggan is generally con-
vincing as the yellow captain until
the scripting, too, gets away from
him, and Janies Gregory , is effec-
tive as the blustering, tough and
opportunist colonel. Crahan Den-
ton brings quiet authority and
strength to the part of a moun-
taineer sergeant,,; and there are
some other good' supporting per-
formances. Some of the GI figures,
however, are too stock. Bron.
Sing Me No Lullaby
„T. Edward' Hambleton ■ and 'Norris'
Houghton production of drama In three
acts . by . Robert Ardrey; Features Larry
Gates, Richard Kiley, Jessie R6yce Landis,
John. Marley, Beatrice Straight. .Tack
Warden, Marian Winters. Staged by Paul
Stewart; scenery. Ben Edwards; costumes,
Alvin Colt; lighting, Klaus Holm. At
Phoenix, N.Y., Oct. 14, '54; *3.45 top
(*4.60 opening),
Christine CoUlnger . .
Ben CoUlnger
Mike Hertzog ......
Clay Dixon
Abe Levene. .. ...
Maddy Hertzog
Fanny CoUlnger ....
Johnny Colton Smith
Parrish
cellent choice for limited-engage-
ment presentation at the? special- 1
public Phoenix, it’s a dubious pros-
pect for transfer to Broadway.
This is the play that, it’s under-
stood, Ardrey has been writing on
and off for about eight years. Dur-
ing that period it has presumably
undergone some of the author’s
changing convictions in changing
times. But it still is fundamen-
tally a statement of a citizen’s re-
sponsibilities in a republic and an
argument that compromise is the
essence of democracy.
In a way; the drama’s thesis of-
a condition of intellectual terror-;
ism. in the U. S. is refuted by the
fact that “Lullaby” has been .pro-
duced. But it has been done un-
der the special Phoenix . aus-
pices, : not on Broadway; More-
over, the tone; of almost hysterical
denunciation in some of the no-
tices supports the play’s premise.
As should surprise no one, there 1
is some line writing in' “Lullaby/’
When Ardrey finally gets past the
awkward first two acts, with their
unnecessary, confusing flashbacks,
the drama crackles with action and
conviction; Its final passage is elo-
quent and genuinely stirring.
However, the first act, in particu-
lar, fritters away so much, time and
tension and exhausts audience pa-
tience, that the play never entirely
recovers.
In . general theme, “Lullaby” is
slightly suggestive of the anti-es-
capism of the same author’s 1939
drama, “Thunder Rock.” It is the
story of a disillusioned liberal who
finally becomes so aroused over the
repressive tendency of the country
that he goes back into, public life
to fight for. his beliefs. His cur-
tain speech is to the effect that
right is not an either-or choice of
extremes, but some middle ground
with room for everyone,
The play’s complicated structure
seems diffuse and weak. The de-
vice of gathering the leading char-
acters together in a small town Il-
linois cottage at various key points
in their lives appears arbitrary and
incredible. Moreover, some of the
pivotal characters seem insuffici-
ently motivated or explained. ,
But such scenes as the FBI
man questioning two f r i e n d s
of a suspected scientist . and by
plain implication trying to black-
mail them into turning against him
and each other, the sequences in
which shortwave contact is estabr
lished with a Soviet, agent in* New
Zealand, and the affirmative finale
are taut and gripping;
Under Paul Stewart’s sympathe
tic but slightly restrained direc
tion there are effective, perform-
ances by Richard Kiley as the li
beral who finally accepts responsl
bility; Larry Gates as a political
manager who wavers under threat
of guilt-by-assdeiation smear, Bea
trice Straight as the liberal’s ill-ex-
plained wife, Jessie Royce Landis
in the imperfectly defined role of a
reactionary matriarch, Jack War-
den as a former Commie sympath-
izer a Unable to escape that stigma,
Marian Winters as his distraught
wife and John Marley as a cool
BI man. Ben Edwards has de-
signed a properly primitive looking
farm cottage interior and Alvin
Colt has supplied the costumes.
“Lullaby” will almost certainly
have the distinction of 'infuriating
the reactionary and lefty extrem-
ists, but unfortunately it’s unlikely
to have commensurate popularity
with general audiences. For a
realist like Ardrey, it must there-
fore be rated a failure. Hobe.
Quadrille
Boston, Oct. 14.
John C. Wilson and H. M. Tennenti Ltd.
Pardon Our Antenna
Chicago, Oct 16.
•Broadway . Productions presentation of
production of comedy,, in three acts ii n « ct i L h 2
(seven scenes), by Noel Coward. .Stays
Lynn Fontanne, Alfred Lunt, Edna Best.
.Brian Aherrie. Directed by Lunt; scenery
and costumes, Cecil Beaton. At Colonial,
Boston,. Oct. 14; '54, v *4.95 top.
French Woman' , Madeline Clive
French. Man Byron Mitchell
Buffet Manageress . . Patricia Quinn O'Hara
Rev. Edgar Spevin . , .
His WHe .. . ........
His Daughter .... *
Walter
Courier ..... ... ..;....
Marquis of Heronden.
Mrs. . Axel Dlensen'. . , ,
Catchpolo
Footman ...
.Marchioness of Heronden . . Lynn Fontanne
Lady" Harriet Ripley . . . Brenda Forbes.
Foster Mildred Clinton
Axel Dlensen ........ Alfred Lunt
Countesss of Bonnlngton . DorothySands
2d French Woman
2d French Mail
by . Ole. Olsen and Chic Johnson. Stars'
Olsen and Johnson; features Marty May,
June Johnson, Johnny 1 Bacbemirt, Eileen
O’Dare, Eileen end Elsa Nilsson* Sid.
Krofft. JOy Lane, Nina Varelas Directed
by David Tihmar; -music and lyrics,
Michael and Nova Simpson; additional
dialogue, Eugene. Conrad; special music
Paul Jordon, Paul Severson, Paul Crum-
baugh, Frank Panico and Olsen; scenery,.
Manqel AviUa; costumes,. Harry Bosen
and Paul Brune; musical director. Jack
Cavan. At Selwyn, Chicago, Oct. 16, '54;
94.50 top.
Cast also 'includes Scat Man Grothers,
Bobby May; Les PhUmer, Earl Renard,
Howard - Tong; Richard 'Wright, Tom
O’Horgan, Donn Lester, Marlene *. Lind,
Shula Bass, Evelyn Cavan, Mary . Dale,
Pat Garber, Susart Hartman, Mary Roe. .
rich, Arlene Schwab, Dana Sosa, Eleanor
Stattin, Dorothy . Macey, Kenny Davis,
UU Miidred^CHnton I Hartley Karns. Emmanuel Wlhston. An-
...Jerome Kilty
Phyllis Connard
, . . Nina Reader
Bruce Webster
ichard Longman
. . Brian Aherne
..... ; Edna Best
Harold Crane
Rhoderlck Walker
. . Beatrice Straight
.... Richard Kiley
Jack Warden
. . ... .... Larry Gates
.... Michael' Lipton
■ . Marian Winters
Jessie Royce Landis
. . .'. * , . .John Fiedler
...... John Marley
Robert Ardrey, a respected name
in legit Without ever quite clicking
at the b.o., has returned from sue
cess in Hollywood with a drama of
contemporary significance, “Sing
Me No Lullaby.” it’s the first pro-
duction of T. Edward Hambleton’s
and Norris Houghton’s second
stock season at the Fhoenix The-
atre, on N. Y.’s lower east side.
“Lullaby” is perhaps the most
serious drama of recent seasons.
Despite its obvious and consider-
able flaws, it is an important play.
As a propaganda piece, its effect
must be measured primarily by its
popular acceptance, and on that
basis it cannot be rated a success.
For while the play seems an ex-
The special charm of “Quadrille” Ole Olsen and Ghic Johnson
ies in the mingled personalities have patched together an uneven
of Alfred Lunt and Lynne Fon- and untidy revue that’s supposed
a nostalgic whiff of the to lampoon television. It opens with
Noel .Coward of ^two decades ago v t . r . • ,
and the fragrance of designer Cecil a crac k Liperace and. only
Beaton in his richest ajid most ele- rarely gets^out of left. during
gant vein. It is ai fragile distilla- the .remainder of its course, which
tiqn; but to anyone under the spell ^ opening night ran a long 150
of : these two superb people, it is miI *utes, saris intermission,
a delightful experience. Although avowedly imed for
Even the most enamored, how- o^terprise seems
ever, will always be aware that the headed for the ashcan. There _ just
play is more a slow and stately ^ an t fie that many theatregoers
sarabande than a lively quadrille. comedy
Yet once a Singularly appealing an ^, sniCKeri i*S sex gags.
American railroad pioneer appears . The two afcts are a conglomera-
in tlie drawing room of the Mar- tion. of skits, most of them feeble
chioness of Heronden to confront takeoffs on tv shows; several night
her with the fact her husband has club acts tossed in as is, and a
eloped with his wife, the old magic, series of production numbers; The
begins to cast its spell. The Lunts video allusions, like “Gagnet” and
are on the stage again.
‘Love Lucille,” are pegs for some
The rest is as inevitable, as the' ^
virtuosity, Together, they face the ^ ca ^ seems badly jdated by the
eloped pair at their Cote d’Azur
villa. And this one act gleam* with S 1 ®™; ” £
the small jewels of repartee hardly ^
dimmed by their reminiscence of f.^5 e is ^ I lne ® as raiy^as
Private Lives” and “Design for P^ uc ^ e d chicken used as a prop.
Living.” In the end the gruff but What honors of the evening there
good-as-gold railroad man with a are belong to vaude-nitery per-
Wliitmahesque flair for reciting formers Johnny Bachemin and Sid
the grandeur of young America Kfofft. Bachemin dashes off a fine
carries off the Marchioness* warm song - dance - keyboarding routin*
heart. and Krofft displays marionette
It is all very smooth, very civil-
ized, very elegant and at timos very and June Johnson con-
dull. At odd intervals the sugges-
tion of the earlier Coward is a
little sad, yet there is a romantic
after-glow that, like a fall sunset,
is as warm as it is melancholy.
Still, as a frame for the urbane
though essentially noble qualities
of the Lunts both as personalities,
it is hard to think how it could be
improved.
Months of refinement abroad
have given; their characterizations
a subtlety, a lustre and an expres-
siveness without trace of ostenta-
tion or conceit. That will carry the
play for the steelier members of
the audience, while softer hearts,
especially those of maturer women,
will melt.
Contributing to . this situation,
tribute featured .cheesecake and
acro-dancer Eileen O’Dare helps
’em get the scenery changed With
an okay turn, Nilssop twins work
hard for a few .laughs in a smeary
face cream demonstration- bit.
Marty May’s chief function is to
keep things in motion between
blackouts. He’s an expert upfront
singleton, but most of the material
is . from the bottom of a stacked
deck.
Production pieces range from
fair to laborious. Mambo number
featuring the Jose Bethencourt
orch and the “Lately, No Love
Lately” displays spotlighting Miss
Lane have their moments. Music
and lyrics by Michael and NOva
Simpson are suitable for the occa-
London Shows
London, Oct. 19;
(Figures denoto premiere dates)
After the Ball, Globe <6-10-54).
.Airs Shoestrln*, Royal Ct. (4-22-53).
All For Mery, Duke York (ft-9-54).
S ell, Book, Csndlo, Fhoenix (10-3-54).
ofh Ends Moot, Apollo (6-0-54);
Boy Frlond, Wyndham's (12-1-33).
Csn-Csn, Coliseum (10-14-54).
Dork Light Enough, Aldwych (4-30-54).
.Day By Tho Sea; Haymarket (11-26-53).
D'Oyly Carte Opera', Savoy (0-13-54).
Dry Rot, Whitehall (8-31-54).
Duenqa, Westminster (7-28-54).
Folies Bergore, JPr. Wales (9-24-53).
Hippo Dancing, Lyric . (4-7-54).
I Am a Camara, New (3-12-54).
Intimacy At 1:30, Criterion (4-29-54).
Joyce Grenfell, St. Mart. (6-2-*4). •
Keep In Cool Placo, Savllle (8-16-54),
King and I, Drury Lane (10-8-53).
Lovo Match, Viet Palace (11-10-53),
Manor of Horthstead; Duchess (4-28-54).
Mousetrap, Ambas* (11,25-52), •
Never Too Late; Strand (6-3-54).
No Nows Fathtr, Cambridge (9-15-54).
Old ViC Rep, Old Vic (9-9-54).
Pal Joey,. Princes (3-31-54).
Party Spirit, Piccadilly (9-23-54).
Relations Apart, Garrick (8-3-54).
Skbrlna Fair, Palace (8-4-54).
Sa r ^d Days, Vaudeville (8-5-54).
Separate Tables, St. James's (9-22-34).
Teahouse Aug. Moon, Her Mat. (4-22-54).
Wedding In Paris, Htpp. (4-3-54),
Witness Prosecution, W. Gard. (10-28-53).
You'll Bo Lucky, Adelphi (2-25-54).
and vastly, to*, is the jSSSSS. ^
scene. Few plays even approach the are properly gaudy. _ . . •
opulence of Cecil Beaton’s ex-
quisite settings and costumes.
Every detail, from the golden hues n C P . ° r
of the Marchioness’ sitting room in P er ^aps a generation too late,
a Belgrave Square mansion to the uave.
sun-bathed plan of the Villa
Zodiacque, Is a masterly re-crea- Naughty Natalie
tion of high Victorian splendor, set Minheanolia Oct 11
off by costumes of the richest fash-
ion of the period. The contempla- thfie actf. ly .nd^Caroims
tion Of these beauties, indeed, Schaffner. Staged by Harry Miriturn. At
often sustains the interest in the to£ eu,n * Minneapom, Oct. li. '*4; *3.99
less rewarding aural moments. ; Tommy Brigg* William stout
.... Art Kassul
, j i , ,r .. . , jiv»i Ervll Kay Hart.
good deal of the dialogue was in- Thomaslna (Tommy) rigga
audible in all parts of the house. Wt , „ Pamela Printy
Brian AhAmA ac Natalie Neaome ..... Francyne Semmona
.Brian Anerne, as me pnilanaermg Juniper J. Juniper George Womack
aristocrat, though he looked the Jimmy Wilson Ray Hilton
part and played it excellently, was
particularly apt to speak too fast, “Naughty Natalie” ; is obviously
but the Lunts themselves often designed as a two-f or-one offering,
tossed a line away. This will cer- Threefer or fourfer or maybe
tainly be corrected before the play freefer would be niore suitable,
leaves Boston, for the superlative t»i*« k,. n,nmr
eviddnt* 1 0f Lvnt “ ^ erywher s Gdldbwg, erstwhile tartn?r , 0 T
' . ‘ . . .. . Jules Pfeiffer, to take over the
Edna BesL completing the four- latter’s “School for Brides/* dates
s « n lu’ con ^ r ^ u ^ e ^ a lively portrait called off because of Pfeiffer’s ill-
of the petulant Bostonian wife of ness. It’s just plain terrible,
the railroad builder. Only three hi
other performances need mention. J® jf ^? r i?. on l arJ C t r ^
These are by Brenda Forbes in a w ^ick the cast works hard; It
sharp and aniusing characterization a s ^ 0 , r ^ a , executive who
of the Marchioness’ confidant; acquires a bogus wife and child
Jerome Quilty, in a notable sketch 5? Per the edict of his board of
of a harrassed provincial parson, directors that employees must be
and Dorothy Sands, whose bit as a ia c mi }y men Coincidences, a couple
libidinously preoccupied old coun- of female impersonations and a
tess is contained in a torrential and gratuitous kidnaping provide him
comical monolog. Other brief w i th n°t one, but three apparent
speaking parts, capably accounted wives and kids. It all simmers down
for, are givgn by Phyllis Connard, to an off-color curtain gag*
Nina Reader and Bruce Webster. Single set is obviously a cheapy.
All in all, it would seem that with sleazy drapes and a couple
the Lunts’ numberless admirers of ramshackle door frames repre-
will happily overlook the words senting an apartment. In the title
for the music. The words are often Part, Francyne Semmons is an at j
Phnrt and npf*a«inr>nltv 'hrilHn'nf . tractive , blond. With Plenty Of
SCHEDULED OPEN!
Wild Ooos* Chas«, Embassy (10-19).
Jdah of Arc, Stoll (10-20).
Book of Month, Cambridge (10-21),
Matchmaker, Haymarket (11-4-54).
good and occasionally brilliant, but tractive blond, with plenty
it is the music of tlie.Lunts’ own figure, William Slout is creditably
persuasive perssonalities mingled harried, Ray Hilton does what he
so beautifully here that will carry can with a femme takeoff,
this play. Elie. Mur/.
Wednesday, October 20, 1954 P&RIE& LEGITIMATE 139
Following are the comparative figures based on Variety’s box-
office reports for last week (the 20th week of the season) and
the corresponding week of last season:
BROADWAY
This 1953-54
Season Season
Number of shows current , . v , 23 19
Total weeks played so far by ail shows 332 296
Total gross for all shows last week $669,700. $558,300
Season's total gross so far $9,143,000 $8,661,100 '
Number of new productions so far li ’ 12
ROAD/
Excluding stock
Number of current shows reported 21 24
Total weeks played so far by all shows 242 240
Total gross for all shows last Week ‘ $476,500 $449,800
Season’s total gross so far $6,392,800 $5,574,700
r
Chicago, Oct. 19.
Loop biz continued to improve
last week. A good gain was regis-
tered by “Wonderful Town,” and
“Mrs. Patterson” opened strong
with Theatre Guild subscription
support.
The future bookings include
Nov; 8, “Saint Joan,” Great North-
ern, on subscription;' Nov. 15,-
“Fifth Season, Erlahger, indefi-.
riite run; Nov. 23, “King and I,”
Shubert,* on subscription, indefi-
nite. run; Dec: 6, "Oh Men, Oh
Women,” Harris, subscription,
■indefinite run.
Estimates for Last Week
Mrs. Patterson, Harris (1st wk)
($5; 1,000) (Eartha Kitt). Nearly
$24,600 for first seven perform-
ances and one preview; opened Oct.
12 to tWo pans (Kogan, Sun-Times;
Dettmer, American) and two qual-
ified pans (CdsSidy, Tribune; Har-
ris, Daily News);
Pardon Our Antenna, Sehvyn
($4.50; 1,000) (Ole Olsen, Chic
Johnson). Opened Saturday (16)/
to unanimous pans; grossed, around
$3,800 for first, performance.
Wonderful Town, Shubert (15th
wk) ($4.60; 2,100) (Carol Cbannirtg).
Over $33,400 (previous week,.. $31,-
900); moves out Nov. 20 to re-
sume tour.
Boston, Oct. 19.
As exppcted, the Ballet Russd de
Mofite Carlo, in spite of program-
ming snafus,, pulled a hefty gross
on its single stanza at the Opera
House last ' week. “Quadrille,”
which jopeiied last Thursday (14) at
the Colonial, also went clean, with
the house reportedly sold out for.
tile remaining two weeks, of its
tryout.
Estimates for Last Week
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo,
Opera House (single- wk) ($4.00;
3.000). Mammoth $53,000; house is
dai’k
Getting. Gertie's Garter, Majestic
(4th wk) $3.30; 1,500).. Not too bad
at near $9,000 - oil twofers; con-
tinues. , .
. Quadrille, Colonial (ist wk)
($4.95; 1,576) (Alfred Lunt. Lynn
Fontanne, 'Edna Best, Brian
Aherne). Opened Thursday (14)
and nabbed nearly $19,000 for four
performances; tryout is in for two
Weeks more.
Shows in Rehearsal
Keys: C (Comedy), D (Drama),
CD .(Comedy-Drama), R (Revue),
MC ( Musical Comedy ), MD (Musi-
cal Drama )\0 (Opera), OP ( Op-
eretta ).
Bad Seed (D)— Playwrights Co.,-
prod.; Reginald Denham, dir;;
Nancy Kelly, star.
• Black-Eyed Susan (C) — Gordon
w. Pollock-JAmes Go.odman-Everett
Hart, prods.; Gregory Ratoff, dir,;
Vincent Price, star.
Flowering Peach (D) — Producers
Theatre,. Inc., prod.; Clifford Odets,
dh'-:. Menasha Skulnik,. star!
Living Room (D): — Gilbert Miller
& Donald Albery, prods.; Hugh
Hunt, dir.; Barbara Bel Geddes,
slm\
• On With the Show (Mh-Eiiza-
bo.h Mieie, prod.; Charles W.
CMristenberry Jr. & Byrle Cass,
Irra Petitta, star,
ortrait of a Lady (D) — Lyn Ails-
\ * nromas Noyes-*-Producers The-
‘ -. 'orods.; Jose Quintero, dir.;
'ni.'.'er Jones, star.
''’f-ing Breakfast (C-D)— Ker-
!). oonigarden, prod.; Herman
hhumli dir,;
‘Hut’ 5G, Balto
Baltimore, Oct, 19.-
Hurricane Hazel hit Don: Swann’s
winter stock^operation here at the
Hilltop-Parkway, forcing the can-
cellation of the Friday (15) per-
formance of “The Little Hut” with
John Newland. The first week in
a proposed 27-we’ek . season gar-
nered a fairish $5,000.
Current bill is “The Stronger
Sex” with Charles (Buddy) Rogers.
“Time Of The Cuckoo” with The
Continental (Renzo Cezano) is set
to follow.
‘GINGER’ OVER $17,400
IN 4 MIDWEST STANDS
Kansas. City, Oct- 19.
“Time Out for- Ginger,” with
Melvyn Douglas as star, grossed a
total of over $17,400 in sfeven per-
formances spread over four stands
last week. The Rdnald Alexander
comedy drew nearly $3,900 in a
one-nighter Monday (11) at the
Iowa, Cedar Rapids; added almost
$3,300 in a single show Tuesday
night (12) at the KRNT Theatre,
Des Moines; picked up nearly
$4,300 in two showings Wednesddy-
Thursday (13**i4), arid got a . final
$6,000 in three performances at the
KMBC Playhouse here Friday-Sat-
urday (15-16).
After- an added matinee and
evening hCre Sunday (17), the re-
ceipts for which Will be included
With the current Week’s total, the
show will divide the balance of
the semester between Topeka,
Wichita and Denver.
Lockhart-‘Dulcy’ 16fG
For Week in St Louis
, St. Louis, Oct. 19.,.
One- week stand of “Dulcy,”-with
June Lockhart and John O’Hare
in the top roles, Wound up at the
Ansell Bros. Empress Sunday (17)
with * a $16,500 b,o. score. - The
piece was scaled to. $2,50. Ft was
the third successive week that Miss
Lockhart has been, in this house
this season. '
“The Show Off,” with Joe E.
BroWn, Frances Helm and Ann ,
Dere heading the cast, tees off a
two-week frame, tonight . (Tues).
The American. Theatre, other lo-
cal legit house, op>ehs its season
next Tuesday (25) With “The Moon
Is Blue,” the piece remaining for a
fortnight. It will be the third
time the. play has been presented
here."
‘Okla.’ 23G, Mont’i
Montreal, Oct. 19.
Bus-truck production of “Okla-
homa” grossed nearly $23,000 at a
$3.38 top at the 1,704-seat Her
Majesty's Theatre here.
Jose Greco dancers opened last
night (Mon;) for. a week's stand, and
the touring edition of /‘Caine Mu-
tiny Court Martial” is due the
week of Nov. 15.
Greco 1 4G» ^Toronto
Toronto, Oct. 19.
Engagement of Jose Greco and
his Spanish Dancers was heavily
hit by Hurricane Hazel, with biz
sad on last two. days and west end
of city cut off by washed-out
bridges. Earlier biz was okay but
week’s gross was $14,000, with
Royal Alexandra, 1,525-seater,
scaled at $3.50 top with tax.
Previous engagement grossed
$18,000.
‘Moon’ Hangs Low at 91G
For 3d Pittsburgh Visit
Pittsburgh, Oct.. 10.
Third time back for “Moon ; Is
Blue” is the only possible reason
for the so-so business it did in first
of two weeks kt the Nixon. No-
tices for the production headed by
Jerome Cowan Were excellent, as
good as the show got on its first
visit, and twofers ate figured an
okay factor, too. But attraction
wound up at around $9,500, and
advance for current and closing
session is only soso. However, it's
generally believed that the driving
rain Friday night • (15) when the
town Was virtually flooded by the
edges of Hurricane - Hazel knocked
“Moon” for a loop, since the show
had- two evening performances
scheduled, at 7 and 9:30, and ex-
pected to do well on the pair.
However,, nobody ventured into the
Golden Triangle and there was ho
business at all.
So With any kind of a break in
weather' this Week; comedy should
pick up at least a little. .Nixon will
likely be dark for a fortnight,,
lighting Nov. 8 With “Fifth 1 Season”
and maybe shuttering for another
stanza preceding “Wonderful
Town” Nov. -22 for two weeks.
Philadelphia, Oct. 19.
Despite official warnings to the
public to stay at home because lof
Hurricane Hazel, there was SRO
biz at “Fanny” last Friday night
(15), same as the* rest of the week.
Theatre Guild subscription and
heavy mail order had sold out the
musical tryout before the. opening
curtain. ,
“South Pacific,” still getting all
the house will hold, has extended
its engagement at the Forrest, an
additional two weeks, through Nov.
20. Geraldine Page had the critics
throwing, their hat siritb tlie air
in “The Rainmaker,” and -the show
also profited from word-of-mouth.
In prospect are: Nov. 1, “Fifth:
Season,” Shubert, one week, and
“Getting Gertie’s. Garter,” Locust,
on twofers, ' three . weeks;. Nov. 2.
“Wprid Of'Sholem Aleichem,” Wal-
put, three weeks; N.ov. 22, “Silk
Stockings,” tryout, Shubert, four
weeks; Mask & Wig Club!s “Tem-
pest in a Teapot,” Locust, one
Week, and .“Lunatics and Lovers,”
tryout, Walnut, two weeks; Nov.
24, “House 'Of Flowers,” tryout,
Forrest, two weeks, and Nov.. 2p
“Black Eyed Susan,” tryout, Lo-
cust, one week.
Estimates for Last Week
South Pacific, Forrest, (MD) (3d
wk) ($4.80; 1,760) (Iva Withers,
Webb Tilton), Still a scalper’s holi-
day, with, run being extended each
time boxoffice starts to go clean;
Over $43,500,
Rainmaker, Walnut, (C) (lst.jvk)
(1,340; $4 ; 20) (Geraldine Page).
Favorable , reviews helped to fair
$10,000; current week is the finale
for this tryout.
Fanny, Shubert, (MD) '(lst wk)
($6; 1,870) (Ezio Pinza. Walter Sle-
zak). Good, if hot rave reviews,
and ! favorable audience reaction
greeted new tuner; drew, standees
over $46,600; repairs still being
made during the final fortnight.
, DET.;
. Detroit, Get. 19.
“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”
grossed $21,000" in its second and
last week at the . 2',050-seat Cass.
Top was $2.30, a markdown from
the posted price of $3.85; Theatre
is dark currently, with Jose Greco
scheduled for two weeks beginning
Oct. 25.
“Saint Joan,” starring Jean Ar-
thur, grossed $16,000 in thie first
week .of a 'fortnight's stay at the
1,482-seat Cass.
Portland, Oct. 19..
Eddie Bracken in “Seven .Year
Itch” grabbed a neat $20,000 in
five evening performances and one
matinee at the Civic Auditorium
here lari Tuesday-Saturday (12-16).
The 4,000 .sealer was scaled at
$4.80. . “Itch” started slowly, but
gained with each performance.
William Duggan is presenting
, Melvyn Douglas in “Time Out For
i Ginger” next
Biz on Broadway ' jumped last
week. Boosts were registered by
all shows except the already-solid.
smashes. Threat of hurricane
Hazel last, Friday. (15) faifed to
clip the b. o. seriously.
Four .openings last week in-
cluded “On Your Toes,” “Fragile
Fox,” “Tendei* Trap” and “Sing Me
No. Lullaby.’* Sole opener this
week is “Peter Pah,” which preems
tonight (Wed.).
.Initial flop of. the current sea-
son,. “Home Is the .Hero,” folded
last Saturday (16).
Estimates for Last Week
Keys : C V Comedy) , D (Drama) ,
CD ■ ( Comedy-Drama ) , R "'( Revue / »
MC ( Musical-Comedy ) , MD"< Musi-
cal -Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op-
eretta):
Other parenthetic desigiiafidus
refer, respectively, to. weeks played,
number of . perforhiances through
last. Saturday, top prices, number
of seats, Capacity gross and stars:
Price includes 10% Federal and
5% City tax, but grosses are ‘net:
i.e., exclusive of "lax..
All Summer Long, Coronet (D)
(4th Wk; 28, $5,75-$4.60; 1,027;,
$30,000. Over $15,400 (previous
week, $12,300); -moves Nov. 1 to the
Booth.
Anniversary Waltz, Broadhurst
(C). 28th wk; 219; $4.60; 998;
$28,O0O) (Macdonald Carey, Kitiy
Carlisle). Nearly $24,100. (previous
week, $16,800.
Boy Friend, Royale.fMC) (3d wk;
20; $6.90; 1,172; $38,200). Capacity
at $37,600, with take cut by theatre
party commissions (previous week,
$38,200).
By the Beautiful Sea; Imperial
(MC) (28th wk; :220; $6,90; 1,400;
$50,300)' (Shirley: Booth). Nearly
$32,900 (previous week, $28,100).
Caine Mutiny Court Martial,
Plymouth (D) (39th wk; 308; $5.75-
$4.60; $33,331) Lloyd Nolan, John.
Hodiak, Barry Sullivan). Almost
$33,200 (previous week, $33,000).
Can-Can, Shubert (MC) (76th
wk; 604; $6.90; 1,361; $50,160).
Sellout, just $50,400 (previous
Week, $50,600).
Dear Charles, Morosco (C) (5th
wk;r 37;* $6.90-$5.75-$4.60; $29,850)
(Tallulah Bankhead). Another sell-
out, over $29,900 (previous week,
$29;900). • -
Fifth Season, Cort (C) (81st wk;
643; $&60? 1,056; $^5,227) (Chester
Morris, Joseph. Buloffh Over
$12,600 (previous week, $10,300);
closes. Oct; 23, to tour.
Fragile Fox, Belasco (D) (1st wk;
7; $5.75; $4.60; 1,077; $28,300)
(Dane Clark, Don Taylw). Opened
Oct. 12 to two affirmative reviews
(Hawkins World-Telegram; Mc-
Clain, Journal- American) and five
negatives (Atkinson, Times; Chap-
man, NewS; Coleman, Mirror;
Kerr, Herald Tribune; Watts, Post);
grossed almost $11,000 for first
self en performances.
Home Is the Hero, Booth (D)
(4th Wk; 29; $5775-$4.60; 766; $22,-
000) (Walter Macken, Peggy Ann
Garner). Almost $12,600 (previous
week, $10,000); closed last Satur-
day (16) at an approximate loss of
$30,000 on a $40,000 investment.
King if Hearts, National (C)
(29th wk;. 226; $5.75-$4.60; 1,172;
$3l;30 : 0) (Donald Cook, Jackie
Cooper). Over $16,7000 on twofers
(previous week, $15,400).
Kismet, Ziegf eld (OP) (46th wk;
364; $6.90; 1,528;- $57,908) (Alfred
Drake); Capacity at over. $57,900
(previous^ week, $55*800).
Midsummer Night’s Dream, . Mel
Opera . House (M) (4th wk; 29; $6;
3(612; $93,553) Robert Helpmann,
Moira Shearer, Stanley Holloway).
Had standees; but failed to get ca-
pacity at $77,900 (previous week,
$89,400); only unsold tickets .. were
those marked obstructed or side,
view. Closed to tour last Sunday
(17), with Tuesday-Thursday (12-
14) performances omitted to p]ay
the Academy of Music, Phila-
delphia. Profit on limited engage-
ment was approximately $136,000.
Oh Men, Oh Women, Miller (C)
(44th wk; 358; $5,75-$4.6.0; 920;
$23,248) (Lloyd Bridges). Over
$12,200, with some twofers (previ-
ous week, $10,400); closes Nov. 13
to tour.
On Your Toes, 46th St. (MC)
(1st wk; . 8; . $8.05-$6.90; 1,319;
$48,547). (Vera Zorina, Bobby Van).
Nearly $43,7.00 for first eight per-
formances.
.Pajama Game, St. James (MC)
(23d wk; 180; $6.90; 1,571; $51,-
717) (John Raitt, Janice Paige* Ed-
die Foy Jr.). New high for show,
• $52,117 (previous Week $51,700).
i Rec’ininsr Figure, T.jceurn. ( C)
J (2d wk); 12; $5.75-$4.60; 995; $23,-
389)/ Nearly $17,500 (previoiis week,
$10,400. for first four performances.
Seven Year Itch; Fulton .(C)
(100th wk; 797; $5.75-$4.60; 1,063;
$24,000) (Elliott Nugent).; Nearly
$23,600 (previous vveek, $21,000)..
Solid Gold Cadillac, Music Box
A4,UUU IOT inree ,
a cost of about $40 per person. In Indianapolis Stand
Arrangements to obtain the tickets Indiafiapolis, Oct. 19.
have already been made with the ~ . 1 ; ^
shnhf»rfc rtfu Pi>ixrViniieac< . Paul- Douglas, Wendell Corey
Shuberts, City Playhouses,, and and Steve Sodie iiT^Caine m£
Martin Beck theatres 1 and bteve • die ’ in ■ aine Mu
tiny Court Martial,” grossed $12,-
Tickets will be purchased at the 000 at $4 top ($4.40, tax included)
boxoffice, without discount re- in three performances to. open the
turn privilege. This will not in- roadshow season at the Murat here
volve competition with the brok- Oct. 14-16.
ers, as tickets will not be obtained House will get off to a faster
for individuals, but only for groups start than last season, with nation-
attending together as part of a al company of “Seven Year Itch”
junket. It's hoped that the trips set for three days, Nov. 1-3, and
will bring 75,000 new legit patrons BaBe t Theatre for tw ights, Nov.
to New York during 1955, 4 " 5, ...
$250,000 Stock Corp. n i l l i \ r a
Project is being worked out by scheduled N.I. UpeniRgS
Theatrical Subsidiaries Inc.; formed '*
last week as a $250,000 stock eor- (Theatre indicated if set )
poration, with producer Alexander Mhinwiv
and Peter Pan, W. Garden (10-20).
A P V ? alph Traveling Lady, Playh’se (10-27).
n aS vl(?e? P resi 4ent, Laura Rainmaker, Cort (10*28).
D. Williams, secretary, and an ad- Quadrille; Coronet (11-3).
yisory board including producers Fanny, Majestic (11-4),
Herman Levin, Robert Whitehead, Wedding Br’kf’st, 48th St. (11-
John C. Wilson, Arnold Saint Sub- 16).
ber, Cheryl Crawford, Herman Living Room/ Miller (11-17).
Shumlin. and theatre executive Hot Rock- (11-22).
Louis A. Lotito. One Eye Closed, Bijou (11-24).
TSI also plans puBlishlng a cata- £!f 6 ,
^ , affable for. legit and Qll with Show, Hell’ger (12-2).
television shows, etc., on a gratis Shoemaker’s Children (wk.,
ADVANCE AGENTS!
COMPANY MANAGERS !
W. have been serving theatrical
show* for ovar 42 years. Ours is
tha oldest, most reliable and ax-
p.rianced transfer company on the
West Coastl
• Railroad prlWIigii for .handling
■hows and theatrical luggage.
• Complete Warehouse iadliti
• Authorized in California., Equipped
to frontier and haul anywhere in
V. S I
• R ATES ON REQUEST I
Atlantic Transfer Company
GEORGE CON ANT
1100 East 5lh/ Street
Los Angelas 13, Calif.
Mutual 1121 or OXford f-4764
loan basis irqm manufactures, | 1 2-3).
Flowering : Peach (week of 12-6).
Witness For Prosecution (12-8);
Portrait of a Lady, ANTA Play-
house (12-9).
Lunatics & Lovers, Br’dhurst
(12-13).
Festival (12-15).
Running Mate (12-15).
Between Friends (12-16).
Black-Eyed Susan (12-16).
Stars Person’s Backyd. (wk., 12-
i9i;
<* Anastasia (12-22). ,
What Every Woman Knows, City
Center (12-22).
House of Flowers, Alvin (12-23).
Film Flam (12-24).
Painted ‘Days (Wk., D10).
Silk Stockings, Imperial (12-30).
Grand Prize (wk., 1-10).
Plain & Fancy (1-20).
Desperate Hours (1-26).
OFF-B’WAY
Stone for Danny Fisher, Down-
town Nat’l (10-21).
Slightly Delinquent, Blackfriars
(10-25).
Dybbuk, 4th St. (10-26).
Sandhog, Phoenix (11-23).
rate special rates!
Metre is comfort plus convenience —
spacious,, home-like rooms, and excellent
facilities in a hotel that's right in the center
of Philadelphi ' ight clubs and theatres.
k John Bar tram Hotel
tH, BkO^D AND IOCUST STREETS
WM. H. HARMED, CM Mar.
Wet. 18-30)
Caine Mutiny Court Martial
(Paul Douglas, Wendell Corey,
Steve Brodie)^-Aud;, E. Lansing
(i8); Central H. S., Kalamazoo (19);
State Toledo (20-21); Hill Aud.,
Ann Arbor (22-23); Cass, Detroit
(25-30).
Fanny (Ezio Pinza, Walter Sle-
zak) (tryout)— Shubert, Phila. (18-
30) (Reviewed in VAniETy, Sept; 22;
’54). •'
Fifth Season. — Shubert, Wash,
(25-30).
Gentlemen Prefer. Blondes —
Royal Alexandra, Toronto (18-23);
Erlanger, Buffalo (25-30).
Getting Gertie’s Garter— Majes- ;
tie, Boston (18-30). j
v King and I (Yul Brynner, Par
tricia Morison)— State Fair, Dallas
(18-23); Aud., Memphis (26-30 >.
Living Room (Barbara Bel . Ged-
des)— Shubert, New Haven (28-30).
Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rob-
ert Helpmann, Moira Shearer,
Stanley Holloway) r— Indiana U.
Aud.; Bloomington <19-20); North-
rop Memorial Aud., Minneapolis
(22-23).
Moon Is Blue (Jerome Cowan) —
Nixon, Pitt (18-23); American, St.
Louis (25-30).
Mrs. Patterson , (Eartha Kitt)
(tryout)— Harris, Chi; (18-30) (Re-
viewed in Variety, Sept. 29, ’54).
Naughty N atalie— KMBC Play-
house, K. C. (19-24); Memorial Hall,
Joplin, Mo. (25-26); Convention
Hall, Tulsa, Okla. '(27); Arcadia,
Wichita (28-30).
Oklahoma— Capitol, Quebec (18-
19); Capitol, Barre, Vt. (20); Strand,
Plattsburg, N. Y. (21); Utica, N. Y.
(22-23); S R. H. S. Aud., Glens
Falls, N. Y. (25); Pi*octor, Schenec-
tady, N- Y. (26-28); Oxford, Plain-
field, N. J. (29-30) (Reviewed in
Variety ; Oct; 13, ’54). .
Quadrille (Alfred Lunt, Lyxin
Fontanne, Edna Best, Brian
Aherne) (tryout)— Colonial, Bos-
ton (18-30). '
Rainmaker (Geraldine Page)
(tryout)— Walnut St., Phila. (18-23)
(Reviewed in Variety, Oct. 13, ’54).
Saint Joan (Jean Arthur) (try-
out)— Cass, Detroit (18-23); Cox;
Cincinnati (25-30) (Reviewed in
Variety, Sept. 22, ’54).
Seven Year Itch (Eddie Bracken)
—Capitol, Salt Lake City (18^19);
Aud., St. P’aul (22-24); Iowa, Cedar
Rapids (26); Pabst, Milwaukee (27-
30): -
South Pacific (Iva Withers, Webb
Tilton)— Forrest, Phila: (18-30).
Time Out for Ginger (Melvyn
Douglas)— H. S: Aud., Topeka (18);
Arcadia, Wichita (19); Aud., Den-
ver (21-23); Capitol, Salt Lake City
(25-26); Marlow, Helena; Mont.
(28); Bow, Butte, Mont. 29); Fox,
Billings; Mont. (30).
Traveling Lady (Kim Stanley),
(tryout)—- Harina, Cleve. (18-23)
(Reviewed in Variety, Oct. 13, '54).
. Wedding Breakfast — Playhouse,
Wilmington. Del. (28-30).
What Every Woman Knows
(Helen Hayes) — Huntington Hart-
ford, L. A. (18-23); Curran, S. F.
(25-30). Reviewed in Variety, Sept.
29, ’54).
Wonderful Town (Carol Chan-
ning)— Shubert, Chi. (18-30).
World of Sholom Aleichem —
Parsons, Hartford (28-30).
Shuberts-League
sssss Continued from past 137
worked out by the League. How-
ever, the Shuberts are now out of
the organization both officially
and actually; and are apparently
inclined to act independently in
union matters,
J. J. Shubert’s withdrawal from
the League followed the group’s
refusal of his demand that Milton
R. Weijr be dropped as League
counsel. The attorney had for
many years represented Shubert’s
brother, Lee Shubert, Until the lat-
ter's death last winter. The. Shu-
bert brothers had carried a
bitter feud for some years.
Apparently under J. J. Shubert
pressure, Weir resigned from the
Klein & Weir law firm that repre-
sented the Shuberts. William &
Jacob Klein thereupon took in
Adolph Lund as a hew partner to
take active charge of the Shubert
legal affairs, and the law office
was moved into the space formerly
occupied by Lee Shubert in the
Shubert Theatre building.
Weir, meanwhile, represents Lee
Shubert’s estate and is attorney
for Milton Shubert, nephew of Lee
and J. j. and the designated suc-
cessor of Lee under the latter’s
will. However, shortly after Lee’s
death, J. J. forced Milton out of
the Shubert firm and ousted him
from his office in the Shubert
building. AS the sole surviving
partner, J. J: has full control of
the Shubert interests.
London ‘Can-Can’
Continued (com page 137 sisimmm
box except that fury of leggy, joy-
ous, Indecorous dancing girls,”
Maurice Wiltshire, in the Daily
Mail, quoted a line from, one of the
Cole Porter lyrics, “But it is alt
right with me,” and went on to add,
“With me it was not quite so all
right;” He found nothing mem-
orable * any of the music, al-
though some of the lyrics were cyn-
ically bright and amusing; He
opined that the evening went to
Miss Hilda, “the only real Parisian
thing of the show except Motley’s
exquisite and thoroughly: convinc-
ing sets.” .
S . .. Sauce and Sex’
Daily Mirror critic Eve Chapman
suggested that the production has:
“little else but the ‘Can-Can.’ The
program said Cole Porter wrote the
music; but this is not the vintage
Porter. In spite of its first-night
faults, it will be a. success, because
it supplies spectacle, sauce and
sex.” "
The. Daily Sketch review by
Harold Coriway was spread over
four columns with this heading:
“Oh, What a Dull Can-Can.” He
thought it was a case of Broadway
turning the clock back 30 years to
the days when plots were a nui-
sance and only the dancing mat-
tered. “Jerome Whyte’s produc-
tion,” he declared, “has the skill
and artistry he usually reserves for
a Rodgers and Hammerstein show.
But it is far from being that.”
The Times criticism, unsigned as
Usual, concluded with the comment
that* it. was a .disappointing evening
in which 'the scenery, .deservedly
. comes in for more spontaneous ap-.
plause than anything else. The re-
viewer noted that “the Composer’s
relative failure is the more marked
and the more disappointing since
the story he is working on is a
curiously charmless affair.”
W. A* Darlington, veteran critic
of the Daily Telegraphy asserted
that the show does not rank very
high; “in the long and magnificent
list of musicals that America has
sentois; but it has one invaluable
claim to popularity, it gives chance
after chance to a highly expert
team of dancers."
Paul . Holt’s notice in the DaHy
Herald was headlined “Can-Can
Just Can’t.” He commented, “It is
probably the poorest show Broad-
way has sent us since the war. The
tunes, if you judge them by Cole
Porter’s standards, are second-rate.
There is not a big hit in the show.”
Alan Dent raved. His notice was
Show a ’Triumph’
headlined “Cole Porter Show Is
New Triumph,” and he described it
as “witty” and added, “The whole
delightful production is an im-
provement in both attack and vi-
tality on the one still running in
New, York. The evening’s chief
triumph here, as. there, belongs to
Cole Porter.”, He referred to the
composer’s “10 , excellent songs,”
and makes a play on' one of his
lyrics, “I Love Paris,” concluding
with the Comment “We Love Porter
every, season of the year.”
The three London evenings on
Friday were divided two-to-one,
against, with the one favorable n(K
tice coming from the News. Chron-
icle’s stable companion, the Star.
Milton Shulman hit hard in his
Evening Standard review, insisting
that “Can-Can” falls far short of
the standard of accomplishment
“we have, now come to expect from
this type of transatlantic import.
Tril lyrics by Cole Porter and the
lines by Abe Burrows, I’m afraid,
maintain a consistent level of
banality rising to Occasional peaks
of mediocrity,”
Stephen Williams, the Evening
News critic, asserted that the au-
thor took Herculean pains to be
funny and. rated the Cole Porter
| music surprisingly undistinguished.
In D.C. for American Bow;
LuisiDo Star Standout
Washington, Oct. 19.
Ballets Espagnols, Spanish dance
company, which began its Ameri-
can tour There last night (Mon.),
appears set for certain success in
the U. S. Following its one-week
Washington stand, it moves to New
York for a month and then heads
for the provinces.
Company, starring the team of
Teresa & Luisillo, 'operates , along
the same general lines as the Jose
Greco troupe, and will benefit by
the fact that Greco has been pop-
ularizing this type of attraction,
throughput the U. S. • in the past
few years.
Ballets Espagnols is more defi-
nitely the ballet and classical com-
pany of the two, although the sec-
ond half of the program is just
as light, fast moving, and , popular
as anything offered by the Greco
company. There is no duplication
of material between the two com-
panies. .
Luisillo, star of the troupe; is as
fine a Spanish dancer as has been
seen on these shores, good ehough
to dance Greco off : any floor you
care to name. Another standout is
Maria Vivo, young, singer and
dancer.' Gal displays a fine .sense
of comedy. Troupe as whole shows
flashing grace and charm and can
be rated with the best of its type,
Loice.
‘Evai^eline’ Reading On
NX Stage as Video Test
Staats Cotsworth, legit-radio-tw
actor, is experimenting in adapta-
tions of classics, for stage and
video. Having drummed interest
last year in a treatment of “Mac-
beth” designed to show adaptabil-
ity of classics to the ty medium by
use of a modified platform-reading
technique, CotsWorth is at present
polishing a lectern-concert presen-
tation' of Longfellow’s “Evange-
line,” with four actor-narrators and
a singing-speaking chorus.
Presentation of the concert-read-
ing of “Evangeline.” Is planned for
a late November stage date in N.Y.
with music and choral arrange-
ments by Charles Paul, and a cast
including Muriel Kirkland, Paul
McGrath, Horace Braham and
Alexander Scourby as the nar-
rators, Cotsworth Will direct the
production.
Equity Show
(Oct. 18-31)
Fallen Angels— Lenox Hill Play-
house, N. Y. (20-24).
Stock Tryout
fact. 18-30)
Shoemaker's Children, by Phoebe
and Henry Ephron— Bucks County
Playhouse, New Hope, Pa, (25-30),
common stock
The Compknjr will employ its funds
in a diversi|fied entertainment enter-
prises connected with television,,
motion pictures, and the theatre.
Price SOI « shove
I Hourwooe anchs, imc. D#pt . V ;
I 2t West IBM St., M.y. iJ, N. P
jTRafalier 4-1119
I Ssnd Free Offering Circular Without cost
I
iancy kenyon
Currently on TOUR
ROMBERG FESTIVAL
INC AC)
Wednesday, October 20 ,
LITERATI
HI
N. Y. Nm* Aatbon Loiue
The N. Y. Daily News devoted its
entire Sunday (17) editorial to its
own talented crew of book writers,
captioning it “The News Authors’
League”. Vet radio-tv editor Ben
Gross’ Just - released memoirs,
“Looked and I Listened” was the
kickoff raison d’etre for the piece
With his. thubibnail cut, along with
other New? staffers Jimmy Pow-
ers (sports), J.ohn Chapman
(drama) and Robert Sylvester
(Broadway heat), illustrating ...» the
editorial.
The News also kudosed Hy Tur-
kin, Dick Young, Joe Trimble, Carl
Warren, Ruth Reynolds, Jack lams
(copy desk, who authors whodunf:
its), Kermit Jaediker and Robert
Parker (ditto), Lowell Limpus,
Maxwell Hawkins, Antoinette Don-
nelly; Elinor Ames, Willella de
Canipi, /who have written on
sports, politics, theatre, fiction,
fashions and eitiquette.' Even ad-
man Vincent Sullivan has found
time to turn out “How To Sell Your
Way Into The Big Money” (Citadel;
*3,95), due off the press this week.
Concludes the News: “Does this
prove anything? Probably not.
Plenty of top-grade newspaper
people never> write books, and
plenty of book-writers couldn’t
qualify for newspaper jobs. But it
takes a. lot of stuff to be good in
both categories. We’re proud of
the big News authors’ league, and
to ail of them, present and, expec-
tant, we wish the best of luck and
the most obese of royalty checks.”
\ -
feed alien’s press communique
In characteristic Fred Alien man-
ner, the covering note to the press,
in connection with his new book,
“Treadmill to Oblivion,” reads (in
trademarked lowercase ' Style) as
follows:
"i have written a book, , this is
the first all-purpose book ever
written, it isn’t the . book of the
month, if you have no time. to read
it this month this book ;is quickr
frozen— it will keep until next
ipnth. -
“most boohs can only be used for
reading purpose, this .book can be
used as a coaster for glasses at
cocktail parties, it can be slipped
under a short child at the dinner
table; if you have a cold in the-
head the thin pages of this book
can be used as Kleenex, it makes
an ideal door-stop, this book has
damp pages," during cold weather
you do not have to wet your finger
to turn them.
“this, is also the first no-cal book,
if you are trying to reduce, read
one chapter a day on an empty
stomach, watch the pounds disap-
pear.
“i am asking little, brown t who
published ‘treadmill to oblivion,’ to
send you a copy*, i hope you will
enjoy it.”
■' Bonelli’s Bomb
. When William G. Bonelli re-
cently let go with a blast at the
L. A. Times in a bbok entitled “Bil-
lion Dollar Blackjack,” everybody
waited for the ‘other shoe, to drop.
They thought surely the Times
would drop it, and on Bonelli’s
head. .. 4
•Last- week It dropped. But the
Times didn’t .drop it. Bonelli did.
He dropped it on the head of the
Times m the form of a $1,000,000
libel suit. Worsjt charge was that
the. paper sought to tie Bonelli up
with the Mafia gang. Suit said the
paper had been given, ample, oppor-
tunity, to retract the libel . and so
far had not seen fit to do so.
Normally Coast rags do not .print
libel actions,; figuring it . only en-
courages crackpots tp follow suit.
But the Hearst papers thought it
was news and gave .it quite a play,
even giving Bonelli’s. bopk a plug
m the news columns, r
Bonelli’s family has lived in
Arizona for generations. They came
originally from Switzerland, not
Italy,. -
firm bearing his name, who same
up with the idea a year ago.
First issue will contain articles
by Thurman Arnold (“Personal
Liberties Are Indivisible”), Chester
Bowles (“Asians Fear Our Foreign
Policy”), Philip Wylie (“America-^
The World’s First. Pediarchy”),
Herbert Weiqstock (“ -What Makes
a Conductor Great?”), Richard
B. Morris (“The McCarthy s of Yes-
terday”), Dr! Norman Vincent
Peale (“What Really Worries Peo-
ple Today?”) and others, Editorial
approach. It’s said, “is that of a
book published” with the idea of
printing articles of “permanent
value on important ideas and
issues/’
i New Pocket Mags
Fresh entries for the pocket-size
mag field are being groomed by
the Berkley publishing Corp., a
newly formed outfit. First tp hit
the stands will be News, T5c
weekly. Its initial edition is due
next Tuesday (26) with an editorial
format aimed at' the tabloid reader
market. Some two months later will
be the debut, of Chic, a 15c monthly
described as aimed at the women’s
market,
Berkley is headed by Fred Klein,
former veepee and circulation
chief of Avon Publications, and
Charles Byrne, also v.p. and editor-
in-chief of Avon, Editorial Staff of
News is topped by Jack Conway.
Long with Cowles Publications, he
was with Quick, a pioneer in the
pocket-size, mag field, and later
managing editor of Tempo. Editor
of Chic is Margo Korda, former
producer and commentator of fash-
ion shows.
vertising .Acceptability rad in the
Monday (18) editions of the N. Y.
Herald Tribune * and, the Washing-
ton Post.
Paperbacks Up Again?^
Great debate over the state of
the paperback industry continues,
with a new voice added to the fray,
Theodore Pratt, one of the more
volumiriously-represehted' of the
paperback authors, claims “that
despite what others who are behind
the times say, the paperback busi-
ness is on the rise in sales again,
now that the field has settled
down.” Pratt reports that his
paperback original, “Smash-Up/’
has already sold 80% of its first
printing after only a month’s dis-
tribution, and that a reissue of
“Handsome” appears to be on its
way to duplicating the feat.-
Pratt is currently in Boca Raton,
Fla,, where at the Southern Gov-
ernors Conference last week the
state of Florida presented each
delegate with a copy of Pratt’s
Florida novel, “The- Flame Tree,”
autographed and presented by the
author.
Clark’s British Post
T. Fife Clark, public relations
adviser to the British government,.
|s. leaving his Downing St., post td
Become director-general of the
Central Office of Information.
tie succeeds Sir Robert Fraser,
wno was recently named director-
general of the independent Tele-
vision Authority, which will oper-
ate Britain’s first commercial tele-
vision web.
v Pocket Books Into Mag*
. Pocket Books Inc.,, one of the
Paperback .pioneers, is entering the
B?agazine field with the publica-
jjjpn Oct. .25 of the first issue of
tne Pocket Book Magazine, a
a,?.-, rized quarterly . containing
articles by w.k, writers in a. variety
fields; Editor will be Franklin
watts, president of the publishing
Columnist Digest
.Quick Digest, hew 25c monthly
pocketsize mag, is on the stands,
with features by top columnists
and others in its- first issue (dated
December). Contents of about 40
articles include Walter Winchell's
“Killers I Have Known,” Earl Wil-
son ’s * ‘MMMore About MMMarilyn . ’ '
Billy Rose’s “The Next Time I See
Paris,” Ed Sullivan’s “Tbe Man
Who Scared America,” etc.
Editor-publisher is Hy Steirman,
With Ruth Taylor managing editor.
Louis Sobol Encores
. Louis Sobol has signed another
two-year contract with King Fea-
tures and the N. Y. Journal-Amer-
ica.
•Jt takes him into 1956 and marks
25 years on. the evening sheet as a
show biz columnist.
Pros Sc Cons, On Gillmor Book
Morris L. Ernst panned “Fear,
The Accuser”, by Dan Gillmor
(Abelard - Sehuman) on Barry
Gray’s radio program , (Sept. 25) as
“biased/' Arthur Garfield Hays,
co-counsel with Ernst on the board
of the American Civil Liberties
Union, praised the book highly in
his review of it in The Nation Oct.
16, Gray called it a “great; new
hook.” The N. Y. Times rejected a
full-page ad on. the book for Oct.
17 Sunday Book Section, without
giving any reason to the publisher
or the Waters ton &, Fried agency,
which placed the copy. . The ad
quoted from the' Hays review. The
book is all about Congressional .in-
vestigating committees and wit-
nesses before them.
Author Gillmor began his writ-
ing career under the tutelage of
the late O. K. Bovard, managing
editor of the St. Louis' Post- Dis-
patch. He was a pilot in the Army
Air Force, in World War II, and is
a son of an Admiral in the U. S.
Navy.
Meanwhile, smaller ads with es-
sentially the same text, according
to a representative of' the .pub-
lisher, as the full-page ad ’rejected
by the Times’ Committee on Ad-
CHATTER
Ted Patrick, editor of Holiday
mag, in from Paris Monday. (18)
on the Flandre.
Irving Kramer, formerly with
Look . mag, appointed art director
for Popket Magazines.
“The Gertrude Lawrence Story,”
by. Nancy Spain, being serialized in
the Evening News, Glasgow.
Michael Clark, foreign corres-
pondent of the N. Y, Times* . re-
turned to Europe last week on the
SS United States.
Richard A, Thornburgh ‘pro-
moted to executive director and
John S. Gilen to managing editor
of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Max Winkler, prez of the Long-
champs' Restaurants, has. authored
“The Longchamps Cookbook,” for
November publication, by Harper’s.
Bill Smith, an associate editor of
Billboard for 11 years, has. resigned
to go into personal management.
He specialized in vaudeville and
nitery coverage,
Mort Frankel, tv freelancer -and
former CBS editor, makes his na-
tional magazine debut Sun. (24) with
an article in This . Week on the 50th ;
anniversary of New York’s subway
system.
Edward L. Bennays among, four
“outstanding” news and public re-
lations men awarded certificates of
commendation at a recent seminar,
held by the School of Journalism
of Florida U.
Ira Peck named editor of
Screenland and Silver Screen
mags by publisher Ned Pines.
Peck continues in his present post
as editor of Pines Publications’
new projects division.
Charles Jasper Sisson, Asst.
Director and Senior Fellow , of the
Shakespeare Institute, Stradford-
ori-Avon, has compiled the com-
plete. works of William- Shaker
peafe for' Harpr publication.
Program of foreign- films not
regularly sliown to the American,
public is being readied by the For-
eign Press Assn, of Hollywood.
Imports from Japan, South Africa,
France, England and Canada will
be shown to members and invited
guests.. ^
Alfred A. Knopf has added a new
book by CBS-TV’s “Omnibus”
emcee, Alistair Cooke, “A Com-
mencement Address,” to the fall
list. It will be published Nov, 8.
The address was given to the
graduating class of Smith College
in June this year,
Tom Mahoney, a former editor
of Look and Fortune, has authored
“The Great Merchants,” for Har-
per’s, detailing the success stories
of institutions such as R. H. Macy,
Filenes, Marshall Field, Sears Roe-
buck, A&P, Orbach’s, Neiman-Mar-
cus, Breritario’S, Brooks Bros,, Tif-
fany’s, F. & R. Lazarus, et al.
Collection pf magazine articles
being published by Scribner’s this
week, “A Guide to Successful Mag-
azine Writing,” contains two show
business pieces. They are Kate
Smith’s story as told to Martin
Abramson in the American Maga-
zine, and a piece on Strates Car-
nival by James Poling, published
in the Satevepost.
Variety’s oft-quoted headline ■ of
Oct. 30, 1929, “Wall Street
lays an egg,” leads off John
Gray’s article, “The Day A Whole
Generation Went Broke” in Mac-
lean’s magazine, . Toronto. U. S.-
born Gray has just moved to St,
John* N. . B;, as' mag’s ‘ Maritimes
staff, man. Wife Araby Lockhart,
Toronto stage and tv .actress*
moved with ! him.
While fiackihg the proposed $75,-
000,000 Back. Bay Center in Boston
for producer-realtor • Roger, .L,
Stevens during the past year, press-,
agent Bob Viand was himself bit-
ten by the real estate bug. He
and brother Dick bought a pic-
turesque carriage house in nearby j
Cohasset and, converted it into a
home. Natch, it’s being called
“Barn Yesterday.”
Oscar, pystel, president of Ban-
tam Books Inc. , last week returned
to N.Y. from the Coast, where he
conferred with studio executives,
on pix-book promotion tieips. Fu-
ture Bantam tieins will include
“The Bridge At Toko-Ri” “East ol'
Eden” (Warners), ““Lord Vanity”
(20th) and “Man Without A Star”
(U). The first three will be pub-,
lished by Bantam in January.
Special “Pacific” edition of Sat-
urday Review has a number of
bright pieces, notably Irving Hoff-
man’s. “Hongkong— a State of
Never Mind,” a closeup of that
Oriental crossroads as will never
be found in any Baedeker; J. P.
McEvoy’s '“I’ll Take Manila”;
Leonard Lyons’ “Hawaii— the . Des-
sert Islands”;, and James Mich-
ener’s' “The Sea of the Talented
Traveler.”
Hollywood.
As soon as the cycle of crooked cop pix runs its full 360 degrees,
which should be any century* pow, because Jthe taste of fans tires
so easily, I should, think a fruitful field would, be shady sportswriters.
Those operating in amateur sports would provide the scripticians
with better story material because tlie contrast . between pro-writers,
and am-players would provide a ready-made black, and white basis,
for conflicts
Just before the current football season 'began, California professed
to be scandalized by a highschool star whose father screamed that,
his boy had been the victim of double-dealing lucrative promises not
kept, and so on. As a result, he pulled the lad out of one college
hungry to increase its Monday morning standings in the AP and UP
polls, and enrolled, him in another which could afford, to make good
on what it offered because it was already, up at the top.
Sports.writers, who generally kept things of this sort under cover,
lest exposing them would cut down their quota of free meals or extra
passes for important people not above these venial forms of bribery*
played the scandal up for a while and then dummied Up.
I have had little experience in this stuff, and that in homeopathic
dosage* Which proved rather heady, I once ’ :rote a piece for the old
Liberty called “Stumblebacks.” The thesis was that you didn’t have
to be a halfwit to be a halfback, but if you were a halfback long
enough you would be a halfwit. A legman, who Was the fastest typist,
fastest runner and fastest conclusion-jumper, filled in part of the.
mogaic by .supplying me many, case-histories (himself among them)!
of light but. fast backs Whose brai liad been bashed out of shape
from hitting 200-pound tackles, '
A Stumbleback Stumbles
One of the case-histories he supplied me nearly got us into a juicy >
libel suit. The ticket was ultimately fixed by having some ghost write
a short story and having .the battered brain sign it* thereby proving
that the case-history in. question couldn’t possibly have referred to
him* I acquiesced to this,' as the cost of proving the point’ by "psy-
chiatrists in open court Would have run- to a fancy figure.
The only other footnote I could supply to any story dealing with
these .'knights of the sports-desk in tarnished armor happened 40
years ago, It was while I was an undergraduate at Columbia.
Though .‘Sid Luckman is generally hailed as Columbia’s . first pro--
fessional in the field of football, I’m afraid diligent research would
give ’me a priority. Many of my classmates, notably M. Lincoln
Schuster,. Howard Dietz, Si Seadler, Merryle Stanley Rukeyser and
George E. Sokplsky, have attempted to place on my shoulders the
whole responsibility for the return in 1916 of amateur football to.
Morningside Heights: But I am confessing to nothing of the sort.-
All I am admitting, and riot even that under oath, was that I was
the first to make any money out of it.
It happened that before I went to Columbia I had worked on
The Sun, which in those days rose in the . morning and had quite a
standing , in New York journalism. I had arranged that when I wept
to the school'' ''of journalism I should be the campus correspondent
for the downtown daily. Sun correspondents were , paid $8 a Column
and the secret of success was to get long enough strips to. paste up
at the end of the week to make a living but of it.
The Greener Faroff Fields
I , soon discovered that While correspondents from other • colleges
were cleaning up on football in the fall of the year, South Field
was practically the Forest Lawn of the East as far as activity was
concerned. Other colleges were teeming with activity as soon as
the academic year started and very little of it was in classrooms.
Yale had built its bowl out of the profits of amateur football. Harvard
and Princeton had their stadiums. Indeed,, almost every campus, save
Columbia, was making money out of football.
. To make any kind, of 1 living I used to cover games out of town
as a second-string sportswriter: I got pretty weary of trekking to
other colleges and extolling their Skill and courage, and besides,
I wasn’t pn a. swindle sheet and travel expenses cut father deeply
into that $8 a column; ,
So I got myself elected class president and began a campaign to
restore football to Morningside Heights. The game had been heaved
off the campus in 1905 because too many stevedores were enrolling
in September and flunking out on the first quizzes in November, after
which, if they were still all of one piece, they returned to the docks,
“Crystallizing Public Opinion”
It was a tough assignment to prove that the university had suffered
because it had been without football for 10 years. In fact, all the
convincing arguments were on the other side. It Had grown to be
the most eminent University in the World without any football at all,
with an enrollment around 30,000.
But I kept pounding, stimulating mass meetings, quoting my own;
fiery remarks: In my own dispatches and otherwise loading the news
in a way that is far more common today than it was then. Finally
the authorities gave in.
They threw limitations around the return of the game, however.
No students of professional schools were to be allowed to play. That
paid ‘off Scully arid' the power, of the press. In fact,, the game was
to be limited to Columbia College and only to about 600 students (h
that area of learning.
We accepted the limitations with good grace, which was a great
disappointment to President Nicholas Murray JBut.Ler. He had rather
hoped we would kick up a new row at the, brushoff so that he could
say, “Very well, in that case you’ll get no football at all.”
But. Who Was On First?
The first game was , an iriterclass affair r Charlie Hahn of Halyard *
who Was studying at Columbia Law, coached orie, group, and Arthur
Howe, an all-American .quarterback from Yale* who was studying at
Union Theological, coached the other. The game resulted in a score-
less tie. There were no * fights, no injuries, np trouble of any sort.:
That opened the. Way for intercollegiate football. A couple of pro-
hibitionists 'were imported from Oberliri to coach the team! T.oi
Thorp; Columbia's last All-Am erica n before; the game was abolished
and after that a sportswriter for the HearSt papers, helped out. Sq ;
did; Ham Fish, Harvard’s All-American isolationist.
Five games were played that season arid Columbia won them all.
The last was with New York U. and it’ was a humdinger. The final
score, as I remember it, was 19 to 16.
When the, season, ended, I tallied up my take and discovered I had
made $485 more than I had., made ail the previous year and thus
i ad become .Columbia’s first pro since the days when longshoremen
came uptown, played but the bone-crushing Season and then returned
to the easier work of loading arid unloading steamships.
The Chaise Lounge Sportswriter
This increase of nearly $500 bucks, remember, was clear profit.
'There were no taxes, nb expenses, save a 5c Subway ride, and miieh
of the work could be done frorri my dormitory window without everi
going on the field at all.
It was, it is true, only money and I didn’t exactly steal it. All I
did was to encourage others to work like dogs .on a gridiron for
nothirig so that I might make a nice living out of exploiting their
willingness to die for dear old Columbia. * ’
If riiy motive were only a little higher I’d feel better about the.
whole thing. To those who feel that the effort to restore football to
Columbia was certainly worth it, I shrug my shoulders arid shamefully
agree.
It , was for me; at any rate.
142
CHATTER
Veincsdajr, October 20, 1954
Broadway
Gregory Ratoft back from Eu-
rope yesterday (Tues.) on the
Queen Mary.
Don Hartman, Paramount exec
producer, back to the Coast follow-
. ing the J White Christmas” bow at
the Music Hall.
Ira Blue, show biz attorney,
lias been reelected vice-president
of the Federal Bar Assn, of N.Y„
New Jersey & Conn, for another
.year,.
Robert Shapiro, managing direc-
tor of N, Y. Paramount, and Ed
Hyrrian, ABC-Paramount veepee,
planed to the Coast Sunday (17)
to look at new product.
Rudolf Bing, general manager of
the Metropolitan Opera, flew last
Friday (15) to San Francisco to atr
tend several performances Of the
San Francisco Opera. - He returned
to New York Sunday.
Actress — singer Elise Rhodes and
her roommate Meredith Anderson’s
apartment on Lexington Aye. made
the police blotter when $7,825 in
furs and jewelry were stolen this
past weekend. Miss Anderson is a
freelance writer.
Anna and Maria . Calouta, a
Greek singing-dancing sister-team,
arrived in N.Y. front Athens last
Thursday (14), to give a series ol
concerts on behalf of Greek relief
organizations throughout the U,S.,
to benefit victims of the recent
earthquakes in Greece.
Lou (Latin Quarter) Walters’
daughter, Barbara, who has been
With , NBC when not associated
with her father’s enterprises, went
over to Paris June 1 ‘‘for a few
weeks’’ and may come back in
November with the LQ showman
Who is flying over for the Nov. I
Command Performance in London.
Hurricane Hazel .contributed* to
the untimely death of publicist
David E. Green's father Friday
night (15) when he missed his
footing while alighting from a
Broadway bus near his home in the
80s, causing him to hit his head on
the sidewalk. He died Within a
.few hours from shock and concus-
sion.
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
nahied co-chairmen of the first Na-
tional Retarded Children’s Week,
scheduled for Nov. 14-23, accord-
ing to Martin F. Papish, who heads
the organization. Purpose of the
week is to inform the public on
needs of the mentally retarded
child and. to raise funds for handi-
capped children.
Brooklyn Society 1 of Artists,
prexied by Nancy Ranson, stages
its 38th annual exhibition at River-
side. Museum Qct. 31-Nov. JJ1.
Special feature of this year’s ex-
hibition is forum on “Art and
Atomic Age” moderated by Bert-
ram Goodman On Sunday after-
noon, Nov. 14. Artist is wife Of
WMGM publicist . Jo Ranson.
When Gene Mori (Garden State
Racetrack near Camden) hosted
The Skeeters last Wednesday (13),
he also unveiled his new Cherry
Hill Inn, at nearby Haddonfield. It
was a show biz reunion for many
Who greeted Pepind (& Rhode),
who danced at the Central Park
Casino, Waldorf, etc., and Who is
how headwaiter at Mori’s country-
style inn. ‘
Leonard H. Goldenson, ABC-
Paramount proxy, was named hon-
orary “Pennsylvania Ambassador”
last Week by the Pennsy Chamber
of Commerce for “outstanding
achievement in the best tradition
of the Commonwealth.” Former
resident of Scottdale, Pa., he was
chosen for his efforts on behalf of
the United Cerebral Palsy Assn.,
which he organized and heads.
After 7V£ years, Ed and Pegeen
Fitzgerald aren’t sure of their Hay
Island (Conn.) summer retreat be-
cause William Ziegler, who ^owns
that large tract, thinks that Bill Jr.
and fiis family should settle there
next year, and stay closer to the
family. The Fitzgeralds, who Used
to alternate their ABC radio shows
from there; and N. Y., will now
Originate 100% from their East
78th St. town house.
hist philosophies and will be ap-
proved by India government before
production starts,
Pakistan government expects to
release 10 Indian films now held
by customs. Further release would
depend on settlement of trade
agreement with the government .of
India while Pakistan Interests are
against importing any In ■ \n. film,
“Knock on Wood” C smash
at the Madras Odeo. in its first,
week. Film held a second week and
may go longer. “Knock. 1 !’ did out-
standing business at Bombay’s Eros
fpr four weeks and at Calcutta’s
Lighthouse for two.
India
Indian Drama Festival opens
Nov. 15 and runs a month in New
Delhi.
“Roman Holiday” (Par) hit,
record by running for 27 weeks at
Calcutta’s Tiger Cinema,
Midland Theatre in Madras,
which has been showing Metro
films exclusively fpr the last few
years, pulled down for reconstruc-
tion and reopening as an air-condi-
tioned house in November;
Delegation of film artists and
technicians led by WriterrDirector
Ehwaja Ahmed Abbas left Madras
for Moscow in connection with Fes
tival of Indian films scheduled, to
opeil there and other principa
cities of Russia.
First. Japanese-Indian pic ven-
ture being set by Toei Mtoion Pic-
ture Company arid A. J. Patel
Story deals with Hindu and Budd-
By Gene Moskowitz
(28 Rue Huchette ;. Odeon 49-44)
Frankie Laine into the Alhambra
or a two-shoW stirit,
“Porgy and Bess,” getting rave
reviews, seems In for a solid run.
Xavier Cugat and troupe head-
ing for the U.S. after a boff Euro-
pean tour. .
Terence Rattigan here working
on the screenplay of his legiter,
The Deep Blue Sea,”
“White Christmas” (Par) will be
the first VistaVision pic to play
here, now being pencilled in for
January. ’
RKO having its SuperScope un-
veiling this week for press, and
producers and distribs from all
over France. ,
Roger-Pierre and Jean-Marc Thi-
bault, two young riitery comics,
inaugurating their first ty show
here, “News for Laughing.”
Jean ~ Louis Barrault - Mareleine
Renarid Rep Co. has another smash
bn their hands in revival of Antort
Tchekov's “The Cherry Orchard”
(La Cerisaie).
Bureau Du Tourism figures show
that more U.S. tourists Visited
France in the first eight months
this year than ' in like period of
1953 or 12% more*
La Rose Rouge goes back to its
revue shows with “Les Carnet De
Monsieur Daninos,” directed by
Ives Robert. Freres Jacques also
come back to this bolte.
Artur Rubinstein will . spend
his time evenly between New York
and Paris to be able to fulfill his
many international concerts every
year. He now has a house here.
Maurice Chevalier publishing
sixth volume of his memoirs in
conjunction with his 55 one-man
shows, now. going on, to commem-
orate his 55th year in show hiz. "
La Nouvelle Eve closes down
this month Until next February
while its present spec revue goes
on tour. Lido also shutters down
for two weeks to enlarge its stage
capacity for the new show, “Ca-
prices/’ due in December.
By Hazel Guild
(24 Rheiiistrasse; 76751)
Columbia set to release
London
Noel Coward is doing a return
date at the Cafe de Paris.
John Pertwee planes to Korea
Nov. 1 to entertain the troops
there.
Reilly ' makes her local
debut this week at the
Betty
cabaret
Colony.
After
30 years, Keith, Prowse
Music Co, is moving from Poland
St. to the more select Bond St.
Lloyd .Williams, BBC-TV pro-,
ducer, quitting to become tele con-
sultant to an advertising agency.
■Jean Sablon flying from Paris
to appear in a BBC-TV edition of
“This Is Show Business” on Oct. 25.
Muriel Berkson sailed last Fri-
day after a six-month tour of Eu-
rope. She was in “Summer: House”
with Judith Anderson.
Several L o n d o h columnists
*planed to Le Havre to interview
Marlon Brando after it became
known he was by-passing London.
Raymond Stross acquired film
rights to: Charles Terrott’s new
comedy, “An Alligator Named
Daisy,” which was published last
month.
Ron Randell, now in the Palace
production of, "Sabrina Fair,”
inked for the role of. American in
the British filmization of “I Am . A
Camera.”
Sydney Phillips, who quit .Decca
Records to join the Phillips label
sometime ago, has returned to
Decca. Len Smith resigned as
recording manager.
Arthur Christiansen, Daily Ex-
press editor, will he guest of honor;
at tomorrow’s (Thurs.) luncheon of
the Variety Club to celebrate his
21 years with that paper.
To New York: Gregory. Ratoff
via the Queen Mary; Sir Kenneth
Clark,- chairman of the. Independ-
ent Television Authority; on the
lie de France; Eastman Boomer
and Anna Russell by plane.
Alicia Markova and Anton Dolin,
who ended their ballet partnership
a year ago, are to appear together
in “Where The Rainbow Ends”
which opens a holiday season at
the Royal Festival Hall Dec. 27.
production of Clare Booth’s “The
Women.” .
Michael Gough back to London
for lead in “The Immpralist,” Ruth
and Augustus Goetz: adaptation of
Andre Gide’t description of his
honeymoon.
Noel Coward is to supervise new
production of his “Blithe Spirit” at
Olympia, Dublin. Play' has Kay
Kendall; Dennis Price and Margpt
Grahame In leads, and Will tour
England after its debut here,
The
Second Life,” German-French co-
production, In Berlin’s Cinema
Theatre Oct. 30. Pix opens 14 days
later in other key cities.
“Fruhjahrsparade/' life of Ger-
man composer William August
Jureks, starts shooting by Erma
Films next year. Ernst Marischka
scripts and directs. Herzog will
distribute in Germany.
Walter Reich, who megged “Die
Mucke,” planed back to Hollywood
after the preem to Write a Marilyn
Monroe pic for 20th-Fox; returns
to Germany in 1955 to direct “Mid-
nightsun” for Europa Films.
German Film Censorship Board
lists 594 put- licensed for release
as of Sept. 30, including 26 from
Universal, 34 20th-Fox, 33 Colum-
lia, 28 Metro, 23 Paramount, 21
RKO, 24 United Artists and 20 for
WB.
The first two-version German-
French Cinemascope pic started
Oct. 4 in Morocco. German partner
is Roxy Films. Titled “Oasis,” it
stars Michele Morgan, Carl Rad-
datz, Cornell Borchers, with Yves
Atlegrets directing.
Rome
By Robert F. Hawkins
( 149 Archimede; 87443 )
Nyta Dover, is new at the Kit-Kat
Club.
Marie Baxa, N.Y. tele songstress,
hooked into Rupe Tarpea.
“Caine Mutiny Court Martial”
opened to strong reviews, at the
Valle.
Sixteen dancers here to take
part in the first Italo-Jap coproduc-
tion of “Madame Butterfly.”
Robert Haynes, expected in
Rome for stint in “Wives and Lov-
ers ” pic Which Sergio Grieco is to
direct.
Ingrid Bergman in England after
finishing German pic work in
“Fear,” directed by her husband,
Roberto Rossellini.
Podrecca’s Puppets held over in
local stand at the Italia Theatre.
Open Dec. 5 in Paris, with new.
repertoire, for world -tour.
Hernigio Paone, Italo legit star,
may tour “Porgy and Bess” .in key
Italian cities, following its recent,
hit preem at Venice’s Music Fete.
Mel Ferrer and Audrey Hepburn
switched plans, now staying in k a
20-room Alban Hills villa while
Ferrer finishes pic work in Cine-
citta studios.
Cristine Carrere here from Paris
to co-star with Giho Cervi, Frari-
coise Christopher, Pietre Cressoy
fn “Donna Libera/' Marcello Pag-
liero will direct.
Nathan Milstein due here for
opener concert (Oct. 23) in Rome
University’s Aula Magna. Also
booked there are . Edwin Fisher,
Elizabeth Schwartzkopf and Mezz
Mezzrow.
Palm Springs
By Frank Scully . .
Ellsworth Vines is resident pro
at the Tamarisk.
Yera-EUen, on busman’s holiday,
dancing at Doll’s House.
. Jerry Lewis gave last of his
jaundice the old sun treatment.
Marjorie 'Pohl back at Racquet
Club p.a. after 9,000-mile trip
around country.
Bob Hope, couldn’t make it for
the CV amateur golf tilt after that
Cleveland debacle.
Ralph Kiner Umpired ball game
to help Mickey Finn’s Boys Ranch,
which ex-L.A, copper runs here,
Alex Evelove, Bill Best of« UP,
and ChOlly Angeleno (Lynn Spen-
cer) gave 100 villagers skull session
in publicity.
Victor McLaglen gave Tom Hull
a birthday cake, the Hollywood
Roosevelt owner resting here be-
fore plunging into an $8,000,000
Vegas operation. .
Ray Anthony band into Prom
ballroom Friday night (22),
. Henry Youngman held, over at
jimmy Hegg’s Starlight Club after
fine biz in initial two weeks: .
Scheik’s Cafe singing sextet,
now well into fourth year of con-
tinuous yun, packing them in with
program of gypsy airs; produced
by Glyde Snyder.
Sally • Sweet, zither player and
folk singer, into. Covered "Wagon
nitery for two-week* date, with
Harry Zimmerman, local radio fig-
ure, as comic and MC.
Edyth Bush Little Theatre, St.
Paul, Noy. . 4, will open three-
week production of “Life With;
Father.” Poll indicated tv show
revived interest in veteran stage
comedy. ,,
Norman Granz bringing modern
jazz concert into Minneapolis Audi-
torium Monday (25 ) \ with Duke
Ellington band and Dave BrubeCk,
Stan Getz and Gerry ; Mulligan
combos. Granz scored 10 days ago
with his Jazz at the Philharmonic
at same spot.
By Emil W. Maass
(2 Grosse Schiffgasse; A4504.5.)
J osefstadt Theatre will- produce
“Caine Mutiny” in 1955.
San Francisco cellist Analee
Camp gave concert in Schubert
Hall,
Raimurid Theatre plans Robert
Stolz operetta, “Dreams in Blue,”
for Xmas. It’s a remake of a 1934
work.-.
Radio reporter Heribert Meisel
inked by Paula Wessely film for
her next production,, “The Way
Back.”
Melodie-Donau Film working on
“You Are Right One” after com-
edy, “The First Mrs. Selby.” Erich
Engel is directing.
Carl Milloecker’s classical oper-
etta, “Gasparone,”* being filmed in
the Rosenhuegel Studio (Russian
zone), with Karl Ptoryla in the
lead.
Ida Lupino laid up with an In-
jured knee.
James Cagney celebrating 25
years in films.
Helen Traubel suffered another
attack of laryngitis.
Francis X. Sullivan applying for
American : citizenship.
Tay Garnett and Mart Aldon re-
turned from London.
. Greer Garson recovering from
ismergency appendectomy. •
Anna Magnani arrived from Italy
for her first Hollywood picture.
Vic Damone and Pier; Angeli set
their wedding date for Nov. 25.
Fred Sweeney seriously ill at
Motion Picture Country Hospital.
Albert Marre in from N.Y. seek-
ing talent for new play,. “Festival.”
Fernando Lamas and Arlene
Dahl moved from MCA to Williai
Morris,
Hoagy. ; Carmichael arid . Lucy
Marlow will appear at a benefit in
Pasadena.
George Jessel will emcee: the
eighth annual Panhandle Dinner of
the Publicists Guild.
Tribute to Joe Pasternak for 30
years of film accomplishment will
be staged in the Coconut Grove.
Film cartoonists tossipg a party
to honor Walter Laritz on his 25th
anni with Universal-International.
. Roy M. Brewer addressed Mo-
tion Picture Industry Controllers
on ‘‘How ; Hollywood licked the
Communist problem.” .
By Gordon Irving
(Glasgow; Kelvin 1590)
Ray Ellington; rhythm quartet
leader here in vaude.
Grade Fields set' for Scot con-
cert dates and milling trip to U.S:
this winter. '
David Whitfield, British singer,
pacted for vaude at Glasgow Em-
pire in November.
Regal Cinema, Kilmarnock, cel-
ebrating 50th anni, was formerly
the King’s Theatre.
Joy Nichols, Australian chirper
and radio star, set for vaude week
at Glasgow Empire, -
Jimmy Logan, Scot comedian,
touring rural locations with unit
under the James S. Kerr (Robert
Wilson) banner,
Bobby Limb, young Australian
comedian, after successful suriimer.
season in “Half-Past Eight” revue
at Alhambra; Glasgow, joining new.
Ted Heath vaude unit, “It’s a Rec-
ord,” for British tour.
Ronalds. Bros, current at Pre-
view Lounge for an indefinite run.
Alan Dean, MGM singer, in town ,
for two weeks to do Howard Miller
deejay show.
“Peer Gynt” extended at Play-
wrights Theatre . Club with “Sea
Gull” to follow Oct. 26.
Irene Castle Enzirtger, -of once
famous Irene and Vernon Castle
dance team; leaving home in Chi-
cago for retirement cottage in the
Ozarks.
Black Orchid Jr., new cocktail
lounge: adjoining the intimate
nitery, opened last Sunday (17) co-
incidental with birthday of boni-
face A1 Greenfield, likewise cele-
brated by firstnight guests.
-Bonnie Kroll, former promotion
gal aria deejay pusher for Mercury
Records, joined Sampson. Co. in
promotion capacity for Columbia
Records, vice Nat Hale who’s now
With Liberace flackery. Marty
Hirsch, former assistant to Kenny
Myers at Merc, succeeds Miss
Kroll.
By Maixweli Sweeney
(22 Farney Pic.; Dublin 64506 )
Ballet Rambert in for season at
Gaiety, Dublin.
Warbler. Cavan O’Connor cur-
rently on tour here.
Artur Rubinstein inked f6r
longhair recital in Dublin Nov. .13;
Jack Aronson will stage season
at Gate, Dublin, starting in Novem-
ber.
Grade Fields pacted for Thegtre
Royal, < Dublin, arid Savoy, Cork,
Oct. 28 and 29.
Terence Rattigan’s “Deep Blue
Sea” added to fall sked for
Olympi , Dubli .
Robert Gallico, son of novelist
Paul Gallico, named assistant stage
manager at the Dbblin Globe The-
atre.
Brian Durnin, former Radio
Eireanri gabber, named first secre-
tary of Irish embassy in Washing-
ton.
Derek Bond and Bernadette
O’Farrelt in for leads in John
Dighton comedy, “Who Goes
There?”
Bostonian Vivian Eckstein cast
for Edith role in current Dublin
By Richard H. Larsh
( Press Club; 27-0161)
Metro plannirig Tokyo sales con-
vention of its Near and Far East
reps the latter, part of October.
Jean and Wally Nash, Australian,
dance team, appearing at the Latin
Quarter. He also plays the multi-
chord.
By the end of January, 1955,
there will be at least 105 C’Scope-
equipped houses in Japan. There
are 49 now and 19 more will be
completed by end of the month.
Sir v Malcolm Sargent, British
baton wielder, guest conducting a
series of concerts with the Tokyo
Symphony Orchestra and the Kan-
sai Symphony Orchestra in Osaka.
Porthnd, Ore.
Amato’s Supper ' Club has Nel-
son Eddy for one week.
Mrs. J, J. Parker,' film theatre
exec ‘here, recovering, from near
pneumonia.
Eddie Bracken in “Seven Year
Itch” at Civic Auditoriurri. for Wil-
liam Duggan four days last week.
Florence Pickett, ace choreogra-
pher for the Amato line, making a
name for herself as Konny G.
Worth at station KGW.
By Jerry Gaghan
After two weeks of band policy,
Embassy Club returned to floor-
shows. ,
The Barton Sho-Bar' changing
name to Club Mambo for a try at
neW *craze.
Gil OrloWitz, local playwright,
will have his drama, “Stephanie/ 1 ’
tried out by Group One, oif-Broad-
way Theatre.
Australian former figure skating
champ Melanie Magnan heads .new
rink revue at Hotel Benjami
Franklin’s Garden Terrace.
Norman Granz ’playing return
quick date at Academy of Music
with Duke Ellington orch and
combos of Gerry Mulligan, Dave
Brubeck and Stan Getz.
Philadelphia Civic: Grand Opera
signed two Metopera stars for sea-
son’s opener, “Samson and Deli-
lah,” Oct. 26, with Ramon Vinay
and Jean Madeira in title roles.
By Florence S. Lowe
Mills Bros, current, at Casino
Royal nitery.
Sande Williams orch back at it»
stand at Hotel Shorehairi’s Palla-
dian Room. ‘ r *':"' ,
The Eugene Van Dees, MPAA’s
Rome rep and wife, here to visit
the Eric Johnstons..
“The Crucible,” big click at
Arena Stage, held over for sixth
week, which delayed : skedded
preem of "Androcles and the Lion”'
to Oct. 19.
By Glenn Trump
Acts at Ak-Sar-Ben Rodeo hero
included Jay Sisler; Slivers John*
son; and Connie & B'/rort Hendrix.
Tex Beneke sworn in as: hon-
orary fire chief at Offutt Air Force
Base here while playing dance for
airmen.
Jack Duffield feports.his Thearle-
Duffield Co, of Chicago Will pro-
duce fireworks for 21st Orange
Bowl celeb at Miami Jan, 1 Art
Briese will be in charge,
Don Romeo of Paul Moorhead
Agency back from Chicago where
he inked Herb Shriner to head
Auto Show slated for new City
Auditorium here in February.
^edn1954
143
ARTHUR WINNER'.
Arthur Wisner, 54; manager of
the Kansas City Philharmonic
Orchestra, died qf a cerebral'
hemorrhage in K. C., early Mon-
day (18), lie went there in Novem-
ber," 1952, after a Splitup with Com-
munity Concerts Inc., where- he
had spent niuch of .his business
career. One of the organizers of
Columbia Artists Mgt. and its Com-
munity Concerts; adjunct, he spent,
lost of his adult life in the con-
cert business. Bom jn . Athens,
Mich., he graduated r Michigan
Business & Normal College.. First
with the Redpath Chautauqua &
Lyceum Bureau, he "“helped to orf
Still "THE KING'
AL JOLSON
MAY 24, IMS
OCTOBER 23. 1950
Al Jolson Memorial Club
gariize Columbia in .1930, He was
at one. time a performing musician.
Survived by wife and three sisr
ters. ' ' ” ’
B. IVINFRED MERRILL
B> Winfred Merrill, 90, former
iicert violinist, composer, music
textbook writer and dean emeritus
of the> Indiana U. School of Music,
died Oct. 17, in Bloomington, Ind.
In 1880 he founded and . directed
the first high school orchestra in
the U. S. at East Aurora, 111,
Joining Indiana’s faculty in
1919, Merrill became dean of the
new school of music, in 1921 ' and
served until his retirement in 1938.
Throughout his 19 years with the
university he conducted the I. U.
Symphony Orchestra.
Surviving are his wife and a
daughter, Prof.: Winifred Merrill,
of the I. U. School of Music.
RICHARD TEMPLE
Richard Teriiple, 81, vet actor
and a panel member on “Life
Begins at 80,” tv show, died of a
IN MEMORIAM
In Loving Memory of Our Brother
SAMUEL LIEBERT
COMEDIAN
Diod Oct. 24, 1945
AT REST
heart attack Oct. 14. in New York.
Born in:England, he was the son of
Richard Temple, who originated
roles in all of the Gilbert and
Sullivan operettas when they were
first produced, The. younger
Temple was brought to the U. S.
by the Shuberts, and appeared in
many of their productions. ;
Temple performed in Chicago in
“The Better ’Ole,” with De Wolfe
Hopper and in Shaw’s “Pygmalion,”
with Ruth Chatterton. His other
appearances included roles in “She
Stoops to Conquer,” “Rebecca” and
“Sons O’ Guns.”
ERNESTO SABATINI
Ernesto Sabatini, 76, veteran
actor-manager, died in Milan, Oct.
6, of a > heart attack, In recent
years he had been, working in
Italian radio and tv. From 1910 to
Fred E. Abler!
per: 20th. 1953
In Loving Momory
MILDRED, RICHARD, FRED, JR.
1940, . he played leads with top
Italian touring companies and also
headed his own road company.
Although Sabatini- .appeared in
some 50 films as a featured player,
he never achieved stardom. A mem-
ber of an old theatrical family,
he was a doctor of medicine be-
fore embarking Upon a stage ca-
reer.
EDWARD R. NORRfS
Edward R, Norris, 53, who had
managed the boxoffice of. the Na-
tional Symphony Orchestra in
Washington since that organization
commenced in 1931, died in D. C.
last Oct, 13 after a long illness.
Norris, a native Washingtonian,
had previously worked the box-
offices at the old Belasco and Poll’s
Theatres there. . He was a member
of Variety Club of- Washington and
the •; Cirgps Saints 'and Sinners
there.
/Surviving are this wife, a sister
and brother;
HERBERT V. ANDERSON
Herbert V, AndterSon, 47, ac-
count executive with NBC-TV’s net-
work sales dept., died Oct. 14, in
Manhasset, N. Y., after a long ill-
ness, He joined NBC in April,
1944, ih the spot arid local sales
dept. Upon formation of the tele-
vision network sales dept, in 1950,
he was named an account exec.
A native of Falconer, ,N. Y.,
Anderson is survived by his wife,
Mrs. Anne Wright Anderson of the
J. Walter Thompson Go.; his par-
ents and two sisters. „
ALFRED GRADSTEIN
Alfred Gradstein, 51, Polish, com-
poser, died Sept. 29, in Warsaw
He studied at the Warsaw > Con-
servatory of Music from 1922 to
1925, and at the State. Academy
of Music in Vienna from. 1925 to
1926.
Best known for his songs for
children and for popular music for
yoiqe and instruments, Gradstein
.Wort two state 'prizes for his works’ :
for chorus. Among his other com-
positions are a piano concerto and
a number of mazurkas.
HARLEY SADLER
Harley Sadler, 62, longtime tent
showman, died of a heart attack
Oct. 19. in Stamford, Tex. A state
senator at the time of his death,
he was stricken, i Avoca, Tex.,
where he had gone to judge a
talent contest.
Sadler traveled with various
stock companies in the midwest
and southwest arid also acted on
Mississippi, showboats.
RICHARD RICCARDO
Richard (Ric) Riccardo:, 51, own-
er-operator of the Chicago restau-
rant bearing his name, died there
Oct. 11. He had been in poor
health for nearly four years. A
painter himself, Riccardo opened
the eating place in 1935. It later
evolved into a. combination restau-
rant arid art gallery that became
a favorite 'hangout: for the radio-tv
and ad agency crowd.
Survived by a son and daughter,
HALLIAM BOSWORTH
Halliam BosWorth, 79, actor in
many Broadway , stage productions,
died of a heart attack Oct. 10 in
New York. At the age of 16 he
played a super in William A.
Brady’s “The Things That Count.”
On Broadway Bosworth later ap-
peared in “The Hawk” “Treasure
Island,” “Lombardi, Ltd./’ “Top-
aze,” “Trick For Trick,” arid “It
Can’t Happen.”
His wife survives.
THOMAS FLETCHER
Thomas' .Fletcher, 82, retired
vaude performer, died Oct. 12 in
New York'. At one time he toured
with a number of vaude song and
dance shows throughput the coun-
try. Later, with his wife, he
formed a team known as “Fletcher
and Bailey.” More recently he had
appeared on the tv show, “Life
Begins at 80:”
Surviving are tw
HENRY STANTON
Henry Stanton, 68, senior veepee
of the J. Walter Thompson ad
agency, died Oct. 7 in Palo Alto,
Cal., of a heart ailment. In partial
retirement, he maintained an of-
fice in the San. Francisco branch of
the agency, with which he had been
connected; for .40 years.
His wife and four children sur-
vive,
Lou Morris
Lou Morris, 65,. prominent in-
dependent exhibitor,, died in a
London ; hospital Oct. II after a
short illness. He was taken: ill
with food poisoning the previous
week and suffered a stroke a few
days later. ’
Survived by wife arid. two sons.
LOUIS C. SNYDER
Louis C. Snyder, 68, violinist and
composer, died Oct. 10 in Chicago.
He wrote several hit tunes includ-
ing “Dreani Book,” “Gypsy Cara-
van,” and “Dear Friend, Gentle
Heart.”
Wife survives.
v. - “
Mae L. Zimmerman, 61, retired
vaudeville performer, died of
cancer, Oct, 5, in Cleveland. Some
35 years ago she was featured with
Roland Travers who specialized in
magic and illusions. Surviving are
her sister, Cecilia Emerick, and
father-in-law,
Edward E. Rudolph Jr., 56, Re-
public Pictures salesman, was
killed in an iautp 1 accident Oot. 5,
near Salem, 111. He operated the
Studio” Theatre in St: Louts, and
the. State Iti Columbia, 111.,' before
joining Republic
j. Ellsworth Sliker, 68, singer on
‘ eai'.ly’ " NBC radio pyogratiis; was
‘ .found dead Oct. 12 At his home
in Easton, Pa. He directed the
..Easton Oratorio Society, and "his
failure to appear for a rehearsal
of the group led to discovery of
his body.
• - . V >•
HedWig B. Smith, 81, who for
more than 50 years 1 conducted a
costuming business for profes-
sional, and’ amateur theatricals
from her’; home in Albany, N.Y.,
! died suddenly there Oct. 3. A sis-
ter survives.
Widow, 80, of John J; McGuirk,
pioneer film theatre operator and
■ president and chairman of the
board of the Stanley Co. of Ameri-
ca, died Oct, 15, in Philadelphia.
Two daughters survive;
Continued from page 2 ;
Joseph Tavani,. Sr., 70, motion
picture projectionist with Warner
Bros, fof 32 years until Iris retire-
ment a few years ago, died Oct.
10; in Philadeiphi , His wife, seven
sons and three daughters survive.
Frederick T. Ifyskell, 84, founder
of the Pacific Coast Advertising
Assn.,, died Oct. 13 in Hollywood.
Surviving is his son,. Dean, Fox
West Coast advertising executive,
Ercole' Marchisio, 71,’ former
proprietor and co-owner of the o’d
Marguery Restaurant, known to
many showbiz figures, died Oct. 13
in Teaneck, N. J.
Mother, 76, of Mrs. Richard
Rodgers, wife of the composer,
died Oct. 11 in New York, after a
short illness. Surviving, besides,
her daughter, is a son,
H. Evan Williams Jr., 55, music
and drama critic f or the old Akron
Times-Press, died' of a. heart ail-
ment, Opt. 13, in that city, Sur-
viving are his wife and a son,
-• ' •>' •
Arthur Edward Reeves, 62, film
cameraman of long standing and
owner of a camera supply store,
died Oct. „1Q in Hollywood. His
wife and two daughters survive.
Father, 82, of Paul J, Miller,
manager of radio station WWVA
in Wheeling, W;Va., died Oct. 13
in Zelienople, Pa.
Irifant, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Jack M. Warner, died Opt. 14 in
Hollywood.. Father is a production
executive at Warners.
Mme. Emmy Ifeiin, 69, former
singer and a voice teacher at the
Royal Conservatory of Music, died
Oct. 12 in Toronto.
Infant daughter of Thomas A.
Power, news editor of radio station
WMUR in Manchester. N. H., died
in Worcester, Mass., Oct. 9.
Doiph Bleiler, 29, drummer with,
the Rainy City Jazz Band, Seattle,
died in that city Oct. 13 of a heart
attack.
Joseph A. Norm, 71, sculptor and
makeup artist at Metro, and Warn-
ers for 31 years, died Oct. 10 in
Los Angeles. He retired last year
because of failing health.
Joseph W. Gutzweiler, 79. vet-
eran exhibitor! died Oct, 12, ih
Jasper, Irid. He .owned the Astra
and Tivoli Theatres there.
BlgTHS
Mr. and Mrs. Frank P. Rosen-
berg,; , Hollywood, Oct; 8. Fa-:
ther is a Warner producer.
Mr. and Mrs-. Don Reid, son,
Memphis, Sept. 25. Father is
danceband : leader; mother, Gwen
Parke, is Vocalist with the. band.
Mr. arid Mrs. Bill Veeck, daugh-
ter, Los Angeles, OPt, 14. Mother,
is Mary Frances Ackerman, for-
mer p.a. for “Ice Capades.’
Mr, and Mrs. Alec Coppel, son,
Hollywood, Oct. 12. Mother is the
former British actress, Myra Mor-.
ton; fathef* is a Screen Writer.
Mr. arid Mrs. Allen Fletcher, son,
Pittsburgh, Sept. 28. Father’s a
g rector at J* the Carnegie Tech
rama School.
Mr. and Mrs. Dick Trapp, daugh-
ter, Bronxville, N ; Y., Oct. 11.
Father is, CBS-TV sales service
staffer.
Mr. arid Mrs. Richard Stark,
daughter, Oct. 13, in Englewood,
N.J. Father is an account exec with
ABC-TV.
. Mr. and Mrs. Ben Halpern, daugh-
ter, New York, recently. Father is
assistant to Samuel Coheri, foreign
publicity manager of United Art-
ists.
Mr, and Mrs. Leon Feldun, son,
Brooklyn, Oct. 16. Father is With
United Artists’ liomeoffice foreign
dept.
away to the avid Anglophile • the
tremendous advantage which Amer-
ican, entertainment ha's in the Brit-
ish market.
Take motion pictures. There is
in existence an Act of , Parliament
which stipulates 30% quota, for
British product, with reliefs arid
exemptions allowed under the Act
shaving this to about 25%. In ac-
tual performance, the countrywide
average is not .much; above. 20%.
Interpreted in: the logical way;
roughly; 80% of the British screens
are filled with Holly wood product.
.Who says now the British are anti-
American? ,
.. Yet only a month ago, J ; Arthur
Rank reported that British .pix in
the U.! 3. didn’t . gross 1% of the
total American revenue. He in-
sisted that the only hope he had
of getting a. fair deal was to ac-
quire his own chain of theatres..
Irrespective pf the .rights and
wrongs of his arguments, they
niake wonderful copy for the . An-
glophile.
: Legit Situation
What’s the situation concerning
the legit theatre? At any time
there’s always a wide choice ■ of
Broadway hits which have been
trans-shipped to London, frequent-
ly with American stars, often
staged by U. S. directors, with set-
tings by a Yank designer.
In the postwar era, th e Broad way
musical has become one of the
sights of London. Currently there
are three such sights on view at
key West End theatres. They are
“King . and I,” at the Drury Lane;
“Pal. Joey,” at the Princes; and
“Can-Can,” at the Coliseum. This
impressive total is in addition to
the array of straight legit hits
such as “Teahouse of the August
Moon,” “I Am a Camera” “Sabrina
Fair,” and “Bell, Book and Can-
dle.”
How does this record compare to
the current Broadway scoreboard?
One British, musical. “Boy Friend,”
incidentally the first, in years, and
one comedy, “Dear. Charles,” which
is of questionable BritHih origin.
(The latter first played on Broad-
way before being translated into
the French,, from which it was
translated into English.) In addi-
tion, ^there was the limited run of
“Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the
Metropolitan Opera House arid now
on tour. • '
In the last couple of years com-
paratively few British plays have
reached the big time in America,
arid a few local hits have proved
to be dismal failures. “Escapade”
ran fof a. year in London, but sur-
vived for little more than a week
in New York. “Women of Twi-
light,” which had a profitable sea-
son here, lasted for only eight
performances on Broadway. “Dial
M for Murder” on the other hand
was a success on both sides and,
as the proverbial exception, “The
Fourposter” did far better in New’
York than originally in London.
Two-Way Street
Admittedly, there has been a
greater two-way traffic in legit than
in most other entertainment media,
and that not all the exports from
■the. Main Stem have been hailed
! along Shaftesbury Avenue, but it
must be conceded that Broadway
has collared the bulk of the West
End’s musical trade, leaving little
room for local talent. Even “Wed-
ding. in Paris” which has been
jamming the. Hippodrome since it
opened in February was authored
by an American (Vera CaSpary)
although it’s being tagged as a
British tuner/
Not.; Since “Fi inn’s Rainbb.w”
failed to make an impact several
years back has there been a flop
Broadway musical in London, and
the lineup of current West End at:
tractions is only part of the gen-
eral pattern. There’s still a tour-
ing company, of "Oklahoma!”, out
on the road, although it’s more
than fouf ' years since it was re-
placed at the Drury Lane by “ear-
ousel.”
The principal failures from
America were “Stalag 17” and
“The Shrike,” both of which had
short lives at the Princes and
“Bruno and, Sidney” which lasted
six performances at the Phoenix.
As. it only survived five shows in
America, this was one example
where the people and the critics
of both countries delivered the
same verdict.
Yank Vaude Superior
There’s never been any question
about American superiority in the
vaudeville field ever since Val Par-
nell introduced his policy of i. f ter-
national variety at the London
Palladium several seasons back,
And this naturally leads into the
Success of U.S. rds in the Brit-
ish market; as many of the Pal-
ladium headliners were pre-sold
solely on the basis of, their record-
ings. By (lie same token, there has
been a strong Yank, domination
-among the best sellers- for disks
and sheet music.
The importance of American tal-
ent in vaude, and a tribute to th
part U.S. artists, have played
making, the Palladium the world’s
premier vaudery, is demonstrated
by the inclusion pf a : number of
Hollywood stars among the galaxy
of talent recruited lor this year’s
Royal Command gala. Bob Hope,
Frankie Laine, Guy Mitchell and
Howard Keel have been chosen lor
royal honors, arid wiri appear
the Palladium stage Noy. 1.
Cabarets; Too
Even in the , more restricted
cabaret field, American performers
have had their full' share, of the
available gravy. London’s premier
nitery, the Cafe' de Paris, has con-
sistently booked the cream of’ U.S;
talent; the Colony Restaurant on
Berkeley Square lias always had a
generous quota of Yarik acts, while
other restaurants and clubs.. have
regularly signed American stars ' as
cabaret headliners.
Agreed that, a number of British
act have succeeded in breaking
into the American nitery field, , it
must nevertheless l>e conceded
that the traffic mainly has been in
a single direction; Broadway will
always make, attractive, bids for
top talent ’ the Noel Coward
category. ,
America is not so enthusiastic,
however, towards the “bread-and-
butter” acts of. show b[/., \vhich
would benefit from the prestige of
an American season as well as be-
ing able to use the cciii, U. S.
artists in this category are nearly,
always sure of a .warm welcome
and plenty of v/ork when they
come to thi^ island.
Undoubtedly, deep down in the
true British hearts, there must be
some envy of the firm grin which
the U.S. holds on every facet of.
entertainment. But to be- envious
of America and Americaiis is vast-
ly different from being^ariti-Ahior-
ican. Plenty of local, girls may be
envious of Audrey Hepburn, one
of the many British, artists 'who has
made her . name in .Hollywood.
None would be against her.
Rogers, Autry
'SSS Continued from paK0 1
their films from being sold to tele-
vision. W’ithout extra recompense.
First instance was reported in
Variety in a front page yarn as
early as July, 1935, when Edna
Ferber refused to sell her novel,
“Come and Get It” to Samuel
Goldwyn unless the contract spe-
cifically reserved radio and tele-
vision rights to her.
. Since then, the studio guilds and
the AFM have fought the televised
iise of pictures made by their mem-
bers for theatrical use, unless par-
ticipants received extra pay.
Lawyers Nonplussed
, Hollywood. Oct. 19.
Fred. Sturdy, Roy Rogers’ at-
torney, is undecided whether he
will ask U.. S. high, court to recon-
sider. , Gang, Kopp &. Tyre,
Autry attorneys', has no present
: intention of seeking such reednsid:
eration^
Latter sgyj‘- •“H^ann.er ,iri . vyiiieb---
Republic can Use pix still is not
completely decided.”
MARRIAGES
Edith Finkenstein to Bernard
Hiller, Long Beach, L. I,,.N:Y., Oct.
9. Bride is secretary to Robert
Ferguson of Columbia. Pictures’ ad-,
pub dept.
Ruth .Hampton to. Byron Palmer,
Hollywood, Oqt, 17. , Bride’s a
screen actress; he’s on television.
Kathrjm Parks to Arthur Lack,
Pittsburgh, Sept. 26. Bride runs a
dancing school; he’s a Pitt report-
er for the Wall Street Journal.
Barbara Young to Johnny Oxley,
Edinburgh, Scot., Oct. % "Bride’s a
danceband chirper; he’s a musi-
cian.
Daphne Walker to Richard
Hoyle, Johannesburg, South Afri-
j ea, recently. Bride’s an English
' ice-skating s‘tar.
j Jo Ann Greer to Stiin Stout. La
j Canada, Cal., Oct. ^9. Bride's a vo-
! calist; he’s a trumpeter w,'th Les
1 Brown's band.
144
'Joi
18 Jrl— .
Wednwdayt October 20, 1954
r
.w.-.
-/X
- ^ Jfc^A \
* * ..** 1* «*
Jo* £** top
W** ie ottets>
AlW Trvo one S w 0I 1^
4ttne AttJtstntnent ^tto W*n
\S */*%* cops open e gVii v» t Rt0 .
out tot c ^eettn8 gwhU* * ct ^,
bee J\vvc only oo' .y.e pl»V a7, *L to pU‘ v ’
cS^° :-*£?? ?•» ieM S&»“g£.
tavotite Joe ® t ton. t «**??*;
taV0 I vv\een B**"
slsed . s fc<>*
' e **f 2 S i uttte
in4 ttve * 3*1
^ostfe.^totlost
sUfHETY '■
"Miss Barton is an undenvablfv
click of law ghg^ag'neve r here-i
?ar n eer SM’ssTtoscJle 't&se Las I
Vegas heightsnow,
her current 29 -minute stint at the
Copa.” —
RADIE HARRIS
Hollywood Reporter .
SrsSgM
g?sv^ss» s? , ^S
?L h “ been through the years (
who arra e n n ge g d V H,i C / e h dit ‘° lh * suy
routine lor her^Z^ZlTi.^
V/-. . * ■>
■-•'■/vl
it**™?™ 0 ™
‘hcfo/tSe^/?* E. Lewis is '
big surprise nrfh 1 ® ^ 0 see ' but the
BARTON. Thi'^fhow is ErEEEN
local fixture fL ss has been a
?be’s making peop uftak ^ ut now
^e^ajen notice of
r -
HY GARDNER
N. Y. Herald Tribune 1
“An energized bundle, of talent
named Eileen Barton. Eileen, who’s
been chanting tunes all the way.
back to when she was a youngster]
on the Horn & Hardart radio re-
vue, stopped the show so cold at
the Copa. Miss Barton demon-
strated that she’s now ready for
anything the entertainment world]
has to offer from a top spot in
teevee, the Palace, or a legit mu-
gene knight
N.^ Y. Journal-American i
“Eileen Barton, in her first CoDa
appearance. A tremendous per-<
for man cc by a young trouper, who
i* fagtcoming into her own.” I
-'t
A',--
^ .s\ . ft .
,iML
v®
✓v
, ;■
-Xki
Just Concluded
,ca:
New York
Opening Nab. 2nd
CM
Hollywood
LEE PINES at th%Piano
Jx"
-<
•:.sviv.'
«•<
.•<«v*»wr»V
|rv® M »“ ror nd Eileen Bar-
■m «‘joe E. i floor Show
^
EARL WILSON I* * N. *• •TTL I wU and Euew
N. Y. Post # m “Joe E. greatest floor f 110 *
“Eileen Barton’, blackfaco Jolson» ^“-.^CoSaC^^o^ °U *e
type act at the Copa, is the newest EILEEN . B ^ 0 ut in show
Sensation/’^ ^ JJ ~ with
1 business. Wf.Vo^yvoice, they’ve ,
her lush » n 4 Tft the chumps into
cot to straitjacket tM c d m ght
fhe cWs- ThenonThur ^
SfaSoSTrnm tje ^ c ^rttfp»t
^r“o^wr» tr ^
BAffl?s?iWr5
ot singinf. * e 5 personality. L S»»
the nation.”
TED GREEN
Ba "Eileen lly Barton. the .peppmr (
thrust who f --ggSUST^.1
the patrons at th? Copaem a ^
^ih^ureartst joung sttr, to come I
Sfoilg §n "he show business scene
m^earX’— **
JACK O’BRIAN
N. Y. Journal- American
_ We've all knwon for years!
* E ± en , Barton wouI d make it big I
some day soon, and now she has*
gce^jr 0 " dertul ^M, j
FRANK FARRELL -
N Y World Telegram and Sun
“Thrush Eileen Barton looks so
n e tite, yet sounds so majestic witnj
her new supper club foutme. in
the E. 60th St. basement. Her
medley of Harold Arleri tunes, 1 ?
a fascinating one-gal musical re-
vue.” — —
DANTON WALKER
N. Y. Daily News
”The sensational act that Eileen
Barton has whipped up for her-
self, -which almost stole the show,
in her Copacabana debut.”, J
BILLBOARD ■ Bart0 n who 1
«... It wa ^ c ^ imash. The cute |
was the surptisymas^ buslhess |
r^rA^flnge c c UPS. It was .
real act, a 8 r Bill Smitlu
mo
*1
to Appear on 6 Forthcoming
LIEBMAN
SPECTACULARS”
NBC-TV
Oireciiom Willi AM MORRIS AGENCY
R E C ,0 R D S
♦ /
Starred In Univertal Film Musical (Just Released)
"COLLEGE CAPERS"
Pergonal Managementt "WYNN LASSNER & PRANK MILITARY
Published Weekly at 154. West ,46th Street. New York 36, N, Y,; by Variety/ Inc. Annual, subscription $10, Single copies, 23 cent*.
I XTT* J if Ji I M ' TilnmUi I I ^Biil IM i • fJsJ j i I 'll iTTnR u'm M f MV-^rUBvi-yi'^B COv ^^Bvl
VOL, 196 No. 8
iTTTn rjw i rr^vxR *■■'7 \> FTYm <1
COPYRIGHT, . 1934, f BY VARIETY. INC;, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1954
PRICE 25 CENTS
They’re calling it the .“dirtiest”
biennial election campaign in mod-
ern times— and maybe of all time—
. and naturally a ’ good deal of it
spills over into “quick sell” tv as
'well as “old reliable” radio. Next
c Tuesday will tell the story whether
. dirt versus dirt, like ciggie versus
(add soap, . aiutos, et . al.), Ciggie,
cancels each other out, so that in
. the end the man in the ballot booth
pi his decision on what he
' thought were the issues in separat-
ing the wheat from the brickbats
as he. saw and heard them on the
• networks and locals.
■Rarely in JJ. S. history has there
been so much soul-searching, some
. of it wtih a wattage angle, as wit-
ness Douglas R. Stringfellow’s own
“expose of his; Wartime derring-do
‘r and his exit* as a- Congressional
' candidate from Utah. That String-
vfeilovv’s “exploits” were reprised
on NBC-TV’s “This Is Your Life”
• by Ralph Edwards (and dramatized
on CBS-TV's “Suspense”) merely !
‘demonstrated the long obvious tru-^
‘.ism that tv 'is not immune from- in- ■
'fallibility when tackling “true” ma-
• teriah Curiously, while it was a
newspaper, the Army Times, which
• is credited with unmasking the
'Utahan, the latter ' elected to own
(Continued, on, page 12)
Hard-Luck Tunes in Vogue
Before WaH St, Laid Its
Close Figuring
.Omaha, Oct. 26..
Pawiiee, Neb., County Fair
Board, is no slouch at close
budgeting.
•This year’s Fair financial re-
port showed a $6.04 overdraft.
In 1953 the overdraft was 65c,
By JIM WALSH
If there’s any. idea on which the
tv ical American is sold it’s the be-
lief that, given the breaks, he could
..make a house full of money and
• be a big shot.
Even more firmly Axed* however,
-Is homo sapiens' idea; that he
• doesn’t get the breaks but is the
< hard luck champ in person. And
no doubt this belief in. one’s own
unique personal misfortunes is the
; key to the boffo success of the
'-songs, of, self-pity that, have per-
colated for generations d ,o w n
' through American pop music; In
so perking, they have done battle
ifh . the opposition ' optimistic
; school which insists that you can
. paint ther clouds with sunshine, “A
■ Smile Will Go a Long, Long Way”
and that you should “Pucker Up
'and Whistle Till the Clouds Roll
• By."
.j- These reflections were inspired
• by the 25th anniversary of the 1929
: ‘ atock market bust that inspired
Var j ety to One of its most-
( luoted headlines, “Wall St. Lays
An Egg.” But* oddly enough, the
stock market debacle didn’t inspire
. many songs — few at least that are
, remembered today. Probably the
1 best known was the*doieful “Broth-
r v ’ w an You s P are a Dime?” by E.
• ^•-Harburg and JayGorney, which
, didn't come out until 1932,, A cou-
E le years earlier Bill Curtis and
• r ank Crumit had. bravely treated
(Continued on page 54)
.Local 802, N. Y. section of the
American Federation of Musicians,
has given the word to the major
hotels arid niterics that it, wants a
five-day Work week for musicians.
Demand was- made in negotiations
last week and, although talks are
set to continue amicably, the fiver
day. demand is expected to run into
some stiff opposition.
Demand for a five-day week is
aimed at spreading employment
among more Local 802 members
and follows a pattern set a couple
of- years ago in Chicago. The
hotels and niteries don’t like the
proposal, because they see a hike
in their operating eosts in having
(Continued on page 25)
Clooney-‘Hey’ 1st Show
Tune in Yrs. to Pass
1 , 000 ,
Asian countries as well as Aus-
tralia and New Zealand, 1 , are in-
creasingly echoing European coun-
tries in charging that too many
Holly woodrihade features are un-
healthily loaded with detailed phys-
ical brutality. Mobster stuff is bad
enough but sadistic cruelty on the
part of police officials is profound-
ly, shocking to many foreigners Who
cannot understand this rough stuff
in a democracy professing leader-
ship of the free world.
Cry of “too much violence” is
not new. But it is spreading. Con-
siderable embarrassment is irnplicit
on (1) the economic level, since
the foreign markets provide the
profit margin for American films,
and (.2) the political propa-
ganda level, since American bru-
tality as pictured in American fea-
tures tends to make academic the
Yankee argument that Russia is
a brutal police state without re-
spect for individuals.
Usual, defense of Hollywood “vi -
lence” is that it honestly shows a
struggle between good . and evil
in which good invariably triumphs.
However, foreigners point out that
there is strong criticism of such
film plot violence in the United
States itself and that “mature” fea-
tures do not resort to ’ primitive
torture for kicks.
, Violence, not sex, forms the
basis for most of the foreign scis-
soring of American films. Euro-
peans generally object to violence,
Which their films rarely contain.
Angriest beefs, however, come
from the government of the under-
developed countries^ particularly
in Asia. There, it’s feared, the type
of screen entertainment which
American audiences accept under
the "action” tag might well serve
(Continued on page 25)
f S pec’ a D irty W or d ?
Quizzed re the industry's
new flock of new film “spec-
taculars,” i.e., multi-million-
doll a r budgeted productions,
an eastern v.p. commented:
“Things are going, too nicely;
don’t- use that word on us.”
His point, being that televi-
sion’ “spectaculars” so far
this season have been short of
smash.
“Hey, There,” plug time from
the Broadway musical, “Fa jama
Game,” is the first showtune in
many years to crack through the
1,000,000 sales mark . on disks. The
Rosemary Clooney etching of the
tune passed the 1,200,000 sales
bracket last week and is still travel-
ling at a fast pace.
In the . past few years, tunes
culled from legituner scores have
made poor showings in ’ the disk
field, A few. however, racked up
impressive Sales ; marks but none
reached the “golden disk” circle.
Earlieh this year “Stranger, in
Paradise,” from “Kismet/* got a
.700,000 disk sales ride ‘ ‘Tony
Bennett’s Columbia slicing. Last
year Perry Como’s “No Other
Love” (Victor from ‘‘Me and Juliet”
hit close to . 800,000 -disk sales,
Eddie Fisher’s workover of the
title song of the Harold Rome
musical, “Wish You Were Here”
(Victor), has been credited with
giving the show a boxoffice stimu-
lus but. it only racked up an es-
timated 750,000 platter sales. Even
Como’s cut of “Some. Enchanted
• Evening” a few years ago fell short
* (Continued on page 54)
Miami* Oct. 26.
Miami city solons this week will
consider a drastic ordinance de-
signed to eliminate “tea parties”
for’B-girls in local bars, according
to Mayor Abe Aronovitz, who
drafted the proposed law.
The bill, almost certain to be
passed, will curb clip joints and
tighten controls over the fringe
spots that cater to the guys looking
for gals - — a Considerable group,
considering the many- conventions
which meet in Miami .through the
year. Included in the proposed
ordinance are rulings which would;
require B-girls or other employees
drinking with patrons, to be served
exactly what they order and to
down the drinks; there Will also be
a “stop” on the number of drinks
such employees could’ consume,
the limit to be 10, with all such
drinks to be listed separately on
the customer’s check. The Mayor’s
ordinance also will require posting
of all employees' names on a large
card prominently displayed on the
(Continued on page 20)
By GENE ARNEEL
Hollywood, too,, has its “spcctac-
‘ulars.” Major studios currently are
investing unprecedented amounts
of coin in new product, to the ex-
tent that gross business of $8,000,-
000 to $9,0p0,000 on certain pi
would be insufficient to break
even, and that kind of money
infrequently reeled ‘ .
As television is risking astr
nomical revenue (for that medium),
so, too, some -film- producers,
quest of mammoth producti
values, are gambling enough Capi-
tal on a few pix to finance an en-
tire legit season on Broadway; A
budget, of $3,000,000 on a single
negative had been outstanding in
past, arid anything much- higher
than that was rare; David O. Selz-
nick’s “Duel in the Sun" and
Metro’s “Quo Vadis” were the ex-
ceptions of; the past few years. Last
year “The Robe” was added to the
list, of monetary giants.
Now, numerous of the new films
either finished or in.work or in bluer
print stages are in the. ultra-high-
cost bracket. Some RKO publicity
of the past few weeks loosely uses
$6,000,000 as the budgetary figure
(Continued on page 32)
Columbia has become first of
the major film companies to unload
a sizable package of oldie pix to
television. Outfit disclosed in
N. Y. yesterday (Tues.) that an
unspecified nuinber Of westerns
arid cartoons are going to Hygo
Corp., pic distributor in the 'tv
field. It’s understood about 20
oaters and. 50 black and white,
single reelers are involved,
Jack Cohri, Col’s' exec v.p.,
stressed that disposition of these
pix “in no way .alters our com-
pany’s polipy of not releasing our
features for television showing.”
He added that the westerns arid
animated product peddled to Hygo
“long -since outlived their theatri-
cal value and have no further po-
tential for reissue.*'
, The westerns, it was said, date-
back 15 years or more arid some of
them star BUI Elliot and- Russell
Hayden.
‘Eve’ Sellouts; Victor’s
LQ Buyout Sets Trend
New York niteries are already
looking forward .to capacity houses
for New Year’s Eve. A major
nightclub has been taken over for
the big night by , an appliance firm
as ' prizes to dealers and certain
workers arid executives. Others,
feel that with more than 650 seats
already off the market, they will
be in position to sell out very
earjy, .and perhaps get higher
tariffs than in previous years. x
The Latin Quarter has been sold .
out to. . RCA Victor for the big
^Continued on, page 70)
JIISCEI.IAW’
Pfoftutrr
Wednesday, October. 27 , 1954
By ABEL GREEN
Veteran showman Nate J, Blum-
berg, east on one of his : periodic
trips, but getting less regular since
he assumed the board chairman-
ship of Universal Pictures, is of
the opinion «1>, that picture stocks
are the most : underpriced issues
on the market, just as (2), the pic-
ture business - ‘will always be with
us”.
The success story, of. U. \vith.its
credo of ’-making ’em af a price”,
even in the doldrum days ^ of the
industry when .many within . .arid
without the industry Ave^e ’'writing
the picture business out of. exis-
tence,” . make him an unique
authority, For . thing, U’s
‘‘bread-and-butter” pictures; in the
downbeat days of grosses, always
saw his company turning a profit;
And in its recent evolution, with
the Decca Records takeover of U
control, the stock upbeat in both
diskery and the picture company
issues has been marked.
Above all, Blumberg, a vaude
Stoky’s Gold Platter
Leopold Stokowski was handed a
gold platter last week by RCA
Victor’s general manager, Manic
Sacks, for selling 1,000,000 copies
of his ‘'Blue Danube Waltz” record-
ing. He became the second Red
Seal conductor to get into the
golden circle of bestsellers.
First Victor maestro to get a
gold disk was Arthur Fiedler, whose
recording of “jalousie” with the
Boston Pops passed the 1,000,000
marker in 1952.
Frank Farrell’s Radio
Eye-Opener as Divorce
HORACE HEIDT
BOX 472
Van .Nuys,v California
York World-Telegram &
Sun columnist Frank Farrell
vet from ’wav back,, is bemused by ( staged one of those, cafe society
• • ‘ • ' .ii_ e. ' _ _ ■ j _ 11 j. . i,' .L:* ' A T> /~+ C 1 ...
his, personally favorite credo that [ eye-openers on his ABC Sunday
“the pio?e show business Changes [ ight “Critics Choiice” segment last
the more it remains the same.” ‘ week (24 > by bringing on three of
He sees it now with television and the four principals in the year’s
spectaculars and color— “the s^me - hottest divorce suit. Guests were
thing; we went through in the film singer Juliana Larson, he? oilman
business until we found that adfi- husband, Bedford Sharpe, and jew-
eler Louis Arpels (Van Cleeff),
a lotta star-power or color
isn't the, insurance against a poor
(Continued on page 25) A * f- ^ ?? * threesome
-. . \vhiie tn tabloids: were carrying
21
while th
hot 'n' heavy coverage about Mme,
Arpels’ divorce suit, against her
■ a . . husband naming Miss Larson co-
routine:,. which left listeners puz-
zled as to its purpose and/or mean-
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Plaintiffs in the $51,750,000
blacklist suit against the major ing, blit Farrell later explained
_ 4 1 ! • l i‘ j ■ l •% Jl •_ .. ‘ ‘
studios and many independent pro- that from his viewpoint it was a
ducers have filed notice of appeal matter of good journalism in get-
irpm dismissal of the action last ; ting in-the-news people together
July. At tliat v tirhe Superior Judge i (Continued on page 20)
case, ruling that employers have [ a u if n 1411 .
a right to refuse to hire persons . tcuiS llSFFy L0DH IflOSt
who have declined to answer ques* __ f .
iniauo c n onceniing Comi ™ nistic af Maligned In Hollywood
Plaintiffs, 23 in all. are former Hollywood, Oct; 26.
film people involved in Congres- ; Fortnight magazine out today
sional probing of Reds in Holly- ! ‘26* booses Harry Cohn as only
wood, They include Gale Sender- j filmland personality to be included
gaard, Anne Revere and Michael : in compilation of 27 “top perforni-
New York, Oct. 19.
Editor , Variety:
If only to prove to you that I
read Variety from cover to cover
each week, you will remember
that I called you after I had read
yourr very interesting editorial,
“Peepshow in Reverse,” in the is-
sue of Sept, 29.
I thought it stimulating and pro-
< vocative but I also felt it was on
: the wrong page; that I didn’t be-
llieve what Variety had to say
should have been addressed pri-,
marily to television people but
rather to picture people.
It seemed to me that everything
you said about television was ac-
j curate but that the most important
thing the piece, had to say is. that
(Continued on page 79)
Glynis Johns’ US. lead
Hollywood, Get. 26.
British actress Glynis Johns has ! York’s Coogan’s Bluff that was
By JOE SCHOENFELD
r’
Hollywood, Oct, 26.
Last Wednesday night (20) at
Hillcrest Was like an echo Off New
been signed for her American film
debut opposite Danny Kaye ih
“Court. Jester,” Dena production
which rolls next month at Para-,
mount lot.
She’s due here next week for
rehearsals.
Ike Asks Eddie Fisher To
Sing So He ‘Counts His
Blessings’ Via Berlin Time
A “dream” plug, under the top-
most auspices, . that of the Presi-
dent of the United States, was a { Thomas, Tony Martin, Ned Cronin,
long time arriving. The. roar of the
•Polo Grounders., tasting Indian
blood was counterpoint ed by the
laughter of more than 400 slag
members and guests who jammed
the country club . for Leo Durocher
Night. It was ribald and funny, and
at times there was an unmistakable
note of tender affection for. arid by
the tough leader of the Giants who
fractured the Cleveland Goliath.
The dias- was one of the “bright-
est” since the old days in the N Y.
Friar’ 48th Street monastery.
From toastmaster George Jessel,
through Jack Benny, Danny Kaye,
Groucho and Harpo Marx, Danny
spontaneous happenstance to Eddie
Fisher and Irving Berlin’s ‘’Count
Your Blessings.” Song is from the
latter’s “White Christmas” fiimu-
sical currently at Radio City Mu-
George Burns, Charlie Dresseh and
Fred Haney, was expected dazzling
wit, but most of it came ih four-
letter words. Dignity started and
ended with Hillcrest prexy t*eli
sic Hall. It happened at the Jew- ! Juda’s intro of-Jessel. Of the come-
ish Tercentary Dinner last Wednes>
day night (20) at the Sheratonr
Astor Hotel, N. Y., where the
President was the honored guest
and where both Berlin and Fisher,
were to perforin.
(Hans, only Groucho; who was on
too early to get the cu'e, stayed
fairly clean and gave out with the
most 6rigirial gags. Kaye, who ; had
no jokes but a hilarious takeoff on
Horace Stoneham, provided the
Having rushed over from his [ biggest laughs, and Harpo, minus
own tv show to sing the National ; ^ red fright wig and playing it
Arithem With a choir from the U. S.
Military Academy at West Point,
Fisher somehow* was overloo^d^Tin^harp solo. Only other hiu si
for the nonce, the choir of-
ficiated with ... the “Star-Spangled
Banner” and Berlin sang his “God
Bless Arherica.”
When the President learned
there still were five minutes before
radio-tv time, he requested Fisher
to singing “anything,” The young
straight, gave out with the most
novel entertainment for a stag—
(Continued on page 20)
MAE WEST INKED FOR
MIAMI COPA AT 15G
Mae West has been signed to
u ■ -a ■ * - *ui pla - v Gopa City, Miami Beach,
baritone, rose to the occasion with | starting Jan: 8. She’ll be getting
lTin a » ' ia>nn a/iaI m m a«I **4k a ^ ~ ^ ^ • •. _ w ‘ °
Wilson.
Valerie Hobson. Retiring,
But Not Immediately
London, Oct. 26.
Valerie Hobson, w starring in
the London production of “The
King and I,” may retire from the
stage when she weds John Prp-
fumo, a junior minister in’ the gov-
rnment. However, she recently, re-
newed her contract for the Drury
Lane musical through August next
year and has not asked to be re-
leased.
It is thought her intention is to
retire only on completion of her
existing, commitments. She is also
active on screen, radio and tv. .
ers of year.” Article" says Cohn,
“one of most maligned men in
Hollywood,” fooled his detractors
by coming out With three great
successes in One year — “Caine Mu-
] tiny,” “On the Waterfront” and
forthcoming “Long Gray Line."
With “Eternity” still going
strong, Cohn was “Movie Man of
Year.”
Berlin’s London Bally
Irving Berlin continues his song-
plugging and exploitation pitch for
Bing Crosby Attorneys
Fight U, S. Tax Claim
Washington, Oct. 26.
Bing Crosby is fighting a Federal
tax claim in the U, S. Tax Court
here; He has filed suit against an
action cf the Internal Revenue
Service which claims the gro^ner
owes an additional. $17,710 on his
income and that of his late wife,
Dixie Lee.
Dispute is over the amount of
i „ ... - i taxes due on $300,000, which the
Wliite Chnslmas, with an over- t Crosbvs received for selling a one-
sea P uext Monday (Nov. 1) fori third interest ill Decros- Corp., a
a fast, wefek in London, meeting recording compalny, to Decca Rric-
music and film critics, interviews ords. Crosby said the $275,000
with the BBC disk jockeys, and in ! netted was a capital gain arid not
general follow the sarrie pattern as • annual income,
on his recent U. S. deejay tour., | Revenue Service also refused
Songsmith has a Orie-third own- to allow: dependency deductions
erririp in the film with Bing Crosby • claimed; for Mrs, Crosby’s parents,
and Paramount; and this is; frank- .- This v. a$ not contested by Crosby
ly a commercial exploitation tour, ( and his wife’s estate.
SHAPE NOV. 21 FETE TO
SCHENCK BROTHERS
Hollywood, Oct. 26,
Screen Producers Guild has ap-
pointed a special committee to ar-
range details of the Fourth Annual
Milestone Dinner Nov. 21. It is
composed of Buddy Adler, Robert
Arthur, Louis F. Edelman, Walter
M. Mirisch arid Lewis J. Rachmil.
Dinner will be held to honor
Nicholas and Joseph M. Schenck
for their contributions to the film
industry. Darryl F. Zanuck was
recipient of the Milestone Award
last. year.
what was acclaimed “the Tight
thing to say at the right time” —
especially since it was all so unex-
pected— and observed, “This is the
‘Command Performance’ of all
command perforriiances, and since
$15,000. It’s the first major talent
acquisition by Murray Weinger,
who’s buying for the Spot,
Weinger has been attempting to
get a string of film and tele -names
for -.the cafe in an effort to induce
this command came from the Presi- , tele networks to originate a Sat
10 27
Subscription Order Form
Enclosed find check for $
Please send VARIETY for
One Year
Two Years
To
Street
(Pleas* Print Name)
• #. • •'
Zone. . . . State. , . . . . .
Regular Subscription Rates
One Year— $10.00 Two Years^-$18.Q0
Canada and Foreign— $1 Additional per Yeer
t'SniETY Inc.
1 54 W*i» 4iMi Street * New York 34. N. Y.
Bea Lillie Set For
Three-Week Scot Tour
. Glasgow, Oct; 26.
Beatrice Lillie is set to play a
iveek at the King’s Theatre open-
ing Nov. 1 ‘ her “An Evening
With Beatrice Lillie.” In first half
of the show Miss Lillie will be
supported by Leslie Bricusse (mem-
ber of Cambridge University Foot-
lights Dramatic Club), Constance
Carpenter arid John Philip. Eadie
& Rack, the Mr. & Mrs. team who
•acconipanied Beatrice Lillie in the
U: S., will be at the two pianos.
Miss Lillie’s last show in the
United Kingdom .Was “Better Late”
at the Garrick Theatre, London.
Current show is set for weeks at
Edinburgh and Manchester before
playing the West. End of London.
I.
Basso’s Prof undo
Hamilton Basso’s new novel,
“View From Pompey’s Head,”
includes a blind novelist who
is disintegrating, and his high-
ly protective wife,. Although
the book is fictitional and any
resemblance to real persons is
denied, legit oldtimers around
Manhattan think they ' detect
the “models" for these two
characters in the late play-
wright Eugene O’Neill and his
wife. Carlo tta Monterey.
The speculation is given
some plausibility because Bas-
so has researched the O’Neill'
story.' Mrs. O’Neill is said not
to share the view that any re-
semblance exists. Now resi-
dent in New York City,. she. is
jpracticMIy incommunicado.
dent of the United States, this is
one more blessing in my life, so
I'll sing Irving Berlin’s ‘Count
Your Blessings.”' -
The Chief Executive apparently
was so impressed that when he got
on mike and camera he interrupted
the proceedings to tell the public,
“I was so touched by the song that
I would like Eddie Fisher to again
sing one. chorus of -Count Your
Blessings' before I start iriy
speech.”
At the dinner, incidentally, Ber-
lin’s introductory to “God Bless
America” was to the effect that;
like the pioneer Dutch Jews who
first settled in Nieuw Amsterdam
300 years ago, - he too came to
America, the son of a rabbi, from
Russia, and this is his (Berlin’s) ex-
pression of his love of America.
Ms
Theatrical Version
Sheldon Reynolds, is planning a
theatrical version of his “Foreign
Intrigue” telepix series, tb be filmed
in Paris next spring. Reynolds is
currently in New York negotiating
a financing-distribution deal, with
three major studios reportedly in-
terested in the project.
Aside from the “Intrigue” .film,
Which would mark Reynolds' bow
in feature-length production, he’s
planning, three other features for
lensing during next summer in
France. Trio comprises a melo-
drama, a love story and a comedy.
He’s already : scripted one of the
three.
urday or Sunday liight series from
the Beach cafe/
Major Donald .Neville-Willing,
who sailed, from London on: the
Queqn Elizabeth Thursday (21), ar-
rived in N. YTyesterday (Tuesj to
continue negotiations for Mae
West to headline at the Cafe de
Paris after New Year’s. Preliminary
overtures have already taken place
and, while Miss West reportedly is
receptive, she’s indicated she
wants to come with the complete
entourage with which she appeared
at Las Vegas and the Latin Quar-
ter, N, Y. '
Neville* Willing’s mission is main-
ly concerned with trying to per-
suade hey to pome alone, with the
promise, that extra talent, includ-
ing the necessary musclemen,
could be recruited in London.
Neville- Willing, who handles all
American “bookings for the Cafe
de Paris, Will be returning to Lon-
don a few days ahead of Rudy
Vallee’s opening end of next
month.
More Closed-Circuit TV
Fifty units of specially-designed
big-screeri tv units for hotel closed-
circuit television has been pur-
chased by Nate Halpern’s Theatre
Network Television from General
Precision Laboratory. Purchase is
said to represent the largest tv,
I equipment transaction outside the
broadcast field.
The new equipment is to make
possible simultaneous business
meetings in as many as 50 hotels
in 50 different cities from coast
to coast. Box Office Television,
, rival closed-circuit outfit, has a
Ideal; with the Sheraton. Hotels and
{ has a number of units installed in
Chile Cardinal Urges
Bari on Tolies’ Visit
Santiago, Oct. 19.
Cardinal Jose Maria Care pub- [the chain’s hotels. In addition, it
lished a declaration today urging j maintains portable stand-by equip -
the Chilean government to follow m ent for other situations. Approx^
the example of the Peruvian Gov- | ma tely 100 theatres throughout th
country have closed-circuit equip*
ment of their own which is con-
trolled by neither TNT nor BOTV.
Equipment, purchased by Hal-
pern, is known as model PB 610
and it provides adjustable pictures
dalous arid perhaps the worst seen [ ranging in size for 4x6 feet t to
Paramount after* the film, being’
produced by Frederick Brisson,
under the Independent Artists
banner, had been in preparation
on the RKO lot the past several;
months. Odium controls the Bris-
son company.
The “official” explanation out of
Par was that “Girl Rush,” slated
for lerising in VistaVision, would
benefit from that company’s re-
search and technical handling of
the new, screen process. BrisSon
moved his unit to Par Monday (25).
Yet, this is the second instance
whe-e RKO lost out and where
Odium had a connection. Walt Dis-
ney Production disaffiliated from
the Hughes company a couple of
months ago with the decision to
distribute its multi-million-dollar
“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,”
among other films, through its
ow subsidiary. Odium’s invest-
( Continued on page 18)
Chicago, Oct. 26.
Continuing to search for new
sources of revenue past the ticket
windows, as many theatre owners
are inclined to do these days, one
circuit here, is mulling prospects
of venturing into the boin machine
biz. Alliance Theatre. Co. feels it
can fatten its take by buying its
own vending machines instead of
settling for a 50-50 split With con-
cessionaires.
Alliance vending department
heads, Qlen Packard and Nick
Stassen, attended last week’s coin
(Continued on page 18)
RKO'$ ^usan* Big
Although RKO on a full-year
basis is continuing its opera-
tions at a loss, the company
has had a couple of single-
month periods in the black, A
backlog of product swinging
into release abroad proved a
strong plus factor.
On the ..domestic front,
“Susan Slept Here” has been
doing hefty business. In the
light of returns so far, this
Debbie Reynplds-Dick Powell
comedy looks to rack up
$2,500,000 in domestic gross.
Senate subcommittee investigat-
ing juvenile delinquency will probe
the motion picture industry next.
Hearings expectedly will be held
in Washington in December,
Senate group, which is headed
by ^Sen. Robert C. Hendrickson
(R., N. J.), began its probe of tele-
vision last week with the stated
aim of ascertaining how tv pro-
gramming influences the behavior
of youngsters. Hendrickson dropped
the hint that perhaps tv might need
a "czar” to restrain the industry
against, unsuitable material on the
air.
The understanding at this time
is that the Senate unit’s interest
in Hollywood centres on the op-
eration aiid efficiency of the Pro-
duction Code Administration. Per-
sons close to the matter indicate
that Hendrickson and his associates
are starting out, with a “friendly”
attitude toward pix and want to
See how the self-censorship prin-
ciple of the Code might be put to
work in other fields, mainly the
comic book industry.
Trade Marks Time; ‘Star’ First for Second Week,:
‘World* 2d, ‘Cinerama 1 3d, ‘Waterfront* 4th
'DAYBREAK* BROKE
Bankers Trust Redeemed $9,960
On Negative — Lost $126,749
Los Angeles, Oct. 26.
As an aftermath to the foreclo-
sure sale of a film called “Day:
break,” originally owned by Shoiw
time Properties* Inc,, Bankers
Trust of N. Y. won a deficiency
judgment amounting to $126,749 in
Superior Court.
Recently the bank was awarded
$134,135, due. on notes* and then
sold the film for $9,960. Deficiency
judgment represents the differ-
ence, pins legal fees*
Music HALL'S XMAS SHOW
‘Deep In My Heart’ From Metro
Viewed on Coast
, “Deep In My Heart,” Metro's
musical, has been set as the N.Y.
Music Hall’s Christmas picture.
This followed Russell Downing,
Hall’s managing director, return
from the Coast* where he looked
at the latest ’ Hollywood product.
“Heart” had been tentatively con-
sidered earlier but Downing
Wanted to see the completed
negative first as to suitability to
accompany the annual Music Hall
Christmas . stageshow.
The Jose Ferrer-Merle Oberon
starrer likely will open Dec. 9 or
Dec. 16,. depending on the length
of the run by “White Christmas,”
now in its second week at the
Hall.
Trade in key cities covered by
Variety this stanza is slipping be-
low last week mainly because there
doesn’t appear to be enough , big.
Strong pix to go around. In one
respect, it is a transition period,
with numerous theatres awaiting
the arrival of fresh fare, Some of
which is due next week. Few ex-
hibs show any inclination to at-
tempt launching bigger films in
direct competition^ with “Star Is
Born,” (WB), preferring to coast
along temporarily. '
“Star,” champ last session is
standout in first place again this
Week with $536,000 gross in prin-
cipal keys. It is playing in 19 key
cities covered by Variety. “Wom-
an’s World” (20th), second last
round, again is capturing second
position.
“Cinerama” (Indie) is moving up
from fourth slot of a week ago. to
third. “On Waterfro'nt” (Col),: with
additional playdates, is finishing
fourth, being okay, to great in some
eight key cities,
“Brigatfoon” (M-G), which was
10th last stanza, is winding fifth;
“Sabrina” (Par) is taking Aixt.li
spot While “Rear Window” (Par)
is seventh place winner. “Sudden r
ly” (UA) is moving up to eighth
place.
. “Egyptian” (20th), long high bn
the list, is showing enough to cop
ninth, with “Human Jungle” (A A.)
founding out the Big 10 list. “Sit-
ting Bull” (UA), “Vanishing
Prairie” (Disney), “Rogue Cop”
(2VLG) and “Hajji Baba” (20th) are
the runner-up pix in that sequence.
“White Christmas” (Par) is giv-
ing further evidence of its great
grossing potential this week by
landing a terrific, total in Denver
to easily pace that city. Initial
VistaVision picture is displaying
its stamina by holding , near the
first week gross in second stanza
at the N. Y. Music Hall, where a
huge $171,000 looms. It did $175,-
000 Opening week,
“Barefoot Contessa (UA), also
new, ; is heading Tor a stnash $30,-
00.0 opening round in Chi, It still
is socko currently on its longrun
at the N. Y. Capitol. “Beau Brum-
mell” (M-G), another newcomer, is
big in N. Y., fine in Cleveland,
smart in Philly but slow in L-A
‘'Bengal Brigade”(U) looms neat in
Toronto and fast in Philly. Pair of
oldies, “Notorious” and “Farmer’s
Daughter,” both RKO, are doing
nicely in Boston and Providence.
“Shanghai Story” (Rep), just get-
ting around, is big in Chi and good
in Toronto. ;
“Betrayed” (M-G), trim in Bos-
ton, is rated brisk iri Chi, “King
Richard and Crusaders” (WB) is
Okay in Toronto.
“High and Dry” (U). good in
Balto, shapes nice in N. Y. as well
as Chi and big in Boston, “Hulot’s
Holiday” (GBD) looks fine in long-
run in Frisco.
"Black Knight” (Col) is sock in
Frisco. “Valley of Kings” looms
neat in St. Louis.
( Complete Boxoffice Reports on.
Pages 8-9)
Policy at RKO moved a step
hearer crystallization over the past
week with the acquisition of dis-
tribution rights oh a world-wide
basis to Michael Myerberg’s pro-
duction of "Hansel and Gretel.”
Film has already opened its N.Y,
run at the Broadway Theatre.
Company is aiming to move In
on new product from all directions.
In the case of “Gretel,” only 1
straight percentage distribution
deal Was involved on a pic already
completed. RKO, it’s said, also is
angling for deals whereby the
studio will arrange for financing
in varying amounts for indie prod-
uct, will set up the entire produc-
tion fund if a producer has the
“right” package or will consider
other tieups with indies whereby
the studio and distribution facili-
ties will be made available.
Further, the company Will con**
tinue to engage in production on
its own, that is, hiring a producer
to lens any choice property that is
come upon.
RKO’s new pact with producer
Edmund Granger reportedly en-
compasses only studi rental and
(Continued on page 18)
Columbia Q.T. ’Peace’
Conference Aims to End
Allied Exhib Roars
Columbia is in the process of
getting off the Allied States Assn,
hook. Behind-the-scenes talks took
place last week between Columbi
sales chief Abe Montague and an
eastern Allied leader; A Col
spokesman said Montague had
made no concession on terms and
that the confabs merely concerned
a customer-seller relationship with
one individual and did not involve
Allied a whole. However, the
Allied “customer” in this case is a
director of the exhib org and i$
(Continued on page 22)
Trad* Mark Registered
FOUNDED BY SIME SILVERMAN
Published Wookly by VARIETY, INC
Harold Erichs, President
154 West 46tb St. New York’ 38. N.Y
JUdson 2-2700
Hollywood 21
0311 Yucca Street
Hollywood, 9-1141
Washington 4
1293 National press Bull
STerling 3-5445
Chicago 11
012 No. Michigan Av*.
DElaware 7-4984
London WC2
8 St. Martin's PI.. Trafalgar
Tempi* Bar 5041
SUBSCRIPTION
Annual $10 Foreign $11
Single Copies .... 25 Cent?
ABEL C.REEN, Editor
Voi; 196
No. 8
INDEX
Bills
72
Chatter ......
24
Film Reviews
6
House Reviews
72
Inside Radio-TV
34
International
16
Legitimate.
74
Literati
20
Music
50
New Acts
73
Night Club Reviews . .
. . . .; 71
Obi tu
79
Pictures
3
Radio-Telcvesi
26
Radio Reviews
34
Record Reviews
50
Television Reviews
28
TV*-FiIms
43
Vaudeville «
58
Wall Street
22
DAILY VARIETY
(Published in Hollywood by;
Dally Variety, Ltd.).
$15 A Year.. $20 .Foreign
PICTURES
Wednesday, October 27, - 1954
House Set for 2d Cinerama;
■r'i *
aw
National magazines will break*'
reviews and. publicity pn ' “Ciner-
ama Holiday/’ tKe, second picture
|h thie widescreen medium, in their
November issues although Stanley
Warner, holder: of the production .
and exhibition rights to the me-
dium, still hasn’t decided when to
install the; Louis de Rochemont
production in Cinerama theatres.
It was originally planned to open
‘’Holiday” in NeW York in Novem-.
bei% but biz for the original! film,
“This Is Cinerama/’ has been hold-
ing up so well at a solid $40,000 or
thereabouts weekly that SW execs s
are reluctant to pull the first at-. 1
traction — although they are
aware that they might lose the im-
pact of the national publicity .
breaks. Mag editors and reviewers
caught “Holiday” several months
ago ’ order to prepare editorial
matter for the anticipated Novem-
A Superstitioh Is Born
Hollywod, Oct; 20.
Anthony Mann, director of
“The Man From Laramie,” has
discovered, how to. end a
drought. “Just send an ex-
pensive production on loqa-
. tion/’ he says, “and it’s sure to
rain.”;
That is what happened, to his
troupe in New Mexico where
a heavy three-day rain ended
a long dry spell and caused
floods. *
Via Shipbuilding Co. Lira
U.S. Film Firms Secure
New compensation deal With
m Ma w usage. The last .two Finmeccanica
The New World, official Cathol c deals were made at 735 lira to the ‘
newspaper for the Archdiocese of dollar T „ t official. exchaIige iate
Chicago, is. otter the picture indus- is g30 only company not partici-
try egain. A frontpage itein thls .p at j ng in the most recent swap is
H a ^ d A m f
Sues Fireman’s Fund Co.
For Refusal to Payoff
On Alan Ladd Injury
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Difference of opinion over the
terms of an insurance policy is the
basis of a $59,725 lawsuit filed
jointly by Columbia and . Alan
Ladd’s Warwick Pro duct io ns
against the Firemen’s Fund Insur-
ance Company in Superior Court..
Plaintiffs contend that they had
a policy covering the possibility
that Ladd might be unable to start
“The Black Knight” according to
schedule, Just before the starting
date last year, Ladd fractured his
foot, causing a delay. Now, they
declare, the firm refuses to pay on
the ground that the policy did not
cover accidents.
BRITISH LION 20
Deal for Eliot Hyman to acquire
theatrical and tv rights to; 20
British Lion pix is in the closing
stages in N. Y. Deadline is Nov. 1.
Talks ^between Hyman and B-L
started, after the British outfit
went into receivership. Package
originally included only 13 films*
but that total later was raised to
20. That’s said to be the largest
number of British pix to be put on
the block in Some years. Motrs
Helprin reportedly is repping B-L.
Price . being asked by the British
runs to around $500,000, it’s said,
with Hyman acquiring the films on
a flat basis for. a given number of
years. He’s expanding ;his distribu-
tion org in anticipation of taking
on the British flock.
Ace in the deal is “The Heart of
the Matter,” with Maria Schell and
Trevor Howard. Film has already
been tentatively booked into the
Normandie Theatre, N. Y. by Hy-
man; Other promising films in the
package include “The Intruder”
and “Front Rage Story,” both Jack
Hawkins starrers; “Bells of St.
Trinian’s,” which opened in Lon-
don recently, and “An ; Inspector
Calls, with Alistair Simms.
N. Y. to L. A.
Eileen Barton
Anne Baxter
Sara Berger
Anthony Dearden
S. H. Fabian
Max Fellerman
Vera Ferguson
Freddie Fields
Mary Jane Higby
Ben Kalmenson
Harry. Kalmine
Boris Karloff
Edwin Lester
: George Minter
Richard Myers
Bill Watters
Lawrence Weirigarten.
Europe to N. Y.
Harold Boxall
Ernest Clark
Sir Kenneth M, Clark
Constance (Collier
Linda Darnell
Maurice Eisenberg
Robert Flemyng
Otto Harbach
Osie Hawkins
Jara Kohout
Joseph Krips
Toni Lander
Emmet La very
Moura Lympariy
Patricia Medina
Guy Mitchell.
Valerie Noble
John Ortiz
Norton V. Ritchey
Cesare Vallettl
Royce Wallace
Caroline .Woffort
; A $9,000,000 suit brought in
N. Y. Supreme Court by four great
grandchildren; of composer Robert
Schumann - against Loew’s, Inc.,
was dismissed last week by Justice
William C. Hecht ,on th$ .grounds
tjiat their “right lo privacy”; had
not been invaded by the film com-
pany^ 1046 production of “Song of
Love.” Court,; however, permitted
the plaintiffs to .file a third amend-
ed complaint within 20 days.
Descendants of the composer
charged that distribution of the
film represented an : unlawful inva-
sion of their right to privacy, in-
jured .their property rights as well
as those of Schumann and libeled;
the memory, of the noted musician.
Some $5,000^000 is asked .^Qr ap-
propriation Of the Schumann name,
$2,0.00,000 by Which Loew’s alleg-
edly earned from the picture, $1,-
000,000 for libel and $1,000,000 for
invasion of privacy.
. In a lengthy opinipii Justice.
Hecht held that “even: in those
States where a right of privacy is
recognized, the right 'is a peVsOnal
right and cannot, as a general (rule;
be asserted by any one other tliaii
by him whose pfivaey is invad-
ed/ ” Court added that rights of
the Schumann kin Were no better
on their claim that the film libeled
them.
For the complaint, Justice Hecht
pdtnted out, admits that Robert
Schumann and his sister Were in-
sane as shown in the picture. Thus,
the jurist wrote, “no cause of ac-
tion in libel is made out where the
complaint shows that the article'
complained of was true.”
Court held that the plaintiffs had
failed to prove that Loew’s had
misappropriated the name of Rob-
ert Schumann and also denied,
their claim that the major has been
“unjustly enriched” by profits
made through exhibition of the
film. In any event, the bench
ruled,. Loew’s did not obtain some-
thing of value to which it was not
entitled.
Four Schumann kin who are
pressing the suite include Robert
Schumann of San Francisco, Wal-
ter Schumann of Bronxviile, N. Y.;
Mrs, Mari Personius of Elmira,
N. Y., and Mrs. Robert White of
East Northport, L. I.
L. A. to n.y.
Eddie Albert
Robert Aldrich
June Allyson
Barney Balaban
D. J. Bloomgarden
Frederick Brisson
Joseph S. Duhi
Lillian Gish
Stewart Granger
William Holden
Mervin Houser
George JeSsel
Betty & Jane Kean
Phil Krasne
Edwin Lester
David A; Lipton
Maggie McNamara
Carmen Miranda
Paula Morgan
Charlie Morrison
Arnold Moss
Ona Munson
Nicholas Nayfack
Max Nosseck
Kim Novak
Robert Palmer
William Perlberg
Dick Powell
Tyrone Power
Gene Raymond
: Ted Richmond
Jay Robinson
Mike Romanoff
Charles Schnee
George Seaton
Dave Sebastian
. Geoffrey Shurlock
Rehert Strauss
Helen Traubei
Benay Venuta
Jean Wallace
Allan Warshauer'
Cornel Wilde
Collier Young
N. Y. to Europe
Irving Berlin
John Byram
Marian Byram
John van Druten
Joan Greenwood.
Irving' Hoffman
Joseph Kaufman
Jerome Lawrence
Robert E. Lee
Raymond Massey
Edmund Purdoin
jean Simmons
By ROBERT J, LANDRY 1
Film director. Alfred Hitchcock
W as defendant, and victor; in a
strange, precedental case which has
'just ended after 11 days before
Judge William Bondy in N. Y. Fed-
ra l Court. Art action for $750,000
damages (reduced from $1,125,000)
on five counts (reduced from
seven) was brought by one Irving
Fiske. Actor Cary Grant was also
named in the. complaint, but never
served. The case involved “slan-
der of title" and consisted, i the
main, of a charge that a publicity
statement made' by Hitchcock in
1945 ruined and aborted “plans" to
produce a play of . Fiske’s called
“Hamlet in Modern English" which
he wrote between' 1938 and 1941.
Recognized, by film, stage and
show biz attorneys as a case that
“had to be won" else the door be
opened to all sorts of similar . liti-
gation. Fiske vs. Hitchcock ended
when the judge directed the jury to
find the case not. proven, By then
the stenographic minutes were up
around 850 pages of argument and
testimony.
.Fiske’s case consisted, almost en-
tirely of a series of newspaper
lippings concerning a modern ver-
sion of “Hamlet" which Hitchcock
had once considered as a possi-
bility with Cary Grant as the Dane.
HitchcOck never went beyond, the.
publicity handout: Thus Fiske, an
author, was setting up the unique
claim that a mere “maybe" an-
nouncement infringed- copyright
and introduced unfair competition
Cf of Fiske’s charge was a
phrase by publicist Bert Margolies,
“Hitchcock said this is the first
really modern Hamlet to be done,"
(i.e., to be planned).
.Newspapermen Called
Although tediously prolonged,
much of the testimony proved col-
orful. Fiske’s attorney, Louis Pit-
man, subpoenaed tv actress Joan
Chandler and asked her .concerning
her ex-husband’s desire, to play
Hamlet; Hitchcock’s attorneys,
Joseph Levene and John G. Grif-
fin, argued that every young actor
wants to play Hamlet. Would she,
Miss Chandler, like to play
Ophelia? Not in the Fiske version,
said she. Several newspapermen
were subpoenaed to tell about items
nine years old of which none could
remember anything. Earl Wilson of
the N. Y. Post recalled interviewing
Hitchcock at the St. Regis. The di-
rector discussed diet and said he
hated fat men and Scotch,- but not
gm (Hitchcock was in Hollywood at
work throughout the N.Y. trial).
Leonard Lyons of the Post,
Miriam Quimby of Time, Robert J.
Landry of Variety and Sherman
McNally of the AP, were others
called to shed light on faded news
items. A byline piece by Rosalind
Shaffer, former AP columnist, pres-
ent whereabouts unknown, was at
issue and there was much palaver
as between opposing counsel and
the judge as to what was, and was
not, “quotation.’* The bench took
the position generally that a news-
paper clipping itself was not ad-
missable without direct testimony
from, the reporter involved,
Fiske took the stand and testi-
fied that, two actors; identified as
Barrie and McKay, had been pre
(Continued on page 22)
New ' 1
HUSBAND-AND-WIFE DEAL
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Samuel Goldwyn is rounding up
a hew bevy of Goldwyn Girls for
his tunefilm, “Guys and Dolls.”
$u.ch first appeared in “Whoopee"
With Eddie Cantor in 1930 but have
not been seen in actibn since “The
Secret Life of Walter Mitty” in
1947.
Goldwyn Girls of the past
cliided Lucille Ball, Virginia Mayo,
Laraine Day, Virginia Bruce and
Frances Gifford.
(Chesapeake Industries, parent
firm of Pa the Laboratories and the
defunct Eagle Lion Classics, has
been named defendant in a $1,250,-
000 breach of contract suit brpught
in N. Y.. Supreme Court by the
Selznick Releasing Organization,
Action charges that Chesapeake
failed to use its best efforts in dis-
tributing some 10 Selznick films
under a three-year release pact
Which expired last year, SRO. also
seeks an additional $100,000 oh the
claim that- it was given an erro-
neous accounting,
Chesapeake made a general de-
nial of SRO’s charges and counter-
claimed for $70,000. It maintains
that it Was deprived of that amount
when SRO allegedly violated the
distribution agreement by making'
its own settlements with exhi-
bitors.
Suit -came to light yesterday
(Tues.) when Justice Felix Ben-
venga reserved decision on SRO’s
motion for a bill of particu-
lars on the Chesapeake counter-
claim. Among Selznick pictures in-
volved in the case are “The Third
Man," “Duel in the Sun," “Portrait
of Jennie" and “Since You Went
Away." a
Position of the British film in
the U.S. market appears to be . in
for some improvement as exhibs
hail the quality of upcoming Holly-
wood product and in the same
breath complain of the shortage
of it.
Impression is gained in N.Y. that
there is, at the moment, unprece-
dented distribution interest in the
British imports, with exhibs them-
selves angling for their distribu-
tion. Competish for the grade films
is heavy, and so are the guarantees
being asked for them.
Feeling— -Long nurtured by the
British— persists that British pix,
made with multiple appeal to vari-
ous U.S, audience strata and prop-
erly presehted, are the logical mar-
quee successor to any; void that
may. be created by a. shortage of
available American: films.
.Contributing to this optimistic
outlook is the. activity currently
evolving around British imports.
Among the developments are:
(1) A reported plan for co-pro-
duction between J. Arthur Rank
and Republic,, with Rep handling
the pix in the western hemisphere.
This, it’s understood, will be a
topic of discussion between John
Davis, Rank managing director,
(Continued on page 25)'
as Features
Aldo Ray Flits
Holly WoQd, Oct. 26.
Aldo Ray considered the. role of
‘•The Wreck” in Columbia’s re-
make pf “My Sister Eileen" too
unimportant and. walked out on
it. As, a result he is off the pay-
roll.
Ray’s replacement is Dick York
who has been appearing in “Tea
and Sympathy" on the N. Y.
stage.
‘Salt’ Okay in Mex;
Mexico' City, Oct, 26.
“Salt of the Earth,” the pro-
posed exhibition of which in
Mexico provoked much fuss, . is
playing quietly to fairly good biz
at the Teatro Iris here, which dur-
ing the past two years has been
the showcase for arty Russian pix.
Regular exhibition followed a one-
day test screening at the Iris.
Most pic critics raved over
“Salt" — -but mostly on the ground
that it’s so different from other
Yankee films some critics used the
highly insulting name “gringo"
that an element down here is so
fond of branding Americans.
“Salt" is being considerably pub-
licized, including streamers on
trams, Which the city government
now owns-operates. .
“Salt" finally got the nod of the
National Cinematographic Board,
which decided there’s nothing
communistic about the pic and
that it’s suitable for all ages.
Hollywood, Oct. *26-
U. S. State Dept’s policy state-
ment opposing foreign- film sub-
sidies,, met with high approval in a
resolution adopted by the Holly-
Wood AFL Film. Council. Eric A.
Johnston and Ellis Arnall were also
praised, for their agreement to bar
subsidies in future foreign pacts.
Last July the Council declared
it was opposed to such subsidies by
American producers because of
their adverse effect on production
and. employment in the Hollywood
film industry.
Arnall Relaxes
Ellis Arnall, Society of Inde-
pendent Motion Picture: Producers
prez, formally advised the Federal
Trade Commission last week that
he was no longer interested in
pressing subsidy charges against
the Motion Picture Export Assn.
Letter, dated Oct. 19, said with-
drawal of the SIMPP complaint
was based on assurances from
MPEA prexy Eric Johnston that
his vievys — opposing subsidies to
foreign film industries— now have
the support of the MPEA board,
In view of this, wrote Arnall,
“there is no difference existing
between us. We now assume a
united front in opposing the grant
of gratuities, subsidies and sub-
( Continued bn page 25)
LATIN REPUBLICS YIELD U. S. FILM BIZ
OF TOTAL DOLLARS-IN-N. Y.
Marline Carol to 20th Along With
Christian Jacques
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Twentieth-Fox closed a two-way
®eal with Martine Carol; French
actress, and her director-husband,
Christian Jacques, calling for ohe
film annually for seven years. Con-
ti^act starts next sqmmer with Miss
Carol starring in the screen version
“Can-Can." .
Although Jacques has directed
“! s wife in her last four French
films he will not function in “Can-
Can" but will start his contract
*Uh her second picture'.
Growth of the Latin American
market — actual and potential —
has the U. S. film companies (eye-
ing the South-of-the-Border terri-
tories with ai new Interest. Some
in the industry feel that not
enough attention is being paid to
the development of the area in the
light of its continuing growth.
American distribs in 1954 will
have gotten out of Uatirt America
a total of close to $45,000,000, or
25% of its total worldwide “dollars-
in-N.Y.” revenue which this year
should run to approximately $175,-
000,000. The $45,000,000 include
two windfalls, dne for $20,000,000
from Brazil this year, and the other
the $5,000,000 compensation deal
fpr $4,000,000 in Argentina;
Film biz in Latin America is still
held down by government-imposed
ceilings in many of the republics,
However, as the standard of living
rises, it’s expected that" these
shackles will gradually be removed.
Restrictions have already been
eased in Brazil and, recently, also-
in Argentina. While L. A. has tv,
it doesn’t seem to affect the thea-
tre business since, for the moment
lit least, it’s out . of the economic
range of the average individual.
A. Chase. National Bank publica-
tion covering Latin America mar-
ket spells out the promise of the
market in detailed statistical terms.
It’s “one of the world’s fastest
growing markets," says the publi-
cation. “Production of goods and
services in the republics now. adds
up to more than $40,000, 000, 000
a year. It has doubled since the mid-
1930’s. Imports have doubled/ too.
The population is increasing twice
as fast as the world average.”
Looking ahead to 1970, the pub-
lication predicted production in
the neighborhood of $100,000,-
000,000 a year; a pdpulation rise
of some 60% to 275,000,000, and
imports from U, S. at between
$6,000,000,000 and $7,000,000,000—
twice the current rate. “European
producers will try to outsell U. S.
firms, to win a share of the area’s
dollars," the bank warned.
And its booklet continues: “In
most of Latin America there is still
a wide gulf between urban and
rural living standards. Many rural
areas are still outside the market
for manufactured goods, That ...be-
ing so, it's important to note that
the cities are growing almost twice
as fast as the total . population of
23 of the biggest cities rose 45%
from 1940 to. 1950, while total pop-«
ulation climbed 25%.
This is seen by U. S. execs as an
open invite tp- secure their future
position in the market via expand-
ed theatre holdings . and other
methods,. Robert Corkery, the Mo-
tion Picture Export Assn.'s Latin
American supervisor^ just back
from a long swing through the re-
publics, observed in N. Y. that the
industry had a real future in Latin
America and that plans should be
laid in accordance with the mar-
ket’s known potential.
While the $45,000,000 received
this year from Latin America are
not a true gauge of the actual in-
come-due to the transfer; of ac-
cumulated coin in Brazil and Ar-
gentina— the market nevertheless
makes a potent contribution to the
industry’s overall foreign revenue.
Country-by-country breakdown for
1954, given in tei’ms of actual re-
mittances, shows the following:
Argentina, $6,000,000. Brazil, ap-
proximately $20,000,000. Chile,
$1,000,000. Colombia, $1,500,000,
Cuba, $2,000,000. Mexico, $4,500,-
000 (affected by the devaluation of
the peso). Peru, $1,000,000, Ven-
ezuela, $3,800,000. Central Ameri-
can republics, between $2,000,000
and. $3,000,000. Paraguay account-
ed for about $250,000. Country
showing the most rapid improve-
ment this year was Colombia, e^ecs
in N.Y. say.
Impressed with the European re-
sponse to his animated cartoons,,
shorts producer Walter Lantz is
planning to provide some of his up-
coming subjects With continental
backgrounds to add to their for-
eign appeal.
Lantz, who’s marking his 25th
anniversary pf releasing his reelers
through Universal, told In N, Y.
last week (22) of the enthusiastic
reception accorded' cartoons in Eu-
rope' by boith exhibs and audiences.
Held just returned from a survey
trip through that market.
He also stressed the economic
problems of the shorts producers in
the face of apparent apathy on the
part of U. S. theatremen and their
unwillingness to up the ante for
the one and two-reelei*s despite the
sharp rise in production costs.
May Trim Footage
Planning a program of 13 hew
animated, color items, for. the new
year, Lantz emphesized that con-
tinued exhib. resistance to higher
rentals for his product might force,
him to Cut the length of his reels
from the current six to Only five
minutes. “If we can’t get more
money, and since we want to main-
tain the quality, we’ll just have to
trim tile footage," he declared.
Lantz explained that his car-
toons cost him anywhere between
$30,000 and $50,000 and that, on a
per foot basis, “they cost as .much
.as our expensive features." Fur-
thermore, he disclosed, it takes
him four years to recoup his nega-
tive cost on anyone of his shorts.
The only independent cartoonist
left in the field— he’s been at it
since 191& — Lantz disclosed that
30% of his income cam® from his
license#! business (comic strips,
etc.). “Without that and our re-
issues,” said the man who’s made
the Woody Woodpecker characters
a part of the American shorts
scene, “we couldn’t make ends
inept."
Lantz and Irving Sochi , U
shorts subjects sales manager;
agreed that, were American exhibs
to sell shorts more aggressively,
“there would be more of an audi-
ence response." In Europe, Lantz
reported, theatre ops play the car-
toons big and exploit them, along
with the feature bill. “Why
Couldn’t they do that here?” he
asked.
Rentals Unbudged
Sochin, who earlier in the week
had reported that U would have a
lineup of 51 shorts in 1954-55, ob-
served that the success of cartoons
had to expand along with the suc-
cess of the feature product. “How-
ever," he said, “exhibitors don’t
want to give us a fair shake. In all
these years, cartoon rentals haven’t
increased a dime. They don’t real-
ly , want to give us a chance - to
expand;"
Philip Gerard, U’s eastern pub-
licity topper,, said U intended to
back up ' the Lantz shorts i the
coming year with a solid -promo-
tional campaign tying in with, ag-
gressive merchandising of the
subjects.
SOUNDS LIKE SALEM, 1692
Strict Censor Nbt Strict Enough
But Wishes He Could Be
Memphis, Oct. 26.
A woman judge here last week
complained that the Memphis cen*
sor, erratic 88-year-old Lloyd T.
Binford, isn't “strict enough" '
his film scissoring. Judge Eliza-
beth McCain told the Better Films
Council that “some pictures in
Memphis are on the same plane
with horror comics,"
Binford lost no time replying. In
a letter to the Judge he said “we
wish we cotild be still stricter in
banning films from showing here."
The trouble is, complained the man
whose eccentric censoring has
brought him nationwide attention,
the Memphis board “lacks the au-
thority to be more severe.’ 1
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
Black Widow
(CINEMASCOPE-COLOR)
Smartly produced murder
story with Ginger Rogers, Van
Heflin/ Gene Tierney and
George Baft as salable names
to help initial draw. Good
payoff indicated;
20th-Fox .release of Nunnally,' Johnson
production* Stars Ginger Rogers. Van
Heflin; Gene Tierhey.. George. R?ft. fea-
tures Peggy . Ann Garner, Reginald Gaidi>.
n.er, Virginia _Leithr Otto
lecn Nesbitt, SKIP Homteier.’ Hilda Simms.
Directed by Johnson. • Screenplay,-. Jpnn*.
son;, .from story by r Patrick
cafnera (color by De Luxe Labs) Ctonles
G. Clarke; editor, Dorothy Spencer,
music, I,cigh Harjine. Previewed N.Y.,
Oct. 20, '54. Running time, 95 NUNS. .
Ldttie inger Rogers
p®te r Van Heflin
Iris . . .* .-•• .C! , •> . Gene Tierney
Detective Bruce George Raft
- ' . Penny Ann Garner
.. Reginald Gardiner
.... Virginia Leith
, .•■. .... ; Otto Kruger
. . . Catbleeh Nesbitt
. . ... Skip Homeier
....... Hilda Simms
....... Harry : Carter
Geraldine Wall
.... Richard Cutting
.. Mabel Albertson
.... Aaron Spelling
....... Wilson .Wood
..., Tony De Mario
Virginia Maples
. . Frances Driver
..... James P, Stone
..... Michael Valion
2.55-1)
Nanny Orel way
Bkian .
Claire'
-Ling
Lucia ...■•>•>•>•
John
Anne
Welch ........
Miss Mills; i . . . ..
Sgt. Owens . ; . . .
Sylvia . . .... ,
Mr. ..Oliver 1 —
Costume Dcsi
Bartender ......
'Model
Maid... ....... . . . .
St age Doorman .
Coal- Dealer . . i
(Aspect
factory. However, closer scissor
work might have served to correct
■ the' slowness 1 in the early Se-
quences, Charles; G. Clarke's, cam”
era work (color by De Luxe) man-
ages to achieve intimacy despite
the big' screen, There are a few
instances, though,, wherein closeup
tensing of dialog exchanges be-
tween (He story's characters must
be followed in a fashion somewhat
akin to watching a tennis- match.
Gene.
Operation Manhunt
Spy metier with documentary
flavor. Iftcploitation value of
Igor Gouzenko • (Ex-Soviet file
clerk) helps fair b.o. prospects.
United Artists release of Fred Feld-
kamp production. Features Harry Townes,
JacQuet Aubiichon. Will Kuluva, Irja Jen*
sen. Directed by Jack Alexander, Screen-
play, Paul-Mon'ash; camera, Akos Farkas;
narrator, Westbrook Van Voorhees,
Tradeshow* N.Y., Oct, 21, '54. .Running
time, 77 MINS.
Igor Gouzenko . . . ; ■
Katya Gouzenko ....
. Voiov . . . ...
Victor Collier . ......
Chertok
Jean Gouztnko • , . ....
Stephen Gouzenko - ..
RoStovich ... . . . ,
Inspector. Boucher : . .
Epifogue
The up-front reels spin off some-
what slowly as the plot ground*
work is laid but once the business
of murder is gotten down to "Black
Widow'- takes a firm arid unrelent-
ing grip on audience attention/ The
title is a lure; name values are
strong and the subject matter rep-
resents a welcome change of pace
for the widescreen, intimately,
played whodunits having become
alinost rare in the "new era’' with
its accent On- bigness. TLooks like
good b.o.
Nunnally Johnson’s production is
attractively, set in a swank upper
Manhattan apartment a good deal
of the way. A few scenes in Green-
wich Village also are interestingly-
lensed backdrops for the action.
Johnson's screenplay, based on a
Patrick , Quentin story, has suffi-
cient suspense as it builds to the
unexpected climax.
Flashbacks are worked in
smoothly in relating how a young
girl comes to Gotham with a yen .
to break into the bigtime arid
winds up the murder victim. Peg-
gy Apn Garner, as this 20-year-old
aspiring writer, gives such inno-
cence and bright-eyed eagerness to
the part that a note of near in-
credulity is struck as it’s later re-
vealed she was a "purpose girl’’
capable of sordid escapades de-
signed as stepping stoned to the
top.
Brought into the web spun by
Miss Garner are: Ginger Rogers, a
top-rung legit actress and shallow
character who finds evil delight in
meddling into others' lives; Van
Heflin, producer of Miss Rogers’
current play, whose assistance to
Miss Garner backfires into odious
involvement in her murder; Gene
Tierney, as Heflin’s wife and also
a prominent stage actress, and
George Raft; the detective on the
prowl for a murderer.
Miss: Rogers, beautifully garbed,
gives an accurate portrait of a dis-
tasteful, phoney, theatrical star
Heflin gets across a competent per-
formance as the producer Who,
while under pressure of the mur-
der rap, veers to near panic as he
seeks to find the missing pieces in
the homicidal jigsaw puzzle. Miss
Tierney, with a loss significant part
in the yarn, is a plenty nifty look-
er and' nice to have around if only
for decorative purposes; Particuar-
ly well cast is Raft, authoritative
and forceful as the. cop who, after
some gumshoe work, can spot
riiurderer when he sees one.
Reginald Gardiner is effectively
miable and timid as Miss Rogers’
‘‘kept’’ husband whoso surrepti-
tious pursuit of an identity of . his
own leads to illicit- affairs with
Miss Garner, Others . show pro-
fessional know-how in lesser spots,
including Otto Kruger as a legit
player and , uncle Of Miss Garner's;
Virginia Leith, a Village artist who
befriends Miss Gatridr at the start;
her ..brother,, Skip ; Homeier, a law
., student w^o falls for Miss Garner
Hilda Simms, sepiari hatcheck gir
in a dimlit Village bistro (who reg-
isters 1 strikingly although she’s in
only one scene), and Cathleen Nes-
bitt, as the rriaid employed by both
Miss Rogers arid Miss Tierney.
Under : Johnson’s d i r e c t i o n.
"VVidowV plays out plausibly and
with some solid tense moments.
The audience i$ kept properly con-
fused as to who the actual mur-
derer really is. The. climatic un-
masking is cleverly brought about,
although' left open to guesswork is
how the murdered girl could have
been strung up in attempt to give
the crime the. appearance of sui-
cide. AlsOj near the final fade, Miss
Rogers’ hysterical embrace of her
husband looks a little ludicrous,
, Music nicely 'underscores the
dramatic high points and other
technical credits are highly satis-
. ; Harry Townes
....... Irja Jensen
Jacques Aubuchon
Robert Goudier.
Albert Miller
. . . . . Caren Shatter.
Kenneth Wolfe
...... Wiir Kuluya
. . . . Ovila Lagare
Igor Gouzenko
Illicit Interlude
“Illicit Interlude,’*' Swedish
Import currently at the Plaza
Theatre, N. Y., was reviewed
in Variety NoVv 28, 1951,
under its original title of
"Sommarlek.” The .. Sverisk
Filmindustri production and
release stars May 1 Blritt, Alf
Kjeliin, Berger Malsten, arid is
being . distributed in the U. S.
by Gaston Hakim Productions
Inc.
Reviewer W inq opined, "A
film by Ingmar Bergman is
usually filled with .an influence
of the hopelessness. He usually 1
has the actors speaking words
which hardly could pass any
censorship. But here he tells
a simple story in a wholesome
way. Gunner Fischer’s camera-
work is of highest ‘ standard.
His shots of the ballet and its
dancers are outstanding.”
Purported experiences of Igor
Gouzenko/ the code clerk in. the
Soviet Embassy in Ottawa, who ex-
posed a Red spy ring 'in Canada
some nine years ago, form the
basis of "Operation Manhunt.” Just
where fiction begins, and fact ends
or vice versa is impossible to de-
termine, but. on the whole this
United Artists, release shapes up
as an unpretentious meller with
air grossing prospects in the pro-
grammer market.
Writer Paul Monash, assigned, to
cook up a script by Matty Fox’s
MPTV Corp., came up with an.
original screenplay that throws the
spotlight on Gouzenko’s life as a
Canadian citizen, following his
break from Communisrii. Some, do-
mestic scenes show his romping
with his two children and hiking
with his wife, at a sno^y retreat
in the Canadian hinterland.
But marring this pleasant facet
of Gouzenko’s existence' is ani at-
tempt by the Soviet Embassy to
locate him and liquidate him as
a defector to tjbie West. Their re-
lentless search is afforded a docu-
mentary touch by location shoot-
ing in the Qttawa and Montreal
areas as well as by introductory
narration by ; narrator Westbrook
Van Voorhees. Unexpected switch
at the .finale finds Gouzenko’s as-
signed killer also defecting to the
West.
■producer Fred Feldkamp and
director jack Alexander, long
identified with the old "March of
Time” series, as was narrator Van
Voorhees, further accent the docu-
mentary flavor by use Of a pre-
dominantly Canadian cast. Sus-
pense builds nicely under Alexan-
der’s guidance and: the players
make a good try in making it all
believable. Harry’ Townes, who
portrays Gouzenko* is self-effacing
yet a man of firm principles when
the occasion demands it.
Jacques Aubuchon is well cast
as the MVD agent assigned to kill
Gouzenko; Will Kuluva is some-
what stereotyped as a Soviet colo-
nel in charge of eliminating the
ex-code clerk while Irja Jensen,
as Gouzenko’s wife, .shows profes-
sional promise in a minor role
Supporting players competently
handle the demands of the script.
Camerawork of Akos Farkas, often
low key, adds to the film’s at
tempted realism. Gouzenko, him
self, is on the screen at the finale-
in a brief epilogue. Gilb.
has a lineup of generally familiar
names.
Three separate stories arb told
during the' 80' minutes of footage,
but are tied In by using the same
prison background with Paul Kelly,
as Warden Clinton T. Duffy, intro-
ducing each episode. .The enter-
tainment is spotty and , slowly
paced as directed by Walter, Doni-
ger, and mostly oh the grim side,
although the.> opener; "The Chef,”
is in - a lighter 1 * vein. Berman
Swarttz arid Doniger, co-producers
on the United Artists release, did
the. script for this one;- which has
Waiter Slezak, a violent-tempered
chef, fraihpd by a gourmet fellow--
inmate so he would have to con- ,
tinue presiding ' over; the prison !
kitchen. It’s the best of the trio. j
"The Hostages,” scripted by
Oliver Crawford' from a story by
Doniger and Swarttz, stars John
Ireland arid . Lawrence Tierney;
with Lyle Talbot, as prisoners who
plot an abortive jail break and die
violently. Guy Trosper scripted
"The Face,” a story by Scott Lit-
tioning with the. Clyde Beatty Cir- tleton, which concerns an agnostic
cus are accorded lush definition by painter, serving life, who finds dif-
the VV cameras, which director ferent values, and in turn helps
Joseph Pevney uses to fine advan- a young priest find himself. Heri-
tage in effectively catching the neth Tobey plays the painter and
antics of the stars. While comics Arthur Franz the priest,
as a team, are cast in characterize- Incidents from "The Sari Queri-
tions somewhat less zany than in tin Story,” book by Duffy and
the past, Lewis as an aspiring Dean Jennings, are used- for the
clown who finally makes the grade trilogy and the general theme is
carries both humorous arid some- to show the three things prisoners
times emotional appeal. When most want— -a little comedy, free-
he’s performing as an aerial artist dom and spiritual solace. Helping
1 * 1 .. . . • _ .t • • w J ‘ Wi ii.. 1 ' xi ' * : j 9 ■ ’ • _• cr.. ' a .
again, making a tough little hom*
: bee aa a rough-and-tumble -guar-
dian of the law. ; HupjbrtUe fits in
welt as- the head marshal ' while
Miss Bascom gives evidence of
learning how to act. Support is
excellerit, with Kenne Duncan out-
standing as the. undercover manip-
ulator of the Outlaws.
’ The two songs .are typical west-
erns f ‘.'Thinking of You” being
best. Rudy .DeSaxe has provided
smooth, Ortginal music; John
Fuller’s editing is commendable
while William. C. Thompson has.
done smart • work ! witlr his -camera-
Wear.
The Ann* Cross
(RUSSIAN-!— COLOR)
Soviet shift to "subtle” propa-
gayida in filmization of popu-
lar Chekhov short story. De-
picts upper class ' ,lif e- in pre-
revolutionary times/
Artinko Pictures . release of Gorky Film
Studio production, Screenplay and direc.
tion by I. Annensky;, based on Anton
Chekhov’s story; camera (Sovcolor); . G.
Reisgoff; music, L. -Schwartz. At Stanley
Theatre, N.Y., Oct.: 23, '54. Running time,
95 MINS.
Anna Anna Larionov
Pyotr Leontievich, -her father
A. . Sashin-Nikolsky
Modest Alekseyevich - • • . . .Mikhail ;Zharov
Prince ..... . '. . . ; . . , . . . . , . . . A. Vertinsky
Princess N. Beievtzeva
Mavra Grigorievna I. Murzayeva
before an imaginary audience and
again while trying to make a
solemn little girl in braces laugh
at an orphan’s benefit, he manages
considerable appeal.
For his part, Martin scores in
the straight role; as well as with trm.utea ny jonn Alton, ana vosepn
his singing. His rendition of John Biroc with Chester Schaeffer, and
Three Ring Cireits
(COLOR)
Martin and Lewis in a lively
Big Top comedy good for okay
returns.
Hollywood, Oct. 22.
Paramouhf. production of a Hal Wallis
production. Stars Dean Martin, Jerry
Lewis; co-stars Joanna Dru, Zsa Zsa
Gabor; features. Wallace ..Ford, Elsa Lart-
chester. Directed by Joseph Pevney.
Story-screenplay, Don McGuire; camera
(Tcchhicolor), Loyal Griggs; editor/ War
ren Low; music, Walter . Scharf. Pre-
viewed Oct. 15,. '54. Running time, 103
MINS. ‘ r
Pcte‘ Nelson Dean Martin
Jerry Hotchkiss Jerry Lewis
Jill Brent . . . , . . ........... Joanne Dru
Saadia . . . . , . Zsa Zsa Gabor
. Sam Morley Wallace Ford
i Schlitz .... . . ... Sig Ruman
)-Puff6 .V. Gene Sheldon
Timmy ‘ Nick- Cravat
Bearded Lady. ....... — Elsa Lanchester
(Aspect ratio: 2-1)
Circus background of this ex
pensively-mounted Hal W^lis pro-
duction gives Dean Martin and
Jerry Lewis $lick opportunity to
disport themselves along familiar
lines. Handsome in Technicolor
comedy is lensed in Par’s Vista
Vision, admirably suited to sub
ject; which shriuld ring up satis
factory returns for all concerned
Authentic production values
dished up by Wallis through loca
Slezak on the comedy in the first
episode are George E. Stone arid
Alan Mowbray. Seen briefly in this
one is Maureen O’Sullivan, as Mrs.
Duffy.
Lensing of the episodes was con-
tributed by John Alton, and Joseph
singing
Rox'S "It’s a Big, Wide, Wonder
ful World” is an attraction, and
team socks over a comedy song by
jay Livingston and Ray Evans,
Hey, Punchinello,” for one of
highlights in film. Their co-stars,
Joanne Dru and Zsa Zsa Gabor,
supply plenty of flash arid femme
splendor in respective roles of cir-
cus owner and, star aerialist, and
Wallace Ford is tops as the bark-
ing but sympathetic circus man-
ager.
The Don McGuire script pro-
jects comics straight from Army
uniform to the Circus, where
ewis reports as a lion tamer’s aS-
Everett Dodd doing . the editing.
These credits and Other technical
assists are routine.
The Lawless Rider
Good
plot.
western with standard
United Artists release of ai Royal West
proidiiction. Stars Johnny Carpenter: fea-
tures Frankie Darro, Douglas Dumbrille.
Directed by. Yakima Canutt. Original
story, screenplay by Johp. Carpenter;
camera, William C. Thompson; editor,
John Fuller: music, Rudy DeSaxe; origi-
nal song, ■' ‘Thinking of You,” by Mar-
guerite McFarlane. Previewed in N.Y,,
Big Red
Nancy Janies
Freno Frost ........
Sheriff Brown - . . .
Texas Rose. Bascom
Tulso -.. ......
Black Jack .'.
Red Rooks
Bill
Andy
Young Marsha]
Frank Carpenter
. ... . Noel. Neill
. . .Ken he Duncan
Weldon.: Bascom
Rose . Bascom
. . . Bud Osborne
. . Lou Rbberson
Bill Coontz
. ... -. . Bill Chaney
.... Roy Canada
Tap Canutt
Hank. Caldwell and his Saddle Kings
Oct. 22, '54. Running time, 42 MINS
_ .Tohnhy Carpenter,
sistant in the hope he- 11 get to be.. Rod Tatum Johnny Carpenter
a clown, Martimtags klong/ catch- ' ’ * ' •' •••'Dougu« n i^mbrfiie
mg the eye of the beautiful but — “ - - ~ -
temperamental, trapeze artist, who
makes him her cissistant.”- He
takes oyer Miss Dru's place when
sh’e leaves the circus— she’s in
love and keeps fighting with him —
but all is happiness again after the
children’s benefit which Martin
forbids at first due to circus’ time
schedule. Narrative frequently
gives Lewis an opportunity to dis
play his best comedy, one of top
routines catching him in the lion’s
cage.
In support, Sig Ruman delivers
in latter scene, as the lion tamer,
and Gene Sheldon is good as a
drunken clown whose place Lewis
takes after he's fired. Elsa Lan*
Chester also is in for a funny se-
quence, as a: bearded lady about to
get a shave by Lewis.
Technical credits rate highly,
particularly Royal Griggs’ color
‘The Lawless Rider" is an oats
meller which follows much the ac-
cepted pattern for this type of
western. It is helped by the fact
that Yakima Canutt, long a star
rodeo performer and typical west-
erner, directed the production- He
gives it a taste of authenticity so
often lacking in these horse
operas; Pic will fit in nicely where
western adventure subjects are
sought by the patronage.
Besides JoJinny Carpenter, the
, , . . , . cast numbers Frankie Darro,
photography. Walter- Scharf^ music Douglas Dumbrille and Rose Bas
score definitely is an assist. com, trick rope champ. At first
Whit. -
The Steel Cage
Three "featurettes” drawn
from . Warden Clinton T.
Duffy’s "The San Quentin
Story” and tied together. Slow
and dull.
Hollywood, Oct. 26
United Artists release of Berman
Swarttz-Walter Doniger production. Stars
Paul. Kelly, Maureen OfSullivan, Walter
Slezak, John Ireland, Lawrence Tierney,
Kenneth Tobey; Arthur Franz; features
:Alan Mowbray, George E. Stone, Lyle
Talbot. Directed by Doniger; Based, on the
book, ’‘The San Quentin Story” by. Clin-
ton T. Duffy and Dean Jennings; screen-
play or “The Hostages,” Oliver Crawford,
Darro seems a bit uncongruous as
a tough cowhand but he makes the
transition from a city toughie irito
a western player with ease. Car-
penter* of course, again plays
U. S. sheriff role, only that later
in the picture he disguishes him-
self as Rod Tatum, a notorious
cowboy gunman
Carpenter also . is credited with
doing the original, the screenplay
and helping on the production
alorig With Alex Gordon in the lat-
ter' capacity.
This, follows rather familiar
pattern of cattlemen-outlaw raider
pictures. Here it is a well ^organ-
ized group of raiders which terror-
Previewed Oct,
Running tithe, 90 Ml NS.
Paul Kelly
Maureen O’Sullivan
. . . . ; Walter Slezak |
, . . . John Ireland,
Lawrence Tierney
. ... . Arthur Franz
. . . i George Cooper
Ned Glass
ftS £ y ‘ and Swarttz; screenplay of ize the ranchers, killing the own-
The Chef,” Swarttz and Doniger; screen- _,, c a _j, nff with vaiuahlp
play of “The Face/' : Guy Trosper, story, eiS ailqt niaKing Oil Wlin VaiUEDie
Scott Littleton; camera, John Alton, cattle. And per usual, it takes the
B n n °H C ;i ed P t r^1uSI 1 H SC 99 ef ^15’ gallant Carpenter as a marshal to
Everett Dodd. Previewed Oct. 22. roun d U P the outlaws; Yam rings
in more fisticuffs than customary
in : such six-shooter mellers. Some
place along the line Carpenter has
learned to handle his mitts as wel
as his revolvers and rifle. There
is a slight romance between him
and .Miss Bascom. Latter is
forthright western femme if there
ever was one. t
Fact that she is so adept in
manipulating the ropes and twirl
ing the hemp naturally rings in a
local vaude show at the end. This
top, serves as a climax which sees
the badmen fighting .it out with the
reps of the law and finally wind
ingup in a gun battle.
Director Canutt has done a nice
job in maintaining interest and in
jectijig considerable suspense. A)
of his cowboy characters are hard
bitten types. Carpenter is himsel
Warden- Duffy
Mrs. Duffy
The Chef ;
The Ringleaders.
Kenneth Tobey
Alan Mowbray. . .
George E. Slone
Lyle Talbot Herb Jacobs
Elizabeth Fraser Henry Kulky
Stanley Andrews . . . ... Charles Nolte
Morris Ankrum .............. Gene Roth
Don Beddoe .............. James Seay
Robert. .Bice ... .... Charles Tannen
George Chandler . . Ben . Welden
While this prison trilogy has the
appeararice of having been ini-
tially made in separate parts for
television release, it should round
up a fairly satisfactory number ot
lowercase programmer dates as a
theatrical feature. In its favor Is
the present shortage of secondary
product for regular double bill
situations arid the fact that the cast
(In Russian;: English Titles ).
This newest Soviet import, al-
ii ough a plodding arid poorly-
edited film, i$ nevertheless a sig-
nificant departure' for the Russian
film industry. The. Red film-mak-
ers,' rioted for their heavy-handed
propaganda pieces, have at last re-
sorted to a degree of subtlety in
the filmization of one of Chekhov’s
most popular short stories; It was
a sensational success in Russia but,
except for the .curious and stu-
dents of the Soviet mind, its
chances in the U. S. market
praictically nil. .
According t0‘ ‘ a recent dispatch
from the correspondent of the New
York Times, "The, Anna Cross” at-
tracted lines of a block long when
it opened simultaneously ..at 24
Moscow, houses. The picture’s ap-
rieal for the Russians is obvious,
for here is a film which, perhaps
for the first time, depicts every-
thing that was symbolic of the re-
gime which the Bolshevik revolu-
tion overthrew. Accustomed to a
diet of. farm cooperative yarns' and
ballet and. opera films, the Rus-
sians were given a chance to see
the life of the upper classes before
the November days of 1917. ' There
are noblemen and handsome offi-
cers, lavish dusk to dawn cham-
pagne parties, lush balls given by
the royalty, moonlight boating par-
ties. and gypsy singers.
The storiy, of course, aims io
show the callousness of this pre-
revolution life. It. concerns a beau-
tiful young girl who is forced to
marry an old government official
for his money. She becomes fh?
belle of society arid kicks over. her.
former, environment for the hedon-
istic life. She breezes, through th .
snow-covered streets with her cur-
rent lover while her father and two
young brothers are being evicted
from their home. As her sled
disappears down the street, with
her old father stumbling and call-
ing after her, the picture ends,
leaving the ‘ audience to draw its
own moral.
Anna Larionova, who portravs
the Anna of the film, is a remark-
able blonde looker and, if it
weren’t for the Iron Curtain,
American producers would prob-
ably be after her. The direction is
heavy apd the editing, as holed
previously, is extremely bad. . The
Sovpolpr is hazy as if the. erUir
picture were shot in a fog. Hotl
U’s 40 Contract Players,
Largest H’wocd Roster
Roster , of Universal contract
players now includes "nearly 40”
on term deals and about 20 under
contract for a specific number of
pix, Robert Palmer, U’s talent de-
partment chief, said in N. Y. yes-
terday (Tues.). Company has the
largest contract player list in Hol-
lywood, he observed, but other
studios now are also beginning to
sign talent again;
Palmer acknowledged that
very small percentage of those we
sign up ever breaks through,” but
thought that even one success a
year was a distinct boon for the
studio.
The U talent topper is in the east
to p.o. potential candidates for th
Mary Magdalene lead in' the upcom--
ing "The Galileans.” Palmer and
Maurice Bergman, U's eastern
story editor, having picked three
European candidates, intend to
scour the.U, S. for other girls, who
might fit the part. Search kicks
off in another mynth.
Wednesday October 27, 1954
Edward L. Beraays, the public relations counsel, has organized a
committee of citizens to support the U.S. Information Service
and help it get more money from Congress. He states! this is a
wholly voluntary activity, and there is no client involved. The
National Committee for an Adequate! Overseas Information Pro-
gram will meet regularly and formulate suggestions.
Meanwhile, a .Washington Star story that the head of the USIS
ought to have, "cabinet rank” is described by Bemays as not his
idea. The current incumbent of the directorship is Ted Stre'ibert,
onetime general manager of station WOR, N.Y., who has stated
that he would not hold the post indefinitely. “Cabinet rank"
slant raised eyebrows iii newspaper ajxd! public relations circles.
The management of the Metro- 4
politan Opera House having re-
versed its policy against any N. Y.
theatre carrying 1 the closed-circuit
theatre telecast of its Nov. 8 open-
ing nighty Nate Halpern’s Theatre
Network Television has signed two
home city theatres— Fabian’s Fox
iri Brooklyn, a 4,000-seater, and the
RKO Fordham in the Bronx, a
2,300-seater. In. addition, Halpern
has rented' the Guild Theatre, 400-
seater in Rockefeller Center, for
specially invited guests.
Met decided to end the. N. Y.
' blackout when it learned that the
opera House Would sell out. At
first it was feared that many of
the regular opera patrons would
bypass the preem because of the
popular-type program (a Series of
excerpts, of w.k. operas) which the
Met decided to present especially
for the closed-circuit audience.
Depending on last-minute line
clearance, it appears that Halpern
will have a hookup of 30 theatres
for the telecast. The seating ca-
pacity, based on reports of advance
sales, already exceeds that of the
experimental “Carmen" telecast
two years ago. Lesson’learned from
tli ‘-Carmen'' presentation ‘is be-
ing put to use, particularly oii scal-
ing the admission tab. Many thea-
tres over-priced the event, with the
Guild in N. Y. asking . a $7 top, al-
most equal to that charged by the
Met,, a short distance away. The
Guild, as a result, did only so-so
biz, as did other theatres which
overestimated-the ability to pay
of opera lovers. Upcoming telecast
has been scaled from $2 to $3.60.
Early Buildup In Albany .
Albany, Oct, 26.
Paul Y. Wallen broke newspaper
copy (Thursday (21) for the video
presentation of “Opening Night at
the Metropolitan Opera" in the
Grand Nov. 8. Theatre .Network
Television origination is scaled at
$3.30 and $2.75 in the orchestra
and first balcony; $2.75, in boxes;
$1.65 and $1.10 in second balcony.
Grand, one-time F.- F. Proctor
vaudeville house, is considered to
have the finest acoustics of any
Albany theatre. It played TNT’s
first Metropolitan telecast, of a
full-length opera, under Fabian
operation.
Hollywood, Get. 26.
Fewer but' better pictures Is the
new watchword among Mexican
producers, according to Ruben A.
Calderon, executive director of
Azteca Film, Inc,, distributors of
Spanish language films in the
United States and Canada.
"Because of the success of qual-
ity films made in Hollywood,” Cal-
deron said, "a similar movement is
taking place in Mexico Where for
the ' first time the producers are
Paying particular attention to the
story values of the production. The
star is still important, but produ-
cers are working more closely with
Writers so that in the end they will
nave a fast, compact picture."
Nkit Pery a V.P.
Nick Pery, Columbia Interna-
uonal’s managing director for
Europe and the Near East, has
peefn elected a v.p, of the organ-
ization.
Pery several months, ago suc-
ceeded Lacy W. Kastner in the
K' ope : Near East post, headquar-
i ei 'ing. in Paris. Kastner, now exec
•P * is stationed at the hohiepffice.
William Goldman, Philadelphia
circuit owner; William Zimmer-
man, film attorney, and William L.
Snyder, pic importer, have formed
a new company to engage in ac-
quiring foreign product f or release
in the U. S. plus the production of
television films for children. Out-
fit is called William Films, Inc.
Short time ago Goldman formed
Gregory-Goldman Enterprises, - to
produce pix and legit shows in
association With Paul Gregory.
Zimmerman is v.p; and general
counsel for this company. Films
which Snyder has brought irit'6
U. S. distribution include "Emper-
or’s Nightingale" and "White
Mane."
Wasserinan Awaits Kibbee
Script for ‘Big Mike’
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Lew; Wassermari -will handle
complete packaging of "Big Mike,”
currently being prepped by three
partners, /William . Bacher, Wil-
liam Hawks and Nicholas Ray. It’S
slated to roll after Bacher-Hawks’
"The Tall which Clark
Gable, will do after "Soldier of
Fortune.’’ First script by, Roland
Kibbee will be completed end of
Week and turned over immediately
to Wasserman. Spencer Tracy
and Gene Tierney ire under con-
sideration for star roles in period
piece about Mississippi river keel-
boaters of 1800’s. Ray will direct
script based on an original idea
by Bricher and on novel "Mike
Fink.”
Tea and Sympathy’ Talks
.Playwright Robert Anderson is
due on the Coast in mid-Npvepiber
for discussions with: Metro execs
on "Tea and Sympathy." After
that he’ll return to N. Y. to start
work on the screen treatment of
his hit: play on which Metro has
in option.
Anderson said in' N. Y. Monday
(25). that he had vno definite ideas
as yet on how he’d circumvent pro-
duction code objections to his
legiter. Under his arrangement
With Metro, he didn’t have to start
work on the screenplay until he
had launched his play "All Sum-
mer Long" and had groomed the
road company of "Tea." !
Code execs, when they, saw "Tea"
on Broadway, said a film based on
the legit version without major
changes couldn’t get a seal. Both
Anderson and Metro feel/they can
overcome code objections Without
multilating the play or dimming
its effectiveness.
Anderson said that, in the spring,
he may return to the Coast to de-
liver the finished treatment and
take it Up with code execs. There’s
no burning* hurry about it since
his contract with Metro provides
for Sept., 1956, as the earliest re-
lease date for any flim version of
"Tea." *
Schary’s Defense Dept. Call
Dore Schary, Metro v.p. in
charge of . Production, will take
time out from N, Y; homeoffice
confabs this week for a quickie to
Washington.
Production boss said he’s going
to the capital to cdhfer-with De-
fense Dept, officials on a number
of possible film projects involving
the armed forces. Schary previ-
ously helmed "Battleground" and
"Take the High Ground," both
Army y arris, as personal produc-
tions. - I
EXHIBS CRY TOLL-TV AIMS
Exhibitor opposition to toll-ty
will tajee the twin line of question-
ing the (i). competency, of the Fed-
eral Communications Commission
in the subscription-tv ' field and
(2) attacking pay-as-you-see on the
basis; that it isn’t in the public in-
terest.
Detailed strategy hasn’t ; been
worked out and further meets of
the Chicago-formed "Joint Com-
mittee of Toll-TV" ore being put
off pending contact- with *other in-
terested groups."- The committee
was created .by Theatre Owners of
America and Allied States execs.
It was stressed, at the time that it
was open "to ail groups interested
in preserving free home television."
A member of the group said in
N, Y. last week that the "public in-
terest" angle was very important
inasmuch as the FCC had made it
plain that this' would have to be
onip of the basis on which, "pay-as-
Voa-see telecasting could get its
commercial authorization. He added
further that exhibs intended to es-
tablish the exact scope of the Com-
mission in this matter and to what
extent it required special consent
from the Congress To change 'the.
status of the "free", air.
"What these fee-tv people really
want to do is to eliminate the .mid-
dle-men,
served;
the theatre," he ob-
Even as toll-tv proponents hold
that it’s all one big misunderstand-
ing, that the theatres could well
work with a new tv system;, exhibs
continue to give evidence of real
concern. In Peoria, 111., last week*
George Kerasotes, a TO A leader,
stated flatly that "Coin-in-the-Slot.
tv, as currently proposed by the pe-
titions pending before the. FCC, is
a very real and ominous threat to
our business.
More Local Monopoly?
It’s a menace, he said, "because
it will permit the' stations to tele-
cast firstrun movies and to collect a.
charge through the medium of
coin-operated decoder attachments
on the. tv sets; This will create a
new communications monopoly in
the hands of -a few stations, most
of which already are owned by in*'
dividuals or firms that already con-!
trol the radio and newspaper out-
lets . in ’their communities. Such a
monopoly Would soon put motion
pictures under the supervision of
the Federal government/’
As exhibition drew together last
week in what appears, like a com-
mon stand vs. toll-tv, the three ma-
jor subscription-tw companies re-
frained from forming a common
front, an attitude Which, while .ex-
Toll television, now nearing the
top of the list of the. trade’s most
controversial subjects, will be in-;
troduced for discussion at the
Nov. 15-16 N. Y. meeting of the
Council of Motion Picture Organ-,
izations* board of directors. It
should set off some fireworks.
COMPO is restrained from tak-
ing action on any matter unless it
has the unanimous approval of
member organizations. Since ex-
hibitors are hotly opposed to sub-
scription tv and at least ope dis-
trib, Paramount, is investing in it
via Telemeter,, there cannot be, of
course, any such uniform endorse-
ment.
Then Why give toll tv. the
COMPO airing in the first place?
Indications are that exhibition
elements are playing an "angle."
They’re seizing upon the all-indus-
try org’s meeting as , a means of
having all the film companies
"stand up and be counted." The
theatremen are out to ascertain
how each distrib, and not alone
Par, stands on the subject of toll
tv.
However, there seemed some
doubt that even this can be
brought about. The companies,
ever mindful of the antitrust
statutes, are not likely to take an
official position on any trade mat-
ter collectively.
Wide range of items is on the
fixed agenda for the COMPO com
ference, including: suggestions for
another whirl with "Movietime,
U.S. A-" or some other, means of
further enlivening the public’s in-
terest in pix; an industry-sporisored
television program tied in with an
audience poll naming the "best”
pictures and players; a Hollywood
seminar in which reps of produc-
tion, distribution and exhibition
would participate; action on na-
tional and local levels against ad-
missions taxes, a program of group
insurance for theatres, and dis-
tribution and exhibition of "This
Is Your Army," film produced for
the Department of Defense.
New Year’s Eve Ball For
N. Y. Variety Tent Charity
Plans are being set for the sec-
ond annual Celebrity Ball of the
United Epilepsy Assn, in affiliation
With the Variety Club of New York.
According to Mrs. Seymour D.
Hesse, head of the women’s com-
mittee, the event will be held again
in the Sert Room of the Waldorf-
Astoria, N. Y„ on New Year’s Eve.
Proceeds will go to the United
Epilepsy Assn., which supports the
Variety Club Clinic for Children
with Epilepsy at the. Columbia-
Presbyterian Medical Centre.
‘LOVERS, HAPPY LOVERS’
Motion Picture Assn, of America
board will Consider an appeal from
t producer Paul Graetz for a code
Seal for his film, "Lovers, Happy
Lovers/*"* Board’s decision is ex-
pected to come late this week pr
next week.
Graetz on Monday (25) had a
lengthy powwow with code admin-
istrator Geoffrey Shurloclc. As a
result, outlook for "Lovers’* getting
code approval is said to be con-
siderably brighter.
The English-language film, , re-
leased in Europe under the title
"Mori. Ripois,” is current at . the
Little Carnegie Theatre, . N. Y.;
When Graetz first ' applied for a
seal for his production, he Was
turned down. "Immorality" of the
film's theme was cited as the rea-
son. „
Graetz, who claims an invest-
ment of $900,000 in his pic, main-
tains that it is the type film which
must get bookings in commercial
houses — rather than the arties — if
he’s to recoup his money. He can't
get any widespread circuit dates
without the seal, he holds. Ephraim
London is acting as Graetz’s legal
rep in the matter.
"Lovers" has been nixed by the
code as well as the National Le-
girip of Decency, Latter first hand-
ed the film a "B” rating, then
changed its mind and put it into
the "C", ; condemned category, ac-
( cording to Graetz.
Code , seal issue concerning
"Lovers" has served to highlight
European producers' unhappiness
With their position via the code
setup. Latter, they complain, is a
lot tougher on imports than on do-
mestic product/ Graetz hirriself is
on . record as favoring separate
code classifications for foreign pix.
His "Lovers" passed the N.Y. state
censor without a single deletion.
UA-Aritold Case Settled
1 Shortly before it was scheduled
to go- to trial last week before N.Y.
Supreme Court Jtistice Henry Clay
Greenberg, a $370,568 damage suit
brought by Arnold Productions
against United Artists was settled
arid discontinued. Action involved
three films produced by the late
Arnold Pressburger arid assigned
to UA for distribution in. Germany,
Italy, and several other European
countries.
Arnold Productions charged UA
gave an improper accounting of
the earnings of "Hangmen Also
pie," "It Happened Tomorrow"
and "Scandals , in Paris." It also
sought return of tv rights . to
"Scandals.” Answering the com-
plaint, UA claimed it was unable
to remit from Germany because of
"many difficulties/' Settlement is
subject to terms and conditions
now beihg negotiated by attorneys
for the respective litigants.
nttUBES 7
plainable in its comptetitiveness, is
seen hurting tiiem when the FCC
calls Its hearings,
Stating that exhibs had declared
"open war" on subscription-tv,
Arthur Levey, prez of Skiatron
Electronics & TV Corp., saw the
row "a war of misrepresentation/'
Theatteowners, he said, are so ap-
prehensive because they're vulner-
able; arid .they’re vulnerable "be-
cause -they are fighting a rearguard
action against progress in the en-
tertainment world. The theatre
owners' crusade is an undeclared
war against the public’s demand for
better tv entertainment."
Like Zenith’s Eugene F. McDon-
ald before him, Levey scored the
"remarkable inconsistency" of ex-
hibs in fighting now for "free"
home tv which they battled for so
long. Levey Climaxed by stating
that it would "take far. more than
a declaration of war against toll-ty
to persuade the public that it
should be denied! the freedom of
choice conferred by subscription
television/’ McDonald had said
exhibs were "trying to stop the
Wheels of progress with a fly swat-
ter” via their opposition to toll-tv.
Toll-TV Divided
It’s obvious by now that, when
the Commission holds its hearings
on toll-tv, the pay-as-you-see in-
terests will be a house divided.. In
his application to the FCC for a
commercial license, Matthew Fox —
for Skiatron TV-urged a license
Which, for a three-year period.
Would restrict subscription-tv to
UHF stations-. There are strong
indications that this is not a view
shared by other pay-as-you-see pro-
ponents.
All appear agreed that, whatever
its form, subscription-tv would' and
should be a supplementary service
to free home-tv, allowing programs
beyond the economic reach of tv
Sponsors. The Fox petition was
based on the difficulties being ex-
perienced by the nation’s UHF sta-
tions which have beeri finding it,
difficult to compete with the estab-
lished VHF outlets.
Neither the. broadcasting nor the
film production interests are as yet
officially in the subscription-tv act.
As far as Hollywood is concerned,
the longer it can remain on the
sidelines, the better it’ll like it.
There is unmistakable sentiment
among a good many Coast pro-
ducers in favor of toll-tv or at least
experimentation with it. Opinions
along this line were voiced in N. Y.
recently by two indie filmtriakers —
Otto Preminger and Walter Wang-
er. Both observed that,, if it works;
fee-tv might be an ideal Way for
getting their investment back a lot
faster. Both said they’d be inter-,
ested in' making pix for toll-tv.
Samuel Goldwyri. in the past also
has spoken with interest of pay-as-
you-see.
While many of the producing
Outfits are genuinely interested in
"slot-tv"; method and its potential,
they’re loath to. say so for fear of
offending their exhib customers.
Reply to McDonald
Film exhibition's Joint Commit-
tee on Toll /Tv . this week raised
the spectre of totalitarianism in
defending its position vs. subscrip-
tion tv.
Replying to- a blast from Zenith'
prexy Eugene McDonald, who had
ridiculed the film men’s sudden
defense of; fi*ee tv, the committee
said use of the free air for toll-tv
"must be prevented at . all costs"
since "it must be remembered that
the first step toward totalitarian-
ism is the control of all communi-
cations systems, as would result
with the establishment of slot
machine tv/'
In a joint statement, Alfred
Starr of Theatre Owners of Amer-
ica and Trueman T. Rembusch of
Allied said ; A majority of the pres*
ent vhf stations supported the ex-
hibs’ stand vs. free-tv. They also
derided McDonald’s assertion that
toll-ty would strengthen free-tv.
"(He) does not explain what lis-
teners seeking free tv would do
for entertainment in a one station
market when, that station was be?
irig used by toll-tv operators," the
committee declared. “Nor does he
explain what Would happen to free
television in a two or three station
market when through competition
all stations would be forced into
toll-tv at choice broadcasting hours,
depriving listeners of meager
means of ail available television
broadcast channels."
PICTURE GROSSES
Wednesday, October 27 , 1954
New Pix NSG in LA; ‘Streets’ OK
Los Angeles, Oct. 26,
Overall first-run grossing out-
look in current week is compara-
tively moderate, with nothing out-,
standing, among the new bills. An
okay $21,000 is shaping for “Down
3 Dark Streets” in three theatres,
"Sitting Bull” looks to get a medi-
um $19,000 in three sites.
"Three Hours To Kill’* is going:
for a light $11,000 in two houses,
but it is garnering, okay added coin,
in seven ozoners; Rated good, as
"Julius Caesar," back for its first
popscale run and expecting $8,000
at the Hawaii;
Among the holdovers, “Star Is
Born" is pushing up to a fine $29,-
000 • in fourth week at Pantages
while ‘'Egyptian," with $26;000,
and “Sabrina," With $12,000, ,are
tops by substantial margins.
Estimates for This Week
Los Angeles 'Paramount, Vogue,
El Itey (ABPT-FWC) (3,200; 885;
861; ,70-$1.25) — "Down 3 Dark
Streets" (UA) and "Victory At Sea”
(UA), Okay $21,000. Last. Week, in
different units.
Warner Downtown, Wiltern (SW)
(1,757; 2,344; 70-$1.10)— "3 Hours
to Kill" .(Col) and "Miss Grant
Took Richmond” (Col) (reissue).
Light $11,000. Last week, nth
New . Fox, .“Magnificent .Obsession”
(U) and' "The Cowboy” (Lip) (2d
wk), $11,800.
Hillstreet, New Fox, Uptown
(RKO-FWC) (2, 752; . 965; 1,715; 60-
$1.10)— "Sitting Bull” (UA) (with
2d-run support). Medium $19,000,
Last week,. in different -units. .
Hawaii (G&S) (1,106; 80-$l)--
"Julius Caesar" (M-G). Good $8,-
000. Last week, with Hillstreet (6
days), "Rogue Cop" . (M-G) and
"Houe of Blackmail" (Indie) (3d
wk), $6,300.
State, Egyptian (UATC) (2,404;
1,536; 70-$1.10)—‘ ‘Beau BrummeU”
(M-G) (2d wk). Slow $11,000. Last
Week, $17,000.
Los Angeles, . Ritz, Iris, Loyola
(FWC) (2,097; 1,363; 814; 1,248; $1-
$1.50)- — "Egyptian" <20th) (2d. wk).
Neat $26,000. Last week, $36,500;
Orpheum, Hollywood (Metropol-
itan-FWC) (2,213; 756; 70-$1.10)—
"Rear Window” (Par) arid "Terror
Ship” (Indie) (2d Wk). Fair $12,-
000. Last week, $20,600, plus
$4T,000 in 5 ozoners. ?
Chinese (FWC) (1,905; $1-$1.75)
—"Woman's World” (20th) (3d wk).
Modest $11,500. Last week,
$13,500,
Four Star (UATC) (900; 70-$1.10)
—"Suddenly" (UA) and "Diamond
Wizard" (UA) (3d wk). Light
$2,000. Last week, with L. A,
Paramount, Vogue, $15,000.
Pantages (RKO) (2,8i2; $l-$2.25)
—"Star Is Born" (WB) (4th wk);
Fine $29,000. Last week, $27,800.
Hollywood .Paramount (F&M)
(1,430; $1-$1.50)— "Sabrina” (Par)
(5th wk). Stout $12,000. Last
week, $12,800.
Warner Beverly (SW) (1,612;
90-$1.50)— "Brigadoon” (M-G) (7th
wk). Slim $4,500. Last week,
$5,200.
Fine Arts (FWC) (631; 80-$1.50)
— "Vanishing Prairie" (Disney)
(10th wk). Steady $2,500. Last
week, $2,400.
Warner Hollywood (SW) (1.364;
$L20-$2.65) — "Cinerama” (indie)
(78th wk). Into current frame Oct;
24 after good $24,200 last week.
Broadway Grosses
Estimated Total Gross
This Week .... $659,900
(Based on 22 theatres.) .
Last Year ... . ,$665,100
(Based on 26 theatres.)
Providence, Oct. 26.
‘‘Rogue Cbp” at Loew’s: is cop-
ping the biggest total first-run coin
this week but it is only good at
this big house. Best showing is be-
ing made. “Sabrina,” sock at
Stran, and holding. On the fairly
good side is RKO Albee’s “Notori-
ous,. on reissues. Five-day stand of
“The Raid” at Majestic is only fair.
■ Estimates for This Week.
Albee (RKO) (2,200; 50-75) —
“Notorious” (A A) and “Farmer's
Daughter” (A A) (reissues). Fine.
$8,000. Last week, “Bounty Hun-
ter” (WB) and “Riders to Stars”.
(UA), $99,000 in 8 days.
Majestic (Fay.) (2,200; 50-75) —
“The Raid” (20th): arid ‘‘Retiirh
From Sea” (AA). Fair $6,000 or
near in 5-day run. Last week,,
"Woman’s World” (20th) (2d wk),
$ 10 , 000 .
State (Loew’s). (3,200; 50-75) —
Rogue Cop” (M-G) and "Yellow
Tomahawk” (M-G). Peppy $12,000.
Last week, "On Waterfront” (CpI)
(2d wk), sock $18,000.
Strand (Cilverman) (2,200; 50-
75) — "Sabrina" (Par) (2d wk).
Opened Monday (25); First session
was sock $13,500.
‘SUDDENLY’ LUSTY 9G,
PORT.; ‘WORLD’ 10G, 2D
Portland, Ore., Oct. 26.
Town is bogged down with hold-
overs this session. “Rear Window”
and “Woman’s World” continues
big for *a second frames. “Star Is
Born” holds over for a. third in-
ning after taking a nosedive in
the second round. "Suddenly,”
lone newcomer except, for two re-
issues at the Oriental,, shapes
lofty. -
Estimates for This Week
Broadway (Parker) (1,890; 90-
$1,25) — "Brigadoon” (M-G) (2d
wk). Good $7,000. Last week, $10,-.
300.
Fox (Evergreen) (1,536; $1-$1.25)
—‘‘Woman’s World” (2Qth) (2d wk).
Solid $10,000. Last week, $11,000;
Guild (Indie) (400; $1)—“ Van-
ishing Prairie” (Disney) (4th wk).
Neat $3,000. Last week, $4,800.
Liberty (Hamrick) (1,875; 75-$l)
—“Suddenly” * (UA) and “Lone
Gun” (UA). Tall $9,000. Last Week,
“Rogue Cod” (M-G) and “Scarlet
►ear” (UA),. $7, 800,
Oriental (Evergreen) (2.000; 65-.
90)— "Girl Fori Joe?’ (WB) . and
“Guy With Grin” JWB) (reissues.)
Okay $1,600; Last week, ‘‘Egyp-
tian (20th) (6th Wk); $2,000.
Orpheumi (Evergreen) (1,600; $1-
$1.50)— “Star Is Born” (WB) (3d
wk), Torrid $8,000 after $10,000
ldst week
Paramount (Port-Par). (3,400; 75-
$1)— “Rear, Window” (Par) and
‘‘Hot News.”. (AA) : (2d wk). Fancy
$10,000. Last week, $12,000.
Det. Off; ‘Brigade’ Mild
$1 1,000, ‘Brigadoon’ 10G,
‘Star’ Bright 17G, 4th
Detroit, Oct. 26.
Biz shapes slow this stanza, at
downtown houses; "Brigadoon”
looks fair at the Adahis. “Hajji
Baba” is slim at the Fox. "Bengal
Brigade” is moving mildly at the
Michigan: Among, the holdovers,
“Star Is Born” continues to glitter
in fifth week at the Madison. “Rear
Window” is fancy iri second round
at the Palms. "Woman’s World”
looms' in second United Artists
frame. ;
Estimates for This Week
. Fox (Fox-Detroit) (5,000; $i-$l .25)
— "Hajji Baba” (20th) and "Unholy
Four” (Lip). Dull $22,000. Last
week, "The Egyptian” (20th) (5th
wk), $26,000.
Michigan (United Detroit) (4,000;
80-$l)— "Bengal Brigade” (U) and
"Four Guris to Border” (U). Mild
(Continued on page 25)
‘Star Brilliant $20,
Cincy; ‘Star’ Great 17G
In 2d, ‘Bounty’ Oke 7G
Cincinnati, Oct. 26.
♦‘Woman’s- World,” hefty new-
comer, is boosting overall take of
riiaj or stands this week and war-
ranting further tenancy at the Pal-
ace, "Bounty Hunter,” the only
other new bill, is piling up an. okay
total for the Grand. ‘‘Star Is Borin,”
in second stanza- at Albee, holds
lead for total coin With a socko
marker. Keith’s is winding up win-
ing run with '‘Egyptian” while
"Cinerama” is climbing to a ter-
rific total in 19th, werik at iCapitol.
Estimates for This Week
Albee (RKO) (3,100; 90-$1.25)—
"Star Is Born” (WB) (2d wk). Socko
$17,000 in wake of $24,500 preerii;
Holds on.
Capitol (Ohio Cinema Corp.j (1,-
376; $l,20-$2.65)— "Cinerama” In-
die) (19th wk). Autumn upswing
and . increasing juve and group
trade points up to smash $25,000
after last week’s $23,300.
Grand (RKO (1,400; 50-90)---
“Bounty Hunter” (WB) and ‘‘Cham-
pagne Safari” (AA). Okay $7,000.
Last week, "Dragonfly Squadron”
(AA) and "Arrow In Dust” (AA),
$ 6 , 000 ,
Keith’s (Shor) (1,500; 75-$1.25)—
“Egyptian” (20th) (4th wk). Wind-
ing up profitable engagement with
likely $5,000 or better after $6,000
third frame.
Palace (BKQ) (2,600; 75-$l)—
"Woman's World” (20th). Hefty
$13,000. Holds for second week.
Last week, "Rogue Cop” (M-G) (2d
wk), $8,500,
•‘WORLD’ 46, 3D
Omaha, Oct, 26.
First-run pace continues mild
her this week. However, "Sabrina,”
topping the city currently, is solid,
at the large Orpheum. .‘‘Rear Win-
dow,” moved from Orpheum to.
Omaha for third: stanza, is kill
fancy. "Woman's World” remains
good in third week at the State.
Estimates for This Week
Brandeis (RKO) (1„000; 50-75) —
"They Rode: West” • (Col) and,
"Blades of. Musketeers” -(Indie).
Mild $3;500. Last week. "Passion”
(RKO). and “Shadow Man” (Lip),
$4, ,500.
Omaha .(Tristates) (2;.000; 70-90)
--“Rear Window” (Par). (M.O.).
Fine $5,500 in move from Or-
pheinn for third downtown Week;
Last week, “Duel in Sun” (RKO)
(reissue) arid “Little Fugitive” (In-
die), $7,000 at 50c-75c scale.
Orpheum (Tristates) (2,890; 70-
90)— “Sabrina” (Par). Solid $12.-
000. Last week, “Rear Window”
(Par (2d wk), $9,500.
State (Goldberg) (875; 55-90) —
"Woman’s World” (20th) (3d wk).
Good $4,000 or close. Last week,
$5,000,. Over hopes.
ity Grosses
Estimated Total Gross
This Week ... . . $2,831,300
( Based on 24 cities, and 224
theatres, chiefly first runs,
eluding Y. )
Total Gross Sama Week
Last Year . . , $3,224,100
( Based on .25 cities and 231
theatres.)
Boston, Oct. 26.'
Although “A Star Is Born” at the
Met is easily the big noise here
tliiS stanza, biz is reported a bit
below expectations. Other new-
comers are spotty with "Hajji
Baba” at. the : Memorial sluggish
and “Betrayed” ; at the State, and
Orpheum just good. Balance Of
town is holding Over with “Sabri-
na,” stout in fifth week at the
A'stor. "Notorious” and "Farmer’s
Daughter” look nice for oldies at
Fenway and Paramount.
Estimates for This Week
. Astor (B&Q) -(1.500; 70-$1.10)—
"Sabrina” (Par) (5th wk>. Off a bit
but still stout . at $12,000 following
$17,000 in fourth.
Beacon Hill (Beacon Hill) (800;.
74-$l)— “Vanishing Prairie” (Dis-
ney) (6th ■'wKL 0 Final’ week looks
good $4,000. Last Week, $5,200.
Boston (Cinerama Productions)
(1,354; $1.20-$2.85) — "Cinerama”
(Indie) (43d wk), Sturdy $17,000
after $18,000 last week.
EXeter (Indie) (1,300; 60-$l) ■
"High and Dry” (U) (2d»wk), Big
$5,500 following $7,000 first week,
Fenway (NET) (1.300; 50-90) —
"Notorious” (RKO) arid "Farmer’s
Daughter” (RKO) (reissues). In. for
9, days with nifty $7,500 shaping.
Memorial (RKO) (3,000; 50-$l)—
"Hajji Baba” (20th) arid ‘‘Black-
out” (Lip). Sluggish $11,500. Last
week, "Black Shield Falworth" (U)
and "Operation Diplomat” (Indie)
(2d wk), $11,000. V
Metropolitan (NET) (4,367: 80-
$1.50) . — ‘‘Star. Is Born” - (WB).
Lofty $40,000 or near, Last week;
"Woman’s World” (20th) and “Se-
curity Risk” (AA) (2d wk), $15,000
in 8 days.
Orpheum (Loew’s)’ (3,000; 50-90)
—“Betrayed” (M-G arid "Yellow
Tomahawk” (UA). Good $17,000.
Last week, "On Waterfront” (Col)
(5th -wk). 'Waterfront” (Col) (5th
wk), $12,000,
Paramount (NET) (1,700; 50-90)
—"Notorious” (RKO) and “Farm-
er's Daughter” (RKO) (reissues).
Nice $17,000 in 9 days.
Pilgrim (ATC) (1,800; 65-95) -r-
"Rogue Cop” “M-G) and "Fast and
Furious” (Lip) (2d Wk). Solid $10,-
000, following $16,000 for first.
. State (Loew’s) (3,500; 50-90) —
“Betrayed” (M-G) arid "Yellow
Tomahawk” (UA). Good $9,000,
Last Week "Battlegrouhd" (M-G)
and "Asphalt Jungle” (M-G) (re-
issues), $5,500.
Denver, Oct, 26.
"White Christmas,” first Vista-.
Vision pic to play Denver, had no
trouble copping top money here,
packing the Denham with long
lines. Terrific session looms, and
the pic is holding, of course. Otheris
holding are "Star Is Born,” fine in
second week at the Denver, and
"Brigadoon,’’ which was trim on
first. Orpheum round. "Human
Jungle,” also new, is good at Para-
mount:
Estimates for This Week
Aladdin (Fox! (1,400; .50-85)4-
"Martin Luthier” (Indie). Fair
$3,000. Last week, on reissues.
Centre (Fox) (1,247; 60-$l)—
"Woman’s World” (20th) (4th wk).
Fine $10,000. Last week, $15,000.
...... Denham (Cockrill) (1,750; 70-
$1.25) — "White Christmas” (Par).
Great $25,000. Holding, natch!
Last week,. "Sabrina” (Par) (4th
wk), $8,000.
Denver ; (Fox) (2,525; 75-$1.25)—
"Star Is Born” (WB) (2d wk). Firle
$14,000. Stays on. Last week,
$17,000.
Orpheum (RKO) (2,600; 60-$i) —
"Brigadoon’' (M-G) and “House of
Blackmail” (Indie); Nice $13,000,
and holds. Last Week, "Rogue
Cop” (M-G) and "Terror Ship”
(Lip) (2d wk), $5,000.
Paramount (Wolf berg) (2,200;
50-85)— "Human Jungle” (AA) and
"Security Risk” (A A). Good $10,
500. Last Week, "Suddenly” (UA)
and "Khyber Patrol” (UA), $10,000.
Vogue (Pike) (442; 74-90)— "Mr.
Hulot’s Holiday” (GBD) (3d wk).
Fair $2,000. Last week, $2,200.
‘Waterfront’ Wow 171G,
Balto; ‘Brigadoon’ 9G,
‘Sabrina’ Hotsy 11G, 3d
Baltimore, Oct. 26.
Fresh product and ideal weather
are combining for pleasant grosses
here this week. "Oh Waterfront”
shapes smash at the Hipp follow-
ing a censorship skirmish. "Rear
Window” looms tall at the Play-
house. "Brigadoon” is pleasing at
the Century. "Star Is Born” is
holding firmly with nice takings
in its second week at the Stanley
Sabrina” continues Very big in
third round at the Film Centre.
Estimates for This Week
Century (Loew’s-UA) (3,000; 25-
95)^-“Brigadoon” (M-G). Nice $9,
000. Last week, "Betrayed” (M-G)
(2d wk), $6,000.
Cinema (Schwaber) (466; 50-$ 1)
—"High and. Dry” (U) (2d wk).
Okay $3,500 after $3,800 opener.
Film Centre (Rappaport) 960;
50-$l)— "Sabrina” (Par) (3d wk)
Solid $11,000. .Last week, $12,000
Hippodrome (Rappaport) (2,100;
35-$l)— "On Waterfront” (Col);
Smash $17,500 or near. Last week
■‘‘Sitting Bull” (UA) (2d wk), $6,500
Keith’s (Fruchtman) (2,400; 20-
46-80) — ‘‘Human. Jungle” (AA) (2d
wk). Mild $6,000 after $8,000
opener).
Little /(Rappaport) (310; 50-$l) —
"Long Memory” (U). Opened yes-
terday (Mon.). Return of "Man In
White Suit” (U) and "Promoter
(U), was good $3,300.
Mayfair (Hicks) (980; 20-70)—
“Princess Of Nile” (20th), Starts
tomorrow (Wed.). "The Raid
(20th), mild $3,200.
New (Fruchtman) (1,800; 50-$l)—
"Woman’s World” (20th) (3d wk)
Good $7,500. Last week, $10,000.
Playhouse (Schwaber) (420; 50-$l)
— "Rear Window” (Par). Tall $6,:
000. Last week, "Hobson’s Choice”
(UA) (6th wk)*, $2,800.
Stanley (WB) (3,200; 50-$1.25)—
“Star Is Born” (WB) (2d wk). Stil
rosy at $18,500. Last week, $24,500,
Town (Rappaport) (1,600; 35-$l) —
"Black Widow” (20th). Opens to
morrow (Wed.). Third week o:
"Suddenly” (UA) was mild $5,500.
Kansas City, Oct. 26,
Strong pix. being offered
here currently, and: biz shows it.
Leader is “Star Is Born,” sock at
the Paramount, and holds; Strong
money. Is coming in for “Sudden-
V’ at the Missouri/ “Brigadoon"
at the Roxy and ”Qn Waterfront”
at the Midland. “Woman’s World"
in ' .second Orpheum week arid
Hajji Baba” in the four Fox Mid-
west houses loom nice. Weather is
typical Indian Summer vein.
Estimates for This Week
Klmo (Dickinson) (504; 85-$ 1) —
Man with Million” (UA). . Fancy
$2,800. Stays, L?st week, "Always
Bride” (Indie) (3d wk), $1,200;
Midland (Loew’s) (3,500; 65-904—
“On Waterfront” (Col). Fine $11,-
000. Holds. Last week. "Ber 12
Men” (M-G) and “Lone Gun” (UA),
$6,500.
Missouri (RKO) (2,650; 50-80)—
'Suddenly” (UA) and “Malta
Story” (UA). Hefty $10,000. Holds
over. Last week, “Human Desire”
(Col) and “Bullet. Is Waiting”
(Col), $8,000.
Paramount (United Par) (1,900;
75-$l)— “Star Is Borin” (WB). play-
ing at upped scale. Great $20,-
000. Holds; of course. Last week,
"Sabrina” (Par) (3d wk), $8,000: '
Orpheum (Fox Midwest) (1.913;
75-$l )— “Woman’s World” (20th)
(2d wk). Holding near pace of first
week, fine. $11,000. Stays on. Last
week, $13,000,
Roxy (Durwood) (879; 70-90)4-
‘Brigadbon” (M-G). Bomvy $8,000.
Holds. Last week. "Rogue Cop”
(M-G) (2d wk),‘ $3,500.
Tower, Uptown, Fairway, Gra-
nada (Fox Midwest) (2,100; 2.043; .
700; 1,217; 65-85)— “Hajji Baba"
(20th) ‘and “Twd Guris and Badge"
(AA). Good $14,000. Last week,
Vanishing Prairie" (Disney) and
Return froiri Sea” (AA), $16,000,
oyer expectations.
Vogue (Golden) (550; 75-$l)—
Melba”* (UA) • (2d wk). Okay
$1(300: Last week, $1,600.
‘Brigadoon’ Smooth 15G,
Big 10G
W Mighty 22G, 2d
Pittsburgh, Oct. 26.
Stanley Is still blanketing the.
town* with second week of "Star Is
Born” Penn apparently has its
best bet in some time with ‘.‘Briga-
doon” despite adverse notices.
“Woman’s World” is doing enough
to rate a holdover at Harrjs. Squir-
rel Hill has latched onto another
sinash in “Vanishing Prairie,” and
it’s bound to be around, fot some
time.
Estimates for This Week
Fulton (Shea) (1,700; 65-$l)—
Black Shield Falworth” (U). Crix
liked this derring-doer bu they
aren’t buying. Mild $6,000. Last
week, “Egyptian” (20th) (4th wk),
$5,500.
Harris (Harris) (2,200; 65-$ 1) —
“Woman’s World” (20th). Not
quite up to hopes but still big $10,-
000 or over. Looks to stay at least
another stanza. Last week, "On
Waterfront” (Col) (4th wk),
$7,000.
Penn (Loew’s (3,300; 65-$l)-r
"Brigadoon” (M-G). Notices won’t
help but should hit trim $15,000.
May stick. Last week, “Rogue Cop”
(M-G), $11,000.
Squirrel Hill (SW) (900; 65-85)-^
"Vanishing Prairie” (Disney). A
natural for this arty naber. Great
$5,000 or near. Last week, “Edge
of Divorce” (Indie), $2,000.
Stanley (SW) (3,800;. 75.-$l. 25)
—“Star Is Bom” (WB) (2d wk).
Holding up well with spek $22,000
likely. Stays again, natch! . Last
week, $28;000.
Warner (SW) (1,365; $1.25-$2.65)
"Cinerama” (Indie) (47th wk). Get-
ting close to celebrating first year
;here, and at this stage of run do-
ing remarkably well since this isn't
ordinarily a long . run town. Fine
$11,000, sligthly under last week.
‘Wiridow , Hefty 11G,
Gleve.; ‘Star’ 19VzG, 2d
Cleveland, Oct. 26. (
Best of .new pix this week if
"Rear Window,” rated hefty at
Loew’s State, Assistance of sunny
Indian Summer weather making
localities more theatre - minded.
“Star Is Born” at Allen in second
stanzg is .getting biggest coin in
city. "Human Jungle” looms tor-
rid at Hipp,
Estimates for This Week
Allen (S-W) (3,000; 90-$l:25)—
"Star Is Born” (WB) (2d wk). Socky
$19,500, following $29,500 last
Wepk
Hipp (Telem’t) (3,700; 60-901—
"Human Jungle” (AA). Hot $14,-
( Continued on page 25 )
Wednesday* October 27, 1954
‘World* Whopping 20G, \
Toronto ; ‘Brigade’ 116
BulF ICG, Socko in 2d
Chicago, OCt. 26.
Three new entries bode another
brisk firstruh Week although biz is
spotty with the holdovers. “Bare-
foot Contessa" Vis stepping oft to
smash $30,000 at United Artists.
Combo of “King Richard and the
Crusaders” and “Shanghai Story”
promises strong $20,000 at Roose-
velt Action duo, “Southwest
Passage’* and “Khyber Patrol,"
looks mild $6,500. at the Monroe.
Golden Jubilee of Light blamed
for thinned boxoffice Sunday (24).
“Star Is Born” continues lofty
in second round at Chicago. Grand
sees another strong session With
“Sitting Bull” while Me Vickers
looms brisk with “Betrayed,” alsp
in second. Third week of “Rogue
Cop” shapes tidy at the Loop.
“On Waterfront,” ip fourth ses-
sion at Woods, still is Sock, “Wom-
an’s World” winds , up run with
nice return in fourth round at the
Oriental. “High and Dry" con-
tinues nice at the Surf also in
fourth while "Egyptian’- shapes
good in the fifth at State-Lake.
•'Cinerama” continues in the chips
in 65th stanza at the Palace.
Estimates' for This Week
Chicago (B&K) (3,900; 98-$l. 50)
-“Star Is Born” (WB). (2d wk).
Keeps shimmering at $60, 000/ Last
.week, $70,000. v
Grand (Nomikos) (1,200; 98-
$1.25) “Sitting Bull” (UA) (2d
:wkv. Hot $10,000 looms. Last
week, $20,000. ;<
. Loop (Telem’t) (606;-90-$1.25) —
“Rogue Cop” (M-G) (3d wk). Tidy
$ 9 , 000 , Last week,. $9,500.
Me Vickers (JL&S) (2,200; 65-
$1.25) — “Betrayed” (M-G) (2d wk).
Brisk $15,000. Last week, $20,000.
Monroe (Indie) (1,000; 65-87)—
. Southwest Passage”' (UA)' and
•‘Khyber Patrol” (UA). Modest
$6,500. Last week, “Crossed
Swords’* (UA) (2d Wk), $4,500,'
Oriental (Indie) (3,400; 98-$1.25)
^“Woman’s World” : (20th) (4th
wkk Finishing with fine $18,000.
Last week, $21,500.
Palace (Eitel) (1,484; $1.25-$3,4Q)
— ‘Cinerama” (Indie) (65th wlc).
great at $32,000. Last week,
$29,500. ~ '
. Roosevelt (fi&K) (1,400; 65-98)—
‘King Richard and Crusaders”
(WB) and "Shanghai Story” (Rep).
Stout $20,000. Last week, “Human
Jungle” (AA) and “Raid” (20th)
(2th. wk); $16,500.
State-Lake (B&K) (2>700; 98-
$1.50)--“Egyptian”. (20th) (5th wk),
pit tp fair $17,000 or near "after
last week’s $22,000.
Surf (H&E- Balaban) (685; 95)—
High and Dry” (Indie) (4th wk).
hice $3,000. Last week, $3,500.
United Artists (B&K) (1,700: 98-
$1.25)— “Barefoot Contessa” (UA)/
Grabbing a smash $30,000. Last
week, “Three Hours to Kill” (Col)
and “Black Dakotas” (C61), $17,000. .
«r°. ods (Essaness) (1,198; 98-
/A? 5 — “°n Waterfront” (Col)
4th wk),.. Smash $30,000; Last
veek, $37,000.
M«ls.; 'Duel’ Hot 8G,
'Star’ Tall 9G in 3d
Minneapolis, Oct. 26.
Wth 15,000 teachers here attend-
*ng a convention and many spend-
n? their spare time at the cinemas
'Public schools are closed during
jnis conclave), loop boxoffiees
Doomed over the weekend. One
comer, “Hans Christian Ander-
back,, for second time but at
regular scale, is : fine at Lyric,
.ongadoon” stacks up as the top
grosser at Radio City With a stout
p,MV- on ;, . “Adventures Robinson
vmsoe is good at the Gopher.
^It’s^the fifth week for “Ota
Waterfront” and “Sabrina.” “Star
ih? 01 ’ ” still is bright in third Or-
P'lemn round.
Estimates for This Week
i£™tury . (S-W) (1.140; $1.75-
wk ^ '^inerarria”' (India) (28th
e * Helped by teachers' prsc-
affo’ even matinees went clean
s eo ^ ven tipn opened. Still
$25,000 at $20 ’ 000 * Last, week,
"& h ? r (Ber Ser) (1,600; 65-80)—
(t t * V c n t ure s Robinson Crusoe 1 '
Uiopd $5,000. Last week*
Cop (M ‘ G) (2d wk) >
Chrkn C (Pa r ) 000; 65-85)— “Hans
rim lar L, Andersen” (RKO) (2d
downi^ Firs !f regular admission
harni wn showing of pic which
u long run, at tilted scale. Light
'Continued on page 25)
• i
Estimates Are Net
Film gross estimates as re-
ported herewith fromi the vari-
ous key: cities, :are_. net; \. e. ?
without Usual tax. Distrib-
utors' share on net take, When
playing percentage, hence the
estimated figures are net in-
come.:
The parenthetic admission
prices, however, as indicated,
include the U> S. amusement
tax.
Frisco; ‘Buff 11G
San. Francisco, Oct. 26.
Newcomers are not as strong
this round as they, have been
recently, and most of them will
move on after one week. “Sitting
BulL” is rated fine at United
Artists; “Black Knight” looms
very big at Paramount but stays
only nine days, With /“White
Christmas” supplanting on Friday.
“Star Is Bom” still, is solid in
fourth Week at St. Francis. “Wom-
an’s World”; continues good in
third Fox week.
Estimates/ for This Week
Golden Gate (RKO) (2,859, 80-
$1) — “Bob Mathias Story” (AA)
and “Return. From Sea” (AA);
Okay $10,500. Last week, “Bounty
Hunter” (WB) and “Security Risk”
(A A), $9,500.
Fox (FWG) (4,651; $1.25-$1.5W—
“Woman’s World” (20th) (3d Wk).
Godd $12,500. Last week, $15,000.
Warfield (Loew’s) (2,656; 75-$l)
— “Brigadooh” (M-G) (3d wk). Oke
$8,500. Last week, $13*006.
Paramount (Par) (2,646; 90-$D—
“Black Knight” (Ool) and “Thun-
der Pass” (Lip). Sock $19*000 in 9
days, "White Christmas,” (Par)
opens Friday. Last week, “Private
Hell” (EM)- ' and “Three Hours to
Kill” (Col), $12,800. .
St. Francis (Par) (1,400; $1-$1.50)
—“Star Is Born” (WB) (4th wk).
Solid $16,060. Last Week, $18,500.
Orpheum (Cinerama ^Theatre,
Calif.) (1,458; $1.75-$2.65)— “Cine-
rama” (Indie) (43d wk). Fat $21,-
500/ Last Week, $22,000.
United Artists (No. Coast) (1,207;
70-$l) — “Sitting Bull” (UA) and
“Challenge Wild” (UA). Fine $11,-
000 in 8 days. Last week, “Down
3 Dark Streets” (UA) and “Lone
Gun” (UA), $11,500.
Stagedoor (A-R) (400; $1-$1.25)
— “Little Kidnappers” (UA). Good
$4,300. Last week, “Man With
Million” (UA) (6th wk), $3,500.
Larkin (Rosener) (400; $1) —
"Hobson’s Choice” (DA) and “Last
Holiday” (AA) (5th wk)* Trim
$2,700. Last week, $2,900.
Clay (Rosener) (400; $1) —
“Dreams of Loye” (Indie) (3d wk).
Mild $1,700. Last week, $2*300.
Vogue (S.F. Theatres) (377; $1)
— “Companions of Night” (Indie)
(3d wk). Light $1,700. Last week*
$1,900.
Bridge (Schwartz-Reade) ; (399;
$1-$1.20> — “Hulot’s Holiday”
(GBD) (7th wk). Present stanza
ending Wednesday (27) looks to
hold at fine $2,500, same as sixth
round. . Holding two weeks longer
and delaying preem of “High and
Dry” (U), originally set for Oct. 28.
‘BRIGADOON’ HEP 13G,
ST. L; ‘WORLD’ BIG 10G
St. Louis, Oct. 26.
Biz is spotty this frame with
holdovers much in limelight. Per-
sonal of Eddie. Fisher and Debbie
Reynolds at the Fox for the Har-
vest Moon Festival cut into grosses..
“Brigadoon,” good in second round
at Loew’s, shapes as best coin
grabber: “Woman’s World” con-
tinues lusty, in third, frame at the
St. . Louis. “Pickwick Papers”
looms fine at two arty theatres,
“Cinerania” still is st'irdy in 39th
stanza, at Ambassador,
Estimates for This Week
Ambassador (Indie) (1,400; $1.20-
$2.40) — “Cinerama” (Indie) (39th
wk). Nice $13,000 after $15,000 last
week.
Fox (F&M) (5,000; 50-75)— "Ben-
gal Brigade” (U) and “Four Guns
To Border” (U). Opened today
(Tues.). Last week, “Duel in
( Continued on page 25 )
• Toronto, Oct. 26.
Of newcomers this week, “Briga-
doon” is off to a wham start to
turnaway biz on a six-a-day policy
at Loew’s. “Woman’s World”
looms wow at Odeon.. “Bengal
Brigade” shapes neat at Uptown.
"Caine Mutiny” is big in two
houses in third stanza.
Estimates for This Week
Downtown* Glendale, Scarboro,
State (Taylor) (1,059; 955; 698;
694; 40-70) -T- "Shanghai Story”
(Rep) and “Capt. Kidd, Slave Girl”
(UA). Good $13,000. Last week,
“Silver Lode” (RKO) And “Jungle
Gents” (A A), $14,500.
Eglinton; University (FP) (1,080;
1,558; .50-80)— “King Richard Cru-
saders” (WB), Okay $15,000.
Last week, “Dragnet" (WB) (2d
wk), $13,000. .
Hyland (Rank) (1,354; 60-80)-^
“Doctor in House” (Rank) (8th
wk). Near-capaCity $7,500, Last.
Week, same.
Imperial (FP). (3,373; 60-$l)—
“Broken Lance” (20th). / Big $18,-
000* Last week, “Egyptian” (20th)
(4th wk), ,$9,000.
/ Loew’s (Loew’s) (2,090; -60-$l) ; —
“Brigadoon” (M-G), Wham $25,-
000. Last Week,. “Apache” (UA),
$15,000. -
Nortown, Shea’s (FP) (959; 2,386;
75-$l)— "Caine Mutiny” (Col) (3d
wk). Hotsy $18,000. Last week,
$24,000.
Odeon (Rank) (2,390; 75-$l)—
“Woman’s World” (20th). Wow
$20,000. Last week, “West of
Zanzibar” (Rank), $7,000.
Uptown (Loew’s) (2,745; 60-80) —
“Bengal Brigade” (M-G*. Neat
$11,000 or near. Last week,.
“Rogue Cop” (M-G) (2d wk),
$7,000.
Philadelphia, Oct. 26.
Bulk of trade this stanza is being
limited to weekend takes. “Sa-
brinA” shapes as best of newcom-
ers, with a terrific total at the
500-seat Trans-Lux. “Bengal Bri-
gade” is rated fast at the Gold-
man. “Star Is Born” . is still smash
i second Mastbaum week for big-
gest coi in town. “Suddenly” con-
tinues sensational for small Trans-
Lux World.
Estimates for This Week
Arcadia (S&S) (625; 80-$1.35)—
“Rear Window” (Par) (9th wk).
Sturdy $6,700. Last week, $7,800.
Boyd (SW) (1*430; $1.25-$2.60)—
“Cinerama” (Indie) (55th . wk).. Okay
$12,000. Last week,- $14,000.
Fox (20th) (2,250; 99-$1.49)—
“Hajji Baba" (20th) (2d wk). Fair
$14,000. Last week* $21*000.
Goldman (Goldman) (1,200; 65-
$1.30)— “Bengal Brigade” (U). Fast
$14,000: Last week, “Rogue Cop”
(M-G) (3d wk), $10,000.
Mastbaum (SW). (4,370; 75-$1.30)
—“Star Is Born” (WB) (2d wk).
Terrific $30,000. Last week, $38,000.
Midtown (Goldman) (1,000; . 74-
$L30)— “Beau Brummell” (M-G)
(3d wk). Smart $9,000 or near. Last
week, $11,000.
Randolph (Goldman) (2,500; 74-
$1.49)— “Woman’s World” (20th)
(3d wk), . Off to oke $9,500. Last
week, $13,000.
Stanley (SW) (2,900; 74-$i;30)—
“Seven Brides” (M-G) (3d wk). So-
so. $9,000 in final 5 days. Last
week, $19,000.
Stanton (SW) (1,473; 50-99)^
“Passion” (RKO) and “Africa
Adventure” (RKO). Dull $6,000.
Last week, “Jamboree” (EPI) and
“Utopia” (EPI), $4,200 in 5 days,
Trans-Lux (T-L) (500; 80-$1.50)
—“Sabrina” (Par). Terrific $16,000.
Last week, “Hobson’s Choice”
(UA) (5th wk), $3:600:
Viking (Sley) (1,000; 75-$1.30)—
‘‘Brigadoon” (M-G) (3d wk). Neat
$10,000. Last week,- $12,000.
Trans-Lux World (T-L) (604; 99-
$1,50)— "Suddenly” (UA) (2d wk).
Sock $17,000. Last, week, $18,000.
‘Duel’ Fancy $10,000 In
Seattle; ‘Star’ 12G, 2d
Seattle, Oct. 26.
Not. much here this week at the
boxoffiees with a surplus of hold-
overs cutting in while some new-
comers are failing to measure up.
“King Richard and Crusaders” . at-
Music Hall and “Naked Alibi’* at
OrRheum both shape very slow.
“Star Is Borrt” is still great in
second round. Top new entry is
“Duel in Jungle,” big at Coliseum.
Estimates for This Week
Coliseum (Evergreen) (1,829; 75-
$1)— “Duel in Jungle”, (WB) and
“Bounty ; Hutater” (WB), Big $10,-.
0.00 or over. Lf>t week, “Suddenly”
(Continued on page 25)
Strong pix and arrival of big
gridiron games and football crowds
in town are giving the Broadway
film boxoffice a healthy tone this,
session; There is only one im-
portant new straight-filmier, hence
the de luxe houses are depending
almost, exclusively , on holdovers
and extended-runs for the strong
showing. Last Saturday (23) was
especially sock at the wickets
while some theatres did even bet-
ter on §unday.
“Beau Brummell” looks lofty
$29,000 at the State, /and, of
course, is holding. New vaude plus
“Personal Affair’’ is heading , for
fine $24,500 at the Palace. “Star
Is Born” and “White Christmas”
continue competing for top laurels.
“Christmas”, plus stageshow shapes
to get very close to opening week’s
total in second session at the Music
Hall, running even with first week
.in first four days of second round.
Second week, winding today (Wed.)
probably will hit wow $171,000 as
against $175,000 opening stanza.
“Star” finished the second week,
day-dating at the Paramount and
Victoria, Monday (25), with a com-
bined total of smash $131,000 at
the two houses, . Judy Garland-
James Mason starrer landed a ter-
rific $92,000 in second round near
the: total for the first seven days.
“Star’’ is doing nearly as well com-
paratively at the; Vic.. With socko
$39 000.
“Barefoot Contessa” is pushing
up ahead of the third round in cur-
rent (4th) week with a sock $42 000
in prospect at. the Capitol. “Sud-
denly” is holding at fine $20,000 in
third stanza at the Mayfair.
“Hansel and Gretel" held at a
great $34,000 in second week at
the Broadway.
“On Waterfront” continues long-
run champ* Winding its 13th sesr
sion last night (Tues.) with smash
$28,000 at the Astor. ahead of 12th
week. Stays on. “Sabrina” con-
tinues sockeroo at $31,000 in fifth
round at the Criterion, and is now
ita its sixth week.
“Rear WindoW” still is nice with
$16,000 in 12th and final week at
the Rivoli. “Carmen Jones” opens
its regular run ah this house Fri^
day (29) after' an invitational
preem tomorrow (Thiirs:) night.
“The Detective” preems at the
Fine Arts next Monday (1). This
arty house still was doing nicely
at $6,000 with “Vanishing Prairie”
in the 10th stanza ended last Sun-
day. It plays through the 11th
week.
Estimates for This .Week
Asior (City Inv,) (1,300; 50r$1.75)
—“On Waterfront” (Col) (14th wk).
The 13th stanza ended last night
(Tues.) held with great . $28,000,
slightly over the. $27,500 of the
■12th week. This is amazing coita
for this stage or run. Stays on in-
definitely.
Broadway (Myerberg) (1,900; 74-
$1.50)— “Hansel and Gretel” (Myer-
berg) (3d wk), First holdover ses-
sion ended Saturday (23) was great
$34,000 or near the opening week’s
total after deducting $14,000 preem
coin from the first round’s $40,000.
Now appears definitely set for a
longrun for this puppet pic.
Baronet (Reade) ' (430; 90-$1.55)
—“Hamlet” (U) (reissue). (4th wk).
This frame finishing tomorrow
(Thiirs.) likely will hold with fancy
$3,500 after $3,600 for third. Stays
a fifth, with next film’s opening
delayed.
Capitol (Loew’s) (4,820; 85-$2.20)
---"Barefoot Contessa” (UA) (4th
wk). . Current roiind/ ending today
(Wed.) is pushing tip to sock $42, r
000 aftfer $40:000 in third. Holds on.
Criterion (Moss) (1,700; 50-$1.85)
-‘-“Sabrina” (Par) (6th wk). Fifth
session ended last night (Tues.)
was very big $31,000 after $35,000
for fourth week. Continues on in-
def.
Fine Arts (Davis) (468; ,90-$1.80)
— “Vanishing Prairie” (Disney)
(11th wk). The 10th stanza ended
Sunday (^4) was fine $6,000 after
$6,700 for ninth week. Continues,
with “The Detective” (Col) open-,
ing Nov. 1;
Globe (Brandt) (1,500; 70-$1.50)
—“Adventures of. Hajji . Baba”
(20th) 13d-final wk). Holding very
Well with $7,000 or over. Second
week,. $10,000. “Black Knight”
(Col) opens Friday (29),
. . Guild . (Guild) ; (450; $1-$1.80)—
“Martin Luther” (Indie) (2d wk).
First holdover session ending to-
morrow (Thurs.) looks to hold with
fast $6,000' after $10,000 opening
week. Stays on.
. Mayfair (Brandt) (1,736; 7.9-$l. 80)
—“Suddenly” (UA) (3d wk). Third
frame ending today (Wed.) likely
Will hold with fihe $20,000 or near
after $25,000 in second week. Con-
tinues.
Normandie (Trans-Lux (592; 95-
$1.80)— “Runaway Bus” (Indie).
Opened last Saturday (23). In
ahead, “Yellow Balloon" (Indie),
mild $4,500 in 11 days.
^Palace, (RKO). (1,700; 50-$1.60)—
“Personal Affair” (UA). and vaude-
ville. This week winding Up to-
morrow (Thurs.) loolcs fine $24,500.
In ahead; “Bob Mathias . Story”
(AA) and vaude, $21,000.
Paramount (ABC-Par) (3,664; $1-
$2)--“Star Is Born” (WB) (3d wk).
Initial holdover stanza ended Mon-
day (25) held with terrific $92,000
after $115,000, straight film record
here, for opening week. After de-
ducting preem night coin, second
session’s total is very close to first
week. Now get to run through
Nov. 16. ,
. Paris (Pathe Cinema) (568; 9(1-
$1.80)— “Bread/ Love and Dreams”
(Indie) (6th-wk). Fifth frame ended
Sunday (24) was smash $12,000.
after $13,000 for fourth, week.
Rivoli (UAT) (2,092; 85-$2^ —
“Rear Window” (Par) (12th-final
wk). Present round ending today
(Wed.) looks nice $16,000 after $19,-
000 in 11th week. “Carmen Jones"
(20th ) opens Oct. 29 after invita-
tional preem tomorrow (Thurs.)
night. The 12-week run of “Win-
dow” was a highly successful one,
an outstanding engagement in
many weeks here.
' Radio City. Music Hall (Rocke-
fellers) (6,200; 95-$2.75) — “White
Christmas” (Par) and stageshow
(2d wk). This stahza ending today
(Wed.) is heading fdr>great $171,-
000. Ran neck-’n’-neck with first
round first four: days of week. First
week for this initial VistaVision pic
was terrific $175,000, over hopes.
Stays on. *
Roxy (Nat’l. Th.J (5,717; 65-$2.40)
—/Black Widow” (20th). Opens to-
day (Wed.). Last week, “Woman’s
World” (20th) (4th wk-8 days),
okay $39,000 after $43,500 for third
week, to finish out a very good run.
State (Loew’s) (3,450; 78-$1.75)—
“Beau Brummell” (M-G) (2d wk).
First session ended last night
(Tues.) was big $29,000. In ahead,
“Black Shield Falworth” (U) (2d
wk), $12,500.
Sutton (R&B) (561; 90-$1.50)—
“High and Dry” (U) (9th wk). The
eighth week ended Monday (25)
was stout $7,000 after $7,800 for
seventh round. *
Trans-Lux 60th St*. (T-L) (453;
$1-$1.50) —v “Little Kidnappers”
(UA) (9th wk). Eighth week ended
last night (Tues.) was lusty $5,600,
almost same as $5,700 of seventh
frame.
• Trans-Lux 52nd St. (T-L) (540:
$1-$1.50)— “Lili” (M-G) (86th wk).
The 85th stanza ended Monday (25)
was good $4,800 after $5,500 for
84th week.
Victoria (City Inv.) (1,060; 50-
$1.75)— “Star Is Borrt” (WB) (3d
wk). Holding with sock $39,000 in
first holdover* session ended Mon-
day (25) after $46,000 in first week.
Warner (Cinerama Prod.) (1,600;
$1.20-$3 ; 3O) — “Cinerama” (Indie)
(73d wk). The 72d stanza ended
Saturday (23) was smash $38,000
after $41,000 in 71st week. “Cine-
rama” yesterday (Tpes.), hit. new
record for a . pic on Broadway by
going into its. 109th week in N.Y.
It established this mark with the
run here and initial weeks at the
Broadway theatre.
D.C. Down; ‘Star’ Smash
$29,000, 2d, ‘World’ Tall
10G, 3d, Brando 7G, 6th
Washington, Oct. 26.
There’s not a single newcomer
here this session, and general box-
office average is correspondingly
low. Holdovers and long runs
have become prevailing pattern.
"On Waterfront” shapes sock in
sixth Trans-Lux week; “Star Is
Born" is second, stanza at Ambassa-
dor and Met continues to top the
city. “Rear Window” is sturdy in
eighth, session at playhouse.
“Woman’s World” continues stout
in -'third Palace round.;
Estimates for This .Week
Ambassador (SW) 1,400; 90-$1.25)
—“Star Is Born” (WB) (2d wk)/
Strong $11,000, and stays on. Last
week* $12,500, big but below hopes.
Capitol (Loew’s) (3,434; 75-95)- —
“Brigadoon” (M-G) (3d-final wk).
Disappointing $13,000 after oke
$17,Q00 last week.
Columbia (Loew’s) (1,174; 60-80)
— ‘Rogue Cop” (M-G)' (2d wk).
(Continued ort page 25)
10 PICTURES PjfcRIETY Wednesday, October 27, 1934
Trans-Lux circuit has set up 4
Trans-Lyx pictures Cftrp. as a dis-
tribution outfit for foreign films.
It's part of a deal, signed in N. Y.
last week,, under which Trans-^Lux
acquired a half-interest in the
western hemisphere rights of forir
British Renown pix.
Trans-Lux Pictures is headed up
by Percival E. Furber, with Rich-
rd Brandt as v.p. and operating
head. Brandt is prez of the Trans-
Lux circuit. Arrangement with
George Minter, Renown prexy; is
the start of a continuing associa-.
tion since Trans-Lux will have an.
interest in other .films in the 1955
Renown program.
Involved in the current -deal are
“Our Girl Friday,” which 20th-Fox
-is taking on for distribution;
“Grand National Night,” “Dance,
Little Lady” and "Trilby and Sveri-
gali.” ,0n some future. Renown
productions, Trans-Lux will put up
the dpllars for the American talent.
>Iinter is planning to slant his out-
put directly to the U. S. market.
Renown topper arrived in N. Y.
Sunday (23). He expects to go to
the Coast for discussions with , 20th
on CihemaScope. Minter report-
edly intends to make one C’Scope
film a year. Deal with Trans-Lux
was negotiated in N. Y. by Rich-
ard Gordon, Minter’s U. S. rep.
Trans-Lux is required tor seek ma-
jor distribution for the Minter pix
wherever possible.
At the same time, the arrange-
ment assures TransrLux, operator
of many arties in N. Y., Washing-']
ton; etc., of first-run product if it
needs it. ’
On a similar basis, negotiations
for British pix are also under way
by Frank Kassler, an associate of
AValter Reade.
Product Lack Pushing
Parks Into CinemaScope;
286 In of Area’s 600
Minneapolis, Oct, 26.
This territory's C’Scope installa-
tions haye risen to' 286 out, of a 600
potential and will be swelled, con-
siderably during ensiling months
by a late rush of ozoners to the
projection technique, according to
present indications,
o With comparatively few excepr
lions, the outdoor theatres have
been staying, on the sidelines away
from C’Scope, giving as a reason
inability to meet pictures’ percent-
age terms. However, it’s now evi-
dent that the. product situation is
driving them into the fold.
Eddie Ruben installing the
one track optical sound C’Seope in
all is 13 ozoners. The Triangle cir-
cuit, which installed it late this
season in Minot, N. D., is following
suit in its other two stands a Man-
kato and St, Clous, Minn. Before
closing for tlie season the Belle
Fourche, S. D,, outdoor, theatre
completed its installation.
New 3-D Demonstrated
.. Hollywood, Oct, 26,
First demonstratipn. of a new
widescreen 3-D process of
photography Was shown here
by Stereocolor Corp. Novelty
of the new system is that it
requires the use of only a sin-
gle strip of film in one camera,
and a si/igle. projector.
. Alfred: Landau, veepee of
the company, said the cost of
filming in Stereocolor is about
the same standard produc-
tion.
Distributors are as far away as
ever from any plan on consolidat-
ing, their facilities for the physical
handling of films for purposes of.
economy, This, despite statement
on the Coast earlier this month by
Eric A. Johqstbn, president of the;
Motion Picture Assn, of America,
to, the effect that the. companies
were nearly ready for such joint
operation with N.Y. as the starting
point.
Sales execs said , this week the
project never got much beyond the
discussion stage and, as of now,
the whole idea has; been abandon-
ed. It may be tried at some future
date again but. the distribs do not
see this as a likelihood,
The plan that had been afoot
called for a setup whereby all com-
panies would have pic inspection,
storage and shipping work done
under the one roof. There would
be no actual selling involved.
However, many problems
cropped up that the project was
dropped. Personnel to take on the
work, office space and the com-
panies* present leases on space for
this physical . work all represented
factors militating against the mu-
tual . agency, Further, and impor-
tantly, some company lawyers, ever
dreading the possible consequences
of any .kind of joint operation,
feared' the setup might be con-
strued as running afoul of the anti-
trust laws.
Pathe-Cinena of Paris
SHORTS SCHEDULE
AT UNIVERSAL, 20TH
Universal and 20th-Fox last Week
put out their shorts lineup for the
season and the year.
Maintaining the release pace of
prior years, U in ’54-’55 will have
51 shorts including 15. tworeelers
and 36 onereelers. Six of tire lat-
ter are reissues, of Walter Lantz
Technicolor Cartunes. Onereelers
also include "Speed Sub-Zero,”
U’s first short lensed in the ana-
morphic Vistataiha process.
; At’ 20th, shorts subjects sales
manager Lem Jones said he would
have 26 C’Scope color shorts in
1955, eight more than in 1954,
HONOR FILM EDITORS
Gene Milford, Bob Leeds, Lynn
Harrison Spotlighted
First annual Critics’ Awards, in-
stituted by the American Cinema
Editors for the best film editing of
the year were presented to Gene
Milford; Robert M, Leeds and Lynn
Harrison.
Milford edited Sam Spiegel’s Co-
lumbia production, “On the Water-
front.” Leeds and .Harrison edited
Mark VII’s filmed television show
“Dragnet.”
Arties in Eastern U.S.A.
Expansion of its theatre holdings
in the U. S. continues as a part
of Pathe-Cinema plans for the fu-
ture, Duncan McGregor, prez of
the American Pathe Cinema sub-
sidiary, said in. N. Y. last week on
returning from a trip to, his Paris
homeoffice.
McGregor reveals, that the So-
ciete Nouyelle Pathe-Cinema, the.
French outfit for which he .runs
the Paris and :5th Ave. Playhouse
theatres in N. . Y., feels that thea-
tre expansion in the eastern U. S.
would be desirable “if we can find
the kind of situations that lend
themselves to our type of .opera-
tion.”
The French Pathe-Cinema is co-
producing and distributing between
six and eight pix a year, McGregor
reported. Not all of them are suit-
able for the U. S., and the French
realize this. While it owns the two
N. - Y, showcases, Pathe-Cinema
doesn’t insist that they launch its
pix in N. Y. Choice, of bookings is
left up entirely to McGregor and
Lillian Gerard, who is the operat-
ing head of the theatres. They’re
having some difficulties finding
enough suitable French product' for
the 5th Ave.
Still For the French
McGregor disagreed with; the
views of some indie, distribs in the
U. S. that the French, and.' other
European producers copying
U. S. techniques and themes and:
that this, loses them their own
unique, appeal. "French producers
still primarily produce for French
audiences,” he said. “If they make
a gangster film, and it’s very suc-
cessful, they naturally have a tend-
ency to go in for ‘cycles,’ just, as
Hollywood does.. But that’s not sur-
prising. It’s just good business.”
, Pathe-Cinema, while interested
in entering the tv film market, has
found its plans styrtiied due to the
very large investment required.
McGregor said the French outfit
had lensed three pilot pix for t^,
in English, and that they cost about
.$17,500 each.; “You. can’t sell a se-
ries of films on the basis of a few
pilot samples,” lie opined. “And
we can't invest in making a series
of .26 'on spec’.”
His French parent company is
very anxious to coproduce With
American interests, McGregor said.
The last time such a deal was con-
summated Tvas when it joined
hands, with RKO in the making of
.“Silence Is Gold,” Film, starring
Maurice Chevalier, wasn’t success-
ful in. the U. S.
*/*+♦+ ♦ ♦ + ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ > ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ » + ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ -.4 ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 ♦ ♦ ♦ 4 ♦ ?
An upcoming production from Hal Wallis “Summer arid
Smoke,” taken from the Tennessee Williams play. Title registra-
tions at the Motion Picture Assn, of America show that Samuel
Goldwyn has a property listed as “Smoke” arid Walt Disney has
“Summer” . From Pete Martin r s profile on Grace Kelly in the
Saturday Evening Post: “You can be more, colorful With, a love
scene played by a lady than one played by a hussy,” said Alfred
Hitchcock; "With a hussy; such a scene cam be vulgar, but if
you put a lady the same circumstances, she’s exciting and
glamorous” , . . Judy.Garland staying east additional week while
Sid Luft huddles oft a prospective tv series for 1955.
Sol Hiirok and Italian. Films Export, have picked the Little
Carnegie Theatre, N.Y;, to launch their opera film, “Aida.” Preem
is skedded for Nov. 11. It’s Hurok’s first film presentation . .
JArthur Rank’s John Davis said to be interested tv deals for
Rank pix. Davis is due to discuss the matter when he gets to
N.Y,.- Nov. 17 Nicole Maurey (France), Myriam Verbeeck (Bel-
gium) arid Giovanni Scala (Italy) are the three candidates for the
part of Mary Magdalene in Universal’s “The Galileans.” Gals go
to the Coast tomorrow (Thurs.) . . . Paramount and the producers:
of; the legit; “Sabrina Fair” a-feridin’ and a-fussin’ over the amount
Par owes for. the play’s screen rights; Issue may go to arbitra-
tion . ,. Look for Ilya Lopert to let riff a blast vs. film-making
conditions in Italy where he’s making “Time of the Cuckoo” with
Katharine Hepburn * Venice. An Italian court has confiscated
his prints as. part of a legal action against him by a featured
actress . . Foreign distribution of “Carmen Jones” a headache
for 20th. Story is in the public domain in U.S;— but not iri Europe.
Charles P. Skouras, who died Friday (22), was in Gotham a few
weeks ago. for rneetirigs with stock analysts and the press. Who’d
take over National Theatres if he were tri bow out, Skouras was
asked "You mean if I die?” he asked back. He didn’t specifically
name anyone r c ..New Howard Hughes production. starring Jane
Russell is going out as "Underwater!” Why Hughes insists upon
the exclamation point raises a question mark . . . Columbia’s deal
to buy the office building at 71 1 5th Ave. brigged down in legal-
istics but still looks to go through, NBC, incidentally, used to be
located on this spot; Radio station WMGM is a current tenant A . .
Cheese, f oft du parties Will becorne the nation’s latest rage, if Lynn
Farnol has his way, The public relations man is spotlighting the
Swiss treat as part, of the campaign for “Cinerama Holiday,” in
which a couple of amateur actors are seen enjoying the dish on
their visit to, Switzerland. Fondu and “Holiday” are given double-
page attention in the November Woman's Home Companion..
Ad Agency Traced 77% Loss of Patronage Due to
TV in One Town— -With Subsequent 17% Recovery
‘Miss Film Row’
St; Louis, Oct. 26.
For the .punch, event at the
Nov. 9 dinner of tlie MiSsouri-
Illirtois regional unit iri .Thea-
tre Ownersof America, one of
the several hundred gals em-
ployed iri the various ex-
changes here will be spot-
lighted arid prize-laden as
"MisS Film Row.”
The scene: . Hotel Chase.
Open Fire on 10%
^Pittsburgh, Oct. 26.
Theatres in this city, saddled
with a iQ% admissions tax, have
opened a' campaign for relief from
the "discriftiinatory” levy. Appeal
has been made to the mayor arid
m, embers of the city council .
. -Allied Moti Picture Theatre
Owners rif Western Pennsylvania
is spearheading the drive. In a.
letter to Mayor David L. Law-
rence, Harry Hendel,. exec, secre-
tary of the Allied unit, declared
that the city of Pittsburgh has ex-
ceeded its limit of the 1% of the
total assessed real estate value as
provided by the State Enabling
Act and urged the city administra-
tion “to relieve the local movie
theatre of the burdensome arid
confiscatory 10% admissions tax.”
in a dramatic appeal, Hendel
said “the power to tax is the power
to -destroy and rarely in all the
centuries’ old history of taxation
has the truth of this Statement
been so clearly demonstrated as it
has been by the Admissions tax and
its effect upon our neighborhood
movie theatres.”
Holidays Lose Status
As Pivots of Film Sell;
Hyman Bullish on Biz
Time has passed when the film
companies could afford to concen-
trate their top releases around
holiday periods, Edward L. Hyman,
American Broadcasting-Paramount
Theatres v.p., said this week fol-
lowing an b o. of production activ-
ity on the Coast.
Impressed with the pix he had
seen, Hyman commented he “couia
not help but again feel proud of
our industry;” And he added:
“There is nothing on the market
today in any device that the mag-
nificence and scope of our wide
screens, color and fine sound can-
not equal or surpass.”
With specific reference to the
Thanksgiving to Christmas period,
Hyman observed: “There are far
too many good attractions available:
and our business has expanded far
beyond the four holidays of the
year for the studios to confine their
product to give us a flood of pic-
tures for the holidays and a dearth
of product during the year. There
are no seasons ’ in our business,
Ours is not unlike the department
store business— they have Christ-
mas sales,, and immediately follow-
ing, January white sales, so . there
is soiriething to interest the public
every week of the year.” '
Hyman said that, on the basis of
the product previewed, “we . look
forward to a healthy fourth quar-
ter in 1954 and an even more ac-
ceptable first quarter in 1955. We
know,” he said, “that we rinist
maintaiii this . basis of quality. The
demand ... is for quality pictures.”
He suggested that exhibs “take
up the challenge With the studios’*
to. properly apprise the public that
trip attractions are available. Also,
tri let the public know that “this
is a grown-up industry; that the
lagging of the last few . years is
past.” The circuit exec urged fur--
. ther that theatres let the b.o. de-
termine the length of run. .
Chiming in with an opinion ex-
. pressed frequently by Lerinard
Goldeftson, AB-PT prexy, Hyman
emphasized the need for publicity
continuity to bridge the gap be-
tween the completion of a film arid
its release. “This tailor-made ex-
ploitation will be of great benefit,”
be stated.
Universal has in \york a program
designed to come rip with som
scientific answers on why. the pub-
lic attends, or doesn’t, attend,' mo-
tion picture theatres. The job has
been assigned to . Gerald Tasker
research v.p. of the Crinnirigham &
Walsh ad agency.
tasker stated this Week the sur-
vey will look iritb all aspects of at-
tendance: Who goes to what kind
of theatres, why are first-runs or
drive-iris or neighborhood houses
preferred, Who in tjie family
selects the film to be seen, what
the public thinks about certain pi
and players, etc.
The agency exec said a certai
city will be selected “Movie-
town” and its residents are to be
the ones interviewed. The pulse-;
taking Will be coriypleted by next
month, he added.
Same ad agency disclosed its
findings in study of television’s
effects on theatre business. In this,
New Brunswick,. N. J., was chosen
as -the sample ^ city— and named
“Videotown” for the purpose— be-
cause its residents can receive
such a wide variety of tv programs
from N. Y. and N. j; stations;
Film attendance fell 77%, re-,
ported Tasker, after tv hit . the
town. He said ihe survey Went on
for : five years. But; the turning
point was reached ih 1953 with a
17% gain and -this year’s attend-
ance is doubling last year’s, he
added, There was no breakdown
on the type of theatres covered.
' , , ‘ ■
Maryland Sees ’Waterfront’
After Junst Okays It
With ’Go to Hell’ Line
Baltimore, Oct. 26;
CpluriibiaV“On The Waterfront”
opened last Friday (22) at L M.
Rappaport.’s Hippodrome here after
a tussle with , the Maryland State
Board, of Motion Picture Censors
over the lirie of dialog iri which the
young lbpgshrirerrian played by
Marlon Brando tejls a priest to
“go to hell.” Following the usual
pattern srit by censorship disputes
locally, the censor hoard headed
by Sydney Traub, refused to sanc-
tion the film with the lirie in ques-
tion but was forced to do so after
the distributor appealed the case.
Judge James S. Cullen overruled
the board’s decision that the line
was “indecent,” pointing Out that
indecency as defined by criminal
statutes is confined to “sexual 'im-
morality.” Representatives of
Columbia offered overwhelmingly
favorable reviews, and letters of
commendation, from . clergymen
lauding the film as evidence that
the board’s decision reflected only
a Small portion of public opinion.
In testimony prior, to the release
of the judge’s , opinion, censor
board chairman Traub stressed the
problem of considering youthful
audiences in the board’s decisions.
His objection to the dialog in the
Columbia release also involved the
fact that the line was directed at
a “mail of the cloth.” He also tes-
tified that “the first thing you
know you’ll have a man telling a
woman to go to hell,” often re-
ferring to the later designation
as “that warm place.” Judge Cul-
len” retorted with the . opinion that
the chairnian's “standard of mo-
rality is extremely high.”
Judge Clulen’s veto follows a
siriiilar upset of the board's ruli ngs
last year when Judge Herman
Moser authorized the statewide ex-
hibition, of “The Moon Is Blue
after a hotly contested battle be-
tween United Artists and the un-
daunted' censor board.
CENSORS RELIEVED
Mgsons (Cancel Lease, for French
Firm Auspices
Columbus, Oct. 26.
State film censors located her
were, uneasily reading advertise^
ments for “Group 16” which haa
rented the Masonic Auditorium m
Cleveland to exhibit five “uncen-
sored” French films between Oct.
23 and Feb. 16. Ostensibly private,
“Group 16” Used paid space to
sell memberships at $50,
problem has now evaporated;
the Masons having gotten jittery
. arid, .cancelled the jeasri-
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
TWO IMPORTANT
lirw^iyr ■' wlmCw .JF^kwr #"%■ Lif^DLiliii
FOR THE HOLIDAY
SEASON !
BOTH POWERFULLY
■ m M ■, ^br W W ■■111 w'Ib.IhI
PRE"SC3LP BY
SPECTACULARCOLOR
VMMMMMaMaMBnMBnaaMMaManMMHaaa^^ / / | I J I ^ \ | \ ^ \
ADS IN NATIONAL
M AG AZI N ES I !
V
will see the
pre-selling
ad campaign
which includes
DOUBLE TRUCK
FULL PAGE
and
FULL COLOR
ads on the
pages of:
ATTILA ... STOOD A WARRIOR’S MIGHT AND
FAITH
a*' 1 '
AGAINST HIS RUTHLESS PAGAN
■ ■ ■
THE POWER
WOMAN’S LOVE
&mv.\
OnemaScopE
M \\
*%:■
Stf-fc. <
&•> '">• '
*> Sre
fte
.36
& vj
■ '
4
$
K
4
*Sg^.
yy
*£***f?v * ^
S\^
ri
te
... RITA GAM
A GREAT NOVEL I
A TSREAT SCREEN
ENTERTAINMENT!
’OURBY • Directed by DOUGLAS SIRK . Screenplay OSCAR BRODNEYand BARRE LYNDON-Story by Oscar Brodney Produced by ALBERT J. COHEN
/
.*• -.l‘s s.-.-. .v.- ■ ■ ’ ■-■. .. ■
/ , V ■ , ' ~ ' "
v ”, ..... ;V ,. v' ~ - - /./vv ; -> •;• ••> ;•
✓ ' •• ' > X s x w/Jra,? < " k *■ / *v ' '> v?< s v . ' / w/
' 'f ' v v4:?'/vV" ", -<■ ’C_', K\ - -'1 A*
. '> ' ;<■ ,, ',/'k , s* > ""
' '' ‘ . ' ~ ' t"' - , . v' \ ' /
' ' s ' V > s ,** , ,S '' , > ' s v V X- S \
/ v ^ * ' & ' ~S* ' ' A / , V ' ^ ^ ^ 2 «"*/
• ,, .¥: , w:. ,, :'.y::: •■’Ti'-rjSivM.’-Sv. V .•:.■••••'.' \ ' •/'■• ..... •: .. :#4::..; : •> :•• ;. ,V>. ■•: ...•• •* .. • .*■: •; ■ ■: ''■’SV/A .•••:>■:•.• ’v-- .v . ’:■. >. : :- f <■ :. v.
' - ^ , v - ' 4 , . .
b/s, 'i - \\ > ' ' y ’ <'* 4 v s , , ^ ^ ,, . i y\ i',> j, w'.v <-> o\
^
s % kr*Ml *Z, vs v«»
/ v/ ,
>•/., • .• / / -.v.y.-. : y >. ■•:• .y/.v.
. *V/^vy ••_•.. S ••./.• • ^ / . .<>•.•.■'. }•'<
. .? ■ ■. t. -■•■■•■••■
- " - ^ % ' ^ x ^ w / * " ^
,<■ ■- ; ' > x y^ , , " ' a' -j ?s»// ", '
.*;->w v.’.. 1 . •/ . . • • \-u:< • •■•.•/■>;. •••.*. . •>■•■ •. •• ••• • .-. .y.*. .•.w.v.-. .*. : .-y.-*' :•: ■*.•.•,.•• -;v; . : .• .-..v. x<-. ■ -v-y-x-y. ;<■>>;•:• •.% -:-.-y ••*..
,/ " ' ^ y v , - A ' vV /'" ?- '» ; '-■
^ \ /i ^ .;; ' ' " ^ ;
■; ’ft- MU « v : v.<-' •■:■■:;• ■:'■?%. s ■■: ■■ V. .-. >. :.. v. •••.•:•:• ;: ’.> \ ■;..
.. ;•••••>..••:•■:•:■.•:•.•..•« .••••.%. ■.•. .• .y. : : ■• ><;.*•. .v.*v •.>:■;•::■.•••:•. • :• v.-.y : ••.:< . •• y -.v. •■• ■. v .•• • ••;. •.■;• ■.:■•■/_/> N *v. •;•. •••;;*; ;<•>:. • .••..•;• .y.\\-.y
. ,>v.. v v..-. v •. «.s •/..•. ,■•/.,■ ;•. . •■.• . •.. ^ .• ■•..••• •• ... • '. •••_• •- . :••• ■..• .. • . •• .*• : •. .v •• • . .v.* .••:• ••• ••:;• .■.:•>-•-*•' -
' s , ?, , '' '' % \ '/$' ' '' ' /"' '*
/y ■” v«.
. •; *• .. .•.>•'* ••4:-. . •/‘A-’-’ .sv . y .v,j, .•.■>
i(v< y ; v y-.-v • y> ^.v '
I’ ts
y V-’
The wonderful story of Three sailors On leave
• ••
Three girls in love.
!;
STARRING
TONY CURTIS - GLORIA BeHAVEN
GENE NELSON ■ CORINNE CALVET • PAUL GILBERT
With
"MISS UNIVERSE OF 1954" CHRISTIANE MARTEL* "MISS U S A. OF 1954" MYRNA HANSEN
1 a universal international picture
, , Y '
::y
PUBLICATIONS will pre-sell the readers of LIFE... LOOK... AMERICAN WEEKLY;
PARADE... THIS WEEK'. . . SEVENTEEN . . . REDBOOK . . . COSMOPOLITAN . . . FAMILf
. .. V.V.
. s\<
>u
v. >:
*} /
vV advertised in the capi-
>?. s .. dailies.’ Hull’s Cinema de
kf* 11 ? 1 . full-week French dou-
° , bills as a steady policy, draws
P enty of French-Canaclians from
Ule capital every night
TOA Check-In Big
Chicago, Oct. 26.
Chicago headquarters of
TOA-TESMA report that ad-
vance reservations for upcom-
ing joint conclave at Conrad
Hilton Hotel here are 25%
ahead of .last year’s.
‘ Convention tees off on Get.
31 for five days.
V w
Asked to Hear
How TOA Works
Minneapolis, Oct. 26.
In a letter inviting the territory’s
exhibitors to a luncheon here Oct.
29 to meet and hear Walter Reade
Jr. TOA president, and. other of
the organization’s officials, Harold
Field and E. R. Ruben, local circuit
owners, announce that “the TOA
approach to industry problems”
will be explained,
They state that they feel that
that approach “is most construc-
tive and beneficial.” ^
. The letter relates that both are
“firm believers in exhibitor organ-
ization.” They point out they were
Allied members for a great many
years, but for the past year and a
half have been TOA members.
. One of the reasons for inviting
Reade and the others tyere is be-
cause this, territory; always an ex-
clusive Allied stronghold, “has
never heard anything but the Al-
lied approach,” according to the
letter.
Chicago’s Clark Theatre
Lines Up Another Of
Its ‘Film Festivals’
Chicago, Oct. 26:
Clark Theatre is prepping! its
sixth semi-annual film festival for
Oct. 31 kickoff with 30 films of
high merit or historical renown
being unreeled in the 15 day series.
House is the only theatre in the
country to . stage a “classics” series
with daily changes of program.
Two Academy Award winning
pix will lead off, “High Noon” and
“African Queen.” Clark general
manager Bruce Trinz, who booked
the series, is also pairing such well-
known musicals as “Top Hat”
(1935) and “Three Smart Girls”
(1936),'* action gems like “Little
Caesar” and “Public Enemy,” com-?
edy comparisons like “Bank Dick”
and “Mr. Blandings Builds His
pream House,” and cowboy entries
like “Westerner” and “Red River.”
A- total of 16 American and for-
eign wards are represented in the
series and all of the pix have been
adjudged outstanding in atr least
one of several categories. Previous
film fests here . have turned out
enormously successful,
House is. open 22 hours a day and
even in normal operation changes
dualers daily.
Altec Units Out Nor. 12
Altec, which has been licensed
to manufacture Perspecta sound in-
tegrators, will start delivery of the
first units pn NoV. 12 and will con-
tinue delivery at a , regular .pace
from that date on. Units are now
being manufactured by Newpatlis
Inc., one of Altec’s manufacturing
subsidiaries.
Distribution will be through the
regular theatre supply channels.
Altec is currently active in the
technical supervision of theatre
installations of Perspecta sound.
. s'
Pete Smith’s “Pedestrian Safety”
short subject was handed a merit,
award by National Safety Congress
in Chicago.
Some leaders of Theatre Owners
of America are- going to the organi-
zation’s annual convention in Chi-
cago with the conviction that the
distributors have yet to be reached
with the “message” about product
and prices.
TOA’s plan, which is apparently
lqosely drawn at this point, is to
somehow more forcefully impress
upon the companies exhibition’s
claimed need for more pix at. less
rental. Reps of this theatre outfit
say they 1 believe the roars that
came out of Allied States’ con-
clave in Milwaukee earlier this
month fell upon deaf ears so far
as distribution officials are con-
cerned. The TAO-ers stated they’re
not looking for any bout with Al-
lied but are convinced the latter’s
approach Was strictly vocal con-
demnation of the- pic companies
and experience over th J years
shows this “emotional” approach,,
rarely has had the proper effect.
One TOA man said the Chicago
meet, which opens Sunday (31),
will seek to “open the distributors’
eyes to ; the logic and economic wis-
dom" of relaxing sales policies. He
added he hopes that some sort of
device to accomplish this will be
seized upon at meetings among the
directors and full membership as
well.
In any event, it was made clear
that TOA get together, like Allied’s,
will focus largely on the availabil-
ity of product and the so-called
seller’s market. As part of this pro-
gram, considerable discussion will
centre on means of encouraging
new production and distribution
sources, presumably such as the
recently-formed Distributors. Corp..
of America.
, Meanwhile, reservations for the
convention as of the past weekend
indicated unusually large atten-
dance. The Portland, Ore., area
alone will have 15 delegates and
the total turnout probably will ex-
ceed 600. This is exclusive of nu-
merous non-TOA members who
Will be looking in on the trade ex-
hibits.
Threaten Minn. Boothmen
With December Shutdown
Minneapolis, Oct. 26. *
A North Central Allied commit-
tee handling negotiations with rep-
resentatives from the AFL projec-
tionists’ unions on terms of a new
three-year contract to replace the
present one expiring Nov. 30 for
local indie nabe houses has not
been able to make any headway
toward an agreement.
As A result, the possibility of
wholesale shutterings of nabe
houses here in December is grow-
ing stronger, according to Allied.
The exhibitors’ committee has ;
countered the union’s pay boost
demands, amounting to approxi-
mately 25%, with a demand for a
cut in that amount. It cites the al-
leged fact that “most independent
neighborhood theatres here are
not getting by at present.”
Exhibitors are . reported to have
signed an agreement to abide by
whatever decision their committee
reaches regarding the new contract
and shuttering of their theatres.
Harry Ij&randt Had Rapped Lawyer as Fomentor of
'Industry Strife But Not Himself in Industry
TOA Okays Kaye
Inaugurating a series cf an-
nual awards for the “star , of
the year,” Theatre Owners of
America has selected Danny
Kaye as the first recipient of
the honor. Comedian will be
guest, of honor at the exhib
org's banquet Nov. 4. Conrad
Hilton Hotel, Chicago, at the
windup of the annual conven-
tion.
Kaye was named by TOA’s
board of directors/ represent-
ing 27 units and about 8.000
theatres.
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
What the film industry needs at
this time is a renewed awareness
of the vital necessity for continu-
ing technical progress as the brisis
for a healthy growth. That was the
keynote expressed by Herbert Bar-
nett, retiring president of the So-
ciety of Motion Picture and Tele-
vision Engineers at the close of its
76th sbmi-annual Convention. Bar-
nett will be succeeded in January
by John G. Frayne.
Urging the maintenance arid en-
couragement' of re-awalcened inter-
est in all segments of the motion
picture and televisi industries,
Barnett said:
“The contributing influence of
the engineers in the revitalized
motion picture business under-
scores once again what other in-
dustries have come to realize— that
research and* development engi-
neering is the lifeblood of economic
Advance. The convention was
(Continued On page 18)
Trim 27 Minutes Off
Judy Garland Film
For House Turnover
With smaller theatres fearing a
cutdown in their take because of
a smaller turnover, Warner Bros,
lias decided to trirn 27 minutes
from “A Star Is Born,* which now
runs three hours and two minutes.
New prints will be available for
engagements after Nov. 1. How-
ever, the present version; now
showing in some 20 key cities in-
cluding New York, Chicago, and
Los Angeles, will remai un-
changed for 'these dates.
Trimming, it’s understood, was
accomplished by tighter editing of
the dramatic story and some sriipr
ping of Judy Garland's many musi-
cal numbers. u
Since the picture opened, War-
ners, both in N. Y. and the Coast,
has been plagued by unsolicited
advice for and against cutting. Di
N. Y , the publicity department re-
ceived many calls from ordinary
fans urging the company to leave
the picture as originally presented.
Charge by Harry Brandt, prexy*
of the Independent Theatre Own-
ers Assn.,rthat Allied States Assri.
fyoard chairman Abram F. Myers*
was “deliberately fomenting strife
in our industry” was termed “gross-
ly unfair and unjustified” by Al-
lied prexy Ben Marcus. Brandt
made the statement in commenting
on Myers’ proposed bill for Gov-
ernment regulation of the industry.
He further accused Myers of not
wanting ’ peace and constantly de-
siring to maintain a state of civil
■War.
Marcus’ defense of Myers was
contained in a letter sent to, Brandt
! ast. week. The Allied topper said
Brandt was entitled to his opin-
ion in terming 'the bill “an abor-
tion” since ‘.‘in our free system of
enterprise, we are all entitled to
our free expression and thought.”
Answering* JJrand’t remark that
Myers did not own a single thea-
tre, Marcus said that, "for a man
who has no personal, holdings in
our industry, he (Myers) has con-
tributed more than any other in-
dividual during the past 25 years
to the welfare of the independent
exhibitor and the industry as a
whole.”
Marcus assured Brandt “that all
of the Allied leaders acted upon
this measure, only after many tedi-
ous hours of careful deliberation,
and were not taken in by anybody
nor had been influenced by any
professional policy makers as per
your statement.”
He stressed that “none of us
were, or are we now, overly eager
for Government control, but as an
exhibitor, you should know that
we. have tried every avenue of ap-
proach, but distribution to this day
refused to give us any worthwhile
relief.”
Warners 21 For
New tentative release slate set
by Warner Bros, calls for the dis-
tribution of 21 pictures for tlr
annual stanza extending froi
Sept., 1954. to Sept.. 1955. In-
cluded in the total is a*, reissue
package consisting of "Saratoga
Trunk” and “The Big Sleep.”
scheduled for re-release De-
cember.
Eight of the 21 pictures are
C’Scopers, including “A Star Is
Born,” “Drumbeat.” “Track of the
Cat,” “East of Eden,” “Battle
Cry,” “Strange Lady in /Town,"
“Land of tl\e Pharaohs,” arid “The
Sea Chase.” Although the Judy
Garland starrer, “A Star Is Born,”
is currently being played in key
situations throughout the country,
it’s not set for general release un-
til January.
Release dates of some of the top
attractions are: “The Silver Chal-
ice,” December; “Young at Heart,”
January; “East of Eden,” March;
“Battle Cry,” April; “Strange
Lady in Town,” May; “Land of
Pharaohs” and “Sea Chase.”. July;
“Mr. Roberts.” August, and Jack
Webb's “Pete Kelly's Blues,” Sep-
tember.
Broadway’s Long-Run Films
An all-time- long-run record for Broadway was set yesterday
(Tues.) by “This Is Cinerama,” first film in the medium. Picture
enters its 109tli week, topping the mark previously held by the
British film, “Red Shoes,” which ran 108 weeks at the Bijou
Theatre.
Cinerama opehe.d at the Broadway Theatre on Sept. 30; 1952, and
shifted to the Warner on June 5, 1953. It has grossed about $3,700.-
000 to date in its Gotham run.
Only other Current film that has completed as much as one year
in the Broadway area is Metro “Lili,” in its 85th week at flic Trans-
Lux 52d St. “Open City,” the post-war Italo entry, tops its record
with 91 weeks. Other pix that have had extended runs are “The Big
Paraoe” (66 weeks). “Hamlet” (61 weeks), “Paisan” (51 weeks',
“Bitter Rice” (47 weeks) and “Gone With the Wind” (43 weeks).
MERGED INTO ‘ALLIED’
Chicago, Oct. 26.
Alliance Theatre .(circuit of Illi-
nois and indiana merged last week
with its state of Washington sub-,
si diary; Midstates Theatres, under
the overall name of Allied Theatr
Corp.* Headquarters will be in Chi-
cago.
Resultant changes in the exec
I hierarchy have hoisted P. J. Dee
j from president to chairman of the
board, Former exec v.p. S. J.
Gregory has been named prez, and
James Gregory stays on as general
manager.
16
I.VTERXATIOXAL
Variety
'VARIETY'*' LONDON OFFICI
• ' It. M»rtln'i Placi, Trafalgar Iqiiirr
Paris, Oct; 19. 4
It is fairly symptomatic of the
current legit season that the hits
are either,, revivals or adaptations
of foreign plays. The purely GalUc
success Has not evolved yet as the
many legit ,’ openings denole a
certain facility and lack of depth
in most of tlic current fare. Some
offbeaters have added, a good'
fringe note.
At present the hits are the
reprise of • Jean Cocteau’s 1934
“La Machine Infernalc”; Jcan-
Louis, Barrault’s . rendition of
Georges Neveui's adaptation of
Anton Tcheckov’s “The Cherry
Orchard”
George Minter Seeking A
Yank Sydney Carlton
London, Oct. 26.
George Minter, head of Renown
Pictures, planed to New York'Sat
(23) en route to Hollywood to
negotiate his company’s first Cine-
riiaScOper which will be based on
Charles Dickens’ “A Tale of Two
Cities.” He will confab with 20th-
Fox execs to ensure that adequate
equipment is available in Britain
for his production,
At the same time, Minter will
be on the prowl for a Holly wood
star to enact the Sydney Carton
role, which was played by Ronald
Cplman in the original U; S. pro-
duction about 20 years ago.
. -1 ; • • - .
CN.Y, Stock Exchange)
For. Week Ending Tuesday (26)
Net
1954
Weekly Vol.Weekly
Weekly
Tucs.
Change
High
Low
in 100s
Hiffh
Low
Close
for week
2 1%
14%
Am Br-Par Th
191
19%
19
19
—
' 77 .
:41 5 /a
CBS, “A”
59
77
72%.
75%
+274
.77%
41%
CBS, “B”
.35
77
72%
. 75%
+3
33%
19%
Col. Pix.
'36
28%
26
* 26%
—1
1434-
9%
Decca
177
14%
14
1 4 •
3 /
/■
63%
4634
Eastman Kdk.,
. 154
59
57%
•5734
—1
19%
13%
Loew’s
235
17/
16%
16%
-rf' %.
10%
6%
Nat. Thea.
106
9
85/a;
834
— - V
3574
26%
Paramount
68
3374
32%
32%
—1
37%
28 v
Philco
213
36%
347/a
35%
+ %.
■ 35%.
22%
RCA
684 .
35%
337/8
337/a
— - %
.7
27/
RKOPicts.
' 50
6%
6%
GV
1/
^ /
9%
41 /
RKO Thea.
415
9%
9
9
57/a
3
Republic
76>— r-
5%
4%
474
— 34
127/a
10%
Rep,, pfd. ...
13
1^ 3 4
12%
12%
%
19%
11%
Stanley War;
114
18%
17%
17%
— ■%
287/
183/4
20th-Fox
170
27%
25%
:25r
+ I"
29.5/
18%
Uriiv. Pix;
28
28% ;
2634
27
—I/
81
6334
Univi, pfd.
♦170
81
80%
80%
+ ’/
21 V
13%
Warner Bros..
97
19%
13%
183/
77;3/
6374
Zenith
63
76%
. .74%
75.
+ //
American Stock Exchange
0
3%
Allied Artists
36
4%
4%
:45/'
— %
1034
10
Ail’d Art., pfd.
il
10 %
10
10
_ 1 '
1434'.
9%
Du Mont
144
• 13 V
12%
13
■147/ '
11-y
Technicolor
167
1474
3%
14%
14%
-f %
33/
,23/ ; -
Trans-Lux ..
i
3%
3%
_ — '
Over-ihe-Counter S ecurities
Bid
Ask
Capitol Records .. . .
11%
12%
+ V
Chesapeake Industries
374
• 4% •
Cinerama Inc.
2
2%
—
Cinerama Prod.
4
-.4%'
% '•
Polaroid . . .
41%
43%
+1 ••
U* A.
Theatres
13%
14%
_ 34
Walt Disney
15
16
+ Y
* Actual volume.
♦ Actual Volume.
( Quotations furnished by Dreyfus & Co.)
Hitchcock Sued For Handout
Continued from page 5 ^
what was sound! evidence, Quipped
at one pointy “If I met an actor
Columbia-Allied
Continued frorti page 3 iss'
known to have reported his dis-
cussions to ..Other, members of
Allied,
Attempt Was made to receive a
counter offer on the terms for pic-
tures, particularly “The Caine Mu-
tiny,” to which the exhib org has
Strenuously objected. Especially
onerous to Allied has been Mon-
tague’s introduction: of the 50%
floor for the 70-30-10 terms for
“Cai The Allied rep has*' been
seeking a commitment from Mori-,
tague.to sell “Caine” at flat rentals,
similar to the policy followed, by
Metro and 20th-Fox. Latter com-
panies; are selling flat to situations
that gross $1,000 or under weekly.
Montague reportedly has. agreed
to come down on the percentage
terms for the smaller, grossing
spots, but said to be fighting
against flat rental terms. The . Col
spokesman vehemently denied that
Montague ever sought a cut of’
exhibs’ concession business, a claim
made by an Allied committee which
met .'with the sales chief before its
recent annual, convention. Mon-
tague, tire spokesman said, made a
joshing; passing reference to 'the
concession take, and the Alliedites
picked it up , ouf of context and
blew, it, up out of proportion. “Co-
lumbia,” the spokesman, said, “has
no intention of.^seeking any part
of the concession business.”
Montague arid Col have been
Allied’s prime targets in its fight
against high film rentals. In a
company by company appraisal,
Col was listed as the ‘‘most . unpopu-
lar,” and its sales chief was bitterly,
denounced for not appearing at the
convention to answer questions
about his company’s sales policies.
Several Allied leaders stated open-
ly that they Would not buy Col. pic-
tures and the hint was dropped
that, other Alliedites follow suit.
Although . official action was
taken at the' confab, there: was art
inference that Allied members
.would' avoid Col product if they
could do without it.
Breen’s Economy
Footnote on Joseph I. Breen’s;
switch fi* rri head of the Produc-
tion Code Admi istration to semi-
active , status: Because of PCA’s
troubled economics, Breen volun-
tarily cut his salary in half during
the final six months Of his tenure
in office.
The. exec, had been drawing $65,-
000 annually; he shaved .it to
$33,000,
parfcd to invest $5,000 in . Fiske’s
“Hamlet” ft assured of playing the ;
star role. Ii was also argued that
“The Boys From Syracuse” anu
“Kiss Me Kate”, proved, that mod-
ern Shakespeare could, be profit-
able.: Attorney Levene, opposing,
said that neither work was in any
sense, save plot skeleton, and
hardly even that, Shakespearian.
There was a to-do during trial
concerning a statemefit, that Fiske - s-
play had been rehearsed by Genius,
Inc. (the Walgreen drugstore
crowd) at the St. James Theatre.
.Upon questioning, this turned out
to be the St. James Hotel. Attorney
Levene, for Hitchcock, cited an
action of the late playwright J.
Hartley Manners against Triangle
Films. Latter had produced a fea-
ture called “Happiness.” Mariners
charged infringement of his one-
act play of the same title which
had been presented . at a series of
eight matinees. The judge ruled
for ' Triangle, reasoning that such
’limited exposure did not give “sec-
ondary meaning,” essential to
property rights, in the title to
Manners. ’
Other provocative citations by
Levene and Griffin included tlie
suit of an aviator-writer’s widow,
against Metro for the title '‘Test
Pilot.” Court held a “mere descrip-
tive phrase” cannot be eppyrighted.
Extended < analysis of Fiske’s
dialog as against Shakespeare’s
occupied the jury. Fiske had re-
vised the Bard to read in modern
idiom; “If I only had the guts to
kill myself . . this, whole world is.
nothing, but a garbage dump.” And
so on. Prof. Oscar James Campbell,
emeritus oL Columbia, testified of
many earlier tamperings with
Shakespearian text. Sir Henry
Irving had shifted “Hamlet” around
like Triad. One McClure in 1922 had
attempted a modern version’, as had
thie Southern Methodist U. of all
places.
Maurice Evans on Stand
Although Maurice Evans, was 1
scheduled to follow as a witness
for. Hitchcock, the college prof
told the jury that his own favorite
Hamlet Was John Gielgud:
Evans was on the stand over
two hours and probably clinched
the base for the defense, “The
principle asset of Shakespeare, in
my opinion, is his verse. Shake-
speare has lived through the . ages
because of his poetry rather than .
because of his plots,” said the
actor. Under cross-examination,
Evans said very little was known
of Shakespeare “beyond his dislike
of lawyers arid the courts in gen-
eral.”
Judge Bondy, commenting; on
one night at the theatre arid said I
enjoyed him thaif would be on
thing, but under oath I might have
to say he was rotten.”
Evans recalled that his “Ham-
let” on ©roadway had cost $65,000
to produce in its day, but to dupli-
cate it today would need $200,000
financing.
Presently attorney 'Levene
brought up the $64 question. What
did Evans think of “Hamlet in
Modern English” by Irving Fiske?
Evans answered: "As .an actor I
would riot want to play it; as a pro-
ducer, I would think- it. would be
a disaster.”
Dore Schary
asm Continued from p.xge s asaaa
tell him how to fun his busi
he said, “he’d be in trouble. And if
I, as producer, let him tell m
how to run mirie I’d get into trou-
ble.”
Schary noted that, there
tendency to forget that the ingredi-
ents that make up a hit picture
are a mystery- “It consists of such
things as special talent, tii ing,
hunch, and luck — all hidden words
that turn a picture . into a hit,” he
said. ' U -It we in production discussed
every project with exhibitors or
with others, for that matter, we
might be discouraged from making
a particular picture, 'Seven Brides
For Seven Brothers’ is a case i
point. On the surface it might halve
Seemed another hillbilly picture or
a ‘Ma and Pa Kettle.’ Had. we dis-
cussed it with outsiders we might
have been talked out of it.”
Schary disputed the charge that
the market for screeri originals is
disappearing and that studios are
only looking for pre-sold proper-
ti , “It’s just as good as ever for'
originals,” he emphasized. “The
normal balance of 50% originals
and 50% from plays, books, and
magazine stories may have shifted
temporarily, but it’ll be back to the
normal, average again,” The stu-
dios, he said, are exami ing each
property more, intensely, and that
at. present the balance may have
shifted to 60-40 in favor of the pr
sold stories.
Production chief, Who has com-
pleted “Bad Day at ; Black Rock”
under his own . banner, has no im-
mediate plans for another personal
production and will devote his time
to the supervisory work. He’ll re-
main east for another week before
returning to the Coast,.
8 M
m.
•••v . • . :w. .**v>/.\v
<'>' life
Sfc
Consider the star. The color negative
captures her qt her brilliant loveliest.
Here, time for processing the film is a
minor consideration. But in release prints |
she must be “re-born” in all her original \
beauty, again and again, at
money-making speed.
To do this— faster— calls for meticulous
attention to printing and processing . . . ,
for color printing control systems, for
example, that not only provide exposures
at rates up to 200 fpm, but take care of
scene-to-scene variations in negative
density and in color balance.
Problems such as this are being solved
by the industry. As a means of co-operating
in all areas— especially in film selection,
film processing and projection— Kodak
maintains the Eastman Technical Service
for Motion Picture Film. Branches at.
strategic centers. Inquiries invited.
Address: Motion Picture Film Department
EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Rochester 4# N. Y.
East Coast Division
342 Madison Avenue, New York 17, N. Y.
West Coast Division
6706 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood 38, Calif.
Midwest Division
1 37 North Wabash Avenue, Chicago 2, Illinois
> v
24 CHATTER
Broadway
Arine Baxter to the Coast follow-
ing her return from Europe.
the Raymond Masseys off to
London yesterday (Tues.) on the
Mauretania.
Robert Vogel, studio rep for
Loew’s international, in town for
homeoffice confabs.
Helen Traubei back from the
Coast after completing "Deep in
My Heart” for Metro.
Whitney Museum, long in Green-
wich Village, now West 54th:
St., back of the Museum of Modern
Art.
. Louis BV Mayer, Who. had been
in Gotham for a Cinerama Pro-
ductions board meeting,, off to
Florida. ,
Globetrotting columnist Irving
Hoff mafi to Hamburg and Paris
. after a week in London. He leaves
next week.
Metro, producer Nicholas Nayfack
in : from the Coast with; technical
crew to film upstate locations for
‘The. Scarlett Coat.”, '
Orton Hicks, Loew’s 16m direc-
tor, guest , speaker at annual dinner
of the Industrial Audio-Visial
Assm yesterday (Tues.: .
Stanley Warner prexy S. H. (Si)
Fabian and general manager Harry
Kalmine to • the Coast for the
Charles P. Skouras. funeral.
Otto Harbacjr, songsmith and
past prez of ASCAP, back from
Paris tomorrow i Thors.) on the
Likerte accompanied by his family.
New Jersey Allied holding full
membership luncheon meeting to
be followed by annual beeksteak
dinner Nov. 18 at Ritz restaurant,
Passaic; ' v '
Vera Ferguson, tv actress, re-
turned to the Coast Monday (25)
after a six-week visit with Her
father, Dave Ferguson, exec sec of
the Jewish Theatrical Guild.
Robert Aldrich, who. directed
“Apache” and "Vera Cruz” for
. Hecht-Lancaster, in from the Coast
to cast several femmes for UA’s
“Kiss Me Deadly;” his next direcr.
torial chore.
Count Basie’s 20th year in the
band biz will be celebrated with a
dinner at the Waldorf Astoria,
N. Y., Sunday (31).. Group spon-
soring the shindig, h tagged itself
“Friends of Basie.”
Joseph Krips, new conductor of
the Buffalo. Symphony, flew in
Monday (25) from Europe. He’ll
be guest conductor with the Mont-
real Symphony Nov. 2-3, before his
Buffalo season opens Nov. 7:
Met tenor Mario del ; Monaco in
from Rio Monday (25). After a
year’s leave of. absence from the
Met to perform at La Scala, Milan,
and the Rome Opera, he’ll sing at
the Met’s opening night, Nov. 8.
. Jesse Block (& Sully) becoming
a customer’s man with the Ira
Haupt brokerage at 111 Broadway.
Vet vaudevillian has been, in semi-
retirement of late, save for his
Friars’ Club banqueting, activities.
Norton V. Ritchey, Allied. Artists
foreign chief; Harold Boxell, man-
aging director of- London Films,
film actress Linda Darnell and
legit actress Constance Collier in
from Europe yesterday (Tues.) on
the Queen Elizabeth.
Karl G. Macdonald, v.p. of War-
ner Bros. International, reelected
prexy of the Warner Club. 0thers
named include Larry Leshansky,
Ruth Wei$berg, Don Cherry, Harry
Mayer; yeepees; Harry O’Connor,
treasurer, and George Schiffer,
secretary.
Cynda Glenn bought a 45-acre
estate at Lyme., Conn., for her
mother (it includes eight acres oh
the Connecticut River); plans clos-.
lng her. N. Y. apartment to spend
the winter in Paris, which has been
the comedienne’s annual Custom in
recent years.
The Grand Ballet of the Marquis
de Cuevas ; U. S.-owned and staffed
troupe currently playing .an en-
gagement at. the. Theatre Sarah
Bernhardt in Paris; celebrates its
iOth anniversary Saturday (30).
Marquis’ wife and backer is grand-
daughter of the late John D; Rocke-
feller.
George Murphy due east Nov. 15
for three speaking engagements,
including the. annual convention of
Theatre Owners of North and
South Carolina, at Charlotte; the
Motion Picture Pioneers Dinner,
New York, and the annual conven-
tion of Florida Theatre Owners,
Jacksonville.
Frank Hunter (& Percival), who
was badly burned last February
and, after recovery, suffered a
stroke and a heart attack, may Re-
written to at 252 Diamond Spring
Road, Denviile. ,.N. J., under his
\ real name of Frank Turpi . His
' condition remains poor, and his
nurse suggests mail from old
friends.
Large segment of Broadway, in-
cluding many from Universal Pic-
tures, moved downtown to the Na-
tional Theatre and the nearby;
Moskowitz &. Lupowitz restaurant
on the lower East Side last Thurs-
day (21) for the preem of “Stone
For Danny Fisher,” based oh. the
novel by Harold Robbins, who is
a U homeoffice statistician staffer.
By Hal V. Cohen
Molly Picon coming here NoV. 8
for a Bonds for Israel luncheon.
Karl Krug, Sun-Tele critic, cele-
brating . 35 years of local aisle-
sitting.
DeCastro Sisters booked into
Lenny Litman’s Copa the week of
Nov. 15.
Phil Richards’ ice show closes at
the Ankara Saturday (30), and will
go on tour.
. Charlie Eagle, manager >of Stan-
ley, and his wife celebrated their
34th, wedding anni.
“My Three Angels” gets another
holdover at the Playhouse, this
time through Now 6.
Bernard Simon . in ’ town ahead
of "Fifth Season,” which the Nixon
gets the week Of Nov. 8.
Phil Doyle, biz agent for stage-
hands union, went home from hos-
pital after a heart attack:
Morty Henderson elected Tent
No. 1 delegate to Variety Club con-
vention in L. A. next spring.
Charles Werner Moore directing
TCch’s. first major drama produc-
tion of the season, “Lysistrata.”
Ben Steermah, -Stanley-Warner
biggie, and his wife, Miriam, celi-
bated their 20th Wedding- anni:
Dave Wagner, longtime head-
waiter at old . Carousel, now at
Park Room of William Penn Hotel.
Local actor-singer Johnny Kirby
signed for his second pic, “Air
Strike.” First was “Annapolis
Story.”
Bill Elder, recently transferred
from Penn here to the Warfield in
San Francisco, has taken his family
to the Coast;
Tech drama school graduate
Nancy Marchand set. for "The
Shoemaker’s Children” with Doro-
thy Stickney.
By Gene Moskowitz
(28 Rue ; Huchette^Odeon 49-44)
Jean Mercure’s adaptation of
Graham Greene’s "Living Room”
looks like a hit here,
Marlon Brando here and being
sought by European producers of-
fering him P.ix contracts. ;
Maria. Schell here to star in Ger-
man pic being made in Brittany,
“Master of Life and Death.”
Errol Flynn here for a breather
before he starts his three-yerir pic
stint in England under a contrac-
tual setup with Herbert Wilcox.
Rene Clair working bn a new
screenplay, “La Grande Ma-
noeuvre,” to star Gerard Philipe,
Film is skedded to start in March.
Ceiisorship again rearing its
head, with the film on prostitution,
“Les. Impures,” banned; “Madame
Du Barry” may be nixed for ex-
port.
Showing of “The. Desert Rats”
(20th) caused no trouble here be-
cause portrait of Rommel was con-
sidered heavy enough for popular
tastes.
Gilbert Becaud, one of the top
pop singers here, off to the U;S.
to appear in radio show, “Pano-
ramic,”. based on his reactions to
the U.S.
Marc -Allegret has given up his
project ;to film D. H. Lawrence’s
“Lady Chatterly’s Lover,” arid
starts “Futures Vedettes” (Future
Stars) with Jean Marais in Novem-
ber. '
Andre Gillois’ “Le Marche. Aux
Puces” (The Flea Market) being
tried out in Brussels before hitting
tlie boards here. Play, will probably
be adapted into English by Anita.
Loos. ’•
“L’Heure Eblouissarite” (The
Dazzling Hour) comes on again at
the Theatre Antoine to replace
the Gallic version of “The Man
Who Came to, Dinner,” Which
flopped quickly herev Both were
adapted by Henri Jeanson.'
By Jerry Gaghaii
George White’s “Scandals” signed
for two weeks with options at Latin
Casino, starting Oct. 28.
Eddie Fisher signed for a per-
sonal appearance, with the Kansas
City Philharmonic, Nov. 13.
.Turk . Murphy, San Francisco
Dixieland specialist, is making his
debut here at the Rendezvous.
Patricia Bowman' Will be the
lead ballerina at the Philadelphia
.Civic Grand Opera’s opener, ‘Sam-
son and Delilah,” this week.
Harry Belafonte will join Marge
and Gower Champion when they
appear here under. Philadelphia
Forum; auspices at Academy of
Music (Jan. 18).
* t
London
Arthur Loew, head of Loew’s
International, due in from the
Continent on a periodic survey.
Janette Scott, British child star,
signed for a 10-year lortgtermer. by
Associated British Elstree Studios,
Googie . Withers canceling out of
next week's Royal Command show
because of a telefilm commitment,
in Munich.
Maureen Beck, 19-year-od daugh-
ter of film publicist . Horace Beck,
inked to seven-year pact by. Syd-
ney. Box.
W. M acqu een Pope, theatre his-
torian, broadcasts a radio tribute
On Sunday (31) to Dan Leno, on
the 50th anni of his death.
David E. Rose, the Coronado,
topper; made his - 100th air cross-
ing of the Atlantic last week when
he returned to London from N. Y.
Irene Hilda and Edmund Hock-
ridge, “Can-Can” stars, filling the
cabaret spot at a Dorchester din-
ner on Saturday (30) to raise funds
for Israel. ;
Arthur S; Christiansen, Daily'
Express editor, presented with a
silver tankard at a Variety Club
lunch to celebrate his 21st year in
the editorial chair,
George Pearson, vet British film
director, presented with a scroll of
honorary membership in Assn, of
Cine Technicians by Anthony As-
quith, the union’s prez,
Irving Allen, Warwick’s execu-
tive producer, planed to N.Y: over
the weekend enrqute to Hollywood
with a rbUgh cut of its new Rich-
ard Widmark starrer, “A Prize of
Gold.” .
Final title of the British pic,
abased on the stage hit, “To Doro-
thy a Son,” ' “To Dorothy a Son;”
This. Shelley Winters starrer pre-
viously had been named “That’s
My Baby.”
Harold Bo.xall, managing, direc-
tor of London Film Productions,
sailed on Queen Elizabeth last
Thursday (21) on • three-week rou-
tine trip to N. Y, Fellow passen-
gers were Norton V.. Ritchey and
George Clarkson and Gail Leslie,
By Les Rees
Ray Anthony into Prom Ball-
room for one-mighter..
Northwest Variety club to hold
annual election of officers Nov. 1.
Oscar Johnson, “Ice Follies” co-
owner, here for dinner of former
boyhood pals.
“Biggest Show of 1954,” With
Billy Eckstine,. set for the Audi-
torium Nov. 5 with $3 top,
Trio de Camera , chamber music
group, formerly a local nitery act,
now’ giving concerts in convents.
Herbie Fields orch opens at Vic’s
night club Nov. . 15 . for its first
local but fourth Twin Cities’ date.
“Seven Year Itch,” Which played
a week at Lyceum here last season,
finished a four - performance St.
Paul Auditorium Twin. Cities re-
turn date.
Figuring that the tv version of
“Life With Father”, has renewed
interest in it, Edyth Bush Little
Theatre is reviving this play for
fortnight run.
Norman Granz, whose “Jazz at
the Philharmonic” just finished an
engagement here, bringing in his
“modern jazz concerts” with Duke
Ellington’s band and trio of in-
strumental quartets to 'Auditorium
Oct. 28 for one-nighter.
Omaha
By Glenn Trump
James Melton to. open O’Neill,
Neb., Community Concert season
.Nov. 5.
Local ad agency exec Morris
(Bozell &) Jacobs purchased res-
taurant and hotel combo here.
Cheyenne County Fair at Sidney
announced its 1955 dates as Aug.
25-28 despite $1,600 deficit in this
year’s expo.
Alliance, Neb., : Rodeo Assn.
Inc., disbanded, after this year’s
event dropped some $4,800. Sev-
enty; Alliance businesses and in-
dividuals had invested $8,400 in
the show.
Michael Kirby, ex-Sonja HeniC
partner, now giving skating lessons
at River Forest, .111., a Chicago sub-
urb. Mrs. Kirby, former .Nora
McCarthy of the “Ice Fellies,” is
assisting in the tutoring.
By Hans Hoehn
iPhone: 76-02-64)
O. E. Hasse has title role in
Mama’s “Cartaris.”
Josef von Baky pacted to di-
rect . CCC’s new film,. “Hotel
Adlon.” .
CCC studios currently running
at full capacity with seven pix
being made at same time.
Lionel Hampton orch due to ap-
pear at Sportpalast. It will be
oreh’s second postwar • appearance
here.
Renato Baldini, Italian actor,
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
will play the male lead in the Ger-
man-French-Italian coproduction,
DEFA invited 30 West German
film and cinema technicians to visit
its studios at Babelsberg, once
Ufa property.
“Sauerbruch,” local biopic of the
late German surgeon, was the big-
gest grosser in September in eight
German key cities.
Recent U.S. pix preemed here
include “Naked Jungle” (Par),
“Back to - Bataan” (RKO), “Jungle
Drums of : Africa” (RCp), “Personal
Affair” (Two Cities), and “I the
Jury” (UA). ’
Boston
Anita 0 ? Day at the Hi-Hat for &
one-weeker,
The Mayfair, closed si last
spring, has reopened.
Turk Murphy’s San Francisco
jazz band at the Savoy; group in
for four weeks.
The Hotel Buckminster has
opened a MamboCasino. Spot for-
merly housed George Wein’s
IStoryville.
Making the Hub his first stop in
a tour of the U.S., Mantovani spent
a day here meeting the presser and
visiting local deejays. , British mae-
stro hopes to line up a concert tour
fbr next season.
Madrid
By Ramsay Ames
(Castellan Hilton; 37 : 22-00)
Wife and. son of Mexico’s ex-
president Miguel Aleinan due for a
visit here.
Marisa de Leza beginning a new
film, “El Sol Sale Para Todos” (The
Sun Shines for Everyone).
Orson Welles will be ah actor
again in Nieves Cohde’s VE1 Emi-
grante”. (The Immigrant) to. be
made in Spain.
Ettore Gianini, producer of “Ne-
apolitan Carrousel,” expected in
Madrid next month to prep his
“Spanish Carrousel.”
Spanish film producer Benito
Perojo signed contract with Car-
men Sevilla, Mischa Auer and
Francisco Rabal for “La Picara
Moliriera.”
Lines are still three-deep for
“Mogambo,” which opened here
last week; ditto “Roman Holiday,”
which is being proclaimed the
“must” of the year.
Spanish-Italian “La Ciudad. Per-
dida” (The Lost City), starring
Corsetta Greed and Fausto Tozzi,
filming exteriors on the streets of
Madrid; then more shooting in
Italy in November.
Spanish producer (IFI produc-
tions) Ignacio Iquino due here from
Barcelona where he just finished
filming “La Pecadora” (The. Sin-
ner), to look for actors for his pic,
“Good-Bye Sevilla.”
“El Escandalo del Siglo” (The
Scandal of the Century); theatrical
drama based on the now famous
Wilma Montesi case, opening in
Levante with the Martin-Sabatini
company, and in Havana with Otto
Sirgo.
The 170th work of the late Span-,
ish author Benavente, “Por Salvar
Su Amor” (To Save His Love), in
rehearsal now, opens soon in
Madrid, with Pepe Romeu, Irene
Lopez-Heredia, Maruja Guerrero
and Vicente Soler.
Before leavfng for Rome and a
Suevia Films pic with Vittorio de
Sica, Spanish actress Emma Pen-
nela will film “El Guardian del
Paraiso” (The Guardian of Para-
dise) here, eo-stafred with Fer-
nando Fernan-Gomez; N director,
Arturo Ruiz Castillo.
Rayito, the matador who dedi-
cated a bull to Mrs. Estes Kefauver
in a Madrid bullring a few weeks
ago, invited the Hilton’s Walter
Schnyder,. publicist' Vic Rueda,
actor Peter Damon, Mildred Pfei-
fer, and your correspondent to at-
tend a benefit corrida in Villar-
amiel, a tiny pueblo near Palencia.
Rayito’s bull was dedicated to all
of us, and to complete the after-
noon, * Villaramiel’s one cinema
they were, showing “Malvaloca,”'in
which Peter Damon costars with
Spain’s Paquita Rico,
. By Lary Solloway
Xavier Cugat set for four-week
date next February by Saxony
hotel owner George Sax.
Robert S. Taplinger associates
newest addition to the publicity
contingent in the area; Helen
Baum is in charge of their new
office.
Bea Kalmus appointed entertain-
ment director Ar Di Lido hotel’s
Moulin Rouge cafe; she’ll double
as midnight disk-gab conductor via
indie station WlNZ-AM.
Hoofer Jerry Brandow’s (Condos
Si) foray into ring-world did not
score with press and public at the
Beach Auditorium. Understood an-
other match with a more suitable
middleweight is being arranged for
January.
Hollywood
Paul Herireids m'oving to N Y.
for the winter.
. John Cafradine in St. Louis for
stage engagement.
Barney Balaban in town for Par-
amount confabs.
William Beaudi celebrated
their 4Qth wedding, anni;
Prof. Apostolos Descalakis of
Greece visited 20th-Fox lot.
Herbert J. Yates resting at home
after kidney stone surgery.
John Ford recovering after oper-
ation for gall bladder ailment.
: Greer Garson home from hos-
pital after emergency appendec-
tomy.
Universal-International held its.
16th annual dinner-dance at the
Ambassador.
Dan Dailey postponed his dance
numbers in. Metro’s “It’s Always
Fair Weather” (because of injuries.
[ Betty Franklin : returned as Acad-
emy librarian after five months as
[ consultant in. the Library of Con-
gress,
Mambo City now operating five
days instead of three.
Shipstad and Johnson’s “Ice
Follies” opened last Thursday . (21)
for 11 days.
Agent ^Milo Stelt to Florida for
two weeks to lookover territory for
Mutual Artists Corp.
Warren Ketter made new mid-
west; promotion manager for Decca
Records vice Ray Ludtke.
Black . Orchid, Jr., cocktail
lounge adjacent the intiriie. nitery,
. operating as another key club.
Lou Monte in town this week for
dee jay bally of new Victor disk,
“When I Hold You in My Arms,”
Eick Hoylman is keyboarding, in
sixth year at Jim Saines, still on
crutches after auto wreck several
months ago. »
Germa n soprano Elisabeth
Schwartzkopf making American
orchestral, debut with Chicago
Symphony tomorrow (Tliurs.).
• Streamliner scrapping straight
jazz policy for two weeks, spot-
lighting femme . folk singer Katy
Lee who’s playing her first riitery
date.
Dan Belloc, Ralph Sharon Trio,
Max Miller . Quartet and Chet
Roble giving jazzconcert for St.
Ignatius Teen Club with Blue Note
boniface Frank Holzfeind em-
ceeing.
Mister Kelly’s Lounge unveiled
new Parisian piano-rama bar last
week arid featuring keyboard
chanters Audrey Morris and
Buddy Charles, latter being
stepson of orch leader Muggsy
Spanier .and brother of former Chi
Variety mugg Tommy Gries.
By Florence S. Lowe
Fifi D’Qrsay and the Crew Cuts
sharing top billing at Casino Royal
nitery,
Mrs. Carl Brisson here with hus-
barid during latter’s current stint
at Hotel Sheraton. Carlton’s swank
Harlequin Room.
John “Caine Mutiny” Hodiak
due here Nov. 7 to star in a “spe-
cial show, highlighting American
Jewish Tercentenary observance.
“Mambo U.S.A.” Latin-American
music-dance fest, due into Nation-
al Guard Armory for one night
stand next "Sunday (31) under Su-
per-Music aegis.
Helen Richards, house manager
of Carter Barron Amphitheatre
last summer, (back in town as ad-
varice-gal for the Broadway-Jaound
Ballets Espagnols.
Department of Commerce film
topper Nathan Golden off on a
cross.-country junket blanketing
trade conventions; wound up with
SMPTE confab in Hollywood.
. Latest additions, to local Variety
Club roster include Scott Kirk-
patrick, manager of National Thea-
tre; Charles Dillon, prexy of Wash- .
ington Broadcasting Co.; and Dari
Cavalier, veepee of radio station
WGMS.
International entertainer Carl
Brisson ..honored with traditional
“key to the city,” usually reserved
for visiting heads of state, in
unique ceremonies during show at.
Harlequin Room of Sheraton-Carl-
ton Hotel.
Barcelona
By Joaquina C. Vidal-Gomis
iAngli, 43; 240.018)
Bolero nitery has Miguel de Ios
Reyes Ballet,.
Windsor Palace held preem for
“Glenn Miller Story” (U).
Ming Chu, Java Princess, with
her dances at the Monterry nitery.
Comedia Theatre playing “Love
of Four Colonels,’’ with Maria J.
Valdes and Jose M. Mompin,
, “Tutti Frutti,” musical show,
how past 100th performance at
Comico Theatre. Leads are played
by Carmen de Lirio, Maruja Blanco
and Mary Santpere.
Wednesday, October 27» 1954
DETROIT
(Continued from pagjp. 8)
$11,000. Last week, "Sabrina" (Par)
(2d wk), $16,000. . ■. ,
Palms (UD) (2,961; 80-$l)—
“Pear Window" (Par) and "Over-
land Pacific" (Indie) (2d wk). Good
$14,000. Last week, $19,000.
■ Madison (UD) (1,900; $1.25-$1.50)
—“Star Is Born" (WB) (4th wk).
Sparkling $17,000. Last week,
$19,000.
Broadway-Capitol (UD) (3,500;
80-$l)— "The Raid’' (20th) and
“Key Largo” (WB) (reissue). Weak
$9,000. Last . week, "Human Jun-
gle" (A A) and "Security Risk!' (AA)
(2d wk), $9,000.
United Artists (UA) (1,938; $1-
$1.25)— “Woman’s World" (20th)
(2d wk). .Fine $11,00.0, Last week,
$14,000. 1
Adams (Balaban) (1,700; $1-
$ 1 .25)— ‘Brigadoon" (M-G). Fair
$10,000 or. near. Last. week. “Rogue
Cop” (M-G) (2d wk), $5,800.
Music Hall (Cinerama Produc-
tions) (1,194; $1.40-$2.65)— “Cine-
rama" (Indie) (84th wk). Leveling
off. at solid $15,500; Last week,
about same.
Buff.; 'Brigadoon’ 15G
Buffalo, Oct. 26.
Not too many newcomers here
this session but biz-.looms good.
Top new pic is "Brigadoon," nice
at the Buffalo. "Human Jungle"
is rated good at Century while the
oldie. “Reap Wild Wind” is okay
at Paramount. "Star Is Born"
shapes lofty, is second Center
week, '
Estimates for This Week:
Buffalo (Loew’s). (3,000; 50-80)-^
"Brigadoon" (M-G). Fine $15,000
or over. Last week, "Woman’s
World" (20th), same.
Paramount (Par) (3,000; 50-80)—
"Reap Wild Wind” (Par) and "Miss
Body Beautiful" (Par) (reissues),
Okay $12,000. Last week, “Pri-
vate Hell 36" (FM) and "Cog"
(UA), $11,000.
Center (Par) (2,000; 90-L25)— ■
"Star Is Born" (WB) (2d wk.) Lofty
$20,000.. Last week $25,000.
Lafayette (Basil) (3,000; 50-80)—
"Three Hours to. Kill" (Col) and
"Untamed Heiress" (Indie). Mild
$7,500. Last week, "Unholy . Four"
(Lip) and "Silent Raiders" (Lip),
$7,000.
Century (Buhawk) (3,000; 50-80)
.—“Human Jungle" (AA) and
"Jungle. Gents" (Indie), Good
$10,000. Last week, "Hajji Baba"
(AA),. ditto.
CLEVELAND
(Continued from page 8)
000. Last week, "3 Hours to Kill”
(Col) and "Black Dakotas" (Col),
$10,500.
Lower Mall (Communit3 r ) (585;
60-90) — "Vanishing Prairie" (Dis-
ney) (3d wk). Nice $4,000. Last
week, $3,500.
Ohio (Loew’s) (1,200; 60-90) —
Asphalt Jungle" (M-G) and "Bat-
tleground” (M-G) (reissues), Prov-?
ing sleeper, big $11,000 for oldie.
Last week, “Rogue Cop" (M-G)
(m.o.).
4 Palace (RKO) (3,000; 60-90)—
"Woman’s World" (20th) (2d wk).
Oke $7,500. Last week, $15,000.
State (Loew’s) (3,500; 80-$l)—
Rear Window" (Par),. Hefty- $11,-
000 or over. Last week, “Beau
Brummell" (M-G), $10,000.
Stillman (Loew’s) (2;700; 60-90)
--“Beau Brummell" (M-G) (m.o,).
Fine $10,000. Last week, “Her 12
Men” (M-G), $5,000.
MINNEAPOLIS
(Continued from page 9)
$2,800 or near: Last week, "Rear
Window!' (Par) (4th wk), $5,000.
Radio City (Par) (4,100; 85-$D—
"Brigadoon” (M-G). Stout $15,000.
Last week, “Woman’s World"
(20t li) (2d wk), $9,000.
* RKO-Orphcum (RKO) (2,890; $1-
.$1.25.i_L»Sta r . Is Born!’ (WB): (3d
wk'. Continues tall at $9,000 .Last
' qy & 43rd St,
VICTORIA. 'way. & 46ih St..
_BIGtO CITY MUSIC HALL
^ Rockefeller Center 11
: urn BERLIN'S “WHITE CHRISTMAS” II
► in VhtaVIslon starring L|
BING CROSBY • 0ANNY KAYE ffl
ROSEMARY CLOONEY • VERA ELLEN ]
’ Color by Technicolor * A Poramqunl Piciura [1
and SKCTACHUR SIAfit NUHNUTim |l
CHARLESBICKFORD
CAICCN RUAT 0V FRObuCCO or
10SS HART • SIDNEY LUFT
RADIO-TELEVISION
fTARIElr
VT VUllCDUaj^ VvIVUC 1. « J.yr V A
ROBT. Q AGAIN SRO
Washington, Oct. .26. 4
Competition of .new VHF stations.
Is cutting down the lush profits
which operators in pre-freeze single
station markets have been enjoying
for nearly five years. This is one
of the outstanding disclosures from
the final report of the FCC last
week on financial operations of the
tv broadcasting industry in 1953..
(Preliminary figures issued in
May Showing industry, profits of
$68,000,000, were borne out in the
report. Final figures on gross reve-
nues were $432,700,000* compared
to $430,800:000 estimated in the
earlier data.)
\Vhiie most of the new VHF out-
lets which started last year in pre-
freeze single station areas were in.
operation three months. Or less, the
-Commission's report showed that.
" even in this short length, of. time
they had their impact on the older
stations. It is significant that ..in
nine of the 40; pre-freeze one-sta-
tion markets Where VHF competi-
tion came in the: average revenue
increase of the nine stations was
. But in the other 31 former
one-station cities which were With-
out VHF competition or had only
UHF competition the average gain
in revenues, of the V’s was
about 34%.
Although the FCC data is neces-
sarily inconclusive because of. the
short time the new V’s were on the
air in 1953, it does suggest that
if they had been in operation the
full year they, might have cut down
the increase in the revenues of the
pre-freeze monopoly Stations to
around 10%. And this in the. first-
year of competition.
Tabulation Significant
The impact is accentuated in a
tabulation in the report which
shows that in three, former one-sta-
tion cities in which VHF competi-
tion appeared in two. Of the mar-
kets the average revenue increase
©f the pre-freeze^ stations was un-
der 109' However, in four orie-
station markets in which VHF com-
petition appeared in only one of
the four the average, revenue gain
-©f the pre-freeze outlets was
©ver 50%. .
The data is considered- important
because it definitely, means that the
lush clays of the pre-freeze single-
( Conti lied on page 32).
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Lack of facilities to feed color
to the network from Hollywood
has cued a decision by Fred Wile,
NBC program veepee, to transmit
the Frank Sinatra' section of Max.
Liebman's spectaculars in. black
and white. It will be first time- a
Liebman show has not been fully
tinted.. " '
Decision was reached after nego-
tiations with KTLA Collapsed and
filming in color was also discarded.
NBC in N.Y. . decided against send-
ing a mobile unit here because of
the /time element.
Sinatra’s half-hour inserts from
here: are scheduled for Nov. 7 and
Dec. 5. and will probably be pro-
duced by Bob Banner, currently
producing the Dinah Shore series.
Format of cut-in is undecided.
to
From Harwyn Club, N.Y.
■ Igor Cassini will originate his
40-minute pre-midnight. Sunday
show on WRCA-TV from the Har-
wyn Club, posh N. Y. eatery
launched some time ago by ex-
/employees of Sherman Billings-
ley’s Stork Club, with which it’s
been carrying on a feud. Cassini
started the season as an. emanation
from the Ambassador Hotel and in
recent weeks has originated from
one of the station’s studios on West
67 th St.
It’s reported that Serge Obolen-
sky, prexy of the Ambassador, has
differed with Cassi oa show’s
format and production, and thus
the parting.
TV The Bread w inner
Washington, Oct. 26.
Increasing importance which
tv has assumed in the business
of the networks (including
their o.&ri: stations) is shown
in the final report of the FCC
on video financial operations i
1953. Of total broadcast rev-,
enues of the nets last year of
$324,300,000, report shows that
$231,700,600 was accounted for
by* tv,. Similarly-, of total prof-
its (before taxes) of $27,400,-
000, vidieo was responsible for
$18,000,000. In other; words,
two out of every three dollars
of network profits now come
from tv.
Report reveals that while
network AM profits last year
were about 1 0 % off from 1952
their" tv profits nearly doubled
those of the previous year.
Likewise, network AM. sales
fell while tv revenues jumped
28%.
Return of Pine-Sol (Milner Prod-
ucts) to the Robert Q. Lewis show
gives that CBS Radio entry SRO
status. Pine-Sol has ( pacted the
11:15 a,m. quarter of the hriurlong
Saturday morning stanza .starting
Nov. 6, via Gordon Best agency out
of Chicago. Lewis’ other clients
are Chicken of the- Sea Tuna Fish,
Royal Crown Cola arid Helene Cur-
tis; Pine-Sol entered network radio
via the Lewis shoyv a year : or so
ago.
; The web has . made a couple of
other sales, but these are short-
termers. Wrigley’s goes twice-week-
ly on “Amos ’n’ Andy Music Hall”
through Nov. 24 and Buick takes
one-shots of. “Music Hall” and the
Tennessee Ernie show on Nov. 15
and 17.
Gould’s 'Reviewing Only’
Status As N. Y. Times
NBC-TV has been raking i a
near-$2,000,d00 / spot business,
over the last couple of weeks that
already has. been launched or Will
be played out on “Operation Triad!’
as represented by the web’s “To-
day,” "Heme” and “Tonight” par-
ticipation packages. Dqw Chemical
as of the middle of next month
will have come through with 156.
plugs for its Saran-Wrap alone, .and
at about $6,000 gross apiece that’s
plenty of wrapping. The chemi-
cal outfit, which this Season be-
came a fullfledged program spon-
sor via its Monday ^night “Medic”
series on the network, is also ac-
centing some . of its other products,
such as Styron; Latex Paints, and
anti-freeze, with 109 participations
to year’s erid, arid upcoming on
“Home” Dow Order for 84
spots;
Telechron, a division of General
Electric, is down for 78 shares of
stock on “Today*” and previously
one of the biggest sales effected
was the 39-each earmarked for the
threesome of shows, by Northam-
Warreri, making the latter the ini-
tial “Clean Sweep” client. Latest
to enter the web’s morning sweep-
stakes on a major scale is Bissell
Carpet Sweepers, which has had a
modest campaign on “Today,” is
upping its stake in that show as a
result of its baptismal click and
is. set for a big ride on the “Home”
show, via N. W. Ayer.
Fred Allen’s Tiptop
The New York Tidies is setting:
up its radio-tv. department in
separate editing arid reviewer
components with Jack Gould* up
until now in that doubling capa-
city, continuing in his critic’s post
on airi exclusive basis. Brought
over from the legit theatre side as
editor is Joseph P. Shanley,. . Val
Adams becomes No. 3 man in the
echelon, and presumably will take
over the. Sunday' news column
which for years has; been under
the byline of Sidney. Lohman. Lat-
ter is moved out of the department
to become a night makeup man.
Taking over Shanley’? theatre-
side duties will be Times feature
writer Arthur Gelb. Status quo on
the daily arid Sunday logs are Tom
Kennedy arid George Gent;
Indicated by the “divorcement*
and shifts is a daily appraisal
column by Gould — heretofore on
a Mopday-Wednesday-Friday basis
— plus the regular Sunday pillar,
with Saturday probably vacant ex-
cept for news items. This would
make the Herald Tribune the sole
daily in Gotham with a skip-day
reviewer setup via John Crosby’s
column. But a ‘‘cross-the-board”
move, by the Times is figured to
bring the Trib under the same
scheme.
It’s not kriown who would offi-
cially boss the new setup, but
Gould’s longtime radio-tv berth
plus an ,4 unWritten” Times policy
in other departments such as legit
(Brooks Atkinson) and music
(Olii* Dowries) would indicate
that the critic-in-chief calls the
shots. Ait least it’s the critics who
enjoy the prestige inside and out-
side regardless of ‘the intramural
administrative levels/
In the pioneer, days of television, which is only, six Qr seven
years ago, but it does sound like the medium is already hoary,
the Holly wood" comedians used to say, “Let the others build the
house and when it’s ready we’ll move i .” By now all the/comics
are in, and almost every contiguous branch of the picture . busi-
ness has tasted the wiles and woes- of the iconoscopes and the
image orthicons.
The producers are about the lone holdouts. The writers, have
moved in; the directors ditto, and of course almost all the acting,
talent. Many a former SWG and SDG Credit has joined the
SAGs-gone-AFTRA. But the producers are far from joining the
parade.
David O. Selznick has been the first major Hollywood name,
and he followed close on the heels of Otto Preminger’s excursion
into video. (Lelarid Hayward must be considered dominantly a
legit recruit, in the same idiom as. Max Liebman),
Hollywood figures that first,, if it joins tv i .the fullest
sense it will have to come via the vast backlog of major studio
residuals. That’s still far from a realization.
...As for the actual production brains* the Selznick-Ben Hecht;
team eyidenced that the' Holly wopd savvy can be utilized to ultra
effect if given a proper script. A two-hour industrial .cavalcade
is; enough to try any larrimister from Romanoff’s, and DOS arid
his “child of the century’’ byli , as Hecht so wistfully billed
hiriiself in the actual production credits, were tried and found
Wanting.
What does it all prove ? That television is for. the video, crafts-
men, and Hollywood is for the picture-makers. And . maybe that’s
why, with the Coast creators having gone, through the. crucible,
pictures are. better than , ever, and business is ditto. And maybe
the twain shall never meet— -in itself a good idea— excepting for
supplementing arid complementing, each other-r-arid not to usurp .
or supplant another. Abel
Harkback to Radio Era
By ABEL GREEN
Fred Allen’s “Treadmill to .Ob-
livion” (Little, Brown; $4) is the
history of radio! the hucksters, a
cross-section of Americana arid his
personal memoirs all in one. From
Sal Hepatica to . “Allen’s Alley,”
from -‘Town Hall Tonight” and
notorious l’affaire Eagle (who
wouldn’t come down to roost in
front of the mike) to “Stop the
Music” ; and Allen’s frustration
(“How can you. compete when an
icebox is the headliner?”), the wry
comedian has indicated it as a
chronicle of the days of our years.
Taking his scripts chronologically,
sparing nobody, Allen re-echoes
his gripe against “the echo men
of the advertising agencies”. (Madi-
son Ave’s counterpart of the
Hollywood yesmen). He is brittle
in his appraisal of one agency top-
per, a former quarterback who con-
tinued his adman’s calling in the
same. crouching football huddle for-
mation— “and there are only two
things lower than a quarterback,”
1 (Continued on. page 32)
THEATRE GUILD AS
ABC-TV CONSULTANT
ABC-TV last week signed the
Theatre Guild, . Which produces the
web’s “U. S. Steel Hour” for, U. S.
Steel, as program and talent con-
sultants to the net Under a long-
term exclusive deal. Pact was some
six months in the making, and it
reportedly gives ABC-TV first re-
fusal on any Guild legit properties
which it wishes to convert to video,
either as the basis for seriesf or
an individual one-shot,
It’s doubtful whether any such
properties will get the tv treat-
ment this season, but the agree-
ment calls for. Theatre Guild to
consult “in the development of
talent arid programs;”. This latter
phase . goes into operation imme-
diately, with plans calling for a
program board consisting; of .Thea-
tre Guild toppers and ABC-TV
program chiefs which would meet
once week (on Thursdays) in
what one web exec calls a “brain-
picking session.” It’s likeiy that
the three Guild partners, Lawrence
Langner, Theresa Helburn and Ar-
mina Marshall, will rep the Guild
On the joint board, while the net
will be represented by programs-
talent veep Bob Weitman and pro-
gram chief Bob Lewine,
Educ’l B’casters Meet
Th National Assn, of Educa-
tional Broadcasters convenes its
annual meet today (Wed.) with a
reception by N. Y. Mayor Robert
F. Wagner at City Hall, Following
that a board meeting will be
held, at the United Nations.
The meeting will continue
{through, Saturday at the Hotel
1 Biltmore.
Nixing Tab; Chevalier on Dec. Show
Marilyn Cantor, -Eddie’s daugh-
ter, has been pacted as sidekick
for Gene Rayburn, who heads up
sky’s the Limit;” a parent-arid-
kid quizzer being launched next
Monday (1) on WRCA-TV, N. Y.
Show will be a quarter-hour
strip in the 6:30 p.m. time formerly
held by Faye Emerson-Skitch Hen-
derson. . ‘
In de Lara Axing
Station WWRL, N. Y., insisted ao
political pressure was brought to
bear in a decision to fire news-
caster Mario de Lara for deviating
from Associated Press copy in de-
scribing Defense Secretary Wilson
for his Spanish-speaking radio au-
dience. De Lara, on the other hand,
implied something must have been
behind his axing because it hap-
pened so sudderily..
In defending firing De Lara after
10 years with the foreign language
outlet, topper Miss Edith Dick de-
clared that when De Lara ap-
praised Wilson, as “a Republican
millionaire and former president of
General Motors Co.” it was not the
first time he. had rewritten AP
copy, despite the fact that it was
against station policy. She said that
Jose .de la Vega, DeLara’s superior,
(Continued on page 32)
Guaranteed Ratings
New Lebhar Strategy
As WATV Sales Chief
Radio and : video stations have on
rare, occasions toyed with mag-con-
ceived guaranteed ratings to adver-
tisers, but WATV, Newark, is the
first operatiori to throw its entire
vidcast day open*' to the system.
Heretofore, the whole thing has
been looked upon skeptically by
broadcasters. ,
The move, the first major strate-
gy on the part of Bertram Leb-
har Jr., the tele station’s new sales
topper (recently shifted from N. Y.
radio indie, WMGM), deals almost
entirely with the sale of spot an-
nouncements. Most of the stanza
bankrollers at WATV have package
arrangements of long standing and,
in the rest of the cases, programs
(Continued pn page 32)
London, Oct. 26,
Just to put the record right/ Bob
Hope wants tp make it clear that
the vacant hour spot on NBC-TV
on Nov, 9 is riot, due to his own
walkout but due to the refusal of
General Foods to foot the extra
cost of his projected international
telefilm which he is to Idris in
Europe, This would have upped
the production budget by around
$55,000 to a trial of $180,000.
Hope, now in London for his
royal cominarid vaude appearance
at the Palladium, next Mori. (1),
told Variety on his arrival last
week that he had “intended to
pass,” but was persuaded by Pat
Weaver, the NBC boss; to go ahead
with his European film venture
>vljich would include Maurice
Chevalier, fiea Lillie; the Vienna
Boys Choir and other famous tal-
ent, in addition' to hiriiself. Now
this program is being switched to
the Dec. 7 date which had , origi-
nally been allotted to Cole Porter.
Present arrangement is that NBC
is taking a 50% cut Of Hope’s in-
ternational film venture, the come-
dian himself is taking a substantial
chunk and the BBC will .be taking
a more modest slice. Part of the
program will be aired via BBC-TV.
The plan has developed to the
point at which Maurice Chevalier
is definitely committed to come to
London on Nov. 4 to film his part
of the show. Bea Lillie, now on
the road with “An Evening With
(Continued on page 32)
RCA and subsidiaries amassed
an ; all-time record of $660,435,000
fo^ the first nine months of. this
year, a hike of 8.4% over the cor-,
responding period of 1953, it was
disclosed in board chairman David
Sarnoff’s report on Monday (25).
Earnings before 'Federal taxes
were $56,423,000, against last
year’s $53,651,600 for the like pe-
riod. After taxes, net profits
reached $27,557,000, compared to
$25,152,000 in ’53, for an increase
of 9.6%.
. After payment of preferred divi-
dends, net earnings on common
stock for the nine months are
gaited at $1.80 per share, against
last year's $1.62. RCA products
and services hit a peak volume of
$215,976,000 for the third quarter,
with pre-tax earnings amounting
to $16,820,000. compared with $14,-
' 842,006 in the ’53 -• period. Net
profit was $8,289,000, compared
with $6,967,000, an up of 19% f° r
the quarter/ . Third quarter com-
mon is 54c per share, compared to
44c in last, year’s third.
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
RADIO-TELEVISION
27
GOD BLESS OUR NIELSEN’
Two shows a night would have been duefc soup for Eisenhower,
the military hero, but apparently the multiple-performance circuit
is too rigorous a regimen for Eisenhower, the President. Ike &
Co. marked a "first” on Monday (25) as the tv and radio networks
brought -the Presidential Cabinet meeting direct to the American
hearth for a half-hour at 7 p.m. Several hours later he delivered
an address at the annual meeting of the National Security Indus-
trial Assn, opening with the routine salutation that’s always par
for the course — paying respects to the chairman, to the man making
an award to the President, to the Chief Justice of the U.S. and
“my fellow Americans.” But the President, apparently with the
lemory of the earlier "preem telecast” still lingering on, slipped
in . tire name of "Mr. Stanton” in the introductory portion.
The” intention was to . name Frank M. Folsom, prexy of RCA,
since it was Folsom, as chairman of the citation committee, who
handed the President the James Forrestal Award, named after
the first Secretary of Defense. Tripping off his tongue instead
was "Mr. Stanton” — Frank Stanton, prexy of CBS, Inc, (Stanton
was riot present at the ceremonies at. this point, having come in
later.) ' ■/
The Cabinet telecast came about on a tip transmitted unilater-
ally to CBS that the White. Hbuse would not be averse to such a
coast-to-coast treatment. CBS news and pj^bliii . affairs vp. Sig
Mickelson said in Washington that the tip was received by Stanton,
along with the information that Presidential press secretary James
C. Hagerty would be the pivotal man on clearance. Acting on
this "pave the way” information, CBS stepped in. and Hagerty
sealed the deal Monday morning. CBS supplied the facilities for
the pooled telecast. '
Whether the "first on tv” Cabinet session was aimed at "bend-
ing” next week’s elections in the Administration’s favor was being
kicked around • by the political pundits. On the returns in so far,
the idea of televising a Cabinet meeting in that manner met with
criticism for the most part, but whether an actual "ad libbed”
session- — -if that is possible— would receive similar reaction is a
matter of speculation.
i c
Wouldn’t Be Averse to Some Prestige Billing In
Spotlight Ads
Gaining momentum: among the
"production credits” partisans
is a united front "movement” to
persuade ty network advertisirig
departments, ad agencies, etc., that
a little printed credit regularly
( when space permits )-,-. or at least
on a "now and then” basis (when
space is limited) would be wel-
come. Listing of producer, direc-
tor, writer, choreographer, et al.,
is rare in video ads except when a
Robert E. Sherwood, a Ben Hecht,
r a name book author or Holly-
wood or legit producer is involved.
Thus a Paddy Chayefsky, Robert
Horton Foote, Robert Alan Aur-
thur. Reginald Rose— to name only
a few: writers who made their
reputations in television — is sel-
dom or never among the advertised
‘.'mentionables,” whereas the stars
in the cast will invariably be 24-
sheeted.
Legit and Hollywood practice is
to give full pre-preem play from
the producer down, although some
of this comes about through speci-
fic clauses in contracts. There’s
also been dissatisfaction expressed
around the networks and . agencies
as to the “aura” of ads, with some
saying that the displays should
take on more of a legit or feature
film "look” instead of being re-
plete with "cold” copy. One
school of thought advocates more
and better illustrations to, arrest
attention, with the text as a coi -
plement. Latter is akin to the
Broadway and Hollywood pattern*
particularly the latter, on the paid
space.
Kraft Foods, which has a major
ttake in the nighttime tv program-
hung sweepstakes with its brace
of hour-long dramatic stanzas (NBC
and ABC) representing time-and-
talent billings of $8,000,000 annu-
JJh’. is now in the market for a
kid show.
Pood company has a variety of
products aimed at moppet, appeal,
such as caramels, marshmellows,
etc., and feels the time is ripe for
a video campaign. Understood com-
pany has been looking into net-
work availabilities, although show
hasn’t been blueprinted yet.
• I - Walter Thompson is the
agency.
Buffalo, Oct. 26.
Buffalo Mayor StevCn Pankow
has designated Oct, 26-Nov. 1 as
"NBCtWGR Week” in a proclama-
tion that includes the oldest civic
act in the world— turning over the
keys to the city. Accepting the
mythical metal in behalf of the
web was exec v.p. Robert W. Sar-
noff, who was guest of honor today
(Tues.) of the Greater Buffalo Ad
Club as latter kudosed the network
and station.
WGR got launched in tv two
months ago as NBC’s new basic
here although the radio end goes
back three decades. Other local
channel is WBEN on the CBS-TV
side.
It looks like the Madison Ave-
nue-to- Jersey City commuting of
the CBS high command is due for
some hectic reprising in the near
future — object, of course, being to
convince Colgate prexy Joe Mc-
Connell (ex-NBC prez) to stop ag-
gravating himself over the Sunday
night "COrnedy Hour” and shift
allegiance to Columbia.
The same moves were initiated
some months back, when there was
considerable doubt, as to whether
Colgate would return for this sea-
son’s ride on "Comedy Hour.” At
that time CBS was pitching up
the hour-long "Climax" Thursday
bight series, which subsequently
(Continued on page 32)
As Time Goes By
Grey Advertising Agency has
just announced its appointment to
handle the Gruen watch account,
thus terminating— at least for the
moment— the unprecedented shift-
ing around of the timepiece bill-
ings.
Scorecard to date: Bulova biz
($5,000,000) from Blow to McCann-
Erickson;
Benrus account ($1,500,000) from
Cecil & Presbrey to Biow;
Gruen billings ($2,000,000) from
McCann-Erickson to Grey,
By GEORGE ROSEN
Now that the initial Nielsen re-
turns are in oh the major tv net-
works’ ’54-’55 entries, the rating
situation has hit a new high in
confusion. Particularly they
pertain to the spectaculars and the
NBC-TV top-budgeted • Max Lieb-
man productions, the early Niel-
sens have the effect of lifting the
pall of gloom that had descended
over the network when the suc-
cession of overnight 10-city Tren-
dex returns registered a calami-
tous "no look” for the first three
Liebman specs.
NBC was making no effort:, to
cohceal its jubilation over the No.
4 Status in the Top 10 Nielsens en-
joyed by the "Lady in the. Dark”
spectacular, whose 39.1 rating (and
audience of 11,347,000 homes) Was
topped only by "Dragnet”, Milton
Berle and Jackie Gleason, whereas
the on-the-spot Trendex added up
to a virtual repudiation of the spec
in terms of audience pull.
• Similarly, NBC proudly flaunted
a 38.7 (11,000,000 homes) Nielsen
for the "Satins and. Spurs" Betty
Hutton spec, which the network
had ordered on its own, and which
would have commanded a Noi 5
status had it been incorporated in
the Top 10. Yet here again it’s re-
called all too vividly the miseries
encountered by the network when
the 10-city Trendex of overnight
telephone checks practically Wrote
off "Satins” as an audience puller
in contrast to the rating registered
by the competing “Toast of the
Town.” (It was on the. basis of
the Trendex that Hazel Bishop
sped sponsor Raymond Spector
yelled "let me out” on the premise
that nobody was watching).
Trendex a ‘Monster*?
Thus today it’s the Trendex that
has emerged as the monster in the
eyes of the tv networks. Trendex
has never made any bones as to
its primary function, which is not
to indicate how many U. S. homes
a show has penetrated, as the Niel-
sens reveal, but to serve simply
as a guide to the program depart-
ments in the relation of show
to its competition. As a r ul$ it cuts
little ice with the client and
the agency, who rely on the more
all-encompassing Nielsen for a
true competitive evaluation.
But tv being what it is, geared
to a frantic "we-gotta-know-right-
away”tempo, it’s the • networks
themselves that have built up the
Trendex beyond its true meaning
and into its present "monster sta-
tus.” Let a Trendex rating make
even the slightest inroad on the
competition, and the network is
bn the phone the next morning to
shout out the news to all and sun-
dry, even though recognizing that
it is my no means an accurate indi-
' ( Continued on page 32)
Coca Shuffle
Convinced that With the
right format aiad once it gets
off the ground the ImogenC
Coca display can spark the
Saturday ni^ht 9 to 9:30 period .,
as one of the qualitative tv
entries, NBC-TV has already
put in motion a sweeping re-
alignment of the show’s staff.
As result, Marc Daniels has
exited as producer-director
with other changes also on tap.
Ernest D. Gluckrnan is being
brought in from the Coast to
helm the show, temporarily.
Show* may also switch to a
situation comedy format in-
stead . of its present variegated
components, with NBC itself
taking hold at the come-
dienne’s request.
The taierit agencies, notably
Music Corp. of America and Wil-
liam Morris, are siphoning off a'
big chunk of ex-network tv pro-
gram builders in the current ex-
pansion which today finds the per-
Centaries practically dominating
network programming.
Alexander (Sandy) Stronach, who
exited ABC as its tv chieftain a
few weeks back in the general
$l,000,000-a-yeaf cutback affected
by the network, is going to MCA as
one of its tv execs. Latter agency,
it’s understood, has blueprinted a
major personnel expansion pro-
gram cued to its multiple activities
in video.
Another ABC-to-MCA maneuver
was also engeered this week when
Jim Stifton resigned as director of
Chi operations for ABC-TV to
join the talent agency as a widwest
exec.
Meanwhile, Charles R.. (Bud)
Barry, who. recently settled his
contract with NBC, is reported
moving into the William Morris
setup upon his return from Europe,
where he’s visiting his daughter.
It’s known that Morris factotum
Abe Lastfogel has been anxious to
bring Barry into the agency fold
in an. exec status.
* Strictly aiside from “Operations
Experiment” on the spectaculars*
it’s practically conceded by one
and all that the new television
semester of traditional program
patterns thus far has added u^ to
virtually big fat nothing. De-
spite all the pre-season excitement,
generated by the reshuffled pro-
gram blueprints and "promises of
new faces, actually, with perhaps
one exception, the doldrums have,
already set in, with many express-
ing keen disappointment over the
dullness, lethargy and “here-we-go-
again” overtones attending ’54-’55
programming.
Practically all the shows that
brought on new personalities this
season failed tb create the antic-
ipated spark, with even the . net-
work execs lamenting (though not
out loud) what’s been happening.
Lone exception appears to be
George Gobel, who shapes up as
the ° one new, refreshing note in.
comedic talents (His click perfor-
mance on Sunday night’s four-net-
work Light Jubilee program prac-
tically clinched his status.)
NBC had . hoped . that Mickey
Rooney (in the B to 8: 30 Saturday
night slot) would be the answer
to stemming the Jackie Gleason
sweep, but he’s failed to make it*
with Gleason actually piling up
even greater inroads. Celeste
Holm’s new one and June Havoc’s
"Willy” situation comedy filmer,
both on CBS-TV, have taken the
critical count on initial install-
ments as major early-season dis-
appointments.
. Actually, the boys in the trade
are taking keener delight in ap-
praising the w ee kto-wbek intra-
mural rivalry on the rating fluc-
tuations than in the shows them-
selves, '
As for the splitup of Imogens
Coca and Sid Caesar, latter with
his wn hour Monday night show
and the former berthed in. a 30-
minute format on Saturday nights,
NBC argues "it’s too early to tell”
even though audiences generally
have pretty much resolved their
own. pro and con thinking. Fact
that Red Buttons, now selling Pon-
tiacs Friday ights on NBC-TV,
forged ahead of its "Mama” m-
petition on the second Trendex,
is translated by NBC as a definite)
plus for the comic. NBC also takes
heart from’ the response generally
on the Peter Lawford "Dear
Phoebe ’’series and the Tuesday
night “It’s A Great Life” telefilm
series.
Year-long hassle between the Empire. State Bldg, and New
York’s seven television stations over their antenna rentals was
finally brought to an end this week when the outlets signed' a
new 15-year agreement under which they’ll pay more than $11,-
000,000 for the use of the tower. It breaks down to about $733,000
a year for the seven outlets, ’ an average of. slightly over $100)000
a year for each.
Settlement of the hassle came only a couple of weeks after Col.
Henry Crown took over ownership of the world’s tallest building.
It involved a rent increase of approximately $20,000 per station
per year. Announcement of the settlement, incidentally, took on
the nature of a hush-hush project, with the Benjamin S.ohnenberg
office, handling the building’s account, saying there’ll be no com-
riient bn the hassle until later in the week, although the new
contracts Were signed Monday (25).
Battle over terms of the new lease took on such proportions
•that during the summer the stations took the management, to court,
asking for a judgment putting them under the Emergency Busi-
ness Space rent control laws, which would entitle the Empire to
only a 15% increase. N.Y. Supreme Court ruled against the
stations, but Col, Crown, apparently desirous of getting his man-
agement of the building off to a clean starts negotiated the new
deal, which involves increases of about 15%. Lease expired last
April, and has been the subject of negotiation, arbitration and
litigation since. -
Under the new lease, WRCA-TV and WCBS-TV, the respective
NBC and CBS flagships, will pay the most, about $2,000,000 each
over the 15-year period. WOR-TV also will be among the heavier
contributors, since it leases studio space besides housing its
antenna along with the others atop the building’s 1,472-foot tower.
CBS-TV, hard-pressed to. convert
its “Life With Father” into, a
winning entry since it initially
preemed last season for Johnson’s.
Wax as the, Sunday night at 7 at-
traction, is dropping its live format
and is going film. Program is now
slotted Tuesday nights at 10 with
Johnson’s Wax and Pet Mjlk shar-
ing the tab. As an indication of its
tough going, the latest Nielsen gave
it an 8.4 in contrast to the 32. 1
enjoyed by the NBC-TV competi-
tion, "Truth Or Consequences.”
Film series will begin the latter
part of December, with the net-
work hopeful that the celluloid ver-
sion Will permit for greater flexi-
bility ‘ story content. Show is
produced on the Coast by Fletcher
Markle.
Mike fioscia Under Knife
Mike Boscia, executive assistant
to director George Crandall of
CBS Radio press information, en-
tered Memorial Hospital Monday
(25). for exploratory diagnosis.
The 40-year-old veteran of the
web (about 15 years of service) ie
skedded for major surgery, tomor-
mow (Thurs.).
28
TELEVISION REVIEWS
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
By GEORGE ROSEN
The Hollywood filrri hoys, with
David O Selznick as the guiding
. spin t, took: practically the
Whole coast-to-coast video spec-
trum for two hours Sunday
night (24) to commemorate the
climaxing of the 75th anniversary
celebration : pf Edison’s: invention,
of th electric . light, Not in a
lontli of spectaculars will you
LIGHTS DIAMOND JUBILEE
With Joseph Gotten, . narrator;
Judith Anderson, Lauren. Bacall,
Walter Brennan, Joseph Cotteri,
Dorothy Dandrldge, Brandon de
>Vilde, Eddie Fisher, George
Gobel, Helen Hayes, Guy Madi-
son,. Thomas Mitchell, David
Niven, Kim NoVak, others.
Producer: David O. Selznick
Directors: Alan Handley,. Alan
Yorki , : Cliristien Nyby, King-
Vidor, William Wellman -
codie across the kind of marquee j Script: 1 Beii Hqcht, David O. Selz-
values as .were superimposed over
this $1,000,000 land plus) jumbo
“Light’s Diamond. Jubilee” attrac-
tion. More’s the pity, then, that it
had to wind up largely as a glori-
fied paean of faith in the American
individual more uggestive of
“Voice of America” programming,;
And it seemed to go on intermin-
nick
Music composed and directed by
Victor Young #
Executive Assistant; William Phil-
lipson
Asst, to Producer: Arthur Fellows
Production Designer; Furth Ull-
man
Tcleplay by Ben Ilecht from stor-
ies arid material by Robert
Bcnchley, Arthur Gordon, Irwin
Shaw, Max Shulman, John Stein-
beck, Mark Twain, Gilbert Ches-
terton ;
Fil tried dramatic episodes directed
by: King Vidor, "William Well?
man, Norman Taurog, Roy Row-
land, Cliristien Nyby .
| Staged sequences directed by:
Aldn Handley and Allan Yorki n
.Camera: Ray June and James
Wong Howe
‘‘Jubilee’’ started out as though
the pix studio gang were deter-
mined; to show the tv impressarios
how to put. on .a show. For about
40. minutes or so it . had all the
elements of some hangup enler-
.tainment-^-a nice blending of live
and ,. film documentary plus enter-
tainment components with just , _ , .. .. „ .
the right note of humor in a. slick j Sketches: “The Leader of the Peq-
Af n-*. \ pi >>' by John Steinbeck with
Walter Brennan and Brandon, de
r . , Wilde
“dramatics, whimsicalities and ora- “A Kiss for the .Lieutenant,” by
torical flights < ith some oc- Arthur Gordon with Guy Madi-
casiorial music).”- But unfortun- son, Kim Novak .
ately in the latter half Selznick- & , “Chance for Adventure,’ by Max
Co, \vere a dedicated lot as they I Shulman with . Helen Hayes,
dovetailing of its many-faceted
Components. . It was then that it
justified. “Jubilee’s” preamble, of
Thomas Mitchell, Dorothy Dan-
dridge
“The Girls In Their Summer
Dresses,” by Irwin Shaw with
Lauren Bacall, David Niven
Other features Helen Hayes por-
trayed a. school teacher. Judith
Anderson played model for the
Statue of Liberty. Eddie Fisher
sang. George Gobel described
the electric brain
(17. W. Ayer)
hammered way at the “hard
sell”— not on behalf of the,. spon-
soring light companies, but on the
“faith and freedom” theme at the
expense of all round solid enter-
tainment values.
You can kick the word “un-
precedented” .around from a va-
riety of standpoints, including the
largest station lineup in video an-
nals as all four networks brought
the show to '310 interconnected
stations. (Thus, iny.urn, aggravat-
ing tlie FCC poser as to whether j REPORT FROM RUTGERS
any program, whatever its, con- | ■ witli Remigio Pane; Nat Shoe
tent, has the right, to practically j halter, announcer
monopolize all coast-to-coast air-
time for 120 minutes.) It brought
Selznick into tv for the first time
in the. most costly, venture thus
far (including time and commer-
cial preemptions); it boasted SUCK. . .... • „ ,
auxiliary production talents as | Rutgers., gelded no new dimension
Ben Ilecht, Victor Young, King i to. common vari ty classroom lec-
Producer: Shoehalter
Director: Peter Brysac
30 Mins;, Mon., 9;30 p,m.
WATV, Newark
Unfortunately, “Report. From.
Vidor, Christian Nyby, Carey Wil-
son, Norman Taurog, Irwin Shaw,
Roy Rowland and John Steinbeck
oft the topshelf of the pix studio:
and literary marts; for performers
it had Joseph Gotten (doing- the
narration);. Helen Hayes, Brandon
de Wilde, Guy Madison, George
Gobel, Thomas Mitchell, Lauren
Bacall, David Niven, Kim Novak,
Judith Anderson, Eddie Fisher.,
Walter Brennan, Dorothy Dand-
idge— among others. All this.
With that $:i;000,d00 assist., cer-
tures. The current pycle of 13 pro-
grams via the Newark outlet is
conducted by Prof. Remigio Pane,
chairman of Rutgers Department
of Romance Languages, and while
he did have a great deal of infor-
mation at his command, it was
preferred to vidviewers in parti-
cles. To further numb the viewer,
no imagination, not even in the
way of camera angles or other mi-
tainly should have sparked more nor but’ helpful production tricks,
entertainment for the viewer. j was used to make Pane’s lecture
One cannot argue if Selznick . seem like fun.
On Monday ,(25), the casing con-
cerned "Pane, a round-faced, bald-
ing mail, who chose as his subject
the city of Milan, this being one of
the several Italo municipalities he
will discuss over the weeks, He
dusted off an old, fat volume of
history, ..philosophy (in Vague
doses), early industry and art;- he
' plowed through the ages, from the
chose to hold up the torch of U. S.
enlightenment, in this -instance in
the field of electronics-scientific
advancement. That’S good program
fodder; anytime. But (and particu-
larly with so. much good talent
lurking in the background) enough
of* a good thing .is enough. The
panoramic sweep of light’s impact
on the nation and the world stem- - ■ , . .- , ,-....
ling from the. Menlo Park wizard- •fri^ cehtury^ . and Constantine to
ry WaS captured ‘ .Stunning 12th century apd the ( hardly
kaleidoscopic fashion in the intro, remembered Lqnibard League, and
and toward the ertd there Was An him ended up fighting to keep jus
equally, effective recap of an atomic , vievycrship.. The endles succession
er in peace and War, culminating i. bl names, of dates of balops^ with .
• President Eisenhower’, “faith * surprising oneness ^about them..
and freedom”; exposition, but .thc/.cP^PJred ag-a.ihst sustained ; iptet-
repetitive variations on -.the- -the riies . Erudition alone was mistaken
were carried out to the point of i *- or entertainment. Art.
distraction. If anything, Sel.z ick
demonstrated that bringing a
two-hour show of well-rounded en-
tertainment, components is al-
lost insurmountable feat.
Of the live sequences, there was
a cpmpleteiy. delightful turn fea-
turing George Gobel “charting” an
(electronic, brain, a bit that pro-
jected Gobel to the top of the
present-day comedy heap. There
was a nicely-fashioned college
prortt sequence with Eddi. Fisher
registering strongly in several
numbers. A nitery-backgrounded
Dorothy Diandridge doing “You Do
Something to Me”, and “London
Town” similarly .showed her to
good advantage. But oveiall Selz-
nick fared considerably better in
the film integration keyed to the
“light” motif. (The revival of a
Robert Benchley film short on. the
'€«r« and feeding of babies, While
eluding the show’)? thematic trend,
was nonetheless a high point in,
hilarity.)
A Helen Ifayes-Thomas Mitchell
sketch of art elderly midwest
Couple, on a New York fling (in-
tended,, as a sort of - “Light on the
American Hearth” sub-theme) was
far from impressive; ditto a Bran-
don de Wildb-Walter Brennan
sketch. A Lauren Bacall-David
Niven playlet of a guy who can’t
keep- his eyes off a pretty dame
(perhaps as a “light in the eye"
.sub-theme) was as divorced from
the rest of the show as it was
pedestrian.
The threads of “Jubilee” Were
woven together with a professional
skill on a par with Hollywood
know-how in the continuity depart-
ment. And Victor Young’s musical
arrangements rate a bow.
FOLLIES OF SUZY
With Jeanmaire, Dick Shawn,
Stevie Allan, Connie Russell,
Cliff Norton, Paul Whiteman,
Harrison Muller and Jean Eliot,
Charles Sanford orch, others
Producer-Director: Max Liebman
Associate Producer-Director: Bill
Hobin 1
Writers: William Friedberg, Fred
Saidy, Neal. Simon, Will (Hick-
man, William Jacobson
Choreographer: Rod Alexander
90 Mins.; Sat., 9 p;ni.
OLDSMOBILE
NBC-TV, from New York
(D. P. Brother)
For his second 9Q-minut.e color"
spec in the Saturday night series
for . Oldsmobile, Max Liebman
troduced jeanmaire to the Ameri- '•
[can: television audience as a new
and exciting personality. "Follies
of. Suzy,” as Libbman tabbed this
one for want of something better,,
certainly failed to offer the dimin-
utive ballerina the scope for full
expression as did her ex-legit mu-
sical, “Girl In Pink Tfglits,!’ but
even a Jeanmaire on the run try-
ing to battle a poor excuse for a
bopk can make rewarding review-
ing.. Her Chari and considerable:
talents, particularly on the hoofing
assignments, cam through de-
spite the fact that most everything
else about the sho.vv seemed to con-
spire against her.
Actually “Suzy” as executed by
Liebmah’s five, writers, was one of
those, woefully- contrived affairs
that, had to find so m reason for
bringing op the. various turns;. If,
aside from the Jeanmaire appear-
ance, “Suzy” will show, up on the
reference files, it’s because it also
definitely established’ pick Shawn,
as a comic of no mean talent.
In his second time up before the
tv cameras, Shawn, a comparative
newcomer to show biz with prin-
cipally a nifery-vaude background,
allayed, fears, that Ire was a .“ one-
shot mbnoiog” fluke in bringing, to
early, fruition the recognizable . po-
tentials many, ascribed to his tv
debut a couple weeks earlier. He’s
an. ingratiating, likable personality
who can put over a comedy line
with the best of them and is par
excellence in mugging without
offense.
On the other hand, “Suzy” rele-
gated Stev.e Allen to an unfortu-
nate role which found him, in his
periodic appearance before the tv
cameras, seated behind a type-
writer (just as (hough he we re ..told
to keep out of. everybody’s way)
while dreaming up a producer’s
Way of transporting .Suzy Roget to
America. Thus is conjured up in
succession three elaborate eras in
Cabaret Americana. First there’s
Jeanmaire. in the modern-tempoed,
gangster-ridded “Club Parakeet”
(with auxiliary excursions Into Li-
lac Louis’ (Shawn) penthouse, for
one of those Trixie-Weasel-Pete-
Lefty sequences borrowed out of
“Guys and Dolls”).
. Then there’s Jeanmaire in a
throwback, to the ’20s with the in-
evitable college prom, the: “Varsity
Drag,” “Moanin’ Low” as executed
by the Flench star, and Rod Alex-
ander; "Vo Do Di Do,” Dick
Shawn’s “Doody Doo,” Jeanmaire’s.
“Theres A Little Bit Of Bad In
Every Good Little Girl.” etc. Even
Pops Whiteman had his brief in-
ning with “Avalon,” The middle
portion vignettes in the Charles-
ton-Black Bottom (Which probably
portends a rash of such tv reincar-
nations in the wake of the ‘(Boy
Friend” legit click) provided some
of the show’s best moments'. As
the wr'ap.u.p of the three-era visu-
alization, Jeanmaire Was spotted
way back at Rector’s in an elabo-
rate reproduction of the tufn-of-
the century, spot.
; Liebman didn't stint, produc-
tion^-wise, and both costuming and
staging were on the extravaganza:
scaib . .Here was one spec that
benefitted materially from the
added color dimension, notably in
the Rector’s, sebuence .(in which
Jeanmaire performed a Tango,
with Shawn) and Connie Russell
and a male chorus executed “Be
My, Little Baby Bumble Bee.” Like
“Lady In the Dark;” “Suzy” pi
topshelf rainbow treatment,
Charles Sanford: rates a special
pod for his excellent background-
ing of what essentially was a 90-
minute reprising of an. .oldtimers’
hit parade of standards (“That.'s
My Weakness Now,” “When My.
Sugar Walks Down The Street,”
“Give Me A Little Kiss,” “Ain’t
■Misbehavin’,” etc.).
Connie Russell registered strong
on the “Misbehavin’ ” number. Her
Associate frorti her ex*Chl days,
Cliff - Nprton, tinfortunat^ly had
little opportunity to demopstratr
his talents,'
Oldsmobile ' commercials again
enjoyed the benefits' of 'some click
prismatic Showmanship. Rcse.
Form Chart on Hour Dramas
Sunday-^-Philco-Goodyea-r ^Television Playhouse” still stocked
with the fodder nf the “Unhappiness Boys” but, with the largest
stable of writers in the business, always a threat as it leaves the
barrier.
Monday— More often than not a choice "Double” at the windows
in ‘‘Robert Montgomery' Presents” and “Studio One”; some
tomers irritated, by the fact that part of the time the horses
running on two different tracks.
Tuesday— t-J ockey Alex Segal, carrying the silks of U. S, Steel,
makes a fine race of it whenever he leads “Hour” to the post;
can’t win all the time, but place or show for sure. Alternating;
stablemate. “Elgin Hour” only a yearling and too early to judge
stride shown thus _far.
Wednesday— Kraft “TV Theatre” okay in any weather; not much
color, but steady. EVery-fourth-Wednesday “Best of Broadway”
has formidable training via Westinghouse money and grooniirig is
tops, but judged on its pair of outings, tires too early, though an
important entry on the. style in which it is saddled;
Thursday— Another Kraft “good conformance” edition in the
most congested sweepstakes of the week; a half : hour’s overlap in
the. three-f br-f our “Climax” (the fourth being "Shower of Stars”
out of the sarne Chrysler farm), which is yet to get into the money
despite the star-studded banners (as,; for ‘instance, last week’s
cloak-and-daggery, “Casino Rpyale,”. fronting Barry Nelson; . Peter
Lorre and Linda Christian, which ahd^ who drew, laughs along the
course by running with all legs off the ground); “Lux Video" fail-
ing to live up to its early promise; has exchanged the stud ar-
rangement. with Paramount Pictures for more ”originai” breeding
and frequently has to limp to the judges’ stand with the help of a
head pole. Not much change off pace, either, considering that
Lux goes to the post tomorrow (Thurs.) with a twice-told-on-tv
“September. Tide” foaled by Daphne du Maurier. Trau.
HALLS OF IVY
With Ronald Colman, Benita
Hume, Mary Wickcs, Herb But-
terfield, James Todd, others
Producer: William Frye
Directors: Norman Z. McLeod,
. William Cameron MenzieS
Writers: Don Quinn; Barbara Mer-
lin
30 Mins., Tues., 8:30 p.m.
INT’L HARVESTER, NATIONAL
BISCUIT CO (alts.)
CBS-TV, from N.Y. (film)
(Leo Burnett, Y&R, McCann*
Erickson)
There’s a class of radio proper-
ties; which have lost much of their
charm on being translated into tel-
evision: “Halls, of. Ivy,” to judge ]
from the first filmed episode,' un-
fortunately appears to fall into this
category. The addition of sight to
the dulcet Ronald Colman & Co.
tones appears to rob the show of
much of its comfortable warmth,
and that, above everything else,
was the; quality that made the show
a hit ori radio. '
Not that the . Colmans (Ronald
and. Benita Hume) don’t dress, up
a tv screen. They’re still a hand-
some couple that fit easily into the
roles of a college president and his
ex-aetfess wife. And producer: Wil-
liam Frye (and all those associated
in the production, from Edward.
Small and Young & Rubicam v.eep
Nat Wolff down: to Don Quinn, the
show’s creator and head writer)
have framed the series in ;. beau-
tiful collegiate setting, with ivy-
covered buildings and a comforta-
ble prexy’s home. .
But the zing is missing; First
episode, which had the Halls (Col-
mans’ name in the series) anxious-
ly awaiting his reappointment as
prexy, was a rambling and rather
dull affair, with nary a flash of hu-
mor throughout the proceedings.
The dialog, another ingredient that
made the ayemer successful, was
flat though still high-flown. Use of
a million-dollar vocabulary without
endowing it with meaning or wit is
purposeless, and that’s just another
of the faults of the first show.
On the face of it, the new vid-
pixer defies classification— and ap-
pears to lack purpose. It’s not a
situation comedy, because there
was little comedy. It’s certainly
not a dramatic entry. It might be
classified as a “family show,” but
that, doesn’t mean anything. Pro-
ducer Frye, directors Norman
McLeod .and. William: Cameron
MenzieS; arid writer Quinn, all of
them, topflight; filmmaking-broad-
casting pros, need to give “Halls of
Ivy” much more) direction, pace
and hurndt before it can even be-
gin to compare to its radio counter-
part. Ch
Lotsa Talent on Tap As
ABC-TV YWr. Telethon
Fetches Palsy Fund 501G
There’s probably no point to
having a telethon for the aid of
cerebral palsy victims if the punch-
es are going to be pulled. The tele-
thon technique is to hit ’em hard
and often and if the message i
strong enough, the pledges are sure
to come in, The technique, worked
for the Cerebral Palsy Fund over
the weekend (23-24) in a 17-hour
marathon' on: W ABC-TV (N.YJ.
Coin pledge total when the show
signed off Sunday afternoon at
3:30 p.m. was $501,000, This match-
es last year’s total when the show
had two hours more funning time.
Dennis James -.was the cliieL
pitchman for the Cerebral Palsy’s
.'fourth anniial telethon^ He put
plenty of heart and time into his
assignment and his hit; ’em over
the head selling technique can be
forgiven in view of. the worthiness,
of the cause, Jane Pickens and
Maria Riva also put in plenty of
air time with a smoother and
easier-to-take approach. Virginia
Graham also put in a 'hefty day’s
work for the cause and fates a bow
from all concerned. Best pitch-
men; however; were the palsied
kids themselves. Just watching
them. in. front of the camefa is
enough to soften a hard heart and
open a tight ppeketbook.
As usual; the show . .biz. folk
pitched .in, in spades. From the
10:30 p.m. kickoff, through th
night and until mid-afternOon the
next day, they came through with
specialty stints and phone-answer-
ing chores. About 150 celebs gbt
a chance before the cameras and
for name-hungry viewers it was a
treat.
The affair ran smoothly through-
out, a credit to producer Ardine
Rodner and director. Billy Balaban.
Gros.
JACK CARSON SHOW
With- Claire Trevor, Ricardo Cor
tez, Connie Towers, Gloria Gor-
don, others; music director, Vic :
Schoen; announcer, Bud He!
stand
Producer: Mann Holiner
Director: Jim Jordan Jr.
Writers: Leo Solomon, Cy Rose
30 Mins.,, Fri., 8 p.m.
PONTIAC MOTORS
NBC-TV, from H’wbOd
(MacManus, John & Adams)
The “picture transmission inter-
rupted” sign was posted five times
during the last quarter-hour of Jack
Carson’s preeming every-fourth-
Fr id ay entry in ; the Red Buttons
“three for me” slot. Opening quar-
ter established Car son in his Val-
ley home on the Coast, worked in
Connie Towers in a vocal spot, and
brought on guests Claire . Trevor
and • vet pic .heavy Ricardo Corte$
(Continued on pago 30) '
MEET MR. WIZARD
With Don Herbert, Buzz Pod e well
Producer: Jules Power
Director: Don Meier
30 Mins.; Sat., 6 p.m.
CEREAL INSTITUTE
NBC-TV, from Chicago
Now in its fourth, year, “Meet
Mr, Wizard” continues. -to .'-set'-the
pace as a grade, school educational
public servicer. It’s tv teaching at
its best and tjhe sort of thing that
should be required viewing for: kids
in well regulated homes. Arid it
should certainly rank as a, potent
industry antidote to the current
Washington investigation into
video’s juve influence.
Format has remained essentially
unchanged with Don Herbert, as-
sisted by youngsters Buzz Podewell
and Susan Levin on alternate
weeks, conducting basic scientific
demonstrations. Chapter viewed
(23) had to do with farming and
was an obviously well planned lesr
son ^ith plenty of visual values to
hold teen and sub-teen interest,
Herbert’s young helper this tii .
was Buzz Podewell and the pair
did a .fine job breaking down into
understandable components such
highly complex subjects as soil
chemistry and plant growth proc-
esses. . ’ .
Series is underwritten : by the
Cereal Institute which comes ill for
a midwhyplbg 'dh the benefits of- a
hearty breakfast. Dai'e.
Wednesday* October 27* 1954
RADIO-TELEVISION 29
■Television stations, that are ordering color equipment for future
installation are tending to, keep their plans completely secret
locally; There are several reasons. First, it confuses the public.
Second, it vexes dealers with large black-andrwhite inventories
to liquidate.
One telecaster put it this way, referring.to Indianapolis: .“When
you talk about television in color ' a community where only
three color receivers are known to exist, it’s just plain silly to
stress color. It’s for. the day after tomorrow. But meanwhile
management has to think ahead,’’ ;
Washington, Oct. 26. 4-
•If the Senate Juvenile. D.eliri-
SubrCommittee was after
proof that television is sinful and
a cause of juvenile delinquency,
its mountainous, two-day hearings
ol' last week seem to have labored
jul delivered' the proverbial mouse.
Sessions developed several dead
ends and confusions.
Sen. Robert C. Hendrickson (R.,
N. J.), the committee chairman,
asked witnesses over and over
whether they didn’t think televi-
ion needed, a czar to censor video
programs, similar to the Breen Of-
fice in Hollywood. At the same
time, the committee staff centered
Its attack ^lipon " the' violence arid
crime in th old films which are
shown on tv.
Incongruity was that virtually
all such films carry the seat of ap-
proval of the ' Green office and had
a Iso been okayed by state and. local
censorship boards all over the
U. S„ prior to their theatrical runs.
When Hendrickson asked whether
the FOG ought to be the censoring
body, Commissioner Rosel H. Hyde
reminded that this wouldn’t be com
stitutional under the Supreme
Court’s rulings against motion pic-
ture censorship, and added em-
phatically:
“The maintenance. Of adequate
program standards cannot, , and
should not, be attempted by estab-
lishing the Federal Communica-
Commissipn, or any other Govern-
ment agency, as a censorship board
to which all stations must submit
their programs for prior. approval
or which is empowered to impose
specific restrictions or limitations
on the contents of such programs.
The Commission is expressly pro-
hibited by the Communications Act
from exercising any powers of cen-
sorship over the contents of radio
programs, and we think the Con-
gress was wise in enacting this
provision.”
Result was that Sen. Hendrick-
son reversed his field, explained he
wasn’t pushing for a “czar” or any-
thing. similar. He said he was just
asking for information.
When Senate committee staffers
and others made the point there
should be special antiseptic pro-
grams, sans crime, violence and
(Continued on page 38)
to
Lansing, ' Mich.. Oct. 26.
WJIM-TV will dedicate its new
$1,000,000 radio-tv center with an
hOur-lorig show Sunday (31) head-
lining Eddie Fisher and George
Gobel. Featured will be Janis
Paige, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey
and orch, McGuire Sisters, Bud
and Cece Robinson and Janice So-
mers, Michigan State College beau-
ty Who placed: fourth in the Miss
America .contest this year.
Gregg Garrison, director for
Milton, Berle, Ray Bolger arid
others will come from New York
to produce and direct the W.JIM
program.
Hollywood, April 26.
Sweeping retrenchment on the
ABC high level, which unseated
several top execs, in N. Y. a few
vyeeks ago, swept into . Holly wood
last week and claimed two 'casu-
alties. Donn B. Tatum, director of
tv affairs for the. western, division,
nd Phillip G. Caldwell, chief eri-
gineer. terminated their associa-
tion with tlie network.
Ken Craig, former. tv program di-
rector fpr the division, assumes
most of Tatum’s duties in his new
role of national and regional tv
network program coordinator. Cam
Pierce, chief technical engineer,
moves into the newly-created post
of engineering coordinator of the
division. Ralbh Deriechaud will be
bis administrative assistant Court-
ney McLeod, traffic supervisor for
.ibe ; yaflj tiv^k, -adj$,4y t tQ his
.duties. ,-*j,*;*
Washington, Oct. 26.
With FCC hearings bn . the Ed-
ward Lamb case resuming this
week after , a one-week recess, , Ex-
aminer Herbert Schrafman today
(Tries.) heard testimony from . a
former Communist who was char-
acterized by attorneys for both
sides as the most credible Witness
to take the stand thus far. Witness
was Eugene Stoll, of Swanson, O.,
whose testimony covered two in-
cidents, one in 19$4. and another
this past June.
Stoll testified that iri 1944 Lamb
was a mdmber of a committee in
Toledo which sponsored a perform-
ance of “Band Wagon,” a variety
show (not the legiter), to raise
money to support President. Roose-
velt’s bid for a fourth term. The
local Democratic organization had
refused to Sponsor the show be-
cause Earl. Browder had appeared
during intermission in one of the
show’s eastern appearances and the
Democrats thus felt it was Com-
munist-inspired, .Stdll said that
several members of the sponsor-
ing committee of which Lanib was
a member belonged to the Coi -
munist Party, and added that sev-
eral members of the cast have
since been, “unfriendly witnesses”
before Congressional investigating
committees.
. Second part of his testimony re-
lated to a meeting he had with
.Lamb in the latter’s office- on June
9 of. this year, arranged by Mrs.
(Continued on page 32)
When CBS ; corporate prexy
Frank Stanton moved into Milwau-
kee arid , walked out last week With
a deal to buy- WOKY-TV as the
first of two UHF. stations , in the
new “five plus two” ownership
regrilatipris ■ (five V’s and two U’s),
it was probably only the* prelude
to a whole checkerboard pattern .
oft maneuvers. While obviorisly it!s
all designed to strengthen CBS’ po-
sition in the owned-and-operated
sweepstakes, . the significance of
the “coming events” lies in the ef-
fect it’s bound to have in the sta-
tion ownership-affiliation picture
generally and, as it relates to.
Pittsburgh, points a big question^
mark as to DuMont's future status.
Even before the ink was dry on
the Milwaukee purchase (still sub-
ject to FCC approval),. CBS was
already earmarked as the “villain’’
by the Hearst group, which has
Milwaukee aspirations of its own in
bidding for the V channel there
and thus hoping to establish a CBS
affiliation. NBC, .of course, ’ out
of the question for Hearst, should
the latter get the nod on its ap-
plication for the relationship be-
tween the "network arid Walter
Damm (WTMJ) was never rosier.
And. with CBS moving in with its
own o&o- U operation, it puts the
Hearst group in a tenuous position
in its bid to expand its television
empire. (Hearst radio station WlSN
in Milwaukee is a CBS affiliate.)
Aggravatirig the situation even
more, Milwaukee’s other and more
prosperous TJ (WCAN-TV.) loses orit
.on’, its present CBS-TV affiliation,
with the ownership smarting tinder
the blow. This, however^is nothing
compared to what’s on tap if, as re-;
ported, CBS finalizes its deal to
move into Pittsburgh (eighth larg-
est market)., with **n o&o station
through purchase of the nearby
Steubenville VHF station on Chan-
nel 19. (When Stanton revealed a
couple weeks back that a V pur-
chase was imminent, it’s presumed
he meant Pittsburgh,) Subsequent-
ly Stanton last week announced
CBS had withdrawn from the Bos-
ton competition for a V channel.
With Pittsburgh in the bag, it
would leave one V to go — and CBS
still has a St. Louis gleam in its
tv eye to round out the V picture.
Thus a lot of interesting ques-
tios are posed oil the Pittsburgh
front. Only last week officials of
KQV (which recently bought back
the minority interest CBS had in
the local station) confirmed a
merger of the five applicants for
Channel 4 at nearby Irwin « was on
tap, which would mean another V
for Pittsburgh within the next six
months. Channel 4 is one of two
V’s . allocated to the Pitt .district,
( Continued on page 32 )
STARS TO ROLL IN
NEW CHRYSLER CAR
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
All Chrysler television salesmen
are being lined up for the star-
studded “Shower of Stars’- Nov. 18,
when the sponsor unveils new mod-
els at the auto show here.
Groivcho Marx, Danny Thomas,
Eddie Mayehoff, Bill Bishop, Mi-
chael O’Shea and James Dunn will
be on tap for the show Which
Ralph Levy will produce. Seymour
j Bern^ will direct,
(.'..►Betty. -Grable^and (Harry > James,
I aretalej.seU for, jlRe* GBS^TV show.
DuM’s Please Buy ‘Please’
. DuMont is playing it's hand down
to the last card in an effort to get
a bankroller for “One Minute
Please.” That suStainer’s gotten
rnore support front net topper Ted
Bergmann than received by any
other of like cost on the network
roster.
Strategy on the panel stanza is a
departure from recent standard op^
crating procedure at the net. “Min-'
ute” has been kept on longer than .
any other sustairier costing in ex-
cess of. $2,000. Few of any kind last
j more than 13 weeks, but this casing
j is in its 18th week. Moreover, the
program is being given the con-
tinued benefit of Tuesdays (consid-
ered the strongest DuMont night
because of Bishop Sheen’s 8 p.m.
leadoff), despite the fact that a
few networkers would like to try
something else in the new “Min-
ute” at 9 time. The panel stanza,
chiefly habitated by Herpiione Gin-
gold and Ernie KovaCs plus Alice
Pearce and others on less frequent
occasions, is in the “near miss” cat-
egory: Within the past few weeks
Pharmaceuticals, through the Ed
Kletter agency, nearly took it in-
stead of “The Stranger,!* but a last-
minutSe c^ahgq.Qfjmjncl finished pff v
Ulikt tfeaJL,
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Only on the megacycles a few
vyeeks; NBC’s highly-touted “Me-
dic” is already suffering from in-
tra-mural ills. Bernard Girard, di-
rector of the show since its in-
ception, has exited following dis-
agreement with, creator-writer Jim
Moser over conception of treat-
ment on the next 13 telefilms.,,.
Girard asked for and received
his. release from his longterm pact,
but will retain his percentage
ownership of this year’s program,
which is sponsored by Dow Chemi-
cal. Girard megged the first 13
telefilms.
Girard .said he. will announce his
future plans very soon.
Reports of axings on the topmost
executive echelon at Mutual Broad-
casting have been circulating for
over a week with observers link-
ing some of the “economy meas-
ures” at the radio net with the
ultimate departure of one or two
board members-
Two weeks ago it was noticed
that budgetary cutbacks of per-
haps as much as .10% had begun.
The .initial move in that direction
came . when two execs from pro-
gram promotion and one from sta-
tion relations were lopped off the
payroll. Since then -other- signifi-
cant personnel' lopoffs were made.
Within the past few days, it’s been
revealed that Bea Marschner, head
of web personnel, and Ruth Herid-
ler, office manager, were given the
heave.
The net lately described the
axings not as budget moves but as
a “matter of pruning along Ines of
the network’s future plans,” O’Neil
said that department heads have
been asked to suggest changes to
“keep up with the times."
Misses Marschner arid Hendler
were under the aegis of financial
veep Jim Wallen, and their walk-
ing papers were taken as a sign to
networkers that Wallen was in
jeopardy at Mutual. Wallen, who
had denied that he might be one
of the v.p.s to be dismissed, is seen
as a victim of accumulating cir-
cumstances. Not only were two key
figures in his own area of power
fired from under hii , but there
have been previous maneuveririgs
that have' increased his precarious-.
nesS in the eyes of outsiders. Prexy
Tom O’Neil has handed a hefty
share of Wallen’s financial, duties
to his own administrative assistant,
( Continued Oil page 32 )
Kenjmn & Eckhardt is riding
wide and handsome these days
with tv billings hovering around
$21,500,000— $5,000,000 of that
alhount siphoned, into national, and
local, spots— an alltime high for
the Bill Lewisrprexied agency. Top
programming item on the IC & E
agenda, of course, . ' the Lincolh-
Mercury “Toast of the, Town”, '..rep-
resenting an annual ..outlay of ap-
proximately $5,5(00,000,' However,
running it a close second, are th
combined, Ford-RGA billings for
sponsorship of. the every-foUrth
Monday 90-minute Fred Coo-
helmed spectaculars, plus RCA’s
participation iff th threC-weeks-
outrof-foiu: .Sid Caesar hour 'show.
FprdrRCA lay it on tlie line to the
tune of. more than $4,000,000 for
tlie program collaboration.
As the agency which took the
K & E Lincoln Status J
Although, under the new
Ford^plan to set up different
divisions for Lincoln and Met- .
cury (just as General Motors
and Procter & Gamble does),
the Kenyon & Eckhardt com-;
bined billings look headed for
separation, as far as “Toast of
th Town” is . concerned. The
agency is prbtected through
[“' the ’55 season, which has ahr
ready been, committed..
It’s reported Young & Ru bi-
cam Will get the Lincoln biz,
with K & E sticking on Mv»i>
cury. At any rate, it’s under-
stood nothing wilL happen until
October, ’55.
1 rf
FAWCETT EXITS BBC
TO ‘GO COMMERCIAL’
London, Oct; 26.
The. exodus from BBC-TV to
commercial television continues.
The latest to ankle the state
monopoly service is Eric Fawcett,
one of the top drama producers
vvho has joined a J: Arthur Rank
subsidiary and will take charge of
production of comrnercials,
For the whole of 1953, Fawcett
was on a loanOut. from the BBC to
Norman Collins where he helped in
the pioneering of the High Defi-
nition electronic film system now
in use of Highbury, Studios.
Fawcett is the fourth producer
to quit the BBC for commercialism
during the past few weeks and
many more resignations are ari-
ticipated immediately the Inde-
pendent Television Authority, has
announced) ■ the-. program contract
tors# I *• - v -. 'i-
initial bows a couple seasons back
for the first of the tv spectaculars,
(the FOrd 50th anni hoopla with
Mary Martin and Ethel Merman)*
which many concede lias yet, to be
matched* K .& E has: one of the
major stakes riding the NBC-TV
spec concept today via the Ford-
RCA teamup for the Monday night
exUavagynzas.
. Too, the manner in which K & E
initially integrated “Toast” emcee
Ed Sullivan into the whole Lin-
coin-Mercury rnerchandising-salesf
exploitation framework (to the ex-,
tent that he now has a personal
identity with the product and the
automobile cofnpariyj is setting a
pattern generally in the agency’s
overall merchandising scheme.
Thus Sid Caesar is establishing an
RCA relationship in much the
same manner, being scheduled for
a Philly appearance before RCA
dealers in November as No. 1 on
the hit-the-road roster. Even his
wife, Florence, is being channeled
f Continued on page 32)
Toast’ Burns As
Pittsburgh, Oct. 26-
Dissatisfi.ed with its off-again, on-
again status on DuMont’s o.&o.
WDTV, Pittsburgh’s lone VHF op-
eration, “Toast of the Town” has.
pulled out of the alternating set-up
witli “The Comedy Hour”, and
placed the program elsewhere . in
this area. In fact, it’s going on
two stations oh a regular weekly
basis, WENS* UHF Channel; 16
here, and WSTV-TV, which is VHF
Channel 9 in Steubenville, O.
For . some time, the Ed. .-.Sullivan
program, prodded by Liricoln-Mer-
cury dealers; in this area, has
been champing at the bit because
of tlie irregularity with wlilch. it’s
been carried in Pittsburgh and
blowoff came when the pre-
emptions were increased by WDTV
because of the frequency of the
Sunday night Spectaculars in the
'^Comedy Hour” slot.
Permanent switch takes place
Sunday (31). As yet, WDTV doesn't
know whether it will carry “Com-
edy Hour” as a regular thing of
alternate it with some other, filmed
programs which have for ji long
time . been $ryipg , desperately to
‘.get. into, this jnaiUwt. * «-«
Wednesday, October 27, W54
P'kniETY
31
It happened. Anyone with half an eye
can see for himself.
The first Nielsen' ratings of the TV season are in ;
ratings that tell you how many homes in the entire
United States were reached by each sponsored television
program. That’s what the advertiser must know :
the circulation . of his program, the homes reached.
TAKE A WIDE-EYED LOOK:
The two top shows are NBC shows.
Then comes Jackie Gleason.
♦ •
And the next four shows are NBC shows.
Six out of seven for NBC, as the season begins. Here
they are, with ratings, as reported by Nielsen for
the two weeks ending September 25 :
Dragnet (NBC) 51. 2^
Buick-Berle Show (NBC) 50.1
J ackie Gleason Show (CBS.) 43.3
Lady In The Dark (NBC) 30.1
Colgate Comedy Hour ( NBC) ...... ..... . 38.6
You Bet Your Life (NBC) 37.7
Ford Theatre (NBC) 37.7
EYE OPENER
We know they’ll change as the season wears on.
They always do. But when we remember how well
\
we made out last year, we can’t really fret.
And meanwhile . . . not a bad way
to begin the TV year, is it?
Another thing. There has been a lot of talk
about NBC’s bold program ideas.
TAKE A WIDE-EYED LOOK:
As you see, “Lady in the Dark”, with no audience-habit
to build it up, is right there on the list. It captured
4th place on its own merits, and- oh the general
sense of high excitement that NBC Spectaculars have
instilled into the new season. It topped “Satins and
Spurs,” although not by much-ra special Nielsen shows
that “Satins” reached 11, 300,000 homes and would have
been the 5th if it had been rated as a regular program.
“Lady in the Dark,” Nielsen teils us, reached
11,347,000 homes, which means 31 , 000,000 viewers.
Not bad at all.
SORT OF OPENS YOUR EYES.
i
32
RADIO-TELEVISION
Pfissi&Tr
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
Shift To D.C. In ‘
By FLORENCE S. LOWE
Washington; Oct; 26.
A mai moth moving job that has
taken over four months and $.2,.- :
446,000 of Uncle Sam's cash, is cur-
rently 'itS ' final stages at the.
gover menVs Health, Education,
and Welfare Building.. Transplant-
ing the Voice of America from its
far-flung operation in New York,
where it was housed in four differ-
ent buildings, to a single floor in
the capital, has been a back-break-
ing, br. -racking task. Although
the job will not be finally com-
pleted • until April, 1955, when the
master control Operation , will be
ntircly centered here, Voice of
m ica, for all practical purposes,
now happily— 1 and hectically-
settled in its new home.
Moving started months before
last June, when the physical proc-
ess actually teed off, with a corps
of engineers making exploratory
lirVeys, and blueprinting the hew
single-roof format. The first half
of the Near East Division arrived,
on Sept. 10, starting the trickle pf
program staffers, announcers arid
scriptcrs who junketted here in
sections: the first broadcast in the
new studios, beamed to India ' and
in tile Hindu language,, put the.
new streamlined operation on . the
' • on Sept. .23, By now, eight of
the total 14 studios are in opera-
tion on a round-the-clock basis,
sending 75 separate programs via
shortwave daily in 38 different lan-
guages. Amazing part of this piece-
meal. moving job is that not a sin-
gle show has been cancelled in the
process..
Physical, setup of the new VOA
plant would be the answer to.
an engineer’s prayers. Centered
(Continued on page 47)
Bob Hope
Continued from page 26
Bea Lillie,” will come to London
front Glasgow to film her sint on
Nov, 7. The Vienna Boys Choir
are currently here and will $P. their
part of the program at a convenient
tint
As a result of. his itial over-
tures, Hope has, become increas-
ingly enthusiastic and is hoping
that he can negotiate with other
name European, talent to provide
the basis Of second 60-mi ute
program. He is talking a deal with
Line Renauil hd the Paris ballet
rnong others.
Hope ..left. London yesterday
(liloir.)- for a four-day stand at
Liverpool and after his royal show
and his film chore, planes to North
Africa on. Nov. 9 to entertain Gls.
From there: he flies to Paris for a
big show at Orly Airport, part of
which may be filmed. He antici-
pates leaving for the U. S. round
Nov. 12-13.
K&E
Continued from page 29.
into the setup and is slated for
talks before women’s groups, etc,
K & E’ “the star and the prod-
uct” format, extends also to the
commercials,' for just as Sullivan
has .long been the ace tv salesman
for Lincoln-Mercu ry , such person-
al ilies as Vaughn Monroe; Leo-
pold Stokowski and. Arthur ^Fiedler
have been pacled on an exclusive
basis for the RCA “sell,’'
Rounding out the K & E biilings
picture, Lincoln-Mercury shells
out nearly $1,000,000 on. an; annual
basis for its Guy Lombardo
WRCA-TV, N. Y., sponsorship. with
.Ihc agency’s National Biscuit Co.
down in the books for a $1,750,000
outlay for its sponsorship of the
ABC-TV "Rin Tin Tin” series.
Practically the same amount is
earmarked- ’in the K & E books for
Hudnut’s participation in the Sat-
urday night NBC-TV “Hit Parade”,
as an alternate-week client, with
American Tobacco, K & E, too,
has a flock of undef-$1.060,000
clients, such as Chase- National
Bank’s $500,000 tab for the weekly
“Sherlock Holmes” sponsorship on
WRCA-TV, . N. Y.; Welch’s $500,-
€00 every-olhor-weck participation
in, “Houdy; Doody” and the Na-
tional Brewing Co.’s sponsorship
of the Baltimore and Washington
ballgames locally
K fc E spot biz finds Mennen
splurging to the tune of $1,000,000
on . more thin .100 stations; with
RCA, Beech Nut, Lincoln-Mercury,
Amazo’s Instant Dessert among
other major 1 clients rounding out
the $5,000,000 spot total.'
Ed Lamb
: Continued from page 29
SUnne Miller, manager of WTOD,
Lainb’s Toledo radio station. Stoll
said that Lamb told him that he
was disturbed by the FCC charges,
which had placed him in a bad
moral light ind had put a stigma
on his family,, and that he (Lamb)
would do anything to clear his
name. !
Stoll said he told Lamb that hi
was under the. impression that the
attack on Lamb was politically in-
spired but that so far as he : (Stoll)
was concerned, his primary inter-
est was to expose the Communist
menace. He said he had asked
Lamb if lie had ever been in the
Communist movement, and he
quoted Lamb as replying, “As God
is. my witness, I have rib connec-
tion with the Communist . move-
ment. I never had any and I don’t
intend to have any.” Later, in reply
to a question, Stoll testified that
there had been some mention at
the meeting with Lamb , of the
FCC’s having contacted hirn.
NBC’s ‘God Bless’
Continued from page 27 '.ss
cation br big. enough sample to re-
flect U. S. audience viewing habits.
If, as has thus, far happened with
the NBC specs (on which -$20, 000, r
000 in sponsor coin is riding), the
Trendex is strictly downbeat, then
it’s the competing network that
shouts its joy over the phone to
let the world know it came out on
top. Either Way, depending on
which web has taken the count,
they haven’t got a chance because
of Something they themselves
have perpetuated.
What makes it so serious is that
the biggest gamble in tv annuals
has been placed in jeopardy; not
only in terms of the $20,000,000
in NBC sponsor coin and the $7,*
000,000 riding on the CBS “baby
specs”, blit in frustrating the at-
tempt to inject,., via the spectacu-
lar concept, an element of excite-
ment and showmanship into a
medium sorely in need of a new
and imaginative approach.
Continued from page 29
Roy Danish. Then, O'Neil has also
removed other responsibilities from
Wallen and handed them to Wilton
Gunzendorfer, Don Lee exec
who’s been, at the N. Y. Mutual
headquarters in something of an
advisory capacity for the past sev-
eral months.. It's reported that
Gunzend orf er has or ' will ’ shortly
take over one of. Wallen’s chief
supervisory categories — network
purchasing.
O’Neil has denied that the
board of directors will uridergo the
same tightening that’s been hitting
lower orders in the network opera-
tion. In the latter insta , it’s
estimated that better. than another
40 staffers will be,: cut within a
short time..
Tire major huddles . seem to have
been limited by and large, to
O’Neill; his number one veep at
General TeleradiQ, J, Glen Taylor,
corporate lawyel* Jack Pobre and at
times. Gunzendorfer.
Continued from page 27
were sold to Chrysler, when Col-
gate decided to give the Sunday
comedy-music stanza another whirl.
However, the Colgate apprehen-
sions and anxieties appear to be
mounting,, with McConnell report-
ed, in a week-to-week lather over
the unorganized state of ‘‘Comedy
Hour,” which is practically being
ad libbed from stanza to stanza.
Whether Colgate Will stay with
it for the balance of the season
seems to be a moot point, despite
contractual commitments, but it’s
considered a sure bet that the CBS
boys will be -stepping up their cam-
paign in an effort to persuade Mc-
Connell & Co, to embrace the “Co-
lumbia formula."
NBC, for one, has been unhappy
With the show’s results; Network
lias been, nursing its own particular
peeve over the fact that Colgate
turned virtually the whole pro-
duction roster over to the- Bates
agency. NBC is now saying: “Look
how organized arid better the show
was last year!”
*.
Continued from page 26.
station operators are almost over,
except for a few markets where
additional VHF channels are not
available or substantial UHF com-
petition is unlikely.
Relating the data to a break-
down of the 11 prerfreeze stations
which: lost money last year, the
FCC figures may throw light on the
question of how many stations a
community can support, It is noted
that no pre-freeze, station lost,
money in any of the former orte-
station or two-station markets. But
one was in the red last year in a
pre-freeze three-station market and
two. lost money, in the two pre-
freeze four-station markets (Chi-
cago and Washington).
Couple this with the fact that
eight of the 14 VHF stations in
New York and Los Angeles (the
only pre-freeze seven-station rnar-
kets) lost money last year (there
were nine losers in 1952), the FCC
report , establishes one absolute
conclusion; there is.no proof as yet
that a city can support four tv star
tions— VHF or UHF.
Fred Allen
.Continued from pad* 26
Des Moines— Central Broadcast-
ing Co., which operates WHO and
WHO-TV, has. moved into its new
quarters. The company spent ap-
proximately $500,000 in remodel-
ing the leased building that for-
merly was a roller skating rink.
The company owns the building it
has vacated blit has not announced
what disposition will be made of
i the property.
he observes, -‘a sandhog.on the job
and a man looking out of a man-
hole;”
Interlarded with: his frank Vexa-
tions with the l5-and-2% crafts-
men is much good humor at-
tendant to his prograiris and the
guests thereon. Then genuine af-
fection for show biz is dominant,
as he generously salutes the con-
temporary funnymen, his writers
(notably Herman Wouk and Arnold
Auerbach), reprises the phoney
Jack Benny “feud,” runs the gamut
from Mrs. Nussbaum and Titus
Moody to Ajax Cassidy and the
flannelmouth Senator Claghorn.
Allen’s “Treadmill to Oblivion”
is a sort of companion to another
contemporary tome, Ben Gross’
chronicle of 30 years of radio and
tv, “I Looked and I *Listeried.”
Whereas, the dean Of broadcasting
critics is statistical, 1 historical and
anecdotal, Allen subjectively
analytical, betirfics caustic, but in.
the main entertaining; It’s a com-
pelling book .which may bring Some
of the executive, and sponsorship
fraternity up short, as Allen sits
in captious .iqdgment on their
peccadillos arid ulcerous uncertain-
ties, but it will never bore them.
It is. funny reading, and -such
will enjoy wide audience.
Fortune Pope, who divides his time between his ownership-
management of. N.Y. foreign language indie WHOM, his II Prog-
resso Italian daily, and the Pope family’s Colonial Sand Co. (the
largest concrete combine in the world) has found a way to fill
in his spare time while also taking up the slack in radio station
operations generally.
. Pope this week on the eve of his eighth anni as owner -of WHOM, ,
finalized a deal for takeover of the Fulton Recording Co. in New
York, which will now become part-and-parcel of the: Coastal Re-
cording Co.
Latter outfit was founded by Pope back in ’49 as an adjunct
to his WHOM operation, renting out studio space at the station’s
West 52d St. quarters in N.Y. to clients, agencies, and others
for pre-taping of commercials arid recording work generally. To-
day it’s a flourishing round-the-clock enterprise that, under the
managerial aegis of Pope and Arthur Shaer, and combined with
the new acquisition of Fulton studios and ^facilities, practically
gives Coastal a topdog status in the Pope broadcast -enterprises.
Clients today number scores of top national arid local advertisei
in radio;./.
As still another offshoot of his station captaincy, Pope is now
embarking en an ambitious merchandising enterprise for a host
of products (razor blades, etc.) bearing the Pope-made: stamp.
dor,” which he translated to mean
“investigator.” He said the objec-
tion, which came from an outsider
and not a station exec, hinged on
the fact that implication is that
“inquistadOr” also means “punish-
er,” after the judges in the Inqui-
sition. De Lara said that neither
this nor the Wilson rewrite were
done fvith malice.
Observers feel that the incident
was brought on through a station
fear of being labeled politically-
biased, especially during an elec-:
tion period, rather than because of
any direct political pressure against
WWRL.
Continued front page 26
Which are not station produced are
excluded from guaranteed ratings.
Going into, effect Nov. 15, .the
rate system sets a maximum cost
of $2,000. per hour in prime time
(4 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays and
two houi§ earlier Weekends).
But, as with all hours under the
guaranteed rating setup, under-
writers can get off with less: the
station is providing maximum cost
of $1.25 per commercial minute per
1,000 homes, coming to a 6.0 rating
for prime hours.
Rating gu raritee on 20-second
spots is 75 cents pei* 1,000 homes
and on 10-second spots it’s 45 cents.
Lebhar points out that all his com-
piitati are based on five One-
minute commercials per half-hour
program.
The setup calls for WATV deliv-
ery. of the 6.0 in A time;' a 4.5 in
B time (approx. 1 to 4; p.m. and 11
p.rii. to midnight); a. 3.0 in C time
(all other times, with the exception
of 8 a, in. to noon weekdays, latter
being cheapest and, parenthetically,
slated in entirety as Italo program-
ming time). Should the station ex-
ceed guaranteed ratings, it will not
increase sponsor costs.
WATV ratiifgs will be guaranteed
via Telepulse only, according to
Lebhar, and. deficiencies draw, at
the bankrpller’s wishes, either a
cash or time credit. Incidentally,
pash and ti.me will be equal.
H’wood’s Own Specs
CBS Checkers
Continued from page 29
Continued from page 26
bad warned the latter on a number,
of occasions for changing AP copy.
On this point too. Miss Dick and
De Lara were in sharp contradic-
tion : to each other. The: ex-em-
ployee declared that he and de la
Vega, had talked of cbpy many
times but only “in a friendly way.”
He said de la Vega never made any
statements that could be 'construed
as war ings.
Only once did De Lara recall
that anyone had an objection to
his adjectives in describing names
in the news. Last spring lie called
Sen. Joseph McCarthy . an “Inffuista-
the other being. Channel 11. West-
inghouse,. WWSW and WJAS re
bidding for this one. If, Westing-
house gets . it it would wind up
with an NBC affiliation.
Out of the KQY pooling had:
hoped to come a CBS affiliation,
but in. view . ef the. reported CBS
purchase of Channel 9, they , know
now even, in advance of the official
merger that, it leaves them out in
the cold insofar as a two-major-
network identity is concerned.
But the real poser is: what about
DuMont and. his WDTV7 .Obviously
the lush single-station bonanza , is :
just about over, and what, it’s be-
ing asked, will happen should lie
lose both, NBC and CBS program-
ming? Will/ he sell? Some close to
the picture, say it s inevitable. (Re-
curring reports keep cropping up;
were eveni stepped up over the past
couple of weeks.) It’s estimated
that WDTV, as it stands, today, is
worth about $10,000,000 to some-
one who grabs off a major rietwork
affiliation with it. But it’s under-
stood DuMont, when and if he
sells, wilt be only interested iri
dumping the whole network
Continued from page 1 sas
for “The Conqueror,”- which Dick
Powell produced for the studio.
More, conservative .(and realistic)
estimates place the investment at
$4,000,000. But this is plenty blue
chip arid means the pic requires
blockbuster business if there’s to
be a payoff.
(Sales execs underline that draw-
ing $3 ,000,000 in "* gross returns
from the domestic market is some-
thing of: a struggle. That is, unless
the picture happens to 'be “The
Robe” or “From Here to Eternity”
or a similar entry that right fit the
outset proves boxoffice smash.
They: add there’s often an uphill
fight for yields over that amount.)
AVow Moneymaker
“A Star is Born” is the most ex-
pensive property turned out by
Warners. Having cost close to
$6,000,000— -this figure, which has
been widely quoted, is more truth
than fiction— “Star” needs a world-
wide take of about $9,500,000 to
avoid the red ink.
“Star,” so far, has been -a wow
money maker and if the pace is.
I maintained there’s a gbod chance
| for fancy profit. . It’s too early to
predict thih with any accuracy,; of.
course.' But many a Sales official,
with bitter experience with mar-
ket whims, might shudder at the
possibility that “Star” might have
turned out to be a commercial flop.
A lemon of this size M ould be mur-
der on what otherwise would be a
profitable year for a film company.
Walt Disney’s “20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea” is another example
Pi- the shoot-the-works attitude of
some filmmakers. This item was
brought, in at around $5,000,000.
The “extras,” l.e., costs of prints
and advertising plus distribution
expense, bring the the break-even
income to near $8,000,000. It’s to
| be noted that lesser-priced pix in-
quire gross business Of about one
and four-fifths times the negative
cost in order to move into the
black. The percentage of gross
over negative expenditure goes
down when unusually high budg-
ets are involved. For example,,
prints, o,n a 100-minute film cost
/tri.f* same regardless of whether th
negative is. $1,000,000 or $4,000,000.
Just about every major studi
has an entry, dither present or
slated for the future, in the how-
hlgh-is-up? sweepstakes. At Para-
mount, Cecil B. DcMille’s "Ten
Commandments” will be shootirig
On and off for nearly a year; it’s
hot likely to cost much less than
$5,000,000 and Could go well over
that level.
. “Oklahoma,” now rolling ip the
Todd-AO process, is budgeted at
$5,900,000. “Guys .and Dolls”
looks to be shaping as Samuel
Goldwyn’s biggest, the screen
rights -alone costing a mi iriium of
$1,000,000 on a percentage formula.
Metro’s “The Prodigal,” 20th’s
“There’s No Business Like Show
Busi ” Moulin’s. “Moby Dick,”
Columbi ’ “Joseph and Ili*
Brethern,” etc. — these are klohdike
projects.
Couple of years ago the new
policy of fewer but costlier pro-
ductions was adopted. This was
taken to mean the end of the “B”
product in the $300,000, or so,
category. On the basis of these
aforemehtipned tall money ven-
tures, the word “colossal” ought to
be coming back in vogue. And
this time Hollywood will mean it.
Wednesday, Octol>er 27, 1954
RADIO REVIEWS:
PSfMJtfr
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
BREAKFAST CLUB’
With Don McNeill, Fran Allison,
Sam Cowling, Johnny Desmond,
Eileen . Parker, Cliff Petersen,
Eddie Ballantine orch
Producer: Petersen . . (
Director: Lynwood King
60 Miris.; Mon.-thru-Fri., 8 a.m.
Participating
ABC, from Chicago
ABC’s morning , cornball express
continue? to .rock along although
the tv side of the simulcast now
being hot kinnied to the Coast has
yet to earn the- sporisbrial support
that’s, made the. radio version a
22-year breadwinner. Hour long
strip currently has blit one: quar-
ter-hour open on ABC radio but
has only the. final 15 minutes sold
each day on ABC-TV.
During its nine-month run with
iglit added, the technical prob-
lems of handling the numerous
AM.-only commercials have been
pretty well smoothed out and
more of. the true flavor of the Don
McNeill . - helmed group C o m e s
through the cameras. But there's
still- the early morning •audience
Splitup with NBC-TV’s "Today”
and CBS-TV’s “Morning Show” to
be reckoned with videowise, while
radiowise the jamboree has the na-
tional airlanes all to itself.
“Club” revisited (2D) was a typi-
cally informal session with toast-
master McNeill chatting with stu-
dio guests, Fran Allison’s “Aunt
Fanny” insert, some comedic by^
play by Sam Cowling and. Cliff
Petersen, and some pleasant, chirp-
ing from singers Johnny Desmond
and Eileen Parker, Added attrac-
tion this day was Burr Tillstrom
accompanied by Kukla and Oliver
J. Dragon; ; It made for good fun
as Kukla and Ollie “helped”
f TRIBUTE TO SIGMUND ROM-
BERG ,
With Oscar Hammerstein 2d; Ed
Herlihy, announcer
Producers: Andrew Love, Parker
Gibbs
60, Mins., Sun,, 7 ^.m.
Sustaining
NBC, from Hollywood .
This show properly belonged in
the NBC; “Best of All” series qn
Monday nights when music from
major filmusicals is Spotlighted.
“Tribute To. Sigmund Romberg”
was a musical salute to one of the
great showtune writers and tied
in with the' upcoming Metro hippie
of Romberg. "Deep In My Heart.”
In fact the music on the show was
taken from the upcoming RCA
Victor album of that title, a set of
.his top numbers which Romberg
batoned shortly before his death a
few years ago,.
From the Coast, Oscar Hammer-
stein 2d, a collaborator with Rom-
berg on several show scores, gave
the highlights, of the composer’s
carder in: between the musical se-
lections, Hammerstein told of
Romberg’s association with the
Shuberts. for whom he wrote 40 Of
liis‘ 79 shows, of Romberg’s meet-
ing With Lillian Harris, later to be
his wife, and of sundry other anec-
dotes about his life. Ed Herlihy
handled the song introes in an
ebullient manner, Herrri.
McN.eiU with couple of . inter-
views.
All in all, it was the kind of
breezy "let’s not take ourselves too
seriously” high jinks that has kept
McNeill working steadily at his
trade for more than two decades.
And there aren’t many other radio
headliners who can make that
boast these days. Dave.
says thank you
for another
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
At the start of my 10th year
in New York, I want to ex-
press my gratitude to the
following for their confi-
dence, judgment and faith
that helped to make the past
year my most successful one ,
PATRICIA ALLEN
MICKEY ALPERT
CHARLES BASCH
ROBERT BELL
JOHNSON BRISCOE
HENRY C. BROWN
PHIL CAMERATJ
ROBERT CHAMPLAIN
ANDREW CHRISTIAN
RICHARD CLEMMER
REX COSTON
SAMUEL DATLOWE
HENRY DENKER
DON DEVORE
MAURA DOONAR
SHERMAN H. DRYER
HERMAN ENGLE
NORMAN FELTON
BOB FOSHKO
JOHN FRANK
BRAD FRANKLIN
RALPH BELL FULLER
DALE GARRICK
MEL GOODMAN
PAUL GUMBINER
MARY HARRIS
DON HASTIE
ROBERT HODGES
ROLAND HOWE, JR.
FRANK HUBER
JACK HURDLE
ERIC JENSSEN
WILLIAM KALAND
PETER KEANE
CHARLES KINNEY
HECKY KRASNOW
PERRY LAFFERTY
MITCHELL LEIGH
DAN LEVIN
SIDNEY LUMET
ARLENE LUNNY
KAY MacMAHON
ROBERT DALE MARTIN
LUCILLE MASON
TED MILLS
WILLIAM MOGLE
JOE MORONE
JACK MURPHY
PAT MURPHY
MERRI NORTHRUP
AL PALLADINO
TONY PAN
STANLEY POSS
DORIS QUINLAN
MAX RICHARD
BOB ROMM
MARVIN ROTHENBERG
JACK RUBIN
SHOLOM RUBINSTEIN
WALTER RUCHERSBERG
RUDY RUDERMAN
HARRY RUDDER
FRANCES SCOTT
DORIS SHARP
JOEL SPECTOR
E. J. SPIRO
LELA SWIFT
ROBERT E. TAYLOR
ETHEL TER|tY
JEAN THOMAS
GEORGE TOMPKINS
ROGER WADE
TOM WARD
ANITA WASSERMAN
AMANDA WEBSTER
FRED WEIHE
HERBERT WOLF
30th ANNIVERSARY SHOW -
With Eddie QaUaher, Wally Ol-
sen’s Orch, others
Producer-director: Bob McKinsey
Writers: -Charles Sarjeaht, Jim
. Bormann, McKinsey
8$ Mins.: Thurs. (21), 7:30 p.m.
WCCO» Minneapolis
If any station is entitled to toot
its own horn, WCCO radio surely
qualifies. .In public service, top-;
notch promoti extensive pro-
ducing of its own high quality
shows and . all-ai'ound; .excellent
programming, it always has been
among the preeminent; Moreover,
refusing to allow video to push it
into the background, it still con-
tinues to be an airwave power and
topper. So that this 30th anni-
versary, show, a salute to itself, and
to radio generally, seemed entirely
apropos and. not in the slightest
immodest.
Unfailingly, WCCO’s own pro-
duced shows are sterling examples
of topdrawer scripting, producing
and direction and this birthday
program, reflecting its staff’s
skills, didn’t let dialers down.
While 85 minutes is a considerable
amount of time to sustain, the feat
was accomplished with a well con-
cocted spread, of song, music, com-
edy and interesting peeks, into a.
lively and eventful past.
.Reconstructing slices of popu-
lar yesteryear shows and recalling
some of the station’s outstanding
public services as the Northwest’s
“good - neighbor” and . friend, as
Well as reanimating historical
events which its broadcasts : brought
into more vivid . perspective, for
the community, the birthday cele-
bration provided much engrossing
nostalgia.
Reminiscently, WCCO assem-.
bled a number of Oldtime favorite
performers to participate in the.
show’s live portions, recalling their
earlyrday contributions that helped
popularize the station. Transcrip-
tions did the rest in reconstruct-
ing the past and tracing the . sta-
tion’s history and growth. AH
made for an impressive presenta-
tion.
Eddie Gallaher, one of the sta-
tion’s first leading personalities
and now : a WTOP, Washington,
D. C,, staffer, was brought back to.
emcee and he turned in a smooth
narrator job. Some of the other
oldtime performers present in the
flesh were Cedric Adams, Bob De-
Haven and Halsey Hall (still
WCCO staffers) and Jerry Harring-
ton, the Wheaties Quartet, Selma
Erickson, Betty Brewer and Herb
Paul. There were telegraphed
tributes from neighboring states’
governors and Minnesota governor
C. E, Anderson took the mike to.
toss bouquets. Speaking for his.
own “friendly competitor,” KSTP,
and other stations; Stan Hubbard
also was on hand to remi isce and.
hand out praises. Rees.
McMAHAN’S AND WADE’S
PRACTICAL TV MANUALS
CBS won’t contest in any way the decision of its 10-man continuity
department to use the new Writers Guild of America as its bargai ing.
agent.. The web legal and labor relations staffers will recognize th
power of WGA, at least until next spring when the now defunct
Television Writers of America control of continuity at the network
would have ended. .......
The current friendliness between CBS and WG A isn’t shared, ironic-
ally, by all members of the continuity staff. That group, shepherded
by few diehard TWAer?, didn’t sign with WG A until last week
when the Newspaper Guild failed in an Effort to test its. supremacy.-
There are still continuity writers at CBS who haven’t yet indicated ‘
allegiance with WGA. One explained that, when he does sign it will
only be, what with the majority wish, because he has no other choice.
Haydn Evans, general manager of WBAY-TV in Grefen Bay, Wis.,
Was in Manhattan last week seeking professional counsel on whether
to establish a cooking program. The verdict was unanimously negative.
Seems that many tele'casters are. convinced . that a cooking program
is strictly a “first year on the air” item, and not a lasting, staple
for local Video.
. ^ WBAY-TV is currently sold out in .prime time, with more prograi
knocking on the door than time to accommodate them. Station
grossing ovrir $75,00(1 monthly; Says Evans: “We are lucky in ha vi rig
channel 2, which creeps along the ground, so that we deliver . a good
signal in the remote upper Michigan area' which will perhaps never
have a television: station of its own. This gives us ian added potential
audience of around .200,000.”
WRAY is owned by the St. Norber.tine Fathers, White-robed V.dcr
originally from Belgium, Green, Bay having many Belgians along with.
S\yiss and Germans in its population,
WRC A-T V’s (ex-WNBT) widely-acclaimed educational feature pro-
duced With Princeton U. is expected to go network on NBC-TV shortly
after first of year, under title "Princeton ’55.” Series will be extension
of “Princeton ’54” series which , was presented earlier this year, and
which, starts repeat via kines this Sunday (31) on WRCA-TV. Network
series will- be. locally produced, with Harry, Olesker who produced
“Princeton ’54” and James Elson, director, handling same assignments.
Dick Pack, who \yas exec producer of original series and conceived the
program, is now national program manager for Westinghbuse Broad-
casting Co. Although it received kudos as an outstanding educational
tv’er, Princeton prbgram were produced on small budgets.; •
The screening committee, of Television Advertising Bureau will pow-
wow Nov 4 to decide on the organizatioh’s chief administrative exec;
according to latest reports. The matter of a topper for TVB has boo
pending for the past few months since nArTB. members merged with
indie tele operators to form the new sales promotion unit. The com-
mittee having -the filial sayso. includes Clair McCullough, Campbell
Arnoux and Roger Clipp.
Dotty Mack; the WCPO-TV; Cincinnati, pantomimist who’s been
miming records locally and on the DuMont and ABC networks for
the past five years, has finally made one of her own, She .cut her first
disk a couple of weeks ago, a number titled “Loaded With Love.”
Other side is sung by Bob Braun, another pantomimist on her show.
Miss Mack, who’s never taken singing lessons, claims that, through
her panto work she’s, learned the proper phrasing and breatliirig
technique?.
CBS-TV’ . “Wiriky Dink & You” ( Saturday and Sunday morn-
ings) went into its second year after, notching a sale of 1,250,000 kits
for the inaiden twelvemonth, according to the web’s calculators. Kids
use the- kits in drawing pictures on the face of their telescreens. CBS
regards the two-pronged program and kit package as among its top
merchandising efforts. Stanza is a, joint effort with Barry, .Enright
& Friendly. Jack Barry is host.
Richard »F. Hess, research director of: CBS Radio spot sales, has
started distribution of the latest edition of its Market Book to 14
repped stations, all SS account ejeecs and other key personnel. The
book, pushed as the most detailed of its kind to date, is a 21-section,
157-page work featuring major-city media info for each market cov-
ered, including base rates for radio and tv stations and newspapers.
Two practical television manuals
have just been published by Hast-
ings House, as part of its “com-
munication arts books” and both
should prove worthy i textbooks.
Both are by pros and give the low-
d£wn on their respective, subjects.
Harry Wayne McMahan, authored
“The Television -Commercial,”
which is subtitled “How to Create
and Produce Effective TV Adver-
tising,” and that about tells it. He’s
a Vet in the medium, a frequent
speaker at Ad Clubs the country
over ancf recently joined McCann-
Erickson as veepee and member
of the copy plans board in charge
of telecommercials.
: Robert J. Wade’s “Staging: TV
Programs arid “’Commercials” is in
the same idiom and it, trio, tells its
purpose in the subtitle; "How to
Plan arid Execute Sets, Prqps arid
Product! Facilities.” He is an
NBC-TV vet, ’ black-and-white
arid color, with a flock of imprest
sive top shows credits;- He au-
thored: “Designing for TV” pre-
viously. Fred Coe did the fore-
word, Both are generously , illus-
trated. McMahan’s . book; is a $5
item; Wade’s $6.50, and both a
good money’s worth for the pur-
pose intended. Abel.
Albany Radio Cellist
Joins Monk Order at 69
Albany, Oct. 26.
John Trdmbini, Albany concert
cellist, featured on WGY in the
Schenectady station’s - pioneer days,
bnd later a member of the ‘'musical
staff at WOKO, lias joined a Fran-
ciscan order at the age of 69.
. He is studying to become a lay
brother at the St. Francis Seraphic
Seminary in Lowell, Mass.
CBS-TV Affiliates Advisory Board, in New York last week for semi-
annual meet chaired by Glenn Marshall Jr., chose the following as
regional reps: Marshall, g.m, of WMBR-TV, Jacksonville; E. K. Jolt,
v.p., and director, WMAR-TV, Baltimore; James C. Hanrahan, v.p.-g.m:,
WEWS-TV,' Cleveland; Clyde W. Rembert, g.m., KRLD-TV, Dallas;
Philip G. Lasky, g.m., KPIX, San Francisco, arid Owen L. Saddler,
v.p.-g.m., KM.TV, Omaha.
Neil Schaffner and his wife Caroline have operated a tent repertory
company for .30 years in the villages and towns of nrirthwesterri Mis-
souri and lower. Iowa, Earlier this year ^the Ford Foundation sent, a
crew to ..Perry, Mo., to sperid a week photographing the operation in
full >
■ j
&
I ,«£?* .V
1 .•
.. t
'v
#=■
»a>»C
O 0 >
'S .
. -W'
< ^ (
/ ■ >.
J# /*
H&LwV 77 ,
S'
fc, v'*
* / tt
6> , '
A * y ' ,
WAir DI$NtY t>ROOUCtl
RADIO-TEI.E VISION
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
IN NEW YORK CITY
Jerry Franken, sales chief of the Lester Lewis packaging Office
' (he’s also co-producer of NBC-TV’s "Greatest Moments In Sports”)
rushed to Doctors Hospital last week for emergency appendectomy
CBS Radio visitors here last week included Frank McLatchy, sales
mgr. of KSL, Salt Lake City; William Shaw, g.m. of KNX and Co-
lumbia Pacific Radio web, with sales mgr. Bert West; Arthur Hull
Hayes, v.p. of web’s Frisco office. With Jules Dundee, ad and sales
director of KCBS there .. . WRCA’s Steve White and Bill Berns out-
of-tow ing last week on audience survey Bill Leonard missed his
WCBS "This Is N.Y.” program last week on a flu rap, making it the
first absence in his nine years at station . Mark down Claude Calli-
son (WRCA and tv) and Joyce Dance (Warwick & Legler) for a Nov. 4
marriage . . John Karol, CBS sales v.p;, speaking today (Wed.) at
Boston radio-tv ad execs club , . . Given Mahle added tO WRCA and
WRCA-TV traffic dept. ! WCBS’ Lanny Ross sings with St. Paul
Symphony on Nov. 3 , . Georgie . Price paired with author Laura Z.
Hobson on Monday (25) on . CBS' “Make Up Your Mind," playing host,
to Mia Slavenska, Frank Gifford, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, Caleb
Hammond and Alice Pearce WRCA director Bill Malcolm vaca-
tioning on Long Island . Vincent Meade named WCBS account
exec Theresa Lewis to Young & Rubicam as; story ed of radio-tv
dept. . . Harry D. Goodwin has resigned as general manager, of WVNJ
in Newark, a .post . he's occupied since the Newark News purchased
tiie station last November. lie joined the News in 1948 as. manager
of WNJR, then owned by the paper . . Bill Castle now spelling Gene
Stuart on Sundays in the latter’s all-night WABC deejay stint .
Lee Cooley, director of Perry .Como’s tv’er, named radio-tv chairman
of the N.Y. March pf Dimes 1955 drive.
Jack Lacy, longtime WINS gabber, got a new five-year contract from
manager Bob Leder . David Yarnell moved from WNEW’s- publicity
department to take up as administrative assistant under Bill Kaland’s.
aegis in prograriiming at the indie . . Sky Coach Airlines and Old
Gold have become new underwriters in WLIB’s Negro program block.
Ip the meantime, Tip top Bread expanded its announcement sked .. .
George Ball became father of a girl, Rahdi Ellen, Oct. 18 . WO V has
fixed up. the studio booth at Harlem’s Palm Cafe . . . Dick Pack, national
program chief for Westinghoiise Broadcasting CO. planes to West Coast,
today (Wed.) for first i look and listen to WBC stations there — KPIX
(TV) in San Francisco, and KEX (AM) in Portland.
IN CHICAGO
Frank McGivern exited his WBKB sales berth for veepee and ad
manager stripes at the KeKo Corp. . . . Dick Faulkner switched from
WMAQ sales to George Diefenderfer’s Chi NBC sales force. Bob
Loeber moved up from the WMAQ ad-promotion staff to fill the local
sales opening Eileen Mack departed her WCFL publicity and
femme gabber berth with Beity Mattson taking over her morning
airer . . , Evelyn Vander Ploeg, ex-Schwimmer & Scott, new timebuyer
at the Meyerhoff agency . . Chi NBC’s news s^aff covering a 14-state
area for the network next Tuesday night (2). Alex Dreier will gab
the midwest web inserts , . . Don McNeill and "Breakfast Club” gang
Will originate the ABC morning simulcast from the Hotel New Yorker’s
Terrace Room next Week . . Wilson & Co. bankrolling six i5-minUte
A f v
% »•* <
that’s the
GROUP
WLW
WtW-A
WLWC
WS.W-D
WIiW-T
Radio
Atlanta
Coltimbns
Dayton
Cincinnati
Sale* Offices: New York, Cincinnati ,
Dayton, Colufribus, Atlanta, Chicago
TV Juve Probe
: r
Continued from page 29.
sex, during the watching hours, for
youngsters (4 to 10 p.m.), they were
reminded that large numbers of
adults also watch t VcTuring those
hours, and what is a station sup-
posed to do about that vast audi-
ence of grownups? No member of
the Senate Committee team offered
a. solution for that dilemma.
When Enid. Love, assistant direc-
tor Of school broadcasting for the
British Broadcasting Corp., told
how careful BBC was about the
kind of programs offered for chil-
dren, she. added voluntarily: "But
I must stress that no one in Britain,
has ever seriously contended that
tv, Or. radio by itself, can either
cause or cure juvenile delinquency.
All available evidence suggests that
the major causes of these tragedies
are to be found in maladjustments,
insecurity or neglect at home.”
The Senate Committee took the
position that all mid cowboy films
in which there is shooting (which
should be : 10,0% of them) are. films
Of violence and therefore question-
able fare for junior if not, indeed,
downright harmful to hii This
view was. buffeted by umber of
witnesses Who. said youngsters take
such . things with, a grain. of. salt,
recognize them as theatrical' en-
tertainment and nothing more,
and are not dragged down men-
tally and rhorally by thei , even
When the villains get killed,.
Roughest industry comeback Was
delivered by Robert H. Hinckley,
ABC veepee, He teed off on James
,V;. Bennett,, director of the Bureau
of Federal Prisons, who had recom-.
mended . a commission, appointed
by the President, to generally over-
see the calibre of tv programming.
. "He suggests a kind of Watch and
Ward Society to scan the movies
and television,” said Hinckley, "If
such a group is established, it
should be to watch every medium
of communications, ft should, also
monitor the activities of public Of-
ficials, especially at the local levels
where the most graft is. You
should call it a Public Conscience.
Commission ‘ and it should even
hold up to scorn adults who try. to
get a traffic ticket fixed.” This
pretty well terminated further d Is*
cussi of censorship by govern-
ment commission.
segments weekly on Bill Evans eyeopener on WGN . . ... WMAQ-WNBQ
program director George Heinemann, WMAQ-WNBQ musical super-
visor Don. Marcotte and WNBQ music coordinator Larry Johnson to
judge vocal auditions for Sun-Times’ annual Harvest Moon Festival
slated for the Stadium Nov.' 20. Deejay Howard Miller and Sun-Times
columnist Irv Kupcinet will emcee the autumn Jamboree . . . Ed Joyce
added to the WBBM annouiicery . . Janet Kern, Chicago-Amerjcan
radio-tv editor, starts her fifth year On the daily next week . . . Johnny
Desmond, singer on ABC’s ^'Breakfast Club,” making series of campus
personal appearances.
IN WASHINGTON ... ,
.>/■ .*
Tom Taussig, who recently, ankled WTOP-CBS after three years as
tv program director, goes to Young & Rubicam in New York as account
rep . . . Judith Anderson due in this week to make pilot-f ilms of Bible
readings at the Capital Film Studios . . . Motorola unveiled its new
19-inch color receiver at a party at studios of WTOP, a CBS affiliate,
coupled with showing of fthe NBC spectacular, "Follies of Suzy” . . .
William E. Linden Jr. has been promoted to director at WTOP-CBS . . .
Bob Reed, WRC-NBC "Timekeeper” trekked to Annapolis past week
to -highlight the U. S. Naval Academy’s football pep rally . . . Hecht
Co., town’s largest department store, has tied in with WGMS, capital’s
“Good music” station, in a unique promotion stunt to hypo interest in
store’s eight-day hi*fi-tv-orama « . . Wania McGinnis, former film coor-
dinator for WTOP-CBS, now a freelanze radio consultant, With chores
on the Edgar Bergen airer alSo On her agenda . Elinor Lee, WTOP
femmecaster, has added a mid-rhorning % show to her early morning
station chores.
IN CLEVELAND
' Walfierg Brown, former NBC musical director here, inning special
disk show on WDOK . . . Ex-WSRS news editor Bob Engel doing news
for KFSD . . WGAR’s Reg Merridew ailing . . Wayne Mack doing
news for WJW . . Brooke Taylor subbing for newscaster Bob Lang
on WXEL’s Gray News George Jessel skedded as emcee for Press
Club-Nevvspaper Guild annual frolic . . Ohio Story which climbed
to fame over WTAM returning to outlet after switchover to WERE
and WGAR,. . . WNBK*s Bill McGaw and Don Rumbaugh in Chagrin'
Falls’ production “Mister Roberts” . . Mary Lou Barnum left v NBC
for TV Guide F16 Roth doing Ballet Theater promotion
IN PHILADELPHIA
Ralph Brent, WIP sales director, addressed meeting of Ohio Assn,
of Radio . and Television Broadcasters (22) in Columbus ... Dr. Edward
Janosik^ assistant professor of political science at the U. of Pennsyl-
vania, will assist WIP staffUn analyzing Election returns (Nov. 2) . . .
Paul Taylor, KYW newscaster, acted as panelist at monthly meeting of
World Affairs Council (25) , y John Vandercook, ABC commentator,
originated nightly news broadcast from WFIL (26) ! John Franklin
KYW newscaster, is pressing for State legislation to make it illegal
to discard iceboxes without removing hinges or hooks to prevent child
suffocations . . Joe McCauley, featured disk jockey on WIP’s allhighter
"The Dawn Patrol,” switches to a morning show "Start the Day Right,”
Thanksgiving week, replacing Mac McGuire who gOes to KYW in., the
wakeup shakeup . Carl and Ralph Lopaitin, WPTZ news cameramen,
both were in auto crashes during Hurricane Hazel ahd both escaped
without injury , . WPTZ ’‘Television. Kitchen” presided oVer by Mrs,
Florence Hanford, clocked up fifth consecutive year; last week making
it the longest running continuously-sponsored program in local tele-
vision. •
IN MINNEAPOLIS
WCCO-TV and Clellan Card. one of its ace personalities, have the
distinction here of Originating the first color telecast and being the
first local airwave star to appear on it, respectively. Station color
televised the regular black and white Card show, "Axel and His Dog,”
a smallfry program. Card also had been the first Twin. Cities’ per-
sonality ever to appear on a local black and white tv program. WCCO-
TV’s color camera is Upper Midwest’s only one, as far as is known . . .
WCCO radio staged and hour and a half show Thursday night (21),
much of it nostalgic in nature, to Celebrate its 30th anniversary . .
Black Hills Broadcasting Co. t operating, two Rapid City, S. ’D. f radio
stations, seeking a tv station permit for the town . . After more
than 11 years with WTCN radio and tv here, disk jockey Jim Boysen
picking up stakes and trekking to Pacific coast where he’ll seek a video
connection . . WTCN-TY launched bingo ("marko”). game late Satur-
day night show with an auto supply house as sponsor and a tieup
with grocery stores that distribute the "marko” cards , . . WMIN-TV
and WTCN-TV combining the present annual cerebral palsy telethon
from Minneapolis State and St. Pa.iil Paramount theatres’ stages
Nov. 27. WCCO-TV carried it from the State here last year.
Saturday (23) on the “The Folliei
of Suzy” spec . , . Patricia Peardon
into a featured role on ABC-TV’
"The Mail Story” tomorrow
(Thurs.) . . , Shirley Eggleston into
a running part on CBS-TV’s "Val-
iant Lady” . . Marcel Hillaire
did a lead last night (Tues.) on
"Armstrong .Circle Theatre” . . .
Naomi Riordan into "Studio One”
Monday (1).
John Magiius, produced with
United Cerebral Palsy and formerly
of NBC, ABC and WGY in Schenec-
tady, is leaving- this week for a
news and sportscaster job at the
new Milwaukee outlet, WTVW .
WATV’s four-man property shop
just joined I.ATSE . ... Don MorroW
yesterday (Tues.) did the first
video commercial for. Emerson. It
marks the return of the firm— o.ut
of tv for the past four years. Mor-
row also did a 'special three and a
half minute pitch for Lincoln-Mer-
cury Via WNBT’s Guy Lombardo
vidcast Fri. (22)..
Chicago
Everett Mitchell will emcee
NBC-TV’s telecast of the final
judging of the International Live
Stock Exposition Nov. 30. Allis-
Cha liners will lift the tab of the
hour-long show for the sixth
straight year ., . , WBXB news an-
alyst Austi Kiplinger addressed
the. Chicago Junior Assn, of Com-
merce monthly luncheon meeting
yesterday (Tues.) , Dinny Bruce
subbing for , honeymooning Lee
Phillip on her afternoon WBBM-
TV crqssboarder . . . John W. Tay-
lOr, exec director of WTTW, Chi’s
educational station, on the prowl
for a chief engineer . . . Jim Flem-
ing comes out next week to handle
the midwest cutins on . 'NBC-TV’s.
election night coverage . . Saler-
no-McGowen . Biscuit . sponsoring
Mel Bellairs’ ‘(What’s the' Answer”
Saturday nights on WBKB .
Clown Nicky Francis has returned
to the ABC-TV "Super Circus”
cast after recovering from a recent
operation . WNBQ hung the
SRO sign On its; local inserts on
NBC-TV’s "Tonight” with .Turner
Clothirjg and American Chicle
grabbing up the last. two availabili-
ties
Kansas City — Shelby Storck,
long prominent in radio and tv
here, is taking off from the local
scene to take over as a manager
of KETC, St. Louis educational tv
station on Channel 9.
New York
WRCA-TV’s Tex Antoine, oldest
continuously* sponsored weather-
caster in local tv, marks fifth anni
Nov, 5. Crossboarder has ‘ been
underwritten by Consolidated Edi-
son since Nov. 8, 1949 . . Ella
("Janet Dean”) Raines ‘ making
guest appearatices in behalf of
Damort Runyon. Cancer Fund . . .
Betty Sue Albert pacted for Syl-
vania commercial on "Beat the 1
Clock” . . Jackie Robinson, Carl
Braun, Les McMitchell and Frank
Gifford to sub for Marty Glickman
on WRCA-TV’s "Junior Cham*
pions”. as Glickman ewers NCAA
basketball games . . Up from
Washington, Ron Cochran will take
over for Robert Trout on WCBS-
TV’s "News of the Night” (includ-
ing the' Saturday segment), but
Trout sticks with "6 O’clock Re-
port” plus his upped radio chores
. i . WRCA-TV sales mgr. Jay
Heitin to Frisco 'and L.A. fo.r IQ-
day biz. trip. Station’s "Guy Lom-
bardo Show” this Friday (29) will
feature guest Bibi Osterwald in her
w.k. "Casey Jones” , , , Ten danc-
ing dolls bearing built-in music
boxes to pair off with live mop-
pets on WRCA-TWs "Children’s
HOur” . in ekt Sunday (31) . . . Frank
Ford into one of the production
numbers of NBC-TV’s "Hit Parade”
... Dean A.. Myers, Columbus Dis-
patch radio-TV ed, Into; New York
for a week of t*v interviews!
After a couple) of years based
thataway on West 57th St., CBS*
TV press Info moves to the re-
furbished fourth floor of 485 Mad-
ison Ave. hq. latter part of this
.week . •... It’ll be two top ad libbers
versus, each Other as Fred Allen
squares off with Steve Alleif on
latter’s. NBC-TV "Tonight” show
tomorrow (ThUrs!) . : . WCBS-TV
hosting luncheon on Friday (29)
honoring Dr. Frank C. Baxter, the
Shakespearean scholar, at Savoy
Plaza , General Mills . .and .its
"Lone. Ranger” looking ahead to
Feb. 12, 1955, when the Saturday
western series will extend tb a full
hour (one-shot) as an anniversary
gala on CBS-TV.
Attorney Morty Becker, of the
Jafle & Jaffe office is recuperating
at the New Canaart (Conn.) home
of scripter William Kendall Clark
after a setback following his dis-
charge from the hospital, where he
was treated for a severe cold and
general exhaustion.
Franklin Schaffner, alternate di-
rector of CBS-TV’s "Studio One,”
cited last week by alumni associa*
tion of Franklin Marshall College
(he’s class of ’42) for his "con-
tributions to television.” Award
was . a printed foolscap in a blue
leather binding . , . Arlene Francis-
fcmceed "Army Soldier Parade”
on ABC-TV gets trimmed to a half-
hour starting Sunday (31) in switch
from its. Wednesday full hour!
Show replaces "Dr. I. Q.” and is
for four weeks only since the new
Gpodson-Todman stanza is ear*
marked for the Sunday slot under
Revlbn auspices/
Tom Avera chalked up his 35th
Mar Liebman v ir production last
EDITH DE LYS
VOICE TEACHER FOR
POPULAR SINGERS
DICK SHAWN
Stor of Max Llebman's
TV Spoctaciilari
$iudltt Excludvoly with
MADAM DE LYS
19 WEST 56th STREET
COlumbus '5-3077
Vll MIND YOUR STORE !
Right-hand man to Show Biz Bxocu-
tivo; 20 yoars' ox|aarloncc In all
branches of. ontortalnmont world: mu-
sic, movlos, ■ stage, radio and TV.
Writing, casting, creating. Currently
a story editor with mofbr movie com-
pany but would like chang*. Know
business procedures.
I can bo your Unlvac. Lata Thirties,
won't frighten children. Box V-2015,
Variety, 154 W. 44th St., New York 34.
For Sale-New Jersey
I .rm. ; d«lux« rtn«h home, I'Y Undfcapid
vrit— llv. rn>., 14’ pUtur* wliidaw— randam
Mk paaiad fleer, flraplar*, full dining ratni.
20x20 tarrata, autdaar kltehan. 3 raama in
natural waad flnithaa, 2 air.tand. unite at-
aludad, > milt* , fram fiaarga Wgatiingtan
iridH. 440,000. Phana CLaitar -5-2460 ar
CL .0- 1505 W,,; . . - 7.
Wednesday, October 37, 1954
MmETf
RADIO-TELEVISION
S*
television Reviews
Continued from pace 3ft
come bashfulness in meeting young
men. ^
The last half-hour reverted to a
considerable extent to the old
stand up lecture technique, using
few props*. The topic was “Our
Changing Earth: The Geology of
Michigan.”
Dr. James H. Zumberge, encum-
bered as he. necessarily was with
having to define strange geological
terminology which, described the
pre-ice age period that was the
subject of the lecture* did a rea-
sonably competent job. The use
of ' Classroom students” to asjc
questions might work to good
advantage here to stimulate in-
terest by cutting up the monolog
into more digestible segments. This
course will continue for seven
weeks.
Show is kinescoped in univer-
sity’s studios at Ann Arbor. It is
presented weekly at. 1 p.m. Sunday
over WWJ-TV, Detroit; and later
in .afternoon or in the week over
W JI M-TV, Lansing; WKZO-TV,
Kalamazoo; WWTV-Cadillac. and
WPAG-TV, Ann Arbor. Tew.
jig-type number to folk tune back-
ing. in a county fair, sequence, Up-
pacing of show would help it a lot.
Miss Harmer’s solo bits were all
in the. mood category. They in-
cluded items like “Man I Love”,
“ffey, There!” and a dragging in-
troduction to speedier chorus job
on “Of Thee I Sing.” Insertion of
one or two livelier arrangements
arid better staging would showcase
her okay pipes to much better ad-
vantage. Don Garrard's clicko;
bass-baritoning- of “I Got Plenty
Of Nuthin* ” arid drincer Don Gil-
lies’ presentatiori, with an unbilled
femme; of a routine to “Taking a
Chance on Love” lifted the show
nicely.; Recorded greetings from
Paul Whiteman were presented
during the show to “Showtime’s”
batoner, Howard Cable.
Future stanzas will have dance
team Alan 4 nd Blanche Lund, and
announcer Herb May will alternate
with femme gabber Pat Patersori
on commercials; Gorm.
DANCE PARTY
With Joe Grady, Ed Hurst
Director: Dennis. Kane
40 Mins., Mon. 11:20 p.m.
ARTHUR MURRAY
WPTZ, Philadelphia
Joe Grady and Ed Hurst, long-
time pros with a large teenage
radio following, easily carried their
fans with them to their ‘sock Sat-
urday morning tv disk session. In
“Dance Party”, they make a pitch
for the 40-plussers, but stay on the
same sure ground. An engrossed
SRO studio audience sat content
to watch the Arthur Murray in-
structors and their student terpers.
'Dance Party” doesn't seem to
have the abandon of the matinee
crow d. The participants have more
purpose. A fast-stepping retired
oldster, queried by the diskers as
lie danced, explained that his so-
cial life was much improved, thanks
to Arthur Murray and his own high
regard for the samba. Another
student used the lessons as therapy
for her arthritis; Not all the danc-
ers iensed, however, were old and
halt, The ; , staffers on the floor
were agile and proficient as they,
glided, about to the master of Tony
Simone at the organ console.
Dee j a y pair swing enough weight
to get the best in town — morning,
noon or midnight. Joni James
made the long trek from Sciolla’s
outlying, spot in North Philly. to
lip-sync “Mama, Don’t Cry at. My
Wedding. A restrained Jack, E.
Leonard (Celebrity Room) engaged
in 'some, hunor banter and insults
with the boys. Dave Appell and his
Applejacks (quartet), did a run
through on a brace of their record-
ed numbers. “Dance Party” isn’t
likely to have the all-out appeal of
team’s juve programs, since grown-
up loyalties are apt to be divided.
Show is best try for Arthur Mur-
ray studios on the local level.
Drawing power will depend in
large measure on Calibre of guests
and deejays can certainly swing
this feature.. Gagh.
WATV's 'Frolics' Coin
With the sale of time to Nestles
and TV Time Popcorn, WATV,
Newark, has expanded its “Junior
Frolics” juve stanza into an hour-
long program.
As of last Monday (25), the cas-
ing was lengthened from its origi-
nal 5 to 5:30 time up to 6 p.m.
MIDWEST B0W0UT
Cincinnati, Oct, 26.
Wendy Barrie's one-year con-
tract With the Tristate NetWork
was terminated last week, with
pay to the unexpired period end-
ing Dec; 31. Her one-hour parti-
cipating show, Monday through
Friday, originated at WHIO-TV,
Dayton, O., and spread to WKRC-
TV," Cincy, , and WTVN, Colurn-
bus, O.
In announcing that the actress
would he replaced by Don Wil-
liams, puppeteer and ventriloquist.
Who . was her co-emcee, will take
oyer the chief role; U. A. Latham,
WKRC-TV general manager, said
“as long as we were not going to
renew the contract, We decided to
end it.”
Williams is supported by Bar-
bara Rettig, Jeff Carter and an
orchestra.
Turns is shopping around the
various tv networks for ji full hour
of : Christmas Day time for a spe-
cial holiday showL
Same sponsor did a Xriias special
last year and it’s recalled that the
Turns commercials (with Basil
Rathbone doing the sell) practical-
ly brought down the wrath of the
industry on its head.
Shows to Regional OHFers
What amounts to all-UHF net-
work (with but one station excep-
tion, WPIX), has gradually been
taking shape. Ten video stations
along the upper east coast with
WPIX, the N. Y, Daily News-owned
VHFer as the key, are already tele-
casting a limited number of the
same programs in order to cut
down production costs and simul-
taneously attract regional sponsors.
In the near future another five
outlets will join the network.
The setup, identified by WPIX
as simply a “program relay plan,”
had its experimental start last bas-
ketball season when the Gotham
tele operation relayed its game
pickups chiefly to stations in Allen-
town, Pa., and Adams, Mass...
Unlike CBS-TV, NBC-TV, Du-
Mont or-ABC-TV, the new web. uses
neither microwave relay nor coaxial
cable to transmit programs from
one point to another. And it doesn’t
look like it will ever grow beyond
regional stages, since it ! s all done
via relay on the basis of transmitter
strength .alone. WGLV-TV, Easton,
Pa.; WTVU, Scranton, Pa.; WmGT,
Adams, Mass.; WATR-TV, Water-
bury, Conn., are the “one hoppers,” i
picking the WPIX program directly
from the Empire State Building
transmitter. W.HUM-TV, Reading,
Pa., in, turn, picks up WGLV’s sig-
nal. To further intensify coverage,
it will be picked up by a third
string of stations; presently includ-
ing WCMB-TV* Harrisburg, Pa.,
and WNOW-TV, York,. Pa. WMGT
Will feed to WKNY-TV, Kingston,.
N. Y. (although closer to WPIX
it has terrain problems which pre-
vent; direct relay) and to WWOR-
TV, Worcester, Mass.
It's tf carefully planned opera-
tion. The first four stations ar
actually outside WPIX’s basic cov-
erage area, but special antennas
and “hopped -up” equipment enable
dii^ct pickup.
A definite sales operation has
been organized to lure regional and
local (via co-op) bankrollers. Called
Telepool, Inc,, and headquartering
in Stockbridge, Mass,/ it already
has Young & Rubicam for Piel’s as
underwriter of the 69 Madison
Square Garden events being tele-
vised by WPIX. Head of the U
Sales outfit is James W. Miller.
The Telepool network is plan-
ning now to feed occasional pro-
grams back to WPIX. And of the
WPIX originations, the station fig-
ures it won’t stop simply at trans-
mitting sports but intends expand-
ing to other program types.
CGE SHOWTIME
With Shirley Harmer, Don Gar-
rard, Don Gillies, Showtime
Singers (8) and Dancers (6),
Howard Cable Orch, Herb May,
announcer
Producer: Harvey Hart
30 Mins., Mon.; 8 n.m.
CANADIAN GENERAL ELEC-
TRIC
CBS-TV, from Toronto
( MacLaren)
Upped to name status by M-G-M
records and Paul Whiteman, Cana-
Ojan-born Shirley Harmer is top--
hilled in this season’s “CGE Show-
iime ’ series on Canadian Broad-
casting Corp.’s television web.
kevue type of show, airer scattered
planters and terpsers across its
W^h abandon sans much co-
pulation or sparkle, but some of
inis could have been, in fact looked
Pieem nervousness and teri-
* Trouble was, everybody, iri-
f r: dltl £ Miss Harmer, seemed
unsure . although gal loos-
a bit towards the end of
ne st .anza to better ' effect.
Rf.S r, M ner . a l s Q suffered from di-
£ off-screen noises as • of
. wped props, inadequate sound
tin Ing i es P. e cially between orches-
i n a Md voices, lack of originality,
i choreography and. some light-
bi? , U( > aknesse s, not all attributa-
fnr 1° night jitters. Terpsing,
tin* c , xam Plo, so, closely resembled
: v L •! lcln 'S: in other CfiC-TV re-
th e - , L. 11 Save the impression that
Show- egroU P went from show; to
Shn,i 'V lth the same routines,
dicio.ui routine here, was a brief
Bring the
and be sure of continuous
true High Fidelity
It is i mpossible to obta i n High
from aiiy phonograph unless the record
is played at the exact speed at which it
was recorded*
No phonograph can continuously play
records at the exact speed at which they,
were recorded, except by the use of a
speedometer and a speed regulator. Only
zenith has these; therefore, only zenith
record-changer phonographs can conti
ously give you true High Fidelity.
It is a surprisingly little known fact that
even the finest ..record players vary
turntable speed at time of mamifactur
and get worse as they grow older. A varia-
tion of only one rpm in turntable speed
will make aft LP record sharp or flat by a
full quarter tone.
Zenith’s Stroboscope, which is its
speedometer, and zenith’s variable speed
regulator, both of which are built into our
high fidelity. reco.rcL-diapgQi*. phonogiui#lys,
enable ft'i-Child ‘to -4'egidatef the* Speed: and-.
set zenith phonographs at exactly 78, or
exactly 45, or exactly 33Y or exactly
16% revolutions, pet ■•minute. 16% rpm is
the new Talking Book- speed.
Without a 'Speedometer and a variable
speed regulator, no phonograph can. give
you continuous true High Fidelity. De-
mands zenith if you want true High Fidel-
ity.- Get your Zenith dealer to demonstrate
the Zenith Custom Super-phonic today.
Zenith Super-phonic ha* dll matched
component* needed for true Hjgh
• Fidelity reproduction: Dual speakers
with 7 woofer, v . Cobra® Tone Arm
with barium titanale pick-up gives fre-
quency response of 25-20,000 CPS. E.
elusive Lid Lock makes whole cabinet
acoustically sealed sound chamber..
DuaLneedle cartridge with. I -mil and 3-
mil styli for simple, finger-tip selection of
eorrec t needle for LP and standard records,
tpi (ra-lftrig playing 4 i 4 ?npp(l stylus . arid A6
> JIEM spindle/ optimnd aKsflight extra cost.
The Cuitom Super-phonie In Mahogany finish,
Model Hl'IUSK, $149.95.-* ■ In Blondt; fj'nitili,
Model HI’RJoE, $159.95.* The Super-phpni
siarls at $129.95.*
fggyffL
® RADIO
The royalty of television and ilfllrlw
acked by 36 years of Experience in Radionics Exclusively
ALSO MAKERS OF FINE HEARING AIDS
Zenith Radio Corporation, Chicago 39, JHinoi
e
•^Aapoigcfurer’s jup^aUe'd retail price, Sliflhtly hipher^
In' Far ^#$7 and 'South. . Prldrt 'and' ipeeificattqnc 1 .
*il> , j«d''tbAK^ho e : Without 'noli cop"-,
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
P'Snmff
* 4**
% i : -
Vy
Ailfe
■IIP
^!F <
mm d
* , ;l
-^v: * , -
: ' <■ #
a . .,. >• < . V.-:<’< :•:•.•.■
& *k
' x. ^
ito is RESPONSE
When WDSU sent out invitations over the air, over
60,000 attended WDSU. Night at Pontchartrain Beach.
Thousands more fans were turned away. For a station
to draw the largest crowd in the 26-year history of an
amusement park shows an unusually high measure
of .audience response.
Such. response can. only be built on outstanding com-
munity acceptance. And this in turn depends on lead-
ership in staff, in facilities, in enterprise.
• >#$* 4*
■SC;
W«(fne*lay, October 27, 1954
YOU
ASKED
FOR
IT...
HERE
IT
IS!
TV TIC-TAC-TOE
the most fabulous, the rich-
est* the greatest assortment
of prizes ever offered in
broadcasting history I
supported by over 100 million
PROMOTIONAL PIECES in the big.
gest, most diversified, most com-
prehensive merchandising pack-
age ever Offered . . anywhere,
anytime!
COST? ZERO!
THIS IS NOT A PwpuitK. . .
i
MILLION
DOLLARS
IN PRIZES
I m^m WL I Mm ELl?
^ ,
.•.% . ■ .v.v.:
i *
r
S>" /-
V s > V
THIS ISA NTA
SERVICE . .
AVAILABLE TO ONLY
100 STATIONS
IN THE UNITED STATES
wSs %
....M*..., < ^
s / f *. *
V.SVO.SV.vIV^.SSV.V
.‘.SV.V.V.W.V.V.’.V.V
V.'iV.V.V.'.V.V.'i
^ , '
, V > ' ■.
THIS PROMOTION HAS EVERYTHING!
/ . .
IXCITIMINT . • .. , prolonged for 0 21 -week period, leading up to O
grand contest climax. ,
ACTION . » . . » . every week a new contest, with everyone in your
market eligible.
SIMPLICITY . ... no captions to read! no box tops to handle! no
: 1 slogans to judge . . Our master plan makes it as
easy as a-b-c.
REWARD .. the greatest audi “Pied-Piper'd” into
station. Brings you , . . keeps for you . . mor
national, regional and local sponsors than you've
ever had before.
PRESTIGE . . / . • solidifies present billings with powerhouse merchan-
dising plan .. .puts, you in direct contact with huge
national advertisers.
' r
• v
''>i *,, v ' '
m or the )o mMw.EOfcsUMEBi who whi be
RtBHIEiOOTHTO RETfld STORES Ml OVER THE COUNTHr EVERT WIE*
-TO- BET Tfillft "‘TV TIC4AC40E” CM&ST
s , * - , , v s S' ,
: s 'v /fcAU $00* WA MAN TOO AY i He's Only M!n»t+s Awpyt
ij’A'.v/v.V/.'.'.W.'
V-O" '
m
^Copyri
- ; - ' . - * , , ,7
AVENUE, NEW YORK, H. %, Hm 5-S3WTO
s' t ■. '
■X ^ x o '
>
*
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
— • ~ -a
Pfoti&rr
'** V
TV-FILMS
43
Prevalent belief that there’s a famine of feature films available
to television is belied by the latest Broadcast Information Bureau
compilation, which shows a total of 3,046 acceptable features ort‘
the market, plus an additional 992 westerns. Titles are listed in
BIB’S new TV Film Program Directory— -Feature Films, tohich is
being released today (Wed.). ’ „
Totals don’t include two categories of available features, thoie -
subject to copyright litigation, and some 500 titles which were
previously listed /but .now are characterized as havirig "quality
now judged insufficient- for telecasting.” . Many, features, accord-
ing to. BIB editor Judy Dupuy, have outlived their copyrights or
leasing-for-ty agreements, and are i the hands of distributing
organizations which though they have physical possession of the
prints, don’t necessarily have legal title to them.
Woes; In Tiz Over Colbert ’s liz’
Rockhilh Productions has made-
demands upon -Gross-Krasne (Unit-
ed Television Programs), vidpix
packagers oh the Coast, for the
return of a pilot film held to be
in the possession of G-K with latter,
as the "innocent party” in an al*
leged unauthorized transfer . of
property. This and other incidents
relating to RockhiU’s current finan-
cial woes were aired last week;. by
Janet Taylor, president of Rock-
hill The seriousness of the; situ-
ation— Of which physical "dispos-
session” of the pilot and prints of
it constitutes but one phase in
a series of elaborate : charges- and
events — is indicated in Rockh ill’s
retention Of Warren S. Tenney, a
New York attorney, to handle the
case. Tenney was, assistant to Dis-
trict Attorney Frank Hogan, until
a few uteeks ago and is now in
private practice/
Filin involved Is "Leave It to
Liz,” made with Claudette Colbert,
as the star and projected as a
three-year series with the Toni Co.
signing as the sponsor arid a time
slot arranged on NBC-TV. Hitch
developed, however,, when ; Miss
Colbert nixed the deal saying she
would hot pitch the commercials,,
nor even introduce the announcer
who would make ’the formal plugs.
Rockhili’s investrrient in “Liz” was
‘‘upward of $50,000.”
Last week, Rockh ill wrote to
Gross-Krasne that ’ a "certain prop-:
erty is now in your possession . . .
obtained pursuant to a purported
purchase and sale between you arid
E. J. Leven. r ’ The latter is de-
scribed as not Owning the film
and Without any right to dispose
of it since "he is not an officer of
the corporation” and has riot been
in an officer capacity "at any time.”
Rockhill is currently unrepre-
sented on tv. Its leading property
is "Tom Corbett, Space Cadet,” not
now aired but still a key vehicle
on merchandising-licensing factors>
and it also- has, a major telepix
project in "Jet Fighter.”
’Plundered’
According to its statement, Miss
Taylor returned to. her office re-
cently after a serious illness to
discover that the company , had
been ‘‘plundered” in her absence.
"She found, ,K the declaration con-
tinued, "that the Claudette Colbert
pilot film wal missing arid appar-
ently disposed of, corporate monies
Eone and 'unaccounted for, cor-!
(Continued pn page *47).
„ Package of 13 Princess Pictures
nriade-for-tv” features which have
been distributed by Vilapix won’t
go over to Guild Films under the
Guild . Vitapix agreehient. Am
nouncement of the agreement had
Guild -taking over all Vitapix prod-
uct, but Princess, headed by Burt
“alaban, has recovered the 13 fea-
tures and »is now negotiating a dis-
tribution; deal with Other outfits;
with a firm commitment for a new
vist rib. reportedly due within the
Week. ••
Other Vidfilm properties, ‘all of
Which will be handled by Guild,
*re (he Johnny Mack Brown West-
cins and the VitdpiX wrestling
•now from Hollywood.
Alicoate Joins Wicks
John C. Alicoate has resigned as
eastern sT31es chief of the TeeVee
Co. to join Charles Wick’s. Tele-
film Enterprises in the same.chpac-
ity. Telefilm also added Alexan-
der J. Cline to the new post of
film traffic manager. ^
Alicoate, a member of the trade-
paper family, joined TeeVee this
spring, after serving with Guild
Films as assistant national sales
manager., Cline was formerly with
Siheli. Oil, where he was film li-
brary and traffic manager.
, WOR-TV,: N. Y., has pulled the
rating guarantee off its 16 show-
ings weekly of each of the 30 fea-
tures purchased from parent crirp.
General Teleradio;. As ai matter of
fact, it was learned, that the last
two of the eight sponsors inked to
pay for the expensive package — •
N; Y. Telephone and. Duffy Mott—
did not sign on the basis of a guar-
anteed 70 cumulative rating each
week.
The first rating’ oh the month-
old multi-run casing, before the
two last sponsors, signed, was 70.7.
In a Telepulse of Oct. 8 to. 14, the
16 showings of the pic got an 84.2
cumulative rating, putting WOR-
TV into N. Y.’s number three spot,
on the basis of quarter-hour av-
erages behind NBC ^and CBS flag-
ships, for the second lime in as
many ratings, but this time from
6 p.rri. tfhtil midnight instead of 7
to 11:30 WOR only made the 70
guarantee to attract sponsors to
the $4,125 : a-vveek deal. It’s doubt-
ful,: according to some observers,
if ratings fall below 70 that the
guarantee will be reinstated. !
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS’
INSTITUTIONAL VIDPIX
Now the "tourist attractions have
started bankrolling their own in-
stitutional vidpix.,
Luray Caverns, Va:, has pacted
with Hollywood Television. produc-
tions for one 15-minute vidfilm arid
Ponce de Leon Springs, Fla., is. go-
ing to make six of the same length
through the same producer. The de-
cision to underwrite completely
their own public service stanzas
is seen as an outgrowth of satis-,
faction with participation iri the
10-month old "Guided Tour” quar-
ter hour made by HTP. That show
Contains features from several tour-
ist attractions , each week, and is
distributed gratis to 209 tele sta-
tions/
HTP . has realized gross of
$100/000 this past year in produc-
tion and distribution of industrials
or travelog-type pix. Ship ’N’ Shore
Blouses is. iri , for the third year
with six quarter-hour pix at NTP;
international Silk Assn. Is doing
four more; Coty is inked for two;
Suzy Perrette (dresses) is also
pencilled for two. Other NTP ac-
counts include Edison Ediphones,.
Underwoods .Typewriters, Pennsyl-
vania Railroad* ' “''V v.
VS
By BOB CHANDLER
The first shot in what promises
to be a long and drawn-out. battle
between the networks and the film
syndicators was fired last , week via
the announcement of an "agree-
ment” between Guild Films and
Vitapix under which the former
will provide some $12,000,000
worth of first-year programming
for national spot sponsorship over
a lineup of some 60 present and
future Vitapix stockholder sta-
tions. V
The Guiid-Vitapix agreement,
though couched to the press in
cautious* terms, left no doubts that
this proriiises to be the ; stations,’
major thrust against -the network
rate structure. That a filmed net-
work in which the stations could
keep 100% of their rate v card via
sales 71 of network-quality filmed (
shows to national sponsors lias,
been a gleam in the eyes of top
station- operators is no secret. And;
that the. Vitapix member stations,
Among -which number more, than
20 CBS basics and^ i4 NBC basic af-
filiates, have given unqualified sup-
port to the Guild enterprise is also
no. secret, although Reub Kaufman
and Frank E. Mullen, the respec-
tive prexies. of Guild and Vitapix,
were careful to state that no sta-
tion under their license, can “trade
away its time.”
That the . stations, after three
/Years of comparative inactivity un-
der the Vitapix banner, are playing
for keeps, is inherent in the Guild
production plans, Which call for
five new half-hour nighttime shows,
including “The Goldbergs”, and
Paul Coates’ "Confidential File,” a
longtime toprated local show in
Los Angeles. In the daytime
sphere,: Guild Will turn out four
quarter-hour strips, comprising 20
quarter-hours weekly, which* in-
clude Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in
a twice-weekly format, Connie
Haines as a three-a-weeker, "It’s
Fun to Reduce,” as a cross-boarder
and "Bride and Groom” as a sec-
ond cross-boarder. Kaufman is
currently negotiating for the other
three nighttime segments and the
one daytirner, with top names and
properties reportedly ip the works.”
Rate Card Big Factor
Guild , and Vitapix see several
distinct advantages in their favor
in the upcoming battle for station
and advertiser allegiance. One is
the rate card factor, under which
the stations will get 100% of their
national spot rate instead of 30%
of their network rate. On the ad-
vertiser side, the Vitapix station
lineup will cost about 25% less to
a sponsor than the same lineup
bought on a network basis. (That’s
because stations have set their net-
work rates higher than their na-
tional spot rates, since they only
get 30% of thelir network rate.)
Third, the film factor permits
greater programming -. clearance
flexibility for station and sponsor.
Fourth, stations don’t have to give
free hours to a filmed network.
Fifth, in the. long run, Webs will
continue to have to pay ,up to
$100,000,000 a year for. line charges
while the GuildVitapix front pays*
only print and shipping charges.
(Continued on page 47)
MCA-TV To Syndicate
‘Pride of Family’ Reruns
Reruns on "Pride of the Family,”
the Paul Hartman starrer that was
last year sponsored 'on ABC-TV by
Armour arid Bristpl-Myers, being
placed into syndication by MCA-
TV, it’s been . reported. The dis-
trib outfit is working up. regional
and local deals now.
In the meantime,, producer Joel
Kaufman signed oyer to MCA dis-
tribution rights on the Aussie-pro-
duced 39 tinters of the "Long John
Silver” series. Pix, starring Rob-
ert; Newton, Will not be released,
however, for A year after release
of a full-length feature on the same
topic, per Kaufman-MCA contract.
That’ means the telepix should be
available around Xmas '55. i
Reynolds’ Switch
After more than three years
of filming "Foreign Intrigue”
and l a 1 1 e r 1 y "Sherlock
Holmes” abroad, during which
time he’s built up a rep as the
top American producer f ilrriirig
in Europe, Sheldon Reynolds is
pulling a switch. His next tele-,
pix series, “The Saint,” .will
be shpt in New York.
! Reynolds has the rights to
the Leslie Charteris character,
and can proceed with product
tion Whenever he wants. How-
ever, the press of producing
; "Intrigue” and "Holmes,” plus
piaris for the production of fea-
ture films abroad, makes the
starting date. "The Saint”
indefinite. However he insists
it will be done in N. Y M . de-
claring that “no fone. has reaily
taken advantage of the N; Y.
backgrounds and gotten the
feel of N. Y. in their films yet.”
London, Oct. 26.
A color series of at least 26 hour-
long pix, each of which will be
lensed in different capitals, has
been launched jointly by Harry.
Alan Towers and Henry Caldwell.
Latter is the BBC-TV producer of
"Cafe Continental, ” "Lime-Light,”
"Shop Window,” etc.
First iri -th series, entitled
“Moulin Rouge,” has already been
filmed in Paris and a color print is
now being edited.- Production,
which stars the Wiere Bros, and
Richard Hgarrie ("Mr: Pastry”) t was
produced; ‘directed arid scripted by
Caldwell. It was made in East-
man Color and was filmed in four-
and-a-half days.
Second in the series is now in
preparation and will be lensed
either in Spain or Italy. After ex-
hausting the European capitals the
producers will film in more dis-
tant parts of the World.
Distribution of the series is being
arranged through the Towers or-
ganization, Towers of London, and
deals are already being negotiated
for most of the television webs in
existence in Europe.
It Is claimed that the pix. employ
a technique which makes -them
suitable for screening in any coun-.
try without dubbing. They re
being released under the tentative
umbrella title of "International
Cabaret.” %
‘FORD THEATRE’ TO
CUT BACK ON TINTPIX
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Despite the growing conviction
that /‘all' telefilms will be in color,
before too long,” Ford has decided
to. cut back its. use .of tint for. the
current "Ford Theatre” series.-
Screen Gems has made 15 of the
vidfilnis in color thus far. r
J. Walter Thompson, on behalf
of Ford, notified Screen Gems, to
liiriit color to every third picture
henceforth. Color cost has risen
to $45,000 per film as against $35,-
000 for black-and-white.
OF’s ‘Secret File’ Deal
Official Films will distribute
13 more "Secret File, U. S- A.”
films starring Robert Alda under
an agreement reached last week
•with Arthur Dreyfus, who’s pro-
ducing the series in Amsterdam.
Dreyfus planed into N.'Y. to huddle
with official prexy Hal Heckett/
who. agreed to bring the total of
"Secret File” pix up to 52. First
39 are currently in production at
the . Cinetone Studios in Amster-
dam.
" Official has sold the series in. 48'
markets so far, including 12 mid-
western oneA for Ohio Oil;
First instance of the establish-
ment of a. telefilm distribution com-
pany underwritten by bank financ-
ing is the syndication Operation of
Sheldon Reynolds Productions,
which was formalized last week.
On an informal basis, the firm, op-
erating- through the William Mor-
ris office,: which reps Reynolds per-
sonally, pas already written some
$650,000 in Contracts since Aug, 15
on firstruns of the hew "Foreign
Intrigue” series and reruns of the
second, year’s production under the
title "Dateline Europe.”
However, papers were signed last
Week naming the Morris office ex-
clusive sales representatives for
Sheldon Reynolds Productions, and
it was disclosed, that the Cherriical
Bank & Trust Co. underwrote the
entire establishment of Reynolds’
distributing company,. Chemical is
financing the current “Intrigue”
series, which Reynolds owns lock-
siock-and-barrel for the first time,
and part of the $1,000,000
financing agreement decided that
it liked Reynolds’ idea of ' setting
up a firm, to cash in on the “in-
trigue” iduals,
Prior to this year Reynolds was
partnered with Ballantine.’S, via the
J. Walter Thompson agency, with
the brewery, sponso ing the show
in several key markets and sub-
licensing it in others*. Reynolds
never controlled distribution. When
his deal with Ballantine’s .was re-
newed this year, a new contract
giving him, distribution rights i
non-Ballantine markets and also
giving him the right, tp. sell’ reruns
was signed. Sheldon Reynolds Pro-
ductions was then set up as a dis-
tribution company with the Morris
office’s Bob Cinador assigned to
handling it. Formal assignment of
the Morris agency as sales reps w
signed last week. This, incidentally,
marks the first time the agency is
actually out selling in the Syndicat-.
ed marts, Reynolds said his next
project, “The §aint,” will probably
be handled througlxJJie new com-
pany. His current "Sherlock
Holmes” is a coproduction deal
with Motion Pictures for Televi-
sion and is being syndicated by
MPTV’s distribution arm, UM&M
Inc.
Hollywood, Oct. 26..
Pre-release sales on "Mayor
of the Town” total more than
$600,000, it's reported by United
Television Programs sales p.
Wynn Nathan.
Thomas Mitchell stars in series
being produced by Rawlins-Grant
at California studios in association
with Grosg’-Krasne, Inc.
Buyers; of series thus far include
Richfield Oil,: in 11 western states;
Iyennecott Copper, Schmidt Brew-
ing, Seallest Dairy. Gill Coffee,
United Gas arid Mcister Brau Beer.
DUB ‘RACKET SQUAD’
FDR SPANISH MARKET
First Spanish-ianguage telepi
dubbing to be done in Spain lias
been Completed on one of the
"Racket Squad”' idpix, arid ABC
Syndication is currently dickering
a couple of major Latin American
deals on the basis of what it calls
a highly successful .job. If the
deals jell, it will go ahead with
dubbing of all 98 "Racket” half-
hours, making back the cost
through the deals in the Latino
markets plus other safes it can
wrap up south of the border. Thus
far., Ziv has been the only tele-
pixer to invade Latiri America \yith
any success.
Pilot dub job was done in
Madrid, at the Cervantes Studios,
with Henri Grundman supervising.
Dubbing, it’s said, Was done after
extensive research into Latin
American dialects. &
!■
BADGE 714,
starring Jack Webb
ANY ONE OF TV’S
Adventures of
THE FALCON,
starring Charles McGrow
Wednesday, October 27 , 1954
INNER SANCTUM
ADVENTURE PR
can sell
K ' > A ‘
'i
\ v /
t /M: -i - '
M'- if,
|% M '!
wJkk
*
> « **- v < ^
ill Kjs
■ V
;< l
><' >
* 4 l
K«
r,; f :%
iM^ii
r f <' 3
V/*y ' vn
** 4 M ;*/ •
L«mm >% 4 '«
C'WiWm;
\ «vV . . **
Wiqfever you sell . . . from beer to banking ... . automobiles
Supermarkets . . . appliances to soff drinks . . . theie
!Toven-great programs have delivered enormous local
wdiences for similar sponsors.
Iwoys, the cost per thousand has been unusually low . . .
•oracteristic of NBC Film Division shows.
L
NBC FILM DIVISION
F*WNG ALL SPONSORS . . . SERVING ALL STATIONS
r|JU* DIVISION — 30 tockefollof Plato, Now York 30, N. Y. • , Mtrchandlso Mart, Chicago, III.
Vln« St*., Hollywood, Calif. • In Canada:RCAVIrtor,225 Mutual St.,Toronto;l 551 *ljhop3t.,Mgntr«cd
46 TVFII.MS
Pft&IETY
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
and National Spot Film Chart
VARIETY’S weekly churl of city-hy-city ratings of syndicated and
tional spot film covers 40 to 60 cities reported by American Research Bureau
oh a monthly basis- Cities will be. rotated each week, with the 10 top-rated
■ film shows listed ih each case, and: their competition, sf town opposite,. All
ratings are furnished by ARB, based on the latest reports .
TTiiV V ARIETY chart represents a gathering of all pertinent informa-
Hon about film in each market, which can he used by distributors , agencies ,
stations and clients as. an aid in de'ermivine the .effectiveness of a filmed
show in the specific market. Attention shouldhe paid to lime — day and
time factors, since sets-in-use and audience composition vary according fo
time slot, i. ,, a Saturday afternoon children’s show, with a low rating, may
have a large share and an audience composed largely of children, with cor-
responding 'results for the sponsor aiming, at the children’s markeL. Abbre-
viations and symbols are as follows: ( Adv ,), adventure; (Ch), children’s;
(Co), comedy; (fir), drama; (Doc), documentary ; (Mus), musical;:
(Myst), lystery; (Q), quiz; (Sp), sports; (W), western; (Worn),
Women's,. IS umbered symbols next to station call letters represent the sta-
tion’s channel; all channels above 13 are Vl IF, Those ad agencies listed as
distributors rep the national spot sponsor for whom the film is aired.
■ ■■ ■ .. . , . ■■■■■■■ - • - * • ■■ ■ _ ■
TOP 10 PROGRAMS DAY AND SEPTEMBER SHARE SETS IN I TOP COMPETING PROGRAM
AND TYPE STATION DISTRIR. TIME RATING USE | PROGRAM STA. RATING
ivrw VAnir A g . . a 1 7 c nnrt * W CBS (2) , WNBT (4), WABD (5), WABC (7)
JNLW lUKK Approx, bet Counts — 4,175,000 Stations — WOR (9), WPIX (11), WATV (13)
1. Superman (Adv).
WNBT.
. . .Flamingo. .......
. ... Mon. 6:00-6:30
. . . . . : 17.1
55 ' . . .
• , • *
3,1.4
6 O’clock Report , . . .
5.2
Early Show . . . ,
WCBS
9.3
Z, D. Fairbanks Presents (Dr)
WNBT
..Wed. 10:30-11:00
/; . .‘ 44 6 . . . , . ;
... 30....
• • •
48.4
Best of Broadway
WCBS
or>4
3. Badge 714 (Adv).
IVOR . .
NBC
Wed. 9:00-9:30
12 5..;..,
, ... 19....
66.9
Kraft TV theatre -. „
...... . WN p T
"9.2
4. Favorite Story (Dr) .
WNBT.
... . .Ziv.
. .Mon. 10:30-11:00 .
. . . . . .11.5 ....
26. ..
44.5
Summer Theatre . . . .
|VCBS
°7.6
5.. I Led Three Lives (Rr)
WNBT ;
Ziv ....
. .Sun. 10:30-11:00
. 10.8 . . , . . .
. 21,:,..
4 • »\
52.1
What’s My Li
.... ..wc^s
9R.9
6. Abbott and Costello (C
;wcbs.
MCA...
. .Sat. 11;30-J2:00 .,
....... .165. .
78....
13.4
Channel 4 theatre
'WNBT ,
( 1.6
7. Cisco Kid (W).
WNBT:.
Ziv .
. Fri. 6:00-6:30 . . . .
. . ; . , .10.2 . ,
34,
25.3
6 O’clock Report
WCBS
4;6
« * ■.
Earlv Show
WCBS
9.5
8. Annie Oakley (W)
. . WABD.
: CBS
; Sat.: 7:30-8:00
9.8 . .
24.. ..
41.2
Beat the C’ock.
WCBS
20.2
9. Range Rider (W).
WNBT.
« .CBS.
Sat. 6:30-7:00
9.4
... 42.,..
22.7
Saturday Show
WCBS
3 9
Show; Rain or v
WCBS
4.3
Wild Bill Hlckok (W) .
WNBT,
....... . .Flamingo. . . .. . .. . .
. Wed. 6:00-6:30
9.4 . .
31 . , ...
30.0 |
6 O’clock Report
WCBS
7.5
EarTv Show
WCBS, .
10.8
DETROIT
A
[porox. Set Count —
-1,150.000
Stotioris — WJBK
• 3*.
(2)
, WWJ (4), CKT W (6), WXYZ (7)
1* Badge 714 (Myst). ,
WWJ.
.... ... NBC
«
Sun, 10:00-10:30
. . . 39.0 , .
76....
52.6
City Kid
WXYZ
.8.9
Z. Waterfront (Adv) .
WXYZ.
....... . .UTP .
. Tues. 10:0040:30
.30.4., . . . .
,. . 61..,.
, . i.
49.6
Motor C,ity Fights
WWJ
3. Racket Squad (Adv). .
WWJ
........ABC......
Tues. 9:30-10:00 ...
26.4. . ... .
... 44...
60.0
Stop the Musi
WXYZ
BE
4. Amos ’ * Andy (Com) .
WXYZ.
* CBS'. ...... .
Mori. 10:00-10:30 .
.21.9
,.. 51..,.
45.3’
Showcase of Stars . . . .
;.,.„WWJ
. .14:4
5. Mr. District Attorney (Myst)
WWJ. .
Ziv
. Wed. 9:30-10:00 ...
. . . . . .22.7
36.,,
•*
64.0
Best of Broadway
WJBK
6. All Star Playhouse (Dr) .
y. WWJ/.
ABC
Sun. 10:30-11:00 ..
/•. 19.7
... 64....
306
Place the Face
WJBK
7.6
1 Cisco Kid (W).
WXYZ.
Thurs. 7:00-7:30 . .
; , ... .17.8’ ......
... 34....
52.7
You Bet Your Life
WWJ
.31.5
3, Liberace (Mus) . .
wwj.;
, . . > . Guild •. ..... ...
Fri, 10:00-10:30 , .
; . . . . .16.0
. . . 35 . . , .
45.3
Black Spider
WXYZ
17.1
9. I Led ThriC Lives (Dr) .
WJBK:
....... ..Ziv
Thurs. 9:30-10:00
15:1 ....
24,...
62.8
Lux Video Theatre
WWJ
10. Aiinie Oakley (W) .
WXYZ
CBS.
. Sun. 5:00-5:30
. 14.2 ....
78....
18.2
Wings Over the WorM
WWJ
3.6
WASHINGTON Approx. Set Count— 585.000 Stations — WNBW (4), WTTG (5), WMAL (7), WTOP (9)
1. Badge 714 (Myst) . . .
WNBW
. . . NBC. . ....
Wed. 7:00-7:30
.,18.8.. . .
71.,.
26,5
Mark Evans
.WTOP
43
2. 1 Led Three Lives (Dr) . . . .
WNBW , . . ,
... . Ziv.
Mon. 10:30-11:00
. . 17.3 . . . .
..... 40.
43.6
Summer Theatre
WTOP
. . .18.0
3. Wild Bill Hickok (W). . .
.WNBW '.
. . . Flamingo
Thurs. 7:00-7:30
.13.9
73...
19.2
Safevvay Comedy Hour
WTOP
3,7
4. Superman (Adv)
. WNBW . .... .
. . . Flamingo
TuCs. 7:00-7:30 .......
. 13.2 . . . .
74 ;
17.9
Curtain Time
News — J. Daly
WTO' 5
WM A t.
2:3
26
5. Hopalong Cassidy (W)
. WNBW. . ......
. . . NBC
Fri. 7:00-7:30
. .12.5
54
23.3
Amos ’n’ Andy
9.9
6. Foreign Intrigue (Dr) . .......
. WNBW.
. . . Sheldon Reynolds , .
Wed. 10:30-11:00
. .12.4 ,
27
46,1
Best of Broadway
.22.0
7. Eversharp Theatre (Dr) ....
WNBW.
. . . Ziv ; . . . . ..
Mon. 7:00-7:30
. .10.6 . . . .
.... 53 i
20.2
Mark. Evans
WT^ - *
5.7
8. Amos V Aridy (Com).
WTOP.
. . . CBS ,
Fri. 7:00-7:30
9.9 . .
42
23.3
Hopalong Cassidy
. .'WP’V
. . .12.5
9. Front-Page Detective (Myst)
WMAL
.. Consolidated......
Fri. 10;30-1 i:00
8.7
21 . ........
41.5
Person to Person
WTO 0
■ t . : 21.0
10. Mr. District Attorney (Adv)
'WMAL.
Ziv
Fri., 10:00-10:30 .
.. 7.5,...
15.
51.4
Cavalcade of Sports
. ,'WNBW
.19.7
CINCINNATI Approx. Set Count — *40,000 Stations — WLW-T (5), WCPO (9), WKRC (12)
1. City Detective (Myst) .
WKRC,
'. .MCA. . ..:
.Wed, 8:00-8:30
.32.0
65. . ..
49.8
Strike It Rich
WCPO
.'12.9
2. Mr. District Attorney (Myst).
WLW-T.
Tues. 9;30-10:00
.30.2 . . .
54.
56.1*.
Stop the Music
WCPO
18.7
3. I Led Three Lives (Dr), .
.WLW-T.
iThurs. 7:30-8:00 . . , .
.26.
5.6 * • * » * • *.
46.8
Four Star Playhouse
WKRC
.17.3
4. Boston Blackie (Myst)
.WLW-T.
• h. • • . » 1 V • • S * « • • • » > *' # * r
Sat: 10:00-10:30
.20.5
47,/..
43.9
Front Page;, Weather
WKRC
.17.6
Movie at 10
..:... wcpo
10.5
$. GiscO Kid (W). . . .
WCPO.
* •. i « Z'lV < • < ■ * • •
Sup. 5:00-5:30 . . V : . .
.17.6 .. . „
30;4
Meet the Press
WLW-T
12.5
6. Favorite Story (Dr) . . , . , . .
.WLW-T
. , ..Ziv..
Tri. 8:30-9:00
.17.0,
*34.;
50.6
Our Miss Brooks*....
... . .. WKRC
7. Badge 714 (Myst). ,
WLW-T
NBC'., . . .
Sun. 6:00r6:30 . . . . v;, . .
. 15.8 . .
44....
36.2
You Asked For It
WCPO
14.2
8. Superman (Adv) .
WLW-T
. . . .Flai ingo. . ,. . .,
Tues. 7:00-7:30 .......
.13.9 . . . •; .
.... 43; ..
32.4
The Goldbergs
WCPO
12.2
9. Cowboy G-Men (W) . .
. WCPO.
flamingo. . . . . ; . . .
Sun. 1:30-2:00 ........
. 10.2 . . . .
25;
14r.l
Sunday Matinee
WLW-T
2.6
10. Wild Bill Hickok (W)
WLW-T
, .... Flamingo . ... .-. , . ,
Sat. 6:00-6:30
7B .. . . .
. ... 38.;.......
20.4
NCAA Football
WCPO
11:9
COI.UMBUS
■ ■ ' — - - -• ' :
Approx . Set Count—— 346,000
Stations — WLW-C (4), WTVN
mm
|P
1. Racket Squad (Adv). ...
. WLW-C
• • • • • • ■ ABO * • * ». i". * .■ *
Tues. 9:30-10:00
.27.1
53 .
51.8
See It Now . .
......WBNS
2. Boston. Blackie (Myst) . . . .
WLW-C
7\\t
• «••••• 1 » • • f.« *•*,.* • • 9. » * fi
.Sat. 10:30-11:00
.25.7
77..
33.3
Adlai Stevenson
WBNS
7.3
Duffy’s Tavern..;
, .... . WBNiS
7.8
3. I Led Three Lives (Dr) .... .
. WBNS.
• * * • • .• l V- » t » v' • 1 i a .« • ,« «
Tues. 8:30-9:00 .... . . . .
.24,7
. 44 1 4 *. » • « « .( 4
54.3
Circle Theatre
.* .WLW-C
2fi.3
4. Eversharp Theatre (Dr),
WLW-C
Ziv.
.Sat. 10:00-10:30 ...
.21.0. . . . .
../. 68..;......
ii.o
Film Short
. . . , . . WBNS
4.9
Adlai Stevenson. . .
WBNS
6.9
5. Mr. District Attorney (Mj. t). .
. WLW-C
Ziv.
.Wed, 9:30-10:00
. 20.6 , > . . .
... . 41.
50.4
Best of Broadway
WBNS
25.9
6. Royal. Playhouse (Dr),
. WBNS', .
UTP........ ......
Sun. 9:00-9:30
.18.4,
35.
52.9
Loretta Young
WLW-C
r,3.5
7. City Detective (Myst)
, WBNS . ,
.Thurs. 9:30-10:00 ... ..
.17.4 . . . ; .
... 36...,:....-
49.0
Lux Video Theatre
WLW-C,
*'5.5
8. Counterpoint
WBNS. .
Sun. 8.30-9:00
.15.5.! . ...
29....
53.0
Television Playhouse
WLW-C
n 0.4
9. Amos 'n’ Andy (Com) . .
WTVN.
Mon. 7:30-8:00 ....
. 13.1
22.. .......
60.0
Godfrey’s Talent Scouls WBNS
41:8
Superman (Adv)
WBNS . .
Wed. 6:00-6:30
.13,1
79,
16.6
Theatre-News
WTVN
4.5
ivfarge & Jeu.
..... WTVN
0.8
' Wednesday, October 27, "1954
TV-FILMS 47
WHERE WERE YOU?
With Ken Murray* guests
Producer:, Bing Crosby Enterprises
Producer: Murray
Director: Ralph Staub
Writer: Jean Holloway
39 half-hours .
Pistrib: United Television Pro-
grams
This is a show biz legend come
true — the one about the comedian,
wli wanted to do something, seri-
In this case, tlie comedian is
Ken Murray." Unfortunately, . his
idea of something serious turns out
to. be a dreary hodgepodge of
newsreel clips held, together on
the thin thread, of a single idea^—
where- Ava's the viewer 'hen sin. im-
portant news event Was taking
place. ,, To refresh setside ye.ijoilec-
tion, Murray has amassed a collec-
tion of clips, none Over 30 seconds
in length that he stretches out for
an interminable. 20 minutes be-
fore coming to the point and iden-
tifying his mystery guest— the
femme ejevator operator who fell
: 7 1 floors and two . basements when
i a plane, hit the Empire State Build-
ring in 1945. Her three minutes of
recollection provide the only
: teresting segment of a program
t that includes some dramatized se-^
quehces designed to recapture the
feeling of the period.
Chief difficulty with the pres-
entation is the Jean Holloway
script which Veers from the ir-
ritating to the inane. Particularly
annoying are the repeated flash-
backs ,to the elevator operator and
the , ‘‘she-was-in-an-excitirig-news-
event-where-were-you” narration
that goes with it. and some of the
interpolated scenes.
... Director Ralph Staub’S pacing of
the drama scenes is. on the slow
side. Lensing by Lucien Andriot
is average:.
As far as local, consumption is
concerned, program: is Paul Coates
“Flashback’.- with an attempt at a
personalized, gimmick. Kap.
! of New York and. -Chicago, and in
. the present membership is only one
UHF outlet.
Staff Expansion
FOUR STAR PLAYHOUSE
(The Wallet)
Those little human touches that
give an ordinary piece of fiction a
glow of warmth has', rescued many
shopworn tale in this series arid,
blacked out more than one of its
stars;. It’s an old trick of Charles
Boyer’s to put the story in its
place and take off from there,
Here he does it with finesse and
eclat, tlie saying grace of an other-
wise unoriginal vehicle that gets
its only excitement from hi$ suave
pretending and. Without him would
have been as uninteresting as the
title.
An impoverished heacl waiter,
Boyer, is torn between his affection
lor an ailing wife and a hatred of
their soil’ who rebels at home sur-
roundings with a yearning for
more modern things. In despera-
tion to keep his wife out of a char-
ity ward in the hospital, Boyer
fails, in his efforts to raise the
necessary money ' and decides to
salvage something out of his pride
and honesty, A wallet, left at the
cafe with $3,400 won at the track
intrigues him after he had offered:
its return without thought of re-
ward..
Meanwhile the kid gets touched
by his mother’s plight and makes
off with company money. .When:
Boyer berates him as a thief, he
takes inventory of his Own con-,
•science. He’s a thief, too, if he
doesn't return the wallet. It comes
off With a sugar coating arid all
ends well With Boyer treating the
women in the ward with what
you’d expect a head waiter- to- buy
With his last 40 bucks— caviar and .
other delicacies.
Boyer’s tender sentimentalities
are balanced , off for dramatic ef-
fect by the irascibility of . William
Campbell and Maria Palmer’s in-
stinctive understanding of the
clashing elements. Director Robert
Florey also gets good perform-
ances from teh other motivators.
Helm . '
csss. Continued from page 43 ===
As of the moment, the situation
stands this. Way. Guild is pitching
its shows at national sponsors while
Vitapix is clearing time on the sta-
tions for national buys. According
to Mullen, . times being considered
are fringe time, 7-7:30 p.ni. and
1 0:30-1 i p.m. He said stations are
not. being asked to forego their af-
filiate contractural relations, But
for the future, the Guild produc-
tion plans call for' more ighttime
shows than Will fit into “fringe”
time, and if .Guild can come .up
with a, strong lineup of shows arid
sufficient'’ sponsorship coi it’s
likely the battle will be drawn;
Under the Guild-Vitapix agree-
lent, exact terms of which weren’t
made clear at the press conference
Friday (22) announcirig the wed-
ding. Guild Will take over all pres-
ent Vitapix product for sales and
distribution, while yitapi? con-
tinues as an entity for the purpose
of clearing time, doing time and
programming research and working
in the sphere of station relations.
Vitapix currently has 37 member
slalionSi but pending membership,
applications will bring tile total up
to 60. Virtually every major mar-
ket is covered, with the exceptions
On tap. is a .vast expansion pro-
grarii . for Guild, including the
tripling, of present production facil-
ities on the Coast and the construc-
tion tit Guild’s own studio there
withi months, the establish-
ment of New York production
facilities (“Goldbergs,” Dr, Peale,
"Bride and Groom” arid ”Fun to
Reduce” will all, be shot in N.-Y.),
and the expansion -of Guild’s home-
office staff fivefold., Firm has
already leased new Park Ave. of-
fices and opened three new sales
branches. Production starts im-
mediately on the new shows, with
all of them to be released by Janu-
ary.
Production coin for the new pro-
grams is coming from “Guild’s own;
resources,” according to Kaufman,
which is to say that the stations
aren’t contributing, Kaufman did
indicate that “Guild’s resources’’
included banks with which: the firm
has done business. Guild recently
raised $1,000,000 through a stock
issue (now haying a market value
of over. $2,500,000), but that sum
was applied to wipe out existing
debts. There .was no exchange of
stock in the . Guild-Vitapix agree-
ment, according to Kaufman, nor
no joint ownership agreerrients, but
the two firms will be represented
on each other’s boards, with iCauf-
nian joining the Vitapix board and
an unnamed Vitapix rep sitting on
the Guild board. As to current
Vitapix personnel, Miillen said he’ll
continue on as Vitapix prez, but
exec v.p. Bob Wormhofidt is having
his contract settled and national
sales v.p. Ned Koenig quietly re-
signed a couple of weeks ago.
. Vitapix lineup includes KTLA, Los
Angeles; KRON-TV, San Francisco;
WBZ-TV, Boston; KLS-TV, Denver;
WDSU-TV, New Orleans; WJAR-TV,
Providence; KSTP-TV, St. Paul;
WBNS-TV, Columbus; KOIN-TV,
Portland, and others. John E.
Retzer.is Vitapix board chairman;
other board members include J.
Leonard Reinsch, Joseph E. Bau-
dino, Kenyon Brown, Stanley Hub-'
bard, Bob Swezey,. Charles Crutch-"
field, O. L, Taylor and. Howard
Lane. All of them have been
among the most; influential station
operators in network-affiliate delibr
erations.
OFs Tune-0’ Sponsor
Official Films, landed its first
bankroller for 'tlie new “Time for
Tune-O” musical bingo-quiz, pack-
age in a 52-week Buffalo deal
which it expects, to set the pattern
for future sales of the Series, Deal
is With the. Nu- Way Stores, a gro-
cery chain subsid of the American
Stores, which has bought the show
uiider an arrangement that calls
for corop advertising with top na-
tional food sponsors on the seg-
ment
Nil-Way will air the show one-
weekly at first, going later to three
times Weekly, via WGR-TV. Chain,
comprising 80 stores in the Buffalo
area, has already ordered 200,000
tune-o cards, which are necessary
to play the game and which are
distributed at point-of-sale. Par-
ticular manner in which Nu-Way is
handling the show is being pitched
by Official at other food chains and
outlets throughout the country.
1ST FILM COMMERCIAL
«
Sterling Television has come up
With what shapes as. the. first syn-
dicated mercial ( distin-
guished. from national spot ad-
vertisements).
It’s of. 65 30-second
“programs” on household hints
With Jean Alexander, with Sterling
pitching them to stations as items
into arid around which local ad-
vertising can be built. However,
if the stations, just buy them as
filler without the thought of seek-
ing sponsors for them, they will
mark another first by becoming
•what is believed the shortest series
of video shows on record.
-i*
’Finders Keepers’ For
Syndication as Vidpix
'“Hollywood,- .Oct,. -26’,.
“Finders Keepers,” the audience-
participation quizzer which had an
NBC radio ride in 1944 and was
a live tv’er on. WRCA-TV in "N; Y;
in .1951, is being, converted to film
as a syndicated offering. Show will
be filmed for syndication by Holly-
wood Star Productions,
Deal was set by Maggy Fisher,
owner of the show, who leased the
i rights for five years to Nick Seva no
arid Arriie Mills of Gabbe, Lutz
.& Heller, Miss Fisher, no longer
in production, will nonetheless act
as an adviser on the show.
SSmiamSi Continued .from page. 32
•around the 'reception desk, com-
plete with a handsom .mural ex-
hibit, operation fans out along
gleaming corridors to a coordinated
network of studios, recording
rooms, librari master: control
room, and offices. The 14 s'tudios,
three of which “showcase”
rooms, with full view windows to
accommodate the; many touring
grodps expected, boast the: latest
in custom design arid equipment.
Since virtually all live broadcast-,
ing is lingual, rather than, musical,
special techniques had to. be. used
to develop absolutely clear sound,
Music shows are packaged in re-
cording studios, theri transmitted
via relay stations to blanket the
Middle East, and - parts of USSR
and. the satellite ’countries.
Taping studio has. 4Q. recording
machines in .10 booths, and is- sO
devised, that there is a two-way.
feed between it and the. studios.
Iii the case of package shows, en-
tire unit can go directly to master
control and out on the transmitter,
A master control room, still in an
incomplete state, has been designed
to take programs from 100 different
sources, and to handle 26 shows
simultaneously. Six. playback rooms
in which editors can work on tapes;
24 disk recorders; 16 tape record-
ers; a streamlined, library setup
covering recording, and transcript
tions are just a few of the features
in this broadcasting Utopia,
It's Cool, Too
Pride and joy of the outfit; how-
ever, is the super-perfect air con-
ditioning system, specially, de-
vised contrivance apart from the
general cooling- system for the rest
of the building, in order to assure
sound-proof qualities along with
summer comfort, the studios in the
wing over the air conditioning unit
are suspended on rubber blocks,
over which concrete has been::
poured, and. tiles laid. In this way
all. floor vibrations are avoided. In
addition, each studio is equipped
with its own power plant and ther-
mostatic heat and air control.
The engineering marvels under-
laying the vast new plant are likely ,
to .escape the average, visitor.
.Bourtd to be an eye-catcher, how-
ever,. is the' variety of dress worn,
by VGA staffers. The saris of India,
the turbans Of Pakistan, the color-,
ful garb of Indonesia, the native
dress of faraway lands, mingle with
western, motif in this modern Tow-
er of Babel. There are refugees'
from behind the Iron Country,
victirtis of the Nazi horrors, and
even a bonafide princess of Thai-
land, the' granddaughter of King
Mongkut, the “king” of “Anna and.
the King of Siam” and the Broad-
way musical, “The King and I,” on
the VGA roll-call.
Sole exception to th VO A mi-
gration is the tv staff, part of which
will remain in New York to be
near the center of production.
Henry Fonda to Do
Emmett Kelly Series
Henry Fonda has been . signed tp
do a half-hour telefilm bio of Em-
mett Kelly,, the Ringling Bros, and
Barnum & Bailey clow It’ll be
done insert on the General
Electric . program. Film will be pro-
duced by Music Corp. of America’s
Revue Filins, It’ll mark ’Fonda’s,
t el e bob’. '
Also i the works for. the same
series is a batch of telefilm-firstsv
Under negotiation . are deals with
Jimmy Stewart,, Alan Ladd, Gary
Cooper, Clark .Gable, Joan Craw-
ford, Jane Wyman and Tyrone
Power.
MCA’s Freddie Fields left yes-
terday (Tues.) for the Coast to.
work on the first . GE show to ema-
nate from there; He’ll be gone;
about three weeks.
Geo. Reeves Returns
To ‘Superman* Lead
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
George Reeves,, who left his long
underwear behind and exited the
lead as “Superman” when he
couldn’t get a hefty raise, is back
at it again.
Reeves and producer Whitney.
Ellsworth . have reached . agreement
on a. new contract, with the actor
receiving an uppance in coin, but
not anything like his original de-
mands. Series resumes Nov. 15 at
California, studios, with Harry Ger-
stad directing vidpix which will
be in. tint.
Rockhill
Continued from page 4a —
porate minute books and Other cor-
porate -documents’' missing, con-
tracts cancelled' and back accounts
closed, to say nothing of locks
forcibly removed fro in desks arid
cabinets. All these activities (were)
carried ion apparently by a group
who seemingly took over the com-
pany in her. absence.”
Rockhill ’s current situation has
an involved background. Statem ent
points out that some months ago
Miss Taylor started to form . a
syndicate to purchase the controll-
ing. stock interest in Rockhill held
by her associate. A New York at-
torney approached her with a plan,
for syndicate that included offi-
cers or heads of three corripanies,
“all highly reputable people of
substance arid business standing.”
The syndicate wa"s to help. Miss
Taylor in buying the stock of her
associate, and “would benefit the
Company and all the stockholders,
by putting huge sums of operating
capital into the corporation, fi-
nancing the production of tele-
vision films, using their, important
contacts in the industry for. selling
Rockhill shows, and by establish-
ing substantial credit for other ex-
tended corporate operations,”
On th assurance that Rock-
hill would benefit, the company
installed ( principals of the syndi-
cate) on the board of directors.
“Within the first few days,” -
cording to Miss Taylor, “the . group
did, in fact, live up to their asr
jSertions by establishing $7.50,000
credit for Rockhill Productions,
Inc, ” A short time later, Miss
Taylor said, She learned that the
credit had / been withdrawn “and
meanwhile none of the other prom-
ises materialized.”
George S. Gladden is ankling his
post as head of J. Walter Thomp-
spn’s motion picture/ and tv-film
department to join Academy Pic-
tures, commercial film producers.
He’ll serve in an administrative
capacity at Academy.
Gladden had been with the
Thompson agency for the past 14
years.
. George L. George, onetime
Academy Award-winning director
in the documentary field, has
joined Slurgis-Grant Productions,
the N. Y. commercial and indus-
trial filriim.akihg outfit, as associate
producci* and director.
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
United Television Programs will
syndicate four hew vidfilm series,
involving a total production outlay
Of approximately $5;00b,000, for lo-
cal and regional sponsorship next
year, while six riew. series will be
presented for national sponsorship
in the same year, exec v.p. Lee
Savin said here...
Six shows; to be offered for na-
tional; sponsorship ■ vvill consist of
a . variety of programs from situa-
tion comedy to draihatic, Four new
syndicated series each will have 39
half-hour stanzas.
“Authors Playhouse,” with four
vidfiliris already canned; arid. “O.
Henry TV Theatre.” are two of the
shows to be offered: nationally.
Others haven’t yet been selected.
Brewster ’ Morgan and Eugene
Solow . produce “Playhouse.” A.
Edward Sutherland Will produce
“Henry!’ for Gross-Krasne, Inc.
/ In addition; UTP. syndicates
“Lone Wolf,” ‘‘Mayor. of the Town,”
“Where Were You?”, “Water
Front,”’, arid “Rocky Jones, Space
Ranger.”
Plans for : expansion ,
mapped at series of homeoffice
sessions. ^Present wefe Philip Ni
Krasne.. Jack J, Gross, Noel Ryba-
loffs Dale Sheets, Savin and sales
v.p. Wynn. Nathan; of the home-
office, and Aaron Beckwith arid;
Tom McManus of N. Y,. and John
P.vRbhrs of /Chicago. Nathan will
add 10 now’ salesmen to his staff
in the next few months to handle
the increased product.
ZfVS 135 MARKETS
ON CORLISS ARCHER’
Ziv Television. Prograriis has
reached the 1 35-market mark on
“Meet Corliss .Archer,” and the
firm’s 90-day sales drive on the
comedy segment makes it tlie sixth
Ziv telcpix entry to go over 135
riiarkets.. Latest regionals which
pushed the Show, over the mark
Were a 10-market sale on the Coast
to Brown & Haley candies arid
five -market sale to. Safeway Stores.
Other Ziv shows over the 135
mark are “Favorite Story,” “Mx\
District Attorney,” "I Led Three:
Lives,” “Boston Blackie” and
“Cisco Kid;”
ETC’s ‘Rainbow’ As
1st Europe-Made Tinter
European Television Corp.,
whose “The Little Match Girl”
hour-long feature received wide
Christrriasdime distribution last
year via RCA Thesaurus, has com-
pleted production on a second
feature for television* “Rainbow
After the Rain.” Film, shot in
Germany, is the first tv-film to be
produced in color in Europe,
Paul Gordon, ETC topper, ar-
rived in Now York recently
with the first prints of the film
and wilt. .screen it till mid-October,
when lie returns to Berlin. Pic,
which stars Maxi and Ernst Baier* A
Frank Sawdrs and Lydia Veicht,
features ballet, and iceshow se-
quences. and will be distributed i
the U; SV * World: TV Fill
Corp,
James, Pamela Mason
Star Daughter in Vidpix
.Hollywood, bet: 26.
Portland Productions, owned by
James Mason and. his wife. Pamela,
Will shoot a series of 12 15-minute
vidpi starring - their six-year-old
daughter, Portland, at the Gold-,
wyn studios beginning Nov. 20.
Mason will direct arid appear
bHefly in some of. the frames and
be . and his wife will write the
scripts. Each. isode depicts
Biblical or historical event as seen
through the eyes of a kid.
LAZAR TO GOVERNOR TV
Connie Lazar, who ankled Unity
Television Corp; a few months back
after a long tenure as the. firm’s
Coast rep, has joined Arthur Ker-
man’s Governor TV Attractions as
head of the Coast office. At the
same time, Kerman signed MAC
Studibs in Chicago, headed by
Howard. Grafniari, as his midwest-
ern sales rep.
Governor has a total of 71 fea^
turcs arid some. 250 short subjects.
Wednesday, October 27, ,1954
t
app
T
JLhat s^he name of a movie a lot
of people thought was pretty good. It was made by Columbia
Pictures. They made a few other “pretty good” pictures, too.
Oscar -winning ones like “From Here to Eternity” Or “The
Caine Mutiny” and “On the Waterfront”
Now, “it” really happened one night a few years ago. On many
occasions before, the management of Columbia Pictures Corpo-
ration had discussed Television, a more than passing problem
for film producers. They were optimistic and intrigued by the
challenge this new him medium presented*
They made a decision.
It was decided to tap Columbia’s reservoir of thirty years of
showmanship talent and entertainment experience to produce
first-rate television programs on film. This decision and faith
was backed by cash-on-the-line when they created their tele-
vision subsidiary — SCREEN GEMS.
SCREEN GEMS knew from the start that it would be neces-
sary to have extensive production facilities on both coasts. In
Hollywood, Columbia Pictures already had outstanding studios.
Immediate steps were taken and complete facilities were set up
in New York, the world’s advertising capital.
Then, SCREEN GEMS was ready to give to the television advertiser
A truly unique and long-needed service - a one-stop film source for:
1 . custom-made entertainment to attract the widest possible audi-
ence on a national basis and produced at our studios in Holly-
wood, or in New York.
3 . quality syndicated entertainment made available* through our
own organization, for local or regional advertisers ; and
3 . commercials, to complete the services for all advertisers.
National Shows
« { ' Today in Hollywood, SCREEN GEMS produces Tht
Ford Theatre, for the Ford Motor Co. through l
Walter Thompson Company; Father Knows Best
for P. Lorillard and Co., through Young & Rubicam,
Ine. yCaptain Midnight for General Mills, Inc. and The Wander Co.
through Tatham-Laird ; and The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin for thl
National Biscuit Co. through Kenyon & Eckhardt. In New York,
we produce The Big Playback for The Ethyl Corporation through
Batten, Barton, Durstine & -Osborn.
Commercials
Although some SCREEN GEMS commercials are
produced in Hollywood, most are produced in Neff
York where the advertisers are located, and when
the agency TV directors can participate in pro*
Wednesday, "October 27, 1954
P'fi&IETY
ction all along the way. We have a complete and competent staff
prodiicens, directors, writers ancl technicians. And we have our
n animation artists . and department.
Our clients for commercials are the Honor- Roll of advertising
encies. During the past few months, in 1954, some of the adver-
ts for whom we have produced commercials, both live and ani-
decl, include :
■cku Strike Cigarettes * U. S. Steel ' Blatz * Borden's * Pall Mall
Wvettes. RCA Victor Canie.o Stockings Helene Curtis
■dtine Continental Can • I pan PieVs Beer • Schaefer Beer
'vkm Silver • Jello • Frostee * Helena Rubinstein • Ford Dealers
(krd Hudnut • Cities Service • and dozens of others.
S y ndlc a 1 1 on
| SCREEN GEMS maintains its own nation-wide syn-
dication service for local and regional advertisers.
^L . - , . . _ A
We have sales offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas,
Detroit, San Francisco and Hollywood in addition
®ur Metropolitan and Eastern regional office* located in New
fk with our home offices.
The programs we are now syndicating are Your All Star
Mre,: Celebrity Playhouse , The Big Playback, Jet Jackson, Rin
fftn, and in some markets, our other shows. We're also offering
of 1955, the syndicated version of the current Fireside
. Theatre , which we; were invited to market for Procter & Gamble,
through The Compton Co.
SCREEN GEMS programs have achieved highest audience rat-
ings. Unexcelled showmanship may be expected of a company
which has complete and interchangeably flexible production, fa-
cilities on both coasts. Every day that passes proves that with
SCREEN GEMS any advertiser, large or small, can make sales
through television film at the lowest cost.
Why not call us in the next time you. have any Jcind of a TV
film problem. We think you’ll enjoy working with us-and we’d
Welcome being of service to you. You can write directly to us,
telephone or wire collect if you wish.
Television Subsidiary of Columbia Pictures Corp. * 233 W. 49th St, N. Y. 19, N. Y. • Cl rcie 5-504.4
The only company which provides advertisers with Hollyxvood . nil New York
custom-produced national sh rcials, nd syndicated ■ programming* :
50
MUSIC
P^RIETY
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
,By HERM SCHOENFELD-
Jimmy Boyd: “I Saw Mommy
Do The Mambo” - “Santa . Claus
Blues’’ (Columbia)., The mambo
side is a clever takeoff on last
year’s smash, "I Saw .'Mommy Kiss-
ing Santa Claus Last Night.”
Jimmy Boyd, about brie tone low-
er, also does this side and could
ride it into another big one for
th Xmas trade. “Santa t Claus
Blues” combines a juVe lyric with.,
a sophisticated blues rhythm arid
it . doesn’t exactly jell. '
, Sarah Vaughaii: “Idle Gossip”-
“M a k e Yourself Comfortable”.
(Mercury), This is the most com-
mercial platter that Sarah Vaughn
lias riiade . in . some time. .“Idle
Gossip,” a . fine ballad that, has
been around for some , months, and
which has clicked irt England, ,is
given a superlative /rendition by
this standout song stylist. On the
flip. “Make Yorirself .Comfortable”
Night” (Decca). “Triumph Of
Love,” a tune that stems from the
non-fiction work by the same title,
is an attractive inspirational tune
with a catching rhythm beat and a
lyric that never grows cloying
while getting, the message across.
Kaye Ballard handles it deftly and
sincerely while maintaining the
svVing tempo. “Where Were You
Last Night” is a quasi-folk tune
with a repetitive musical idea
Doubtful chances.
Mae Williams: “My Lover Who
Lied”r"Human Desire” (American),
Mae Williams, a Hollywood nitery
thrush and ex-Tommy Dorsey vo-
calist, Impresses on her first sides
for. the American label. “My Lover
Who Lied” is a fine ballad with . a
simple folk appeal which, she pro-
jects sensitively. On the flip, Miss
Williams gives' powerful, low-
down vocal of a bluesy tune from
JIMMY BOYD
(Columbia)
SARAH VAUGHAN
( Mercury \
I SAW MOMMY DOING THE MAMBO
. . Santa Clans Blues.
IDLE GOSSIP
. Make Y ourself ^Comforta ble
' is a neat idea cleverly executed
and this side could also step out,
Peggy King also has a good vei-
. ion for Columbia, both slices us-
ing the multiple dubbing tech-
icjue.
Jane Froman:. “Song From Desi-
ree”-“Finger Of Suspicion” (Capi-
tol i. “Song From Desiree” is . the
latest classy pic theme to turn up
on wax. It’s a big ballad that Jane
Froman gives an appropriate work-
over, with her legit singing style.
Flip is a change of pace, a . rhythm
number which. Miss Froman
bounces with commercial appeal;
Bill Darnell-The Smith Bros.:
“We Wanna See Santa DO . The
Mainbo”-“Too Fat To Be Santa
Claus (Label Xi. Still another
mambo tune that’s latched to the
Xmas- theme. “We Wanna See
Santa” is a swinging rhythm num-
ber with good chances, Label X.
evidently liked . this tune because
two more platters are slanted for
the hillbilly and' the r&b markets
by Terry Fell and John Greer. On
the Bill Darnell flip, “Too Fat” is
a calypso-type entry that’s also
catching.
Tony Martin: “My Bambino”-
“Rcsticss Heart” (Victor).- “My
Bambino” is a pretty Italo-gfOovecl
lullaby . that Tony Martin projects
in top form. It’s an appealing side
with strong commercial potential.
“Restless Heart.” from the. legit
production, “Fanny,” is a material
number that Martin gives a dra-
matic treatment, but' it doesn’t
come off as a pop . side.
Kaye Ballard: “Triumph Of
Love” - “Where Were You- Last
the Columbia picture of the same
title, a number that’s excellent
special material for Cafe per-
formers.
Russ Morgan: “Whisper”-" Yes
Dear” (Decca). It’s doubtful' if
“Whisper” will make much noise
commercially but it’s a delightful
number that deserves deejay re-
spect. It has a lingering old-
fashioned quality that’s easy on the
ear and the Morgan manner was
never better. “Yes Dear” is an
innocuous item that won’t offend
anyone but won’t get much play.
The Rover Boys: “Show Me”--
“You’ve Got. It" (Coral). If the
vocakgroup vogue continues to sus-
tain its hot pace, The Rover Boys
have good chance to cash in.
Group has the sound and the ma-
terial on “Show Me” and the
spinners and disk-buyers should
.'eat it up. Trine and delivery fol-
low the eccentric driving formula
that’s become popular, but the boys
have -that' 'extra harmony zing that
should push ’em through. "You’ve
Got It” is a less successful attempt
with similar merchandise.
V Ritter: “is There A Santa
Claus?” - “Old Tex Kringle” (Capi-
tol). Francis B. Church’s classic
Yule editorial for the N. Y, Sufi has
been turned into a pleasing plat-
ter fo rthe Xmas sales push by Tex
Ritter. Hillbilly crooner gives it, a
recitation treatment with plenty of
warmth and no hoke. The Word
stress will limit its jock and juke
spins but the parents Will surely
buy it for the kiddle turntables.
"Old Tex Kringle” is just another
version of the Santa legend but
LAWRENCE WELK
and his
CHAMPAGNE MUSIC
163d Consecutive Week, Arapon
Ballroom, Santa . Monica, -Calif.
Exclusively on Coral Records
THERE’S A SMALL HOTEL
end
SAW YOUR EYES
this time with ap alfalfa flavor,
which confines its spinning spread.
Gary Crosby: “There’s A Small
Hotei"-“Ready, Willing and Able”
(Decca*. The . Rodgers & Hart
oldie, “There'S A Srnall Hotel,”
currently' revived on Broadway in
“On Your Toes,” gets a fresh,
peppy workover via Gary Crosby’s
pleasant piping attack. His style is
bright and breezy which excellenty
fits into the lilt of the melody and
lyric. Young Crosby gets a bit
too stylized on the flip side but it’s
a catchy item and rates, some atten-
tion.
Album Review*
Paul Whiteman Orch: “All Time
Dance Party” (Coral).. For some
reason or other, show business and
fashion have been casting a nos-
talgic eye to the 1920s. The “flat
look” of that period may not hold
up but the music doeS^at least is '
presented by Paul Whiteman and
the “hew Ambassador Hotel or-
chestra” on this 10- inch longplay
package. The period pieces such
as “Whispering,”. “Japanese Sand-
man” and “I Love; You” are dc ,: v-
ered .with the enchantment* c'
’20s but it’s, just right for tc s.
terpsters;
. Roma “Sympho-Pop” Orchestra:
“The Magical Melodies of Savino”
(Kapp). A package of the melodies,
of Dorrienico Savino has been a
long time a-coming. His composi-
tions are lush and colorful and
the Roma “Sympho-Pop” orchestra
haridles ’em all with proper spirit.
The 12-inch LP is a natural, for
late-hour jocks.
: Sam Rosey has joined, Russ Mor-
gan’s enterprises as personal man-
ager. Rosfey formerly was an agent
in San Francisco.
PT^rjety
J 1. IF I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU (7) , , . .
2. I NEED YOU NOW (8)
i. HEY THERE (14)
I 4. PAPA LOVES MAMBO (3)
| 5. HOLD MY HAND (4)
6. THIS OLE HOUSE (9)
T
7. SKOKIAAN (9)
8. SHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL (2)
9. SH-BOOM (15)
10, WHITHER THOU GOEST (2)
HONEY LOVE
$ HIGH AND THE MIGHTY
SMILE , . .
IT'S A WOMAN'S WORLD
CARA MIA
THINGS I DIDN’T DO
FORTUNE IN DREAMS
Muskrat ramble
on
Doris Day
Denise Lor
Conn'ee Bosibell
l Dinah Shore
Eddie Fisher
\ Rosemary Clooney
} Sammy Davis, Jr.
Parry Com
Don Cornell
Rosemary Clooney
{ Ralph Mprterie
Louts Armstrong
Four Lads
Ray Anthony
Bill Haley’s. Comets
( Crew Cuts .
I Stan Freberg
Les Paul- Mary Ford
. . Columbia
, . Major
. Dacca ■
Victor
' Victor
. . Columbia
.Decca
Victor
. Coral
. Columbia
.Mercury
, . .Decca
. ..Columbia
. . . Capitol
. Decca
. . .Mercury
. . . Capitol
, . . Capitol
$ Vicki Youn
l Drifters
'Victor Young
: ^ LeRoy. Holmes . .
’ ' Johnny Desmond
Les Baxter .......
... . . i Hat; ( King ) Cole
• ‘ ’ * ’ ' ’ “ l -Sunny Gale
Four Aces .........
Whitfield-Mdntovani ., . .
Perry Com
Kay Starr ....
.( McGuire • Sisters ......
.{ Matys Brothers
f GOODNIGHT, SWEETHEART; GOODNIGHT McGuire Sisters
;; THEY WERE DOING TIIE. MAMBO ]
A , , i . . . ( Fioures in parentheses indicate number of weeks song has been in the Ton 101
Capitol T
Atlantic 19
. .Decca
. . .MGM
, . Coral
. Capitol < ’
.Capitol 4 "
Victor
.Dacca
. London
Victor
Capitol
. . . Coral
Essex
. , Coral ^
. , Victor
. Victor
. Strauss: Rosenkavalier (London).
Sumptuous Version of the melodi-
ous opera (complete), with Vienna
State Opera soloists and chorus,
and Vienna' Philharmonic, under
the. knowing baton of Erich Klei-
ber, giving the work, style, flourish
and authenticity. Hilde Gueden is
especially choice as Sophie, Mar-
schallin is. Maria Reining, Sena
Jurinac the. Octavian, Ludwig
Weber the Baron Ofchs,
Berliozi Te Deum (Columbia).
Rarely-he.ard oratorio is lyrical
beautiful iri spots, with strong
dramatic climaxes, yet restrained
tones, all of it well brought out by
Sir Thomas Beecham, the Royal
Philharmonic and choirs,
v- Beethoven: Sonatas No; I' m F
Minor, No. 3 in C (RCA Victor).
These early works have solidity in
Solomon’s sensitive readings. The
F Minor is serious, often moody;
No. 3 iri ,C : iS'a gay, bubbling work.
Chopin: Concertos No. 1 & 2
,(W estminster). Atti’active perform-
ances bj r pianist Paul Badura-
Skodai assisted by the ^ Vienna
State Opera Orch under Artur
Rodzinski. Readings are gracefully
chiseled, not too emotional, a little
too sharply accented at times, but
always clear arid clean.
Ravel: Bolero, Tombeau de Cou-
perin, Pavane Pour Infante (Angel).
Choice readings of both the
rhythmic “Bolero” and delicately
shaded impressionistic pieces by
Badiodiffusion Orch undei 1 Andre
Cluytens.
Andres Segovia Album (Decca).
“Chaconne,” plus shorter Bach
pieces, and charming bits by SJors,
Villa-Lobos and Rodrigo, beauti-
fully played by the master-guitar-
ist. Austere “Chaconne” comes off
well, without loss of musical values
Contemporary American Music
for Strings (MGM). Representative
modern works, diverse in style
lyric, rhythmic and appealing
under Izler Solomon’s batoning
with the MGM Orch.' There’s an
early Copland work; and pieces by
Diamond* Persichetti, Goeb anil
Porter, all substantial..
Sibelius: Symphonies No. 3 & 7
(London). The happy, light C Major
(No, 3) ;arid melodious, classic 7lh
in expressive readings by the 'Lori-"
don -. Symphony under Anthony
Collins.
Bartok: Concertos No. 2 & 3
(Westminster). . The No, 2 is bold,'
angry and pulsing; No. 3 more
serene. Two important works well
performed by pianist. Edith Far*
nadi, aided by the Vienna State
Opera Orch under Hermann Seher-
chen.
, Copland Album (Westminster).
Three of Aaron Copland’s finest
scores, the exotic “El Salon /Mex-
ico” fravorsome “Billy Kid” arid-
pastoral “Appalachian Spring.” in
vivid, highly attractive readings
by the National Syriiphoriy under
Howard Mitchell. Bron.
NEW DET. RCA DISTRIB V.P.
Detroit, Oct. 26.
Clarence A. Malin has been
. named veepee and manager of trie
Detroit branch of the RCA Victor
Distributing Co., /Succeeding Ned
A. Corbett, who takes on similar
duties at the Chicago branch.
Malin formerly was home instru-
ment sales manager of the De-
troit branch.
The top 30 songs of week ( more In case of ties), based on
copyrighted Audience Coverage Index & Audience Trend Index.
Published by Office of Research, Inc.. Dr. John Gray Peatman,
Director. Alphabetically listed. Film. * Legit musical.
Survey Week of October 15-21, 1954
Anyone Can Fall In Love Weiss
Cara Mia / ...... ..Feist
Count Your Blessings— t“While Christmas” Berli
Fanny— *“Fanny” . ... i ..... . . Chappell
Hajji Baba— -•“Adventures. of Hajji Baba” ...... . . Remick.
Heaven Was Never Like This Famous
Hey There— *“Pa jama Game" , . . .Frank
High Arid The Mighty— f “High And The Mighty” Witmark
Hold My Hand— v“Susan Slept Here” . Raphael
I Have To. Tell You— *“Fanny” . Chappell
I Need You Now . .Miller
If I Give My Heart To You Miller
I’m A Fool To Care .. ........Peer
It’s A Woman’s World— - “Woman’s World” : . Robbi
Iri The Chapel In The Moonlight . . ... Shapirb-B
Little Shoemaker . ... Bourne
Love, You Didn’t Do Right— •’-“White Christmas” .Berlin
Man That Got Away— i “A Star Is Born” Harwi
Mood Indigo . . Mills
Muskrat Ramble . ........... Simon
Papa Loves Mambo ’ Shapiro-B
Sabrina — -"("“Sabrina ' Famous
Skokiaau . . . . , . . ..... Shapiro-B
...Bourne
Sway- ....:. Peer
Teach Me Tonight .... . . . . ... . , .......... Hub
There’s A Small Hotel— *“On Your Toes” : Chappell
They Were Doing The. Mambo. Mayfair
This Ole House ... . . . . . ... . . . Hamblen
Time Wails For No One, . .Remick-
Top 30 Songs on TV
(More In Case of Ties)
• • • 0 • r •
• - 0 .'$ • # •
. * •
Cara' Mia ...... . ... ,.j
Count Y ou r Blessings-^f ‘White Christmas
Fanny— *‘‘Fanny”
Gee, j Wish I Was Back—t White Christmas’
Gilly, Gilly- Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen. . ... .
Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight , ....
Hernando’s Hideaway — *“Pajama Game” * . , . . , .
Hey There — ♦“Pajama Game” ........ . . ... . .
High And The Mighty— i‘ “High And The Mighty”
I Need You Now .......
I Want You All To Myself . . . . , . .
I Want’cha Around. . ;
If I Give My Heart To You . ..
In The Chapel In The 'Moonlight
Lila . . „ ' ' ; . . . '
Little Shoemaker . ...
Man That Got Away— 1“ A Star Is Born”. .......
Muskrat Ramhle .
Papa Loves Mambo
Restless Heart — ♦“Fanny”
Sh-Boom . , . ,
Shake, Rattle And Roll. . .
Sisters— if “White Ghristnias’
Skokiaan
Smile
Teach Me Tonight
Tell Me, Tell Me . ;
Things I Didn’t Do
This Ole House . .
Venl, Vidi, Vici...
• *f* • • p . •
• ••••«"•> 1 1 » 1 «« • > «« • • »
I » ifi M «
I ! I «
. Feist
Berlin
. . Chappell
... Berlin
. . Beaver
Arc
. . Frank
. ..Prank
, . Witmark
. .Miller
. , Shapiro-B
. . Joy
. . Miller
. . Shapiro-B
. . Garlock-S
. . Bourne
. . Harwiri
. . Simon
... Shapirb-B
.... Chappell
. . H&R
. . Progressiv
. . Berlin
. . Shapiro-B
. . Bourne
. . Hub
. . (Golden Bell
. . H & R
, . Hamblen
.. Hawthorne
-A,.
"A*.
Wednesday, October 27, 1954.
usssnsTt
MUSIC
51
CHI JOCKS SLAP ‘OPEN PAYOLA’
. .♦
The Christmas spirit hit the -f
uisic industry this week. Pub-
lishers arid disk companies began
tin owing their new Yule material
into the market in the annual sear
Soria! scramble for the break-
through tune.
Despite general disk jockey an-
tipathy to spinning Xmas platters
so early in the year, the diskeries
started mailing dee jay copies Of
their new Christmas platters late
last week and the publishers are
beginning to hit the road to con-
vince the disk Spinners to give
th ir tunes an early start. Pubbers’
appeal will be based on fact that
it now takes more than two months
to get a tune rolling, and if the
(leejays wait until after Thanks-
giving Day before programming:
Christmas, etchings, their, new
product: won't be - given a geLoffr
tli e-ground chance,
Accent, on Christmas disks this
year is in- the novelty groove.
Many publishers figure that si -.sea-
sonal. novelty has better takeoff
opportunities than a ballad. They
believe that the standard .Christ-,
■ mas ballads are pretty tough. . to
buck, but; a novelty has a chance
’ to crack through any year,
Xmas Reprises
Among the new novelty platters
being pushed this season are “I,
Saw Mommy Do the Mambo With
You Know Who” by Jimmy Boyd
(Columbia); .‘‘-We Want To See.
Santa Do the Mambo” by The
Smith Bros. (Label X); “I Want
Eddie Fisher . for Christmas” by
Betty Johnson (New Disc), and “I
Got a Code in the Node for Christ-
mas” by Gayla Peevey (Columbia).
Publishers with Xmas tunes that
have made their mark in the past
Will continue their annual drive on
each for. performances and sheet
sales,, Among ' the established
Christmas items are “White Chfist-
That’s Charting It
Over at the Hotel Rosevelt,
N. Y., was this unusual dead-
pan songplugger's: hypo for his
tune to Gliy. Lombardo:
“My song came out of no- ...
where to the 62d spot ori the
bestseller charts.” •
n)j\s,” “Winter W o n d • 1 a n : d,”
“Frosty the Snowman,” “Silver
Bells,” “Santa Claus Is Coming To
Town” and “Rudolph the Red-
Nosed : Reindeer.” Eartha kitt,
who broke through last year with
“Santa Baby” (Victor), is back
again this, season with: the ..same
tune and a- new lyric tagged “This
Year's Santa Baby” for the same
label.
The disk companies also are
going all out on new Yule albums.
Since the package biz has zoomed
in the past year, the diskeries fig-
ure the Xmas sets will account for
a hefty chunk, of th seasonal
platter billings.
Late Tan Disking
RCA Victor was stymied in its
move to cash in on the rave notices
for the new Broadway musical,
"Peter Pan,” by rushing its original
east album production this week.
Mary . Martin, star of the show,
said she was too. tired to maike the
albui this week, so Victor, execs
have .scheduled the sessions for
next Tuesday (2).
“Peter Pan” : is the seventh origi-
nal cast album set by RCA. Victor
this season. Others are "The Boy
Friend,” Mrs. Patterson,” “Fanny,”
‘‘Sillc Stockings, ’A “Ninotchka” and
"Midsumriier Night's 1 Dream.’* Vic-
tor also is . issuing the soundtrack
fl ’om the 20th-Fox filmusical, “Car-
men Joneis.”
Victor has practically cornered
the original cast album market this
year. Columbia Records has nabbed
®hly one show this year, “House
of Flowers,” the Harold Arlen-
Truman. Capote musical due on
Broadway in December.,
'MAMBO U.S.A/ COAST DATES
Hollywood, Get. 26.
Gene Norman has booked the
Mambo U.S.A.” package for four
Coast dates, including a concert
the Shrine Auditorium Nov, 26.
Other three dates, Npv, 24-25-27,
dl be for dances on the Coast.
The three major video networks
and g^oup Of -top viclpix pro*
ducers wrapped up a new agree-
ment with the Music Performance
Trust Fund, No. 2, last week that
will run for five years, retroactive
to last Feb. 1,. New agreement,
which replaces the three-year
agreement which ran out Jan. 31,
will give the Fund approximately
$1,000,000 more to distribute this
year among unemployed members,
of the American Federation Of Mu-
sicians.
Signatories to. the new deal are
the ABC, CBS and NBC networks,:
Desilu Productions, Studio -Films,
Walt Disney Productions arid Ziv
Television Productions. Pact calls
for a payment to the Fund of 5%
of the gross revenues -received,
from fhe sale of vidpix or 5% of
the station time charges; which-
ever is less, on sponsored films.
On .sustaining films, the first' fun
on any station can be made for
nothing; Payment to the Fund for
each subsequent run will be on the
basis of 2% of the film’s . produc-
tion cost.
. Payments to th Trust Fund
from Vidpix producers have zoomed
sharply since i951, when the orig-
inal agreement was made. In the
first year, ending April, 1952, the
vidpix producers shelled out. $164, r
800 to the Fund; this climbed to
$363,000 the following year arid
more than, doubled the year after,
when the Fund collected $709,500.
On all pix produced before Feb-
ruary this year, the vidpix pro-
ducers pay under the old schedule.
Samuel R. Rosenbaum is trustee
both for the disk industry and
vidpix Trust Funds. Via coopera-
tion with AFM locals around tlie
country, the Fund allocates coin
for cuffo concerts in parks, hos-
pitals. auditoriums, etc... with the
musicians getting paid regular
scale.
Lena Horne, who lias been ab-
sent from the disk picture for the
past couple of years, will likely
join the' RGA Victor foster shortly.
Songstress is currently talking with
Victor execs about a new deal, and
may do four sides for the label on
a one-shot basis if a longterm pact
can’t be worked out.
. Columbia Records almost nabbed
Miss. Horne a couple of weeks* ago,
but she refused to do the songs
assigned to her.
Jack Lewis Doe to Head
Victor’s Groove Label
Jack Lewis, head of RCA Vic-
tor's jazz, operation, is slated tp
take over the artists & repertoire
assignment for Victor’s, rhythm &
blues label, Groove Records, short-
ly. Danny Kessler headed Groove
until he exited the company last
spring, and since then Lewis has
handled the r&b assignments with-
out having the title.
It’s understood Lewis will also
continue to direct Victor’s jazz
output
Chicago, Oct. 26.
Certai deejays here are at-
tempting to quash .the efforts of
the. DJL (Disk Jrickeys & Librar-
ians) to enroll Chi record spim
nefs for fear that the new organi-
zation’s “deals” would demean the
disk jockey profession. The DJL
is a Coast outfit, headed by Jean
Dee and Charles Burton, which is
seeking to team the country's dee-
jays With small diskefies i an
arrangement that would net jocks
and ’record librarians a cut of the
indie record companies’ profits. It’s
figured by the DJL that jocks
around the country could make a
hit of any disk if they all g'uiged
up on it at once.
Bruce Dennis, program director
of radi station WGN, a Mutual
affiliate owned by the Chicago
Tribune, issued a “needless to . say”
memo to 'staff deejays, advising
them ail to lay off. WJJD spin
Stan Dale said he felt an organi-
zation like this “corrupts the ob-
jective purpose of the disk jockeys,
which is to play What the audience
would like to hear. To . subscri be
tp a thing like the DJL is to lay
yourself wide open to a lot, of
junk, just because you think you’re
going to get some, kind of. payoff,
and to jeopardize a genuine fol-
lowing which' is worth a thousand
times more than' the payoff of an
outfit like this.”
Howard Miller, the city’s most
radio-and-tv-saturated jock, called
the DJL an “openfaced payola'.”
Miller, best-known jockey in town
and a real influence, said he would
do everything in his power to get
all stations he works on to ban the
DJL affiliated disks,
A sampling , of Chicago deejays
had 100% of them shaking their
heads to the tune, Of “nix on (he
DJL and its kind,” but there’s still
no. question that some are nibbling
at the hook; General feeling among
jocks ‘here is that hungry ' hinter-
land: .".-record. spinners will go lor
the plan wholesale*
Tape It, Natch
In the lobby of New York’s
Brill Bldg., the No. 10 Down-,
ing St, of the music biz, last
week, two 'publishers were
talking about .Capitol Records’
new Coast headquarters, which
is built in the shape of a
record.
“What’ll they . do with it,”
one publisher asked,: “When
the industry converts to tape?”
Pop: platter biz last week snapped
out of a bad slump that started
early in September and Soured ex-
pectations of a big fall, turnover
this, year: But . while pop platters
were slowed down, /the market for
packaged griods has remained solid
for the past couple of months.
Activity on pop singles began
perking sharply last week for no
explicable reason. The Christmas
season is still more than a month
away and the current pop hits have
remained relatively unchanged for
the past couple of months.. The
current biz hike, in fact, is coming
at a time when disk execs normal-
ly expect a lull before the rush ; that
usually , begins around Thanksgiv-
ing Day.
Sheet music . sales, meantime,
continue to hold at relatively low
levels. While a couple of years: ago.
a big lfit could be 'expected to move
over 400,000 copies, publishers now
regard a 200,000 seller as a smash,
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Capitol is readying a new Frank
Siriatfa jazz album in which the
singer will be backed only by .*
rhythm section. Package marks a
complete switch for Sinatra, who
usually has a big band background
for his vocals;
Initial four sides have, been cut
for the platter, with the rhythm
group utilizing nothing but “head”
arrangements to supply the back-
ing. Only thing on paper at the
recording sessions are the titles.
Sam. Goody, leading discount op-
erator in the disk field, dropped
a legal decision in the U. S. Su-
preme Court Monday (25), but it
won’t affect his operation at all.
Goody had challenged the New
York State Feld-Crawford Act be-
fore, the Court, but the latter re-
fused to review the lower, court’s
decision and hence,, in effect, up-
held the constitutionality of fair-
trading laws. However, none of the
disk companies is considering fair-
trade agreeriierits to fix the list
prices of their products.
Goody’s action before the
Supreme Court stems from a suit
.originally brought against him by
Cetra-Soria Records arid Capitol
Records, which distributed Cetra*-
Soria. Latter companies won an
injunction, against Goody in N. Y.
Supreme Court, prohibiting him
from selling its platters. Under list.
Goody then appealed to the Fed-
eral Supreme Court but, several
months ago, Capitol withdrew its
coriiplaint against Goody and per-
mitted him to sell Cetra-Soria be-
low. list.
Goody, however, decided to get
a High CoUft ruling that would
conclusively decide the validity of
fair-trade laws. Fact that Goody
lost before the Supreme . Court, be-
comes academic in view of Capi-
tol’s withdrawal Of its Original ac-
tion against the retailer and in
view of the rest of the major com-
panies’ neutral attitude towards
price-cutting.
4- Disk biz execs are focusing at-
tention on a .new sales pattern
currently shaping up in several
midwest cities under, the aegis
of a major chain store distributor,
Handleman Drugs. Latter company
supplies numerous standard items .
to chain stores and supermarkets
and, in the last few months, has
added platters to its line.
A similar project has been in
operation in the east for the past
year Under Billot Wexler, Wex-
ler’s outfit, however, has been dis-
tributing platters exclusively,
while Joe. Handleman’s company
has. added the platters to its.
other commodities. Significance of
the difference lies in the fact that
Handleman’s overhead on. his disk
distribution Is considerably lower;
and hence he doesn’t have to ask
for special discounts and deals
from the manufacturers. (At the
present tirrie, Wexler is suing both
Capitol and Decca for alleged price
discrimination against, his company
by not giving him a distributors'
Cut).
Most major disk, execs regard ex-
pansion into the: syndicate stores
and supermarkets as the way to
tap a new market potential; While
disk retailers ate hostile to th
idea, major sales execs generally
believe that there will be no con-
flict between regular disk outlets
and the chains.; Latter would sell
only the top hits and would at-
tract a whole new sector of shop-
pers who rarely go * into record
stores, but might stop to pick one,
off a supermarket rack.
Handleman’s . operation, which
headquarters in Detroit and cover*
Chicago and .Cleveland, may pro-
vide the answer to the problem of
how to sell more pop: disks. With
some 25,000,000 machines now i
circulation, disk execs see rip rea-
son why iriore recrirds. do not hit
the 1,000,000 -marker and why the
top clicks do not do three or four,
times their , present turnover. It’s
now believed that the biggest fac-
tor limiting sales is the relative
small number of outlets handling
disks. If the number of disk out-
lets, ppw numbering about 12,000,
were doubled via the rack distribu-
tion methods,, the trick of selling
more records would be consider-
ably facilitated.
BBS & BURGUNDY COS.
DO A STUDE-PACKARD
In an era of mergers between
major automobile firms and banks,
the indie diskers are now on a
consolidation kick. Burgundy Rec-
ords, recently formed company, in
Detroit, Is merging with BBS
Records, a Philadelphia label. . Art
Sutton headed Burgundy and Bill
Borelli operated the BBS company.
The two execs will also collaborate
as song writers.
New company;, called BBS. Bur-
gundy, will headquarter in Detroit,,
with Philadelphia as the eastern
branch centre. Arnold Sully has
been nairied to handle promotion
for the east while Terry Shaffer
Will continue in the midwest pro-
motion spot.
Teri Josefovits at the keyboard
in the Ben Franklin Room of
Leighton’s, Ardsley, N.Y., for tile
fall-winter season.
Blows His Top and Sues
Los Angeles,; Oct. 26..
James Campbell, trumpeter, says
i he can’t blow hffe* top notes any
more, so he is suing Arithon Corpi,
Billy May Orch. Inc., and five Does
for $9,287.
Plaintiff declares he was hired
by Billy May and was to have re-
ceived $175 a week and an accident
insurance policy; He contends, that
the insurance was not forthcoming
j for an accident while traveling
with the band. The injury, he said,
prevents him from playing a. high.
.trumpet without Severe headaches,
* <• • *»
Swing to EPs
In jukeboxes
The jukebox industry is hopping
on the extended play disk band-
wagon. Coinbox move to EPs i
being made on a gradual scale to
stimulate biz, which, has been lag-
ging for the past couple of months.
The majority Of disks going into
the machines are *still. 45 rpm
speed, but operators are beginning
to insert about 10% of a 50-platter
machine with EPS. The EP ' disk
gives the customer, two tunes for
one. nickel.
, The ops figure that the. two-for-
ofie buy will stir up the biz tliat.’.s :
been on thfe downgrade since the
McCarthy televised hearings in tlie
summer.. Take hasn’t picked up
since and they hope the EPs will
be an effective come-on. . The ops
plan to continue using the EP lure
as a steady practice even if biz
shows an upswing.
Ops in the New York area
initiated, the swing to EP and
juke men around, the country are
beginning to follow suit.
i
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
RC*A Victor unveils* a “new”
Frankie C aide next month with the
release of the first of four sides
he cut last, week in a “new sound”
experiment. Disks feature Carle
with big band — 22 pieces — and
some string arrangements back-
grounding his keyboard work.
Vocals on the sides are handled
by Bob London.
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
$
M»T aoiua n
•nbjanbnq.iv 7 ^J3a5t^-m!A9JJ niff w"
jaAuag— kmim— suinJ^j Xb» iq
®SOf UBS—Orsk— ua|4«b quiu^
popAvAlitOH-i-O JWM—aiiBqS3«W uqof .
aiepuaio— A3IM— ai«IS HIV .
ao^ne/wnH— JJW3A\— SBUioqx qq©X
sum xnois^-oiax— iiBii »«®o •
•nqumpo— OHAAl-T-uosqoBf aaunviq w
TreuuPV 1 ?^— OJpM~-saAiB(X mg w
•sidK-inBd: ^S—JXSM— si-uoK ituuqOf
Pnop ;s— WV3X— aqs«ia yav
*' ‘ * * 1- — — j * — , — J— , t
^q.i]9(I— Xf AV— PPU ™«I3 eo
u.i aqj Baa— H IttX AV—mo ut X *S ujqoa
tow sag— XNXH— liag- «oq co
O^BOiqO-— bVWAi'T'J^inWI piBMOll I ft
sa|BZUOQ— IXOM— q«qs]BAi.. »A«»
. B t UB IVV — IXbM— ^ a ljio'D qoa m
BduiBj,— vaJAV— sjnquieqo |*j ^
opuBiJO-^ZXOAA— Pl!U3i|BX Xuuqor w
yiu b I H— w V b Al— SU4 na nia N
.Taiub3;uoi(\[— AOOAV— J»M 3 nx quwj •
»nqoH^-VT[VAl— uosduioqx ipmqQ .
* ' . . . . . * ' •«
;jodA\ajsi— MaVAV— lap^H ®0f w
qSanqsnTd-^ayOAl— I9Bq»IW ^«f :•
BfqdiapBiiq^— jiav— ajjnpaM d*k ui
UMovia^BAV—ANMiVl— Jaisoj uqbf
•tpon— -’iVXAV — aii-ivs nox
jajsaqooH— daXAl— uosqof^ qojrt N
Aid. 3 nd E iw — cuwai— r»iqo®a *x i^a
. ja;saqouBj\[— aiiwiAl— a^PlJqiV «®X
pp.usqpds— aasAV— r>»Ji«a ®iP/»o0
.TnqqoiTj[— wpjAV— P ooh I«X
jomijiBg— 0V3A1 :
puBnJ°d[— XOaM-^-pJBuoaa aiAvou
uo^S UiqSB AV—qO Ai— 1U«40 tl!K
u»abh Ava^i— ZAVAi— pXon' -g qoa
pjojv^tt— OI1AV— JaiHW «MH
31.TOA Maw— woitfAl— piaqifS n(fl
• .m :
CO I .Cl ©
r-i
^ oo eg •
o -oo.
>•
M
c/a
mmr
IgSlsj!
**1**81.
; ° 1 >$ *3 *S o y
> 8 s o §. c
«»» 1 S
§Sg-|6|
v'llll ° a §
^r^o. 3 .
-.a.ISl.Bgg
w - £ ® I
Isi 8'2-f-8a-
I ^
5 K
£ £
.Ij
M K'
#
S i J
3 I s
m ©■
> U
+» O -
e S" 8
0.0 S
cjrS-?,:3
k ^ C. V
•3 g % ■ a <0 P » w
Ots o > C g
. .S iJ in j; O ^ 5- M
■5 *»..s k >> y w
’■C b SoP g +-■■
>Es o 8 1 1 1-^ S *
• u .•
I ll
•S I
» «
•m
t 3 e
ra o
W 0
. ►». ••
4) •
a ■
§ «
: £ « !
n aj
I s t
■ is S ' *
0 0 4)
# U Bk
i!| e -
*S l"“
Wednesday, October 27, 1954,
P&RtETr
MUSIC
S3
"Hit Parade’ Lineup
(On Oct. 23 NBC-TV Show)
1. Hey There .. ..Frank
2. This Ole House . . Hamblen
3. I Need You Now. .. .Miller
4. If I Give My Heart . . Miller
5. Skokiaan .Shapiro-B
6. High and Mighty . * Witmark
7v Papa Loves Mambo'; , . . S-B
Martin Block, ABC flee jay, took
a slap at the record biz again last
week ( 21 ) over his afternoon airer.
Block flared up at diskeries which
copy • arrangements of click disks.
Block targeted the Lancers’ _cut
of v 'Mr. Sandman’’ -for Coral and
after showing its similarity to The
Ghordettes’ etching of the same,
tune for Cadence' said, "I don’t
object to various artists taking., a
tune that has been given big
start by someone else, a tune that
.looks like; it’s going to be big, .and
climbing on the bandwagon. But,
for. heaven’s sake, at least let them
show a little originality, spend a
few backs and hire an arranger
to produce a little different version.
“Copying the same arrangement
isn’t competition, not in the true
show: business sense. It’s just grab-
bing star and hanging On for the
ride. After all, the, original ar-
ranger gives his life’s blood to
create something different and
then someone else cops it from him
•when it looks good.”
LIBER ACE CRACKS W, VA.
TOWN MARK WITH 276
Huntington, W. Va., Oct. 26.
In a one-nite concert stand here
last Friday (22), Liberace cracked
all records for the Huntington
Memorial Field House, with a
$27,000 gross and an: attendance of
7,828.
The .pianist, for the fiijt time,
played in the middle of the are nil
to all four sides. Presentation was
such a click that he may use this
arrangement wherever possible.
COL INKS HILLBILY
Port Arthur, Tex., Oct. 26.
Frankie Miller, Texas hillbilly
singer,, has just inked a recording
contract with Columbia. His first
two sides are ‘.‘It’s No Big Thing
To . Me” and ‘‘Hey. Where Ya
Going’?”
Miller writes much of his own
material.
Victor leagues’ Kidisk
Album to Tie in With
Pic; Not a Soundtrack
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
RCA Victor has completed a
kidisk album based on *‘20,000
Leagues Under the Sea” and will
issue it in time tp tie with the
exploitation campaign for the Walt
Disney film version of the Jules
Verne classic. Disney feature,
which stars Kirk Douglas and
Peter Lorre, is slated for Christ-
mas release.
Victor package, a Little. Nipper
Story Book Alburn, is not. a sound-
track offering. It stars William
Redfield, with sea Chanties sung*by
William. Clauson and. several pages
of dialog excerpts to set the story
line. It was produced for Victor
by Steven R. Carlin, Tieup with
Disney permits a cover designation
as the ‘‘official” album of the film;
Single, sides of tunes from the
film will be available via Decca,
for Whom Douglas recorded the
numbers' last week. ;
Religioso Songplug
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
1 Know’ any tune touts with
dignity?
Century Fjlrtis is looking for
a sbrigplugger with the proper
approach to plug a hymn.
That’s right, a h.vmn.
Daniels Amfitheatreof has
written a hymn titled ‘‘Day of
Triumph” for the indie out-
fit’s religioso film of the same
title. To exploit the film, they
want it plugged. But with dig-
ity.
Salty Holmes, harmonicist who
has been inactive: on wax for the
past couple of years, has , bean
pacted by Decca Records, for
which, lie formerly, worked. He
joins the diskery’s country
western talent roster.
COL GIVING BUTTONS
Columbia. Records is giving Red
Buttons a crack at the kid mar-
ket. Diskery is . releasi ng a, new
moppet version of ‘‘The Ho-Ho
Song” and ‘‘Strange Things Are
Happening.” Both tunes previously
had beeh waxed by Buttons for
the pop field.
The kid adaptations were penned
by Jack Wolf and Joe Darion.
“7"
RETAIL DISK BEST SELLERS
P^RIETY
Survey of retail disk , best
sellers based on reports ob-
tained from leading stores in
22 cities and shovhng com-
parative soles rating for this
and last Meek..
National
Rating
This Last
o
P
o
td
-S'-
-as
w
o
St
V
OT ■
•rt '
h
Pi
4).
4->
C ■
W .
t-i .
m
ft
p
co.
a
,o
ho.
.s
re
O
o
o
•H
(/)
* P.
S;
.0)
pp
W
O
■S
B
5
1/1
©
o
co
P-
s
(h
O),
t-r
P
O :
d.
cd
> :
a
«
re.
6
re
£
.re-.
£
.£
O
>”S
03
*£'
ft
9)
T3
03
(h
re.
T3
£.
o
o
4)
43 '
ho '
u
B
&■
ot
o
£
•■to
r»
£
cd
E
4)
>
O
P
E
03
43
bO
C
W
ft
• o
43
c n.
•a
(h
o
CJ
4>
pci
tn
“v
4)
• ft
CO
03
-. ,»4
JOT .
lc
o
ot '
P;
u>
u
4)
fe:'
w
*»—
S'
I
s
- o
• n^ ;
CO
■p
•W
4-)
■43
*
I
03
. 5 -
:«
o
O
o.
"£
cd
•H
f U
o.
E
cd
4— <
<
X
...
B.
O
4-
B
<
■a
ot
w
o
05
'.£
D
co
T3
'£
X
O
bo
(d
a
o
2
«
4)
0<
4 .
•o
ft
cd
S
cd
. *^4
fi
>»
u
cd,
4>
P
O'
O.
Q
e-
■ a
cd
9)
B.
JS
■ 5
O
P
6
•pH
CO
3
Ui
C
■
X
c
0)
1-3
OT
cd-
OT
B
cd
4>
OT
3
O
X
V.
•H
w.
3
m
• H
T3.
3'
X
OT
S
■e.
cd-.
%
- u
o
«-
4)
■n
B
cd
p*
9)
>
4)
r d..
(3
cd
TD
O
O .
CL)
X
M
B
9>
O
-43
P
.o
• H .
CO
•3
s
X
9)
PN
4)
bo
B
OT
e
■ . OT
.3
' S
cd
43
E
3
►—3
O
P
X
■ o
OT
• H
o
■B-
: Cd'
. fe
. B'
Cd
w
O
O.
O'
>>
Q
Ih -
0)
>
§
Q-
u
■ 4>
>
B
9i
'P.
a
*. a a
1
\
a- a
4 a
. a a . .
12
22
....
STUART HAMBLEN (Victor)
“This Ole House”,.. '
a 'a
.a • •
a a
*a a
9
a- a
4
a 4 •
.a a
a .
2
.4 •*
11
23
JOHNSTON BROS. (London)
'The Bandit” . . . .. .I. .. . ;
z
\ . •
a V
a a
• a-, a'.’
a' 4
4k •
6
a 4
a a
*'4 9 '•
8
;24
*
14
GAYLORDS (Mercury)
“Little Shoemaker” . !
• .‘a
a * k
•• a -1
.7 .
< 4 •
A *
a. .
'a a
9
..4 4 ‘
* •
* a •
a •
10
4. •
7
25
• 4
PAUL— FORD (Capitol)
“I’m a’ Pool to Care” . . .
a’ •
•. • ' «
* •
• 1
1
'• a,
10
9
8
a ' •
• a
♦ • • *
• V
9 •
• 4
9
6
ALBUMS
l
2 ‘
3
" 6
4
' STUDENT PRINCI
MUSIC, martinis^
SEVEN BRIOH FOR
GLENN) MILLER
A STAR IS BORN
■PAJAMA-GAMI
UO" *
AND MSMORIH ;
SEVEN BROTHERS
LI tTED EDITI II
mm n
a x . • .
hckl* CImmii
* • *4 ; ^ * * , ,
Film . S*unPN
CO
■C3
•a
CO
- C
vH
X .
P
• .41 •
1
U
to .
: a’ ■
S:
ft
■ .ft :
■P
W3
t o ■
9P^
w
1
■CO
i.
•3
' O
. u
•
OD
0
'•p4
w
'i
c
(8
B .
, a,
4>
fi'-
1
4)
«
he
-S ■
&
J
0~s
o .
• pM - ■
'CO
'.3*
a ■
0
•Si
. ft
• ca ■
U
1
.9)
♦a
«8
4)
OD
T
-o
T
A
L
P
0
1
N
T
S
PTARIETY
Survey of retail sheet rriusic
best sellers based on reports
obtained from leading stores in
12 cities and showing coin-
parative sales rating for this
and. last, u’eek.
* ASCAP t BMI
National
Rating
This Last
wk. wk. Title and Publisher
i
' 2
♦If I Give My Heart to You (Miller)
3
i
i
1
1
3
1
2
2
2
1
5
' ' 2
3
rThis Ole House (Hamblen)
1
9
5
: 2"
■.4 ; :
aai
3
6
1
1
3
i
86
3
1
♦Hey There (Frank) . . .. v
9
2
6
; 4
2
2
4
mi
3
2
6
71 ..
4
5 ■
*1 Need : You Now (Miller) . .
5
5
5
5
4
1
4
5
7.
2
"67
5
. ,4 .
‘ High and the Mighty (Witmark) .
8
3
3
3
i
8
8
. . ''
4
4
. .
57
6
8
“Hold My Hand (Raphael) .
»'•••' 9 ■'+ •, .
. .
3
• ‘
mm
Efifl
a
.
8
.7, .
5
3
41
7
. 11
♦Count Your Blessings (Berlin) . .
2
.. 4
2
8
6 ;
■
9
# .
36
8
' 1.
♦Little Shoemaker (Bourne) . .
4
8
8
. 7
6
• • •..
8
6
9
"34
9
io
♦Papa Loves Mamba (Shapiro-B) . .
6
8
7 .
10
5
3
9
.. 10
30
■El
;6
♦Skokiaan (Shapiro-B) . . ...
• . '
8
...6
2
9
6
9 •
7.."
29
11
13
♦Chapel in Moonlight (Shapiro-B) .
* . *
9
.7
.
9
5
m
8
» .-
17
:■ 12
♦Teach Me Tonight (Hub); .
7 ■
•' 9 •
4
...
- .
. .
« •
. * .
.
8
14
13
9
r Sh-Boom (Hill & Range) ) .
i • .
9
9
3
►
13
1 14A . ;
♦Cara. Mia (Feist) . , .. ■.
../• '■ .
.. •'
< .
7
-.9,
• ..
4
U.
| 14B
tShake, Rattle & Roll (Progressive)
•:
5
6
11
Hard-Luck Tunes
j Continued' from page. 1 m
the big'bust as a subject for. humor
in “A Tale of the Ticker."
Our forefathers revelled in songs
of self-pity, such as “Nobody’s Dar-
ling pn Earth,” in which a poor
little orphan girl wanders the
streets and begs a penny for bread.
The biggest’ self-pity binge start-
ed just about 10 y eats before the
Wall St. crash — When World War
I was in process of being wound up
arid the nation was still enjoying
wartiine prosperity. This, of
course, excepts the songs that have
always been popular about Unre-
quited love and other sentimental
misfortunes, with “The Curse, of
An Aching Heart" as a classic ex-
ample. The type meant now is the
one in which the singer simply
feels sorry for himself on general
principles, because he’s convinced
he was born under an unlucky star
or with two strikes on him. The
general idea Was summed up in the
old Negro spiritual, “Nobody.
Knows the Trouble I See."
‘Chasing Rainbows*
In 1918, Harry Fox appeared in
the musicomedy, “Oh Look!” whose
hit number, “I’m Always Chasing
Rainbows,” kicked off. the big self-
pity* cycle. The words were by Joe
McCarthy, while Harry Carroll,
who knew a good tune when a
classic composer had written one,
lifted the melody from the middle
section of Chopin's “Fantasie Im-
promptu." The ditty made a wad
of money for the, publishers, Mc-
Carthy & .Fisher, arid it gave a lot
of other cleffers the idea that there
was gold in groans.
Notable among those who got the
idea were James Kendis, Nat Vin-
cent and James Brockirian. So a
few months after “Rainbows"
swept the. country, the nation Was
favored with probably the biggest
of all the self-pity hits, “I’m For-
ever Blowing Bubbles," the sad
story of the. chap who wasted his'
tinie blowing bubbles instead of
getting down to work and doing
something obstructive, such as
Writing a song about people who
frivoled their time Way blowing
bubbles.
Soon the high-pressure self-pity
orgy was on. “In the Heart of a
Fool," .by Max O. Freedman &
Harry D. Squires, was more on the
“Curse of an Aching Heart" idea,
but Arthur Anderson did his part
to point out'the futility of blowing
bubbles in “Bubble Land,” and
Isharn Jones chipped in with
“Blowing Bubbles All Day Long."
Arthur J. Lamb, who specialized
in writing lyrics for H. W. Petrie’s
sea songs, designed to. be sung by
hairy-chested guys with big bass
voices, joined forces with W. C.
Polla to lament, “My Castles in the
Air Are Tumbling Down." Jimmy
Lucas and Albert Guitible com-
plained of “Heartaches." Jack Ma-
honey and Fred Fisher filled a mi-
nority report in which they took a
more cheerful point - of - view:
“While Others Are Buildirig Ga§-
tles in the Air (I'll Build a Cottage
for Two.") - Concurrently, J. Keirn
Brennan, Paul Cunningham & Bert
Rule were bucking the self-pity
procession with “Have a Smile . for
Everyone You Meet (And Everyone
Will Have a Smile for You.”)
Haying prospered by lamenting
their bubble blowing proclivities
Kendis and Brockman again did
reasonably well by insisting “All I
Have Are Sunny Weather Friends.”
It wasn't long before Kendis and
Brockman were working the so-
sorry-for-myself side of the street
again. This, time their Woe begone
hero proclaimed “I’m Like a Ship
Without a Sail.” This did only fair-
ly well, and in 1923 Jack. Yellen
and Abe Olman , used the ship
theme to better advantage in the
still popular “I’m Waiting for Ships
Thqt Never Come In."
Eugene West & Harry Jentes
came through in 1921 With “All By
Myself," and virtually at the same
time Irving Berlin had a niuch
more successful number of the
same title, Harry Von Tilzer, Ber-
lin’s rival in those days for the
honor of being the . Alley’s No. 1
tunesrnith, may have been razzing
the self-pity cycle When (with Billy
Jerome doing the words) he turned
out one of the charripion odd titles
of all time, “You May be the World
to Your Mother, But You’re Only
an Oil Can to Me.”
The self-pity parade began to
tapfer off around 1922, after many
other cry-baby compositions not
successful enough to be mentioned
here had been ground out. Robert
King handled the idea In a comedy
vein with “I Ain’t Nobody’s Dar-
li ’ " which added, “And I don’t
give a good gosh-darn.” But in
1923 Benny Davis and Abner Sil-
ver were inquiring, sadly, “When
Will the. Sun Shine for Me?” The
narrator confessed his life was “a
blunder,” but promised to riiuster
up energy to ’'phone, the weather
man and see When will the sun
shine for me?”
Continued from page 1
of the “golden disk" by about
200,000 disk sales.
Hefty sales rackup of Miss
Clooney’s platter is being at-
tributed to the fact that it’s a two-
sided hit. “Hey There” is backed
by “This Ole House,” a jump-
ing spiritual-styled number, and
tradesters figure that the platter Is
appealing to two different markets.
“Pajama Gam€" score was
penned by Jerry Ross and Dick Ad-
ler, who also turned out another
disk winner in “Hernando’s Hide-
-away," from the same show. Archie
Bleyer’s Cadence disking of the
tune already has passed the 750,000
sales mark. Miss Clooney topped ;
the 1,000,000 sales mark once be-
fore for Col with her etching of
“Coma On-A-My House.** J
Criterion to Publish
‘Sea’ Pic Original Score
Hollywood, Oct, 26;
Guitarist Laurindo Almeida and
harmonicist George Fields have
teamed for a double-duty stint,
composing and playing an original
background score for “The Naked
Sea,’’ a color feature produced and
directed by Alan Miner. Fields is
best known for his background
score work on “Ruby."
Mickey Goldsen’s Criterion Mu-
sic will publish , the score;, which
consists of six original thetnes, in-
cluding the main title song, “The
Naked Sea Ballad.”
Odd-Label Cal. Distrib
Los Angeles, Oct. 26.
State R e c o r d. Distributors has
be,en formed here by Lee Silver,
formerly with eastern indie labels,
to handle Southern; California dis-
tribution for a number of odd-
labels.
Outfit will handle rhythm and
blues and pop releases in both
singles and long playing records..
NAT "KING” COIE
Capitol #2949
REMICK MUSIC COlif, NewYoA, H. T. -
It’s Music by
Program , Today Yesterday's
mills music, inc.
.(141V Broadway, N.w Yorfcl
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
yfiRlETY
COUNT YOUR
BLESSINGS
INSTEAD OF
• y
m ' i
GREAT NEW
jc r\ r"\ i c 1
Emb L/ I Chi
FISHER
RECORD...
■4 %
«*
from the fabulous Broadway musical “FANNY 1
with Words and music by HAROLD ROME
\
20/47-5871
RCA V. CTOR
Recorded in “New Orthophonic” High Fidelity Sound
"HIJ¥«U»rV6iCl*
/
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
“Lullaby of Birdland,” jazz in-
strumental composed , by , George
Shearing, will get unorthodox
packaging via RCA Victor which
is giving the tune a 12-way spread
in one albui Diskery currently
is prepping a. set whichUI include
12 different versions Of the time.
Already in the can are interpreta-
tions by Barbara Carroll, Shorty:
Rogers, Andre Previn, Tony Scott,
Perez Prado and Ralph Flanagan.
Tune, which, was written two
years ago, already has developed
into a jazz pop standard. There
are 28 records of the tune now . on
the market and the sheet COpies
re selling at the rate of 1,200 a
week. It’s been cut i England.
France, Germany and Switzerland
and. the disks are racking up hefty
sales in thOse countries. The long-
hairs are even hopping on the
“Birdland” bandwhgon with etch-
ings by the Boston T*ops and the
London Symphony Orchestral in
the offing.
A lyric version was added recent-
ly by B. Y. Forster and has been
etched by Ella Fitzgerald for Dec-
ca. Shearing, who cut the first in-
strumental side two years ago for
MGM, is cutting it again for that
label, with Ray Charles singers
working over the lyric.
Tune was inspired by Birdland,
New York jazz nitery* and is pub-
lished by Patricia Music. Inci-
dentally, Morris. Levy, who runs
Birdland, also operates Patricia.
Thaxter Joins Tape Co.
On Marketing, Sales
Roger L, Thaxter has been
named director of marketing and
sales for Magne-Tronics, New York
outfit, which produces lohgpiay mu-
sical tapes for background Use by
commercial establishments, Magne-
Tronics recently made a deal to
acquire Capitol Records’ transcrip-
tion library for transfer to tapes.
Thaxter was formerly .with Mu-
zak as promotion manager. Percy
L. Deutsch heads Magne-Tronics,
HMV’s Paintings
With next month’s release of
three platters, RCA Victor will ex-
periment with a fancy packaging
program for its HMV (His Master’s
Voice) disks imported from Eng-
land. Each disk will be individu-
ally boxed with plastic windows
behind which there will be prints
jpf w.k. paintings suitable for fram-
ing. This idea was tried on the
Arturo Toscanini set of Bee-
thoven’s “Missa Solemnis,”
Price for the HMV platters will
remain the same at $5.95.
THE PERFECT
AFTER-VACATION SONG
Sryne and Cahn’i
“THE THINGS
WE DID
LAST SUMMER”!
Styne and Cahn Music Co., Inc.
Scoreboard
TOP TALENT AND TUNES
Compiled f rom Statistical Reports of Distribution
Encompassing the Three Major Outlets
Coin Machines Retail Disks Retail Sheet Music
as Published in the Current Issue
NOTE: T1ie current comparative sales strength of the Artists and Tunes listed hereunder is
arrived, at under a statistical system comprising each of ,the three major sales outlets enu-
merated above. These findings are correlated with data from wider sources, which are exclusive
with Variety. The positions resulting from these findings denote the OVERALL IMPACT de-
veloped from pie ratio of points scored, two ways in the case of talent (coin machines, retail
disks) and three ways in the case of tunes (coin machines, retail disks, retail sheet music}.
TALENT
POSITIONS
This Last
Week Week
ARTIST AND LABEL
TUNE
ROSEMARY CLOONEY (Columbia) j^fs oirilouse
fr Need You Now
EDDIE FISHER (Victor) . ; , . {Count Your Blessings
[Fanny
DORIS DAY (Columbia) If I Give My Heart to You
DON CORNELL (Coral) . . . . * ... . . . . ..... . . . ;/Hold\My Hand
^ \ (Sh-Boom
CREW CUTS (Mercury) . ...
PERRY COMO (Victor)
RALPH MARTERIE (Mercury) ....
BILL HALEY’S COMETS (Decca)
LES PAUL-MARY FORD (Capitol)
)Oop-Shoop
(Papa Loves Mambo
{Things I Didn’t Do
Skokiaan
(Shake, Rattle and Roll
) ABC Boogie
(Whither Thou Goest
/I’m a Fool to Care
POSITIONS
ThlaT Last
Week Week
WHITFIELD-MANTOVANI (London) , v ,.Cara Mi
TUNES
(♦ASCAP. * fBMI)
9- 10
10 9
TUNE
♦IF I GIVE MY HEART TO YOU . ,.
♦HEY THERE .
♦I NEED YOU NOW. . . ... . . . . .
f.THIS OLE HOUSE
♦HOLD MY HAND. ...... ...
♦SKOKIAAN
♦PAPA LOVES MAMBO
fSH-BOOM
fSHAKE, RATTLE AND ROLL
♦HIGH AND THE MIGHTY. ...-
Hoop-la for Singer
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Abe Saperstein, founder-owner
of the Harlem Globetrotters bas-
ketball team, has turned his at-
tention to music, importing An-
toine (Tony) Ponce, a French
operatic tenor. Saperstein intro-
duced the diminutive singer (five
foot three) to Coast music critics
at an informal Beverly Hills hotel
concert over the weekend.
Ponce last spring won first prize
as leading singer in the compe-
tition at the Cannes Music Festi-
val.
■ ■
■
■
■
■
i
■
i
■
TRANSCONTINENTAL CONCERT TOUR
OCT. 14 THRU NOV. 8
DUKE ELLINGTON
DAVE BRUBECK
GERRY MULLIGAN
• i
■ i
ii
■
i ■
■ u
|l ■ N
¥ ¥
ASSOCIATED BOOKING CORPORATION
JOE GLASER, Pres.
New York .1 Chicago
7 4 5 5?.‘i A ve PL
203 No Wabash
JU'i'Cl OIVQ
Andrews Sisters’ Big
‘Threat’ From Orig. Disks
The remaining Andrews Sisters,
Maxipe and La Verne, are getting
ready to launch their new act with
Dorothy Squires, but there’s
mounting indication that their big-
gest competition* on .disks at least,
may come from the original. An-
drews Sisters.
“She’ll Never Know,” which the ;
sisters cut with Red Foley three
years ago in Nashville, has jumped
into ninth spot for Decca nation-
ally In just two. weeks. But what
makes the threat of Andrews Sis-
ters competition really tough— un-
less Decca keeps the platters, on
the shelf — is that the, trio cut a
total of nine sides in. that session
with Foley. And five of them, ac-
cording to Maxene and LaVerne,
have a greater hit potential than
“Know.”
Coral Tees Off New Indie
Distrib Setup in Seattle
Seattle, Oct. 26.
Andy Hufflne, an employee of
Decca for 15 years, has gone into
the independent distribution field
here, starting with Coral Records,
Decca subsid, as. his first account.
Outfit will be known as the Hufflne
Distribution Co.
Distrib’s activities were launched
with a cocktail party* presided over
by Decca Joe Perry, Coral’s Coast
sales exec, who flew here from
i Hollywood for the occasion.
PUBLISHER
........ .Miller
Frank
.Miller
.. .Hamblen
... ..... ... ... .Raphael
. . . , , . . .Shapiro-B
Shapiro-B
.... .Hill & Range
Progressive
Witmark
Cap’s EP Job on Cole
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
In What is the first such "pack-
aged” cover job in the plattery’s
history, Capitol is rushing out an
EP album of Nat (Kirig) Cole sing-
ing current hits. In addition to
being an unusual cover item, pack-
age dispeis the idea that there's
such: a thing as a “Cole song” as
opposed to pop stuff.
EP consists of “Hold My Hand,”
“Papa Loves Mambo,” “Teach IVIe
Tonight,” and “If I Give My Heart
to You.”
San Francisco, Oct. 26.
Norman Granz’s ’‘Jazz at the
Philharmonic” pulled in 6,000
payees for a $20,000 rackup at a
Saturday night (23) bash at the
Civic Auditorium here. Crowd was
one of the quietest on record but
the gross was only slightly behind
last year. Package played Without
Buddy Rich, who was downed by
a virus attack in Portland,
The following night (24), in Oak-
land, “JATP” drew 3,300 people
for a $10,000 gross. Both the Fris-
co and Oakland dates played to a
$4.50 top.
Other “JATP” grosses during
the past week were $8,250 at the
Denver Auditorium (20);' $12,850
at the Seattle Municipal Auditori-
um (21), and $9,200 at .the Port-
land Civic Auditorium (22).
Concert package winds its tour
tomorrw (Thurs.) in Sacramento.
Unit’s proposed hop to Australia
has been cancelled.
Owen, Top Brit. Arranger,
Injured in Auto Crash
London, *Oct. 26.
Reg Owen, top British danceband
arranger, was seriously injured in
a motor-accident Oct. 16. On his
way from London to Bristol the
automobile which he Was driving
crashed into a wall at Wick,
Gloucestershire. He was* badly
hurt, his injuries including a frac-
tured skull.
Owen, who is staff arranger for
the Ted Heath orchestra, is mar-
ried to American pianist-singer
Virginia Somers, arid was on his
way to meet her after her Week
in variety, at Bristol when the ac-
cident occurred.
Latest reports are that Owen is
showing slight improvement, and
may be moved to a hospital in Lon-
don in d week or so.
It’s Fall, Officially
Hollywood* Oct. $6.
Josef Myrow’s “Autumn Noc-
turne” serves as title tune for a
ne\v seasonal package to be issued
by MGM Records next week.
Twelve-inch LP features the voices
of the Ray Charles Singers on a
number of tunes associated with
the autumn season.
In addition to Myrow’s “Noc-
turne,” package includes “Autumn
in New York,” “Autumn in Rome,”
“Autumn Leaves,” “Early Au-
tumn,” “ ’Tis Autumn” and "Sep-
tember in the Rain.” Plaftery or-
dered a s special autumn scene
painting for the cover.
Capitol Records* singer Bob
Manning ankled the management
firm of Gersh & Wecht.
HEADING FOR THE :1 SPOT!
MOOD INDIGO
V NORMAN PETTY TRIO "X".
OTHER GREAT VOCAL RENDITIONS
JUST RELEASED
B IF T Knl
i)f . ! A ftf - ’ 1 -v n .' ’ *
>'C. p 1 fi: f SH ‘.I i
MODE RNA'kt'J Li L'S :■ : i.'.D >.
Nt-L HEFT. »/.« IKii'.:’!
MILLS MUSIC, INC.
UTS IN A ROW!!
OH BABY MINE,
(MELROSE)
(E. H. MORRIS)
WORDS and MUSIC BY
PAT BALLARD
(ASCAP)
( Also writer of 248 lousy songs )
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
PffiRIEfY
MUSIC
57
New York
jiilic Chester, Mellin Music
plugger, on a dee jay tour .through
the midwest . . Alan Dean booked
into the Ranch House, Johnstown,
r h, beginning Nov. 23 . , . Stan-
ley Styne in town for tv produc-
tion work . . Richard Hayroan
orch slated to play at the Police
Dept. Honor Legiori Ball at the
Sheraton- Astor Hotel Friday (29)
. . Howard Lanin orch booked for
the ninth consecutive year for the
West Point Cadet Corps Dance at
the Benjamin Franklin Hotel,
Philadelphia, Nov. 27 . . The Four
Tunes into Montreal’s Downbeat.
Club tomorrow (Thurs.) .- . Tom-
my Reed orch currently at. the
Statler Hotel, Buffalo .: . Dee-
jay Mel . Bernani switching from
WKYW, Louisville, to WHB, Kan-
sas City . . Record Collectors
Shop sponsoring a jazz concert at
Town Hall Saturday (30) . . Crew
Cuts returning to the Casino The-
atre, Toronto, Dec. 30. Group bows
in the New York area Nov. 24 at
the Boulevard, Queens . Epic
Records celebrating its first anni
with a cocktailery tomorrow
(Thurs.) .. ... . Thrysh Peggy "Talor's
special material- for her nitery
stint at the Chez Paree, Chicago,
which begins Oct. 31, was penned
by Bryan Blackburn, of the Lon-
don Daily Mail . . George Shear-
ing into the Crescendo, Los An-
geles, for two weeks beginning
Nov. 12.
Chico O’FarriH’s orch begins a
two-week, stand at the Blue Note,
Chicago, today (Wed.) . . Paul
Gilbert, formerly with George
Evans’ publicity office, joined the
Marvin Drager flackery . Eddy
Arnold oh a string of one-niters
through the midwest Guy
Mitchell back in town from a tour
of England' for Columbia recording
sessions . . Mario Nascimberie
composed the score for the UA re-
lease, "The. Barefoot Gontessa,” hot
Ulpio Minucci, as reported in last
week’s Variety.
Chicago
Harmonlcats making film short
for Universal in Hollywood this
week and coming into Chi for club
dates through December . . . Fred
Dale orch, Coral diskers, currently
playing one nighters in midwest
... Les Brown and Benn Sharp
orchs . : playing Sun-Times Harvest
Moon Festival on Nov. 20 . . . Cass
Harrison to Jefferson Hotel, St.
Louis, Nov. 13 for seven weeks . ...
Ken Harris opens nine frames at
Town Club , in Corpus Christi on
Nov. 2 . ; . Commanders cemented
for 23 straight midwest club dates
before opening five weeks at
Meadowbrook in New Jersey on
RECORDS
The finest sound on record
WATCH
SANTA
BABY
COME 4 WAYS
THIS YEAR ! ! !
Nov. 18 , ; . Paul Neighbors to
Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans,
Nov. 4 for five weeks.
Pittsburgh
A1 DiLernia Trio closes at My
Brother’s Place,, formerly Jack
Heller's Carousel, tomorrow
(Thurs.) and goes back into the
William Pehn Hotel the follow-
ing night. They’ll have a new bill-
ing there . . . The Continentals,
with Julie Melman, a violinist . .■ .
Jon Eardley, of Altoona, joined
Gerry Mulligan quartet here at
Mosque during their engagement
with. Duke Ellington jazz package.
Like his father, who Used to be
with Paul Whiteman and Isham
Jones, Eardley ’s a trumpet player.
Elder Eardley now heads a fi-
nance company, in Altoona . . . Reid
Jaynes and Bobby Cardillo have
opened as a piano team at Town
and Country Lounge of Carlton
House downtown. They were to^
gether for several months at
Dorje’s Restaurant, but Jaynes has
lately been at the Belmont Bar in
Dromont and Cardillo with the Vic.
Powell combo at Midway Lounge
, . . Harry Ziegler, pianist, back
at the Radio Cafe after surgery.;
Howdy Baum pinch hit for him', . .
Spike Jones plays here for Shrine
Nov, 16-17-18 for four perform-
ances, including a matinee . , .
Matys Bros, are switching from the
Blue Moon to the Twin Coaches
on Monday (1);
Kansas City
Next musical group into Eddys’
Restaurant the Mello-Larks,
opening Oct. 29 for two weeks.
They’re on the bill with rnagico
RUssell Swann ... . . Tiny Hill has
his orch trouping through Iowa
and Illinois on late October dates,
closing the month at the Royal
Palais, Galena, 111. . Joe Vera
has his orCh back in the Picardy
Cafe, Hotel Muehlebach, returning
about six months after his former
year-long stand there, taking turns
during the evening with the Zig
and Vivian Baker violin duo . .
Naomi Stevens in tpwn for a few
days with the home folks between
singing dates at the Congress
Hotel, St. Louis, and. Country Club,
Springfield, 111, . . . Don Roth Trio
back in town at the Kansas City
Club, one of its regular stands . . .
Bill Harris Orch in from downstate
Missouri to take over the stand in
the Drum Room, Hotel President,
succeeding the Virg Mason outfit.
Omaha
Organist Dean Shoft playing at
Roller Bowl, which celebrated its
first anni Friday (22) . . , Bill Al-
bers orch pacted for Doane Home-
coming dance at Crete Nov. 6 . . .
Jimmy Palmer played King's at
Norfolk last -Sunday (24) . . . Ray
Backirian orch handled Omaha U.
Homecoming dance last Saturday
(23) . . . Tiny Hill and Bobby Mills
orchs at Peony Pork over weekend
. , . Mai Dunn Orch completed
four-day stand at Music Box Sat-
urday (23) . . . Davq. Alexander
combo in at. Happy Hour . . . Yma
Sumac show booked for Para^-
mount Theatre Nov. 6 . . , Paul
Moorhead orch remains a fixture
at the Pax Room, Paxton Hotel. . .
Earl Graves combo, featuring Jun-
ior Ragglin, at Copacabana . . . Pat
Hamilton Trio playing between-
shows sets at Colony Club.
Best British Sheet Sellers
(Week ending Oct. 16)*
London, Oct. 19.
My Friend . . Chappell
Things Mean a Lot. . .Robbins
Hold My Hand. ...... , .Wood
Smile . ....... ,, . . ..Bourne
Coins in Fountain;., Feist
Story of Tina. .Macmelodies
Cara Mia . . . . . . . Robbins
Must I-le a Reason . . Connelly
Sway . .Latin American
Sky Blue Shirt. . . . ... Wright
I Give My Heart ; . , . . . Robbins
Gilly Ossenfeffer. . . . .Spier
Second 12
My Son ... ......... .Kassner
Happy .Wanderer. . . .Bosworth
This Ole House . . . . , . Duchess
Little Shoemaker . , . . . Bourne
Make Her Mine .... /Wood
Sh-Boom . . . , . . . , Aberbach
Never Land. ... .Keith Prowse
Wait For Me . ... . ; . . ; Lafleur
West of Zanzibar . . Bluebird
Secret Love. . . Harms-Connelly
High-Mighty Harms-Coftnelly
Heart of My Heart : . .F.D.&H.
COL IN RESHUFFLE OF
In a reshuffling of its field sales
setup last week, Columbia Records
upped William Gallagher to re-
gional director of. its eastern area.
Gallagher previously had been
division manager. Arnold. Klein
Was named regional sales manager,
for the eastern area, reporting to
Gallagher.
In other moves around the coun-
try, Merle Weiss was appointed
regional director of the midwest-
ern territory with Kenneth Glancy
as regional sales manager. In the
southwest territory, Tom Cade was
promoted to regional director:
from division manager, with , Fred
Wilmot assisting as sales manager.
On the Coast, Paul Peppin will
take over as regional director.
Quick click of The Chordettes* “Mr. Sandman” (E. H. Morris) gives
Archie Bleyer’s relatively new Cadence label two fast ones in a row,
initial, smash being ‘‘Hernando’s Hideaway” with the trick- castanet
sound. Bleyer slaps his knees in the current sleeper arid author-
composer Pat Ballard points out that knees have figured in his two
‘recerit hits. ' The original demo of “Oh Baby Mine, I Get So Lonely”
had Ballard playing rhythm on his knee using a pair of horn-rimmed
specs as a clicking rhythm sound which helped sell the tune to Capitol,
Bleyer’s. “knee playing” kicked up a lot of amusing dee jay talk which
may have helped the initial sendoff of the tune. Mercury has covered
the song with Buddy Morrow, and Coral has an etching in the works.
Stanley Warner and Warner Bros, were dismissed as defendants
by N. Y. Federal Judge Alexander Bicks last week in. Leo Russotto’s
claim that his arrangement for “Kol Nidre” was used in the WB pic
“The Jazz Singer.” Plaintiff alleged that he had written a new ar-
rangement of the song which was copied for the. pic. Judge Bicks ad-
vised Russotto that he could file an amended complaint against WB
but must include a true copy of his “Kol Nidre” arrangement.
, Although A1 Stillman and Robert Allen cleffed the new Christmas
tune, “I Saw Mommy Do The Mambo (With You Know Who),” they
had to cut British songwriter Tommy Conner, i on the song. Conner
wrote last year’s smash, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” which
inspired the mambo takeoff. Jimmy Boyd, Columbia Records’ juve
singer, sliced both tunes and Harmon Music is publishing the numbers.
In the AS5CAP section of last week’s issue of Variety on page 43,
the last paragraph of the article by Vernon Duke was inadvertently
misplaced at the end of the article by Leopold Stokowski,
M
OF /44*r RECORD RATINGS
BY THE TRADE PRESS
Teagarden On 1st Disk
Urania Records, an indie label
that heretofore has been specializ-
ing in longhair works, is moving
into the jazz field and has named
Sidney Gross as its artists & rep-
ertoire chief for jazz and pop
music. Gross is a British jazz ex-
pert and has a disk jockey spot
on the ABC network.
Jack Teagarden, who hasn’t re-
corded since 1951, will head the
first Urania jazz release, .due early
next month. Company Will issue
two longplay disks each month in
addition to an occasional single
for the pop market.
Scotland
Kitty Kallen?s waxing of “Little
Things Mean a Lot” still topping
Scot hit parade, with. Frank
Sinatra’s “Three Coins in the
Fountain,” on Capitol, a close sec-
ond ... Joan Regan, English/re-
cording chirper, will top vaude at
Glasgow Empire Nov. 1 . . * Xed
Heath and his Band set for con-
certs in Glasgow Nov. 25 . . .
Frankie Laine doing SRO biz at
Empire, Glasgow . . .-The Kordites
in for week’s vaude stint at Glas-
gow , . . Ian Gourlay arid Cliff
Hanley, Scot cleffers, composed a
novel, “Two-Note Blues.”
America's- Fastest
f Selling -/Records!
Raphael to Publish
‘Sailor’s’ Legit Tune
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
. Fred Raphael Music makes its
debut in the field of publishing
the score from a legiter— -with the
interpolation of a song into the
comedy, “Sailor’s Delight,” which
bows here next month for a pre-
Broadway tryout. Eva Gabor stars
in the English adaptation of a
French comedy, as she did in the
original strawhat tryout last year.
Richard Myers, who will co-pro-
duce with Richard Aldrich, cleffed
the music and Jack Lawrence add-
ed lyrics for the tune, entitled
“I’ve Heard.” Team currently has
“Hold My Hand” near the top of
the bestseller lists.
“Delight” will open at the Hunt-
ington Hartford Theatre here for
a limited run,- then move to San
Francisco before heading for New
York.
Llessur’s Own Unit
Chicago, Oct 26.
Relga.t Llessur, drummer protege
Of Lionel Hampton, has formed a
unit of his own under Hampton
auspices. Llessur’s quintet is inters
racial, with Joe Pernell on piano,
Bill Joseph on bass, Emmett Spicer
on guitar and Johnny Thompson
on tenor sax..
Group has already booked a
small string of , niters and club
dates.
Coral’s New Pickard Pact
Hollywood/ Oct. 26.
Pickard Family* one of the oldest
folkmusic groups in the business,
have sighed a new contract with
Coral and will begin recording this
week. Family debuted on NBC
back in 1926.
Pickards will cut only singles at
first, specializing in American folk-
music.
AT LAST YOU UNDERSTAND
(Kencee)
THREE CHUCKLES ("X")
DADDY’S LITTLE GIRL (Beacon)
JIMMY SAUNDERS-LENNY HERMAN
QUINTET (Jay-Dee)
GLORY, GLORY (Ludlow)
HAL THOMAS & CALIFORNIANS (Trend)
I DON’T WANT TO SET THE
WORLD ON FIRE (Cherio)
LES ELGART ORCH. (Columbia)
KISS CRAZY BABY (Sheldon)
JOHNNIE ft JACK (Victor)
THE CRACKERjACKS (Kapp)
LAND OF DREAMS (Meridian)
HUGO WINTERHALTER ORCH. (Victor)
LONELY AGAIN (Peer)
TOMMY MARA (MGM)
LOVE ME (Quintet)
DE MARCO SISTERS (Decca)
KAY BROWN (Crown)
BILLY ECKSTINE (MGM)
GEORGIA GIBBS (Mercury)
THE FOUR ESCORTS- (Victor)
CONNIE RUSSELL (Capitol)
billy Williams quartet (Coral)
WOODSIDE SISTERS ("X")
RAINFALL (R«gent)
PERCY FAITH ORCH. (Columbia)
RUNAROUND (Regent)
THREE CHUCKLES ("X")
SUDDENLY (Brenner)
JO STAFFORD (Colunibia)
WATERFALL (Hill A Range)
LEO DIAMOND (Victor)
WE’LL BE MARRIED (Wynne)
THE FOUR COINS (Epic)
WHEN I HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS
(BMI)
. LOU MONTE (Victor)
WHY DID YOU STEAL MY
SWEETHEART? (Simon)
THE BARRY SISTERS (Cadence)
WIDE-SCREEN MAMA BLUES
” (Moytime)
STAN FREBERG (Capitol)
BKOUH’.VST Ml SIC. INC.
M ' r. a k
Billboard
Cosh Box
Variety
Spotlight
Sleeper of
the Week
Good
75 (Good)
B (Very Good)
73 (Good)
B (Very Good)
Good
71 (Good)
■+ . *
(Excellent)'
Spotlight
71 (Good)
Bullseye of
the Week
76 (Good)
B. (Very Good)
Good
72 (Good)
Sleeper of
the Week .
Good
73 (Good)
Sleeper of
the Week
Good
70 (Good)
76 (Good)
72 (Good)
74 (Good)
B (Very Good)
Disk of
the Week
B (Very Good)
B (Very Good)
8 (Vory Good)
Very Good
Good
78 (Good)
C + (Good)
Spotlight
Sleeper of 1
the Week
Very Good
(Excellent)
Disk of
the W ee ^
74 (Good)
B (Very Good)
Satisfactory
73 (Good)
Sleeper of
the Week
72 (Good)
B (Very Good)
78 (Good)
Sleeper of
the Veek
c IF TH AVENIE
»OP!< " ■<
w — *, ' : f 4 i
58 VAVJDCVKUJS
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
A date at ;the Copacabana, N. Y.,
Is still the aspiration of virtually
every variety performer in the
business. An act playing here for
the first time finds out whether
he's got it to scale the heights.
It’s still the most; reliable, ba-
rometer of talent in the business.
Many a fledgling who debuted at
Jules Podell’s bistro, either at the
top of the bill or in the secondary
spot, learns with: the first salvos
whether he’s in or not. It matters
little whether the act has been
around for many years or whether
it’s a nejycomer. Copa audiences
alone decide whether they, have
seen a star or whether it’s just an-
other act:
The Copa’s starmaking potential
was evident from the start when
Monte Proser, soon to open Lai Vie
eri Rose, Ni Y.. and Jack Entratter,
now the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas
g.m., started with Podeil in the
Copa. How Podeil is doing a solo
here in the starmaking department.
Eileen Barton, who thought she
had made it with an indie disking
.of “Baked a Cake,’’ found that her
rep started and stopped with that
pressing— until a couple of weeks
ago when she Opened at the Copa.
She unfortunately had to drop out
because of laryngitis but new hori-
zons opened for* that, singer,
A couple of years ago Johnnie
Ray, am unknown to New York au-
diences, with a rep for weeping out
tunes found an audience that came
prepared to scoff. They left ap-
plauding a new star.
Schnoz and Martin & Lewis
The lightning that makes stars
first came to this spot with Jimmy
Durante, who’s constellation was a
bit dimmer when he came to the
Copa for the first time. Here the
Schnoz found anew the commodity;
that made him the greatest comedy
dame of the Prohibition : He
has maintained a top saloon posi-
tion ever since his first Copa date.
The Copa Was the first important
nitery stand for Dean Martin &
Jerry Lewi True, they formed
their partnership at the 500 Club,
Atlantic City, by the mere accident,
of being on the same bill together.
But shortly afterward they played
to empty houses for a real long
time at the now (defunct Hayana-
Madrid, N. Y. Other niteries had
the dubious honor of playing them
(Continued on page 70)
RAY IN USO-CS CUFFO
AT MILITARY HOSPS
Johnnie Ray is scheduled to do
Of cuffo appearances in
military hospital installations un-
der USO-Camp Shows auspices. In
the unit with Ray will be Singer
Cathy Carr, comic; Gary Morton
and dancer Betty Luster.
Included in the Ray package
tour, which will start Nov. 17 for
five days, are institutions at Chel-
, Mass.; Geneva, N. Y.; .Ft. Bel-
voir, Va.; Walter Reed Medical
Center, Washington, and Naval
Medical Center, Bethesda, ,Md.
Eckstine-Duke Conflict
Gets Both in Red in Pitt
Pittsburgh; Oct. 26.
Unfortunate booking which had
Norman Granz’s Duke Ellington
jazz package and Billy Eckstine-
Peggy Lee “Biggest Show of ’54”
riieeting head-on here last Thurs-
day night .(21); at \ Syria Mosque
and Gardens, respectively, proved
costly to both of these attractions.
Each one took it on the chin for
plenty.
Liberace Write-In*
Omaha, Oct. 20.
Next week’s election will
have, the usual number of
comic write-in ballots, Elec-
tion Commissioner Herman
Kuppinger fears.
Currently the most coffuflon
written in, according to Kup-
pinger: Liberace and Joe Blow.
“Yes, even the silly ones are
counted,’’ he added:
Mae West is proving to be nearly
as potent a lure for the femme
trade as Liberace. The “Diamond
Lil” thesp has been drawing loaded
houses at the Latin Quarter, Ni Y.,
three times a flight at a $6 mini-
mum, with many parties exclu-
sively female.. Curiously enough,
there are. few stag males in the
house at any time, most being
towed (willingly) by the
femmes. .,
The Latin Quarter has been
giving three shows nightly on Wed-
nesdays, Fridays and Saturdays
with complete turnovers at each
performance. The regular show has*
been cut down considerably in- or-
der to meet the rigorous time
schedule demanded.
The LQ has also been Jorced to
make some operational changes so
that the necessary turnover can
be achieved. The major one. is the
absence Of all dance music the
early part, of -the ing and.
between shows. This is done in
Order to clear the house, and to
discourage loitering. Table Cards
announce that those staying over
for a second show, are subject to
a second $6 miniinum.
This activity has the net effect
of 'lowering individual checks; The
major gravy comes When the extra
drink is~ Ordered at the end of
the show Or between dance sets.
With no such incentive, a lot of
that revenue is lost, but with the
minimum for the next batch at
$6, the compensation is sufficient.
At, any rate, Miss West is doing
a record-breaking business at the:
Latifl : Quarter. The lines frequent-
ly extend into the street. The es-
tiiffated gross during this engage-
ment will go into six figures per
week.
Bea Kalmus Doubling As
I Miami Gabber-Director
Miami Beach, Oct. 26.
: New entertainment head for the
DivLido hotel here is Bea Kalmus,
who’ll combine her directorial
work with a midnight interVieW-
gab-record session nightly Over
indie station WINZ, following same
format of her New York program.
Her appointment also brought
news that the big hostel — Which
opened last year with the Ritz Bros,
teeing off lineup of talent — is re-
turning to the highly competitive
cafe field here after a sixmonth
hiatus, with initial booking a Wally
Wanger line, for production back-
grounds. Miss Kalmus handled the
same chores for owners Irving and
Saul Cohen at their New Jersey re-
sort, the Hollywood in West End,
last summer. Expected that she’ll
go after the better young names
that , can fit into tli budgetary
setup.
AGVA Welfare Fund
Ellington was the slightly better,
of the two, but not enough to
speak of. He drew a few. more
than 2,000 at the nearly 4, 000-seat
Mosque for a net. of around $4,200,
while Eckstine-Lee in the Gardens,
Which can accommodate around
6,000, played to under 2,000 and a
net of only $3,400,
The two enterprises shelled out
a heavy bundle for advertising, too,
Which splashed the red even more
extensively, Each attraction tried
hard to do a rerouting . job that
would have prevented the conflict
here, but it couldn’t be arranged,
When the show was available, the
auditorium wasn’t, and vice versa.
Handles 490 Claims
The American Guild of Variety
Artist’s Welfare Trust Fund has to
date processed 490 claims amount-
ing to $238,500 for. injuries and
death benefits as a result of its
present accident insurance pro-
gram.
As Of Oct. 13, the fund had
closed 262 claims for injuries and
had paid out two claims each for
$7,500 as a result of accidental
death. In addition, 70 AGVA mem-
bers are currently receiving pay-
ments for injuries Sustained du.r-
ihg the course of work or travel to
and from an engagement.
Astric to Pari*
Montreal, Oct. 20.
, Ricky As trie, director of enter-
tainment for Monte Carlo, France,
planed to Europe today (26) fol-
lowing a short stay in Montreal to
Assist his wife Vicky Autier, who
opened last Wednesday (20) at the
Ritz Carlton Hotel’s Ritz Cafe.
Singer-pianist joins huSband in'
Paris Nov. 15, when she opens at
the Dinarzade Club there;
• l»
llie Paramount Theatre, N.Y;,
will install its first stageshOw in a
couple of years When Jackie Glea-
son goes in With one of the biggest
companies ever to play the Par.
Gleason, ' Who'll come iff for two
Weeks starting Nov. 17,. will bring
in the leads of his CBS television
Show, Art Carney and Audrey.
Meadows, along with the 36-girl
June Taylor line and a 50-piece
band which he’ll conduct;
In addition, GleaSon will avail
himself of the services of a pro-
ducer, With a company of nearly
100 on stage, the Par Will use its
full stage facilities since the pit
band policy went into effect about
two decades ago. As a result, the
problem of laying out the show Will
be considerable.
Paramount circuit booker! Harry
Levine is attempting to get other
toppers into the house. Deals are-
in the works for Perry Comp: and
Eddie Fisher, among others:
Deal is also on for Rudy Car-
denas and Lou Wills Jr. to be
among Gleason’s supporting acts.
He’ll be getting a reported 70% of
the take, 'ith the house guaran-
teed at least 10% of the gross as. j
its margin of profit.
WALTERS SKEDS O'SEAS
HOP TO HUNT TALENT
Latin Quarter., N; Y„ operator
Lou Walters took off for Eu-
rope Monday 125) for a talent gan-
dering expedition and will return
shortly after, the Command Per-
formance in London Nov. 1. He’ll
be back in time for the opening of
the Latin Quarter Revue at the,
Desert Inn, Las Vegas, Nov. 9.
Prior to the European takeoff,
he Went to St. Louis for the open-
ing of that revue at the Chase.
Hotel, Friday .(22).
Bd. of Governors Slate
Nominated by ARA
Artists Representatives AsSn.
will elect its slate of officers at a
meeting to be held Nov, 8 at the
Victoria Hotel, N. Y. Agency org
nominated for the board Of gov-
ernors on its regular slate Nick
Agneta, Hattie AlthOff, Ben Bart
(University Artists Bureau), Milton
Berger, John Dugan (Music Corp.
of America), Eddie Elkort (Lew Sc
Leslie Grade Agency), Joe Glaser
(Associated Booking Corp.), Leon-
ard Green .(Mercury Artists Corp,);
William Kent, Nat Lefkowitz (Wil-
liam Morris Agency), Billy Shaw,
Lester Shurr, Art;. Weems (General
Artists Corp;), arid Charles V.
Yates!
... Associate members put into nom-
ination are Lloyd LaBrie (McCone-
key), Josh Meyer (Jack Davies) and
Abe Newborn (Baum-Newborn).
Officers Will be elected from the
roster of those elected to the board
of governors. Other nominations
to the board are possible by peti-
tion.
CHRISTMAS OVERSEAS
Committee Recruiting Entertainers
Iff Enlarged Quotas
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
George Murphy, head, of the Hol-
ly Wood Coordinating Committee,
has appointed a special committee
to carry out the request 1 of Major
Gen. Herbert N. Jones for an in-
creased number of performers for
Christmas overseas entertainment.
Plan calls for seven units, four of
Which will be sent to Korea.
“The job of entertaining over-
seas personnel,’’ Gen. Jones said,
“is more important now than dur-
ing actual combat."
Richardson, Mae Daniels on Carpet
MCA 9 * Big Staff Exit
Hollywood, Oct.. 26.
-Lon Boutin, of MCA’s band
and act department, is the
fourth agent to leave that or-
ganization in four days. In the
last two years more than 20
agents have moved out.
Shortly before Boutin’s exit,
BOb Walters and Harris Katle-
man of the story departffient
left, followed by Robert Ma-
hakian of the tv department;
+ . The national board meeting 0 f
the American Guild of Variety
Artists, which started a threeklay
session at the Henry Hudson Hotel
N. Y., yesterday ( Tue$. ) , will be
highlighted by charges against two
members of the board, Frank
Richardson, of Philadelphia, and
Mae Daniels of Balitmore. Both
are accused of conduct prejudicial
to the union.
Both are alleged to have aided
and abetted Dick Jones , in an at-
tempted revolt against the union,
Jones is a former eastern regional
director who' has now founded a
rival union, 1 Actors . International
Union. With headquarters in Phila-
delphia.
[ Philadelphia, Qct. 26.
Two former officials ., of the
Arnerican Guild: Of Variety, Artists, .
Dick Jones,, former eastern region-
al director and Charles Garvey,
ex-Philadelphia branch manager,
•■are seeking to divert 1,200 local
members of the variety actors
union into the American Federa-
tion of Musicians.
A mass ffiailing to the member-
ship asking that they make the
Switch was sent out this past week-
end over Jones’ and Garveys’ sig-.
matures, and 200 have already
signed up as members of the
Auxiliary Of AFM Local 149, To-
ronto.
Switch is easily negotiated, since
the AGVA membership can be
eligible for the Musicians Auxili-
ary just by shaking maraccas or
hitting clavas; Movement into the
AFM settles speculation as to
Jones’ plans. ■*
Switch has another advantage
for Jones, since it makes the
AGVA secession a jurisdictional
matter Which must be brought up
before the American Federation of
Labor. Sentiments of the musi-
cians locally was evidenced when
local AGVA rep Nicholas Porreca
(Mickey Diamond) got into dispute
with Jimmy Marcy, comedian, now.
a member of the Auxiliary. Romeo
Celia, president of Local 77,' AFM,
promptly warned Porreca against
interfering with any “musical” act.
Jones first aired his mass move-
ment into .the Musicians Union
Auxiliary at a riieeting : of the
AFL’s Central Labor Unioff here.
A . letter from Jack Irving, secre-
tary of the AGVA, asking that
Jones and Garvey be barred as
delegates to the CLU, was read,
but the meeting took no action on
it.
Mae Daniels, AQVA rep from
Baltimore on the National Board,
will be brought up on charges to-
day Tues!) for backing Jones. Her
iels’ answer will be to ask the
union; to fire Irving. Jones : also
plans to call for an AFL investiga-
tion of alleged un-American activi-
ties by top echelon members of
Associated Actors Sc Artistes of
America.
Embassy to Stay in Brit.
Nitery Scene; Bows Nov. 3
London, Oct. 26.
After making elaborate arrange-
ments to remodel their Embassy.
Club into a restaurant, and change
the naiffe, Barnett Bros. & Abe
Aaronsohn have changed their
mind and will revert back to the
Embassy, name, with class .-enter-
tainment arid, two bands. .
Spot reopens Nov, 3 after ex-_
terisive alterations, with' Johnny
Blythe, well known in British films,
as emcee. Band of eight, headed by
Billy Shroud, with rhurrifla band
yet to be engagedy will look after
the ballroomers..
Management, which put bookings
in the hands of Lew & Leslie
Grade, Will specialize in several
acts of medium price instead of top
solo headliners as formerly.
Amer. Hotel Assn. Meet
The American Hotel Assn, will
hold a confab at the Commodore
Hotel, N.Y., starting Noy. 5. Top
hotel talent buyers are expected to
attend the meet;
Included will be Merriel Abbott,
buyer for the Hilton chain, and
Seymour Weiss, of the Hotel Roose-
velt, New Orleans.
Richardson’s roster Comprises li
charges, including actively solicit-
ing membership tor a variety
union opposed to ACn/A, aiding and
abetting Jones’ conspiracy in the
formation of a new actors union
in opposition, to AGVA, idihg
Jpnes in an. attempt to undermine
and discredit AGVA with the As-
sociated Actors Sc Artists of
America, and the American Fed- ;
eration of Labor.
it’s also charged that he parti-
cipated in the consparacy to under-
mine AGVA on the latter’s prem-
ises, violation of trust as a board
member by his participation, and
violating his trust by failing to
present any facts or corn plaints to
the. national board. He’s said to
have written the 4As without the
permission: of his union, and hav-
ing discredited his position as in.
AGVA member by using “profane
and anti-racial language in the
AQVA. Philadelphia office.” He’s
also accused of. having discredited
his position by behaving in a man-
ner unbecoming a member when
he appeared at a N, Y. branch
membership meeting Sept. 8 for
the purpose Of . fomenting dissen-
sion.
While AGVA has charged Rich- .
ardson with 11 counts. Miss Daniels
is charged With six. They are;
aiding Jones in an attempt to dis-
credit AGVA, violating trust as.
a board member by support of
Jones, violation of trust as board
member by communicating with
the 4A9 without permission from
AGVA, joiniffg the conspiracy
without presenting the union with
the facts, Or complaint to the na-
tional board, violating her trust
by Usurping the rights . of the na-
tional board in. writing the 4A»
and the AFL, and. discrediting her
position by joining with Jones and
Richardson on the Sept. 8 meet-
ing in New. York.
The other major item on the
agenda will he the hassle with thi
Arnerican Federation of Musicians,
which is now before George
Meany, president of the AFL
Both unions are fighting over the
jurisdiction of musical acts.
YATES' FULLTIME STINT
FOR BRO -IN-LAW WILLIS
Agent Charles V. Yates has vir-
tually a fulltime assignment in lin-
ing up a new career for his brother-
in-law, William Willis, Who rode
an 18 by 35-foot raft out of Callao,
Peru, "to Pago-Pago 115 days later.
Willis returned to N. Y.; by plane
Sunday (24) to cash in on his ad-
ventures via the lecture, circuit ana
Writing assignments.
Willis is no stranger to writing,
haying previously authored a tome
on Devil’s Island; and having lived
a generally adventurous-type eX *
istence: Some years ago Willis end
-his Wife Teddy, Who is a sister of
Mrs. Yates, and had been Yates
secretary for many years, were
lost in boat they were sailing
off Antigua during a hurricane.
The Coast Guard sent out rescue
missions for them.
Willis has frequently done othef
; writing assignments, some of them
in the theatrical vein at the a*'
rection of Yates.
Yates is planning a tele series
for Willis, probably on fil* 11 /
addition to lecture and writing as-
signments.
Marge' Nelson, ex-cafe singer,
who is an active club-ban ■
Miami Beach, Florida
Opening Oct 28
( For 3 Weeks I
THUNDERBIRD
Las Vegas, Nevada
Contact CEDRIC HOWARD
TRafafgar 4-2869
New York
#1
Dance Specialist
NIGHT CLUBS—
HOTELS— MUSICALS
Bert Jonas, 1650 Bdway.
CO 5-0808
LAS VEGAS STARDUST
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
Harry Delmar, yet producer-
hooker, former hoofer and onetime
production chief of USO-Camp
Shows, was signed to book and
produce shows for the new Starv
dust Hotel to open April 1 at Las
Vegas, owned by Tony Corner o,
who once operated the gambling
boat Rex off . Santa Monica, The
Stardust will be biggest on the
Vegas strip, having 1,032 rooms
'and a dining room-riitery With 1,000
capacity.
Delmar is figuring on 12 Shows
annually. They’ll be big girl pro-
duction units.
New Kaye Ballard Turn
Kaye Ballard will open at the
Hollenden Hotel, Cleveland, with a
new act Which will include two
boys, Jack Pierce and Al Sullivan.
Lehn Berger will provide piano
accompaniment. Ray Charles com-
posed the, music for the turn.
She’ll intro the abt riext mbntR.
ASCAP'S
Youngest
Member
(Week of OCTOBER 29th)
PALACE
THEATRE, New York
Composer of
BALLERINA
(Dedicated to.
Ed. Sullivan's
"Toast of the Town")
FIESTA
BELLS
(Instrumental)
Published by * .
SOUTHERN MUSIC PUBLISHING GO., ING.
1619 Broadway, New York 19, N. Y.
i
Wednesday Oclober 27,1954
y'j
«v;
ta
■ i \
* *
ifs
L' t
l 1
•ii* 1
' r
5!
"i.
U 1
•<>
ft
, - \ .
B AND
ececonvE om«~
CHICAGO 1. lLU
October 13> 1954
«..*•»»> ‘* s,#0
xs/.r Hire Sisters
The a Theater .
ChicaS 0 ia and Dorothy*
CMI ^
'■S e n“.«S S“»« w *
& c1 ® 3 ®’ of y«>ur t& 3 - tremett^ous
success played YiiilioJi
S®* 0 9 n - 7 ttSriy a J u a,yiar» *° | u |^f tS
$S5S?s?ff r06l5M
xoX -g/SS* ^
•j'f 3 tS»? ^SM» U “.rtMs£» M
oxceliaa ^uing, + will lose star * 4
and smooth * ^ that ^Ytrifl*
«« “g^”U !«“ M ” ’
S.S rift *• ,
^“ 5trM /Lmt*,
JO BB
Thank you Mr. Balaban
THE McGUIRE SISTERS
70
VAUDEVILLE
P^RIETY
Wednesday, October 27,- 1054
Podell’s Gopa
Miami Beach,. Get; 26:
The operations of two of the
major iteries here problem-
atical this The Beach-
comber and Clover Club, two of
the major talent buyers in the
area, are still mulling the big
question of whether to open arid
with what kind of. talent,
Norman Schuyler, Beachcomber
operator, is ailing and would, like
to take it. easy. Problem is whether
to get someone to lease .the spot or
find a skilled general-manager
who knows the business. He’s re-
ported to have Offered the spot to
Alan Gale, now functioning in
New York. So far, there’s no deci-
sion. Schuyler is also trying to de?
fermine just what kind of names
are available arid if he could get
enough top talent to make a run.
It’s reported that he has been after
Betty HUtton with a $20,000 offer.
So far, he’s been told that Miss
MEMO from
I'm very happy to report that
I'll be singing at The. CASINO
THEATRE in TORONTO, week
of Oct, 28th. (Toronto Papers
please cover) ; * . Week of
Nov. 8th, BRADFORD HOTEL,
in Dear OLD BOSTON, I'm
very glad to get back to Bos-
ton and ail these nice SPOTS
. . . Here's hoping I'll be singl-
ing for you soon in your
SPOToo .,
Direction:
FIALKOFF
r
A SSOCIATE S
1 560 Broadway, New York 36, N.Y.
JUdton 2-4037-8-9
MISS
"Chants With a Chuckle"
Held Over, AGAIN and AGAIN
LAKE CLUB
Springfield, III.
( Thanks HUGO, HAROLD and PAUL)
Dir.; JIMMIE HUSSON AGENCY
119 W. 57th St., New York
COMEDY ACTS
5 different acts. Can be used .anywhere. AM
for $3. An Introduction to the most helpful
writing service In the Held of entertainment.
A. GUY VISK
Writing Enter
196 Hill Street
“Creators of
Hutton plans, to retire following
h. current Las Vegas stand.
Jack Goldman, Glover Club top-
per, is making no bid for names,
lie’s running with a burley policy..
Sherry Britton is his current lure
and Kalantan is booked for Oct.
31. Goldman,, it’s reported, would
Tike to sell out and devote all. his
time to operations in Las Vegas,
The two .major Beach cafes,
then, may be Gopa: City, for which
operator Murray Weinger try-
ing to get a, parcel of names, and
Ciro’s. Latter’s Red Pollack is cur-
rently conferring with the talent
agencies for headliners.
However, it’s recognized that
even two niteries can start a full-
scale price War, which would in-
crease talent budgets to the break-
ing point. The competition from
the hotels will also be consider-
able. Consequently, 1 it’s evident
that the Florida spots Will still be
forced to spend money for talent,
on a level with that of previous
years. Whether grosses Will justify
such .expenditures cannot yet be
determined, although Miami
Beach just concluded one of its
best summer’s’ in history.
SEGUES TO MIAMI TV
Pittsburgh, Oct. 26.
George DeWitt, nitery comic who
played the Ankara here the last two
weeks, is pulling out of cafe cir-
culation shortly, except within
Florida commuting distance, to
launch his own tv shows on WTVJ
iri Miami- Beginning Dec. 6, De-
Witt will be on twice a day Mon-
day through Friday, for . half an
hour in the daytime and 15 min-
utes, which may later be doubled,
at night.
DeWitt tested the Miami tele-
vision atmosphere during the sum-
mer as a warm-weather replace-
ment on WTVJ and liked it so well
he decided to make the deal
permanent when an offer came his
way.. He’s moving to Miami bag
arid baggage with his wife and two
children. They’ve already bought
a home there, and DeWitt plans to
concentrate mostly on club dates
which won’t interfere, with his
video commitments. “
Continued from i-age 58
Dance-Stager Sues MCA,
El Rancho Vegas on Pact
Las Vegas, Get. 26.
Gene Summers, leader of a
dance troupe, filed suit for $17,505
in District Court against Music
Corp. of America and El Rancho
Vegas, charging "threats and
coercion” to reduce her price on a
contract.
Complaint declared she had a
| contract with MCA to stage dances
at the hotel for five weeks at $2,350
per. week but El Rancho refused to
sign it She contends that MCA
made a false representation dr the
hotel broke a contract. She wants,
$10,000 damages arid $7,050 for
loss of wages.
CAB CALLOWAY
NOW-NINTH WEEK
HOTEL SAHARA
LAS VEGAS
Mgt. BILL MITTLER, 1619 Broadway. New York
to virtually no returns, but it
hasn’t happened to them since the
Copa took them in;
Joe E, Lewis has made this spot
his New York home. He had
achieved a reputation of sonie de-
gree in show business. He had to
. supplement his cafe dates with
stands at vaude houses; .Loew's
State was one of his regular stands.
He made the , vaude circuits regu-
larly but he hasn’t bothered much
with theatres since he played the
Copacabaria. Niteries, where he
shows up to much bett er advan-
tage, .have been taking: up. all his
available time.
Sid Caesar, Hayes Sc Healy
Sid Caesar got his first major
showing in New York at the E: 60th
St. spot just after his discharge
from service- Copa audiences
also decreed that Peter Lind Hayes
and iris, wife Mary Healy, should be
among those at the top. Kitty
Kalleri scored her first -major hit
there.
Some performers, were ..originally
developed elsewhere,, byt the Copa.
brought out their: full potential,
This applies to Frank Sinatra, Dan-
ny Thomas, Lena Horne, Billy Eck-
stine, Desi ArnaZj Mitzi Green,
Mondy Carson, . Toni Arden, Kean
Sisters and a few others;
Top Showcase
It’s still the top showcase in
New York. Janis Paige was piaying
at the Copa when she was eyed for
.‘■Pajama Game.” When. Eddie
Fisher did the production tunes
here, he showed enough to indi-
cate: that he had considerable
promise. Julie Wilson was first a
chorus girl here, and then she.
graduated to the production tunes.
Among the chorus girls here that
have gone on to Hollywood are
June Allyson, Lucille Bremer, Olga
San Juan, Pat Hardy, Joanne Dru,
Mae Wynn, Martha Stewart and
Janice Rule.
Boniface Podell has found a very
prosperous form of revenue for the
Copa in the operation of the Up-
stairs lounge, The disk jockey pol-
icy having petered out, Podell re-
built the lounge’s reputation with
a late show coming after the finale
in the downstairs room. The sing-
ing talent moves upstairs for a
late show and it’s been paying
off tremendously,
The upstairs lounge also showed
its star-building potential. Nat
(King) Cole evidence his promise
initially in that room as did Sarah
Vaughan. In the line of choreogra-
phy, Don Loper & Maxine Barrett
danced at the Copa before moving
on to Hollywood as a couturier.
Podell takes pride in the Copa's
importance as a name showcase,
although he’d rather be known as
a restaurateur. The kitchen is his
especial province. He's proud of
the fact that he can shell out a
full dinner under $4, and he at-
tempts to operate ori the basis that
food is still important in the night
club business. He's also an im-
portant. contributor to iriany chari-
ties, Once, every year he. donates
a night in December to the cerebral
palsy fund. Three or four nights a
week there’s a table of disabled
vets who get no check. He’s a soft
touch for a lot pf legitimate chari-
ties.
According to ilery actuarial
tables, 15 years is a fairly advanced
age for a nightclub. In that Lime
a spot is expected to have devel-
oped some kind of tradition and
.reputation, The Copa has this tra-
dition 1 as a starmaker, and a reputa-
tion that, makes it an important
entertainment; stop for the visiting
firemen of the nation. There's a
Copa road company in many cities,
tribute enough to the New York
operation that imitation again is:
the sincerest form of flattery.
Saranac Lake
By Happy Benway
Saranac Lake, N. Y., Oct. 26.
The Will Rogers hospital lourige
room is now a real entertainment
haven for the patients here. A
large, new tele set has been in-
stalled, thanks to Murray Weiss,
Will Rogers exec from Boston; a
modern jukebox donated by the
IATSE boys from N. Y, via the ef-
forts of Herbert Johnson,’ a long-
player and records, gift from
Manie Sacks, latest picture pro-
jection outfit installed by Ballan-
tyne Theatre Supply Co, of Omaha
and the National Screen Co. of
N. Y,
Sam Smith of Stewart-E.verett
Circuit, Charlotte, N. C., into the
General for major operation; now
back at the Will Rogers recuper-
ating, ;
The John McKerriins back to
N. Y. arid the St. Regis hotel after
spending three weeks vacationing
at a bedside of their brother, Tom
McKernin, now resting and under
observation at the Will Rogers
here.
A double birthday shindig was
tendered to Louise Riso, of United
World* Films, and to Jack Kelley;
manager with the Walter Reade
Theatres.
Write to those who are ilL ,
‘Eve’ Sellout
Continued from .page 1
while another firm is
dickering for the takeover of the.
Copacabana.
To the bonifaces, the more im-
portant facet of : the sellout lies
in the fact that a . trend is In the
making. Last year, the LQ was
closed to the public because of the
takeover, also by Victor. The fact
that commercial firms have latched
onto the Eve as part of its in-
centive program assures the night-
clubs of a maximum income.
With the firms picking up the
tabs, the celebrants will not be
worrying about the tab at the end
of the night. The bottles placed
bn the table at the beginning of
the . evening will probably be re-
placed before the night is over. It’s
a known feet that when the joint’s
cuffo, everybody is a little more
lavish than they would be if they
were paying for the stuff. With
the Eve very much in demand, the
cafe is in position to charge trip
prices per head.
Again, with two: appliance firms
bidding for dealer goodwill with a
night out, it’s logical that other
companies Will follow suit, in order
to stay on the good side of the
dealers. Firms in other, lines are
also expected to get into, the
bidding with an evening out. It
looks like New Year’s Eve will be
a sponsored shindig, iri many
niteries before long. .
Trouble is that after the top
spots are sold out, then the com-
panies will be at a' loss, since It
would be loss of prestige to book
the second-rate spots. They may
have to be left for the general
public, who will have been denied
access to sortie of the top spots
because of sponsorship.
Fact that the booking of the
Latin Quarter has. occurred so
early is an indication that the firm
buying out the cafe were fearful
that others would move in, so they
acted fast. It’s, a delightful prospect
for bonifaces, since they’re not
only assured of maximum revenue,
but they will be spared the prob-
lem arid expense, of. selling for
the big night.
Vaude, Cafe Dates
New York
Lisa Kirk signed for the Persian
Room, Hotel Plaza, for late Decem-
ber or early January . . . Larry
Starch tapped for the Nautilus,
Miami Beach, DeC; 22 . ,. Micki
Mario to the Sans Souci, Miami
Beach, Dec. 7 . . . Marshall & Far-
rell set for-the PrevUe Club, Col-
linsville, 111., Nov. 4 . Hamilton
Trio into the Hoilenden, Cleveland,
Nov. 22 . . . Billy Shepard, current
at the Casino, Toronto, moves to
the Bradford, Boston, Nov.: 8 . .
Valerie Noble, who returns from
USO-Camp Shows jount, Saturday
(30), into the Bradford, Boston,
Nov. 15 . . . Dick Kallman to El
Rancho, Las Vegas, Dec, 22.
Eddie Albert & Margo spotted
for the Waldorf-Astoria, N. Y., in
March and for the Palmer House,
Chicago, in April Denise Dar-
ed inked for the Monte Cax-ld,
Palm Beach, in February . . Kean
Sisters and Charlie Applewhite in
the Latin Quarter, Bostori, show
Nov. 18 . . Marshall & Farrell
signed for the Latin Quarter, N. Y. p
starting Novi 28. Holger & Dolores
on the : same show.
The
Ju>t Concluded 2nd Contacutiva Yaar
touring fair Barnat and Carruthan .
(Thanks SAM LEVY)
Wish to qnhouflco with
pridt thtir first eastern
appearance
Week of OCTOJRER 29th
PALACE
Now York
(Thanks;.
DAN FRIENDLY and
PAUL GRAY)
then: WESTERN ELECTRIC SHOW
Chicago (Nov. 16, 17, IB, 191
(Thanka: STU McCLELLAN)
then: BROWN HOTEL
LoNlsville, Ky.
(Nov. 26 for 2 WEEKS)
(Thdnka: CHESTER LORCH,
LARRY LUX)
Exelualva Dlrectian: fiutarn RapratantatWa:
Chloaga I, III. II* Wait 37 8t. ; N. Y.
Daarbarn 2-7413 Clrela 6-2433
SHE'S DYNAMITE!
Currently
CASEES
Toledo,
Ohio
Direction
MERCURY ARTISTS
WANTED
PORPOISE TRAINER
Prafar man with experience in trai -
ing sea lions or chi Ago
27 to 45. Permanent position. Contact
W, F. Roljeston, Marina Studios, Ma»
rinaland, Florida.
Currently playing club dates in the Northwest.
Week of Nov. 1 5th, Amato's Supper Club, Portland, Ore.
JOE DANIELS
Orpheum Theatre Bldg., Seattle, Wash.
RONALD ROGERS
SINGING STAR OF PARLOPHONE RECORDS
OPENING NOVEMBER 1st, starring in "Off the Record" Revue
VICTORIA-PALACE THEATRE, WEST END, LONDON
for jack Hyltpn, following a record breaking
22 weeks at Queens Theatre, Blackpool
BOOKED SOLID SINCE MARCH 7TH —
PERSONAL MANAGEMENT:
ROSE ADAIR
7 Wait 44th St., New York City
MU 7-3829-3157; Cl 7-3900
“American Singer RONALD
ROGERS has the looks and voice
to ensure him his own special
niche among the season’s male
attractions.”
B. B, EVENING GAZETTE.
"RONALD ROGERS hasn't a
hit film behind him to boost his
discs but he has something else,
a glowing stage personality al-
lied with the 1 really rare gift of
lyrical song;”
WEEKLY SPORTING REVIEW.
—Show Business — Sept. 17,
1954,
“As a formidable rival to the
Tony Martins . corues
RONALD ROGERS (now a big
hit in ’Off the Record,’ Black-
pool.) Rogers has a fine voice
Sc lntpnation, sings in perfect
English . . . “Three Things”
... a record which could easily
make RONALD ROGERS
huge favorite with the disc-
fans here.”
RECORD MIRROR, London.
Wednesday, October 27, V
Hotel Plaza, Y.
Genevieve with Luc Poret, John
& June Belmont; Ted Straeter
arid Mark Monte Or chi; $2 and
$2.50 couvert.
Genevieve continues the French
invasion of the American nitery
scene, a gamin type of chirper in
the.Piaf tradition who will register
once she gets the hang of Yank
standards. Judging by her North
American break-in, .both in Mon-
treal and at the Caribe Hilton,
Puerto Rico, where she impressed
better on the visual aspects, it is
surprising that she handicapped
herself in the manner Jliat she did
at her Persian Room debut with
poor dressing. The skirt and
sweater-blouse effect noted by
Variety's Canadian critic when
he caught . her last spring , at the
Hitz Carlton, Montreal, is obvious-
ly so much the better idea.
The accent ; on the physical ac-
coutrements is dominant because,
was revealed at the opening
ight, her black-beaded costume
rade for almost a. grotesque, ap-
pearance in this class room. It is
the more to the credit Of her art-
istry that she overcame it as she
progressed.
She has an attractive gamin face,
pert and appealing, and her domi-*
mantly French repertoire is loaded
with the proper amour-amour for
the best b,o. impact in the plush
hotel circuit. She helps, things
along with .. a brief introductory
which, despite her limited English,
is a, big plus for the mon-Gallic
customers.:
She is a Montmartre product,
said to have sung in her own
bistro in the same manner that
Patachou got Started. Genevieve’s
penchant, is torch songs, and
there’s a little too much of it with
the same monotone, of style. Re-
sult is a spotty reaction. It’s best
when her ballads ate simpler, less
idiomatic and more melodic. She
should gear her repertoire
eordingly. "Give Me a Dream”
and "I Am Happy” are on the plus,
side, in this connection!
Guitarist-composei* . Luc Poret. ; is
a nice assist, in simple neo-rue de
Lappe getup-^sev.ere black blouse
—■and the hardworking Ted Strae-
ter crew even more so, as they
group themselves into suitable
string ensembles, with the maes-
tro-pianist. doing a competent job
from the Steinway.
Openers are John and June Bel-
lont with assorted ballroom and
acro-terp routines, making a nice
entr’acte to the diseuse. Abel.
Palmer House, Clii
Chicago, Oct.. 21.
Jean Carroll, Robert Maxwell,.
Empire Eight, Charlie Fisk' Orch;
$2 cover.
Absent from the Chi nitery
scene: for two years, Jean Carroll
wowed a packed houseful of first-
ight .(21) conventioneers with a
prolonged gab session that foments
conviviality. Show is held to two
acts and two smart numbers by
the' house line as Miss Carroll does
more than usual time oh the floor.
Femme is sophisticated looking,
with a touch of class, and there-
fore It’s a trifle disarming, though
pleasantly, that she should speak
with homey Brooklynese inflec-
tions on such mundane topics as
the trials of housewifery. This in-
congruity of looks and personality
is the key to her showmanship,
and she holds the crowd in her
palm every inch of the way.
. Monolog centers on domestic
problems, rearing of children, pro-
gressive education, horseraces and
a variety of silly happenstances
that touch off more than a laugh
a minute. Yet, Considering that
this posh inn usually hosts kids
for the dinner shows, her bluish
innuendos — not to say the down-
right purple stuff 4-have to be.
compromised. Long-winded rou-
tine could also stanff a music break
r two in its course, as Miss Car-
roll had always done in the past.
Except for a few bars at wraptip,
she scarcely .airs her rich throaty
pipes at all. and they’re missed.
Robert Maxwell, a harpist with
plenty flourish, clicks in the pre-
ceding slot wfth fluid fingerings;
personable mien and well plotted
selections.
Energized Empire Eight, two
males and six femmes, kick off
AVith a snappy "Little Shoemaker”
production and delight again with
colorful "Gone With the . Wind”
fantasy between' acts. Charlie
Fisk’s showbacking is of high or-
der, and so are his dance sets.
Les.
One Fifth Ave., IV. Y.
Helena Bliss, Bernie West, Bob
powney & Harold Fonville, Hazel
Webster; no cover or minimum.
Now that Qne Fifth Ace., Green-
wich Village intim.ery, has stowed
its 20th anni celebration under its
velt, room is settling down to its
usual formula of dishing out a
pleasant blending of song, comedy
and- nifty keyboard work.
Initial post-20th anni. show head-
lines songstress Herena Bliss and
comic Bernie West. Bob Downey,
Harold Fonville and Hazel Webster
are still at their piano posts and
whip out some intriguing melodies,
mostly of the showtune genre, be-
tween the headliner stints.
Miss Bliss comes bountifully
equipped, in voice and looks, to
sell her wares. She’s got a solid
set of pipes and knows what-., to do
with a number whether it be bal-
lad, rhythm or special material.
Her vocalistics are. plussed by -a
charming stage ' demeanor which
makes her an easy winner. She's
also a looker who knows how to
wear clothes. She comes over
strong in this small room but
there’s rio doubt that she’d score
as easily in larger, more chic east-
sidsrics
Her turn, for the most part, was
put together by Robert Wright and
George Forrest, arid they’ve done
an okay job for her. They’ve over-
loaded her with special stuff which
slows her Up somewhat but it’s
iriostly bright and tuneful. She’s at
her best, however, when she sticks
to the straight song material, as.
"Baubles, Bagles & Beads’- and
"Bill,” and some additions along
this lime Would help round out a
slick nitery stint,
Bernie West, formerly of Ross &
W'est, admits to being. lonesome , up
front. The sblq. work isn’t rie\V to
him because he started out that
way but the partnering years prob-
ably deCoriditiohed him for the
solo fling. However, once he gets
the "single” feel agai , he’ll be a
good bet for steady work along the
nitery route.
West is a sharp satirist and
builds strong yocks albng the way.
He . takes Holly wood films, radio-tv
jingles, commercials, etc., over the
verbal coals, hitting hard but with
ribtickling results. He’s got a style
that’s, alert and casual at the same
time. He also wears large, horn-
rimmed glasses which rnakes him
a natural for tv emcee bids.
Gros.
Statler, Hartford
Hartford, 6ct. 22;
Ahoy ” with Jeri Boone,
Wilma & Ed Leary, Jan Van Or-
man, Ice Bldde-Eties (4), Lou
Folds, Steve Kisley Orch (11 )
with. Dee DrumMond; $i : cover.
Mon.-thrwThUrs $1.50 cover Fri-
Sat. .
Originally booked in for six
weeks, this ice unit is playing an
additional two frames. Current
layout . has been changed to in-
clude a couple of new personalities,
arid a new name for the unit on
the marquee, "Ice Ahoy.”
Statler Terrace Room is having
trouble, drawing for the second,
shows week nights, but the first
are doing Very well. s Saturday
matinees afe for moppets and
mothers, latter getting a fashion
show through tieup with local de-
partment store, G. Fox & Co.,
forcing patrons to reserve two to
three weeks ahead.
Blade unit work is in the top-
drawer category,. The Ice : Blade-
Ettes line is eye-appealing for
their looks as Well as for their ice
capers. Costuming of line and
principals is very colorful.
Currently toplining impressively
is Jeri Boone, a Coast importation
and former Pacific Coast figure
skating champ and U. S. gold med-
alist. The show producers, Ed &
Wilma Leary, single and duo for
artistic bladework. Jan Van Or-
man, a holdover, also scores with
polished ice skating.
Lou Folds, comic juggler and
oldt-ime vauder, sells his varied
offerings with .ease to strong re?
ception. Also works on the blades.
Backing the well-blended offering
is the . Steve Kisley orch. Band
thrush Dee Drummond . is also a
saleable product with her vocal
merchandising. Eck.
Chaiidiere* Ottawa
Ottawa, Oct. 22.
Kaye & Aldrich, Jack Marlin,
Margie Dare,' Miriam. Sage Dahc-
ers (5), Benny Greenberg Orch
(.8) ; $.1 admission.
Male arid femme with a comic
aero and gab routine, Kaye &
Aldrich are standout in the
;Chaudiere Club's Rose' Room, Mix-
ing socko lifts and balances into
a bright but slightly overlong
stanza, pair drew good mitting
from a tough audience at opener
(21). Femme harries the laugh load
with okay lines and mugging as
male capably straights. Margie
Dare, small blond canary, registers
with “I Love Paris,” "Black
Magic,” antUothers.
. Jack Marli , who also emcees,
shows . okay pipes but needs
stronger comedy material. He
solos with gabbing and songs , in-
cluding impressions-and a calypso
bit. Gorm.
U&RimY
Cafe de Parls, London
London, Oct. 19.
Noel Coward, with Norman
Hackforth; George Smith Orch,
Harry Roy & Lyricals; minimum
$9 opening night, thereafter, $6.50.
Some fancy adjectives are needed
to describe Noel Covzard’s contin-
ued cabaret? triumphs; Year, after
year he is the .headliner at the
Cafe de Paris, attracting the social
elite as Well as the chichi segments
of society and each success is as
fabulous as the past..
Not by any means a star vocalist*
Coward, has his own surefire for-
ihula for success: "Something old,
something new, something bor-
rowed, something blue.” That’s
always been the pattern of his rou-
tine and it has never failed to
delight. The packed; opening-night
celebrity audience was proof of his
high boxoffice rating, and the fact
that he has been booked outright
for six weeks is indicative of the
confidence of . the Cafe manage-
ment.
A master showman who uses his
hands with expressive effect, Cow-
ard exploits all the professional
tricks he has acquired in his long,
varied experience as an actor, pro-
ducer, director, novelist and lyricist.
Having established a reputation as
an ultra-sophisticate, he has fash-
ioned his , act accordingly. With
only a single exceptiori his entire
40-minute: stint is flavored with a
sharp arid biting satirical tang and
the one attempt to break from
tradition, although obviously aimed'
at achieving a balance, seems sur-
prisingly out of place. .
. Admittedly, the customers like
something new, blit Coward always
caters to the nostalgic segment
and his past hits are received With
growing enthusiasm;* In this cate-
gory alone there ‘ the delightful
ditty about "Poor Uncle Harry”
("He’s a Missionary Now”),. "Jo-
sephine,”. "Mad Dogs 'and English-
men” arid "Bad Times Around the
Corner.” .
.. His main new entry, "The Pic--'
cola Marina,” is charming in itself
but a little below standard, and
from the archives, under the over-
all heading of "Things I Have
Loathed,”, he has dug up a number
of curios including a Scottish bal-
lad, an early English spring song
arid the sort of number always sung
by a purser at a ship’s concert. This
provides an amusing contrast to
the general pattern of the enter-
tainment. •
As for something blue, that gap
is handsomely, inoffensively filled
by his own witty lyrics to the tune
of "Let’s Do’ It,” in which many
famous names on both sides of the
Atlantic come in for gentle razzing.
This has beOn brought up to date
with telling . effect.
. Norman Hackforth, who regu-
larly accompanies, the star on his
cabaret appearances, does sterling
work on the ivories alongside the
resident George Smith combo. A
new Harry Roy outfit shared the
darisapation sessions in polished:
style, Myro.
El Rnnelio* Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Oct. 20. .
Lillian Roth ( with Dick Wess);
Lilt St. Cyr, Jackie Kannon; Steve
Gibson-s Red Caps . (10), Louis
Dance Trio, Dot Dee Dancers ( 1 0 ),
Bob Ellis, Orch (11); no cover or
minimum.
Let there be no tears for Lillian
Roth today. She’s had her cry and
the tomorrows now' at hand will be
filled only with joy of accomplish-
ment. Comeback gal is a cinch cafe
bet now, with her genuine singing
talent and charm her biggest
weapons ..for a new career; The
ovation givOn Miss Roth is genuine'
indication.
For 35 minutes the headliner
belts in Ethel Merman fashion. Her
repertoire includes many nostalgics
With a spi'inkling of new material
that edifies. From the piano, Dick
Wess guides the Bob Ellis orch for
the star. Miss Roth toplines, a
three-week vaude show (five acts)
in which stripper Lili St. Cyr is
held over as costar. The revue is
raggedly paced and includes a
poorly-staged ending that the sho w
could do without. This comes after
Miss Roth exits on a begoff that
leaves a misty-eyed audience en-
joying its own tears; With it is a
feelirig of exhilaration npt let
down. All Of a sudden the chorines
are paraded and Miss St. Cyr takes
to her inevitable cage for a ; fast
ride around the dining room in her
divestment routine. This adds a
false note to the show, does not do
justice to the glamorous stripper
and effaces the warm feeling that
pervades the room as the result of
Miss Roth’s act.
Miss St. Cyr, a. surprising hold-
over, does her teasing take-it-off
bit in her ’Wedding Night,” and
bubble-bathes her. way through
snickers and laughs in a sexy act
that still pleases after her: six-
weeks’ tenure./
Jackie Kannon is a clevef comic
»•> to. * * .*
MCnT CLUB REVIEWS 71
who socks over. Yiddish dialect and
innuendo humor* along with more
obvious buffoonery to net a warm
spot in the revue. Pop song paro-
dies segue into gags for. stout
audience reaction. His fa!ve egg
trick that v never comes off is good
for howls' as the little comedian
winds a tablecloth arotind his head
and describes the trick he learned
in India.
Steve Gibson’s Red Caps are
back to sock rhythm numbers with
vocals by Damita Jo and are estab-
lished clicks in this spot, although
the act is obviously hurried, as is
also the brief mambo of the Louis
Dance Trio, who don't have much
time to establish themselves in the
current layout. Bob.
Clouds, Honolulu
Honolulu, Oct. 23.
Helen Forrest, ' Vcrle Henry,
Reuben Yap Trio; no cover, no
minim \
Everybody told ’em it Couldn’t be
done, but three gals, two of them
show biz vets, have launched an
ambitious irinovation in Hawaii
nitery operatioris and brought in
Helen Forrest as their first head-
liner.
Betty McGuire arid Verle Henry,
Who used to he with the Bell-Tones,
a femme combo: that clicked, in
Honolulu, and Anne Lund took
over the former Del Mar Hotel, re-
iiamed it ‘the Park-Surf, arid con-
verted an idle penthouse cafe into
a nitery that is both intimate arid
swank,
Mis$ Forrest, in for three weeks,
has drawn turnaway crowds every
night, which is something the own-
ers need if they’re going to make
money, because the roofn has only
26 tables, plus a bar that seats 25;
Miss Forrest, whose earlier re-
cordings with Artie . Shaw, Benny
Goodman and Harry James still
get solid disk . jock play in Hono-
: lulu, displays jots of personality
and versatility as she goes through
a varied array . of songs. The ac-
cent is on the oldies, but they come
across in sultry, sophisticated style.
Miss Henry, one of the co-own-
ers, scores nicely in comedy songs,
and does a Jimrny Durante takeoff
that is realistic and startling. Per-
sonable MisS McGuire, another co-
owner, emcees.
' The rooin boasts the most com-,
petent local trip to be developed
in some time. It’s headed by Reu-
ben Yap, youthful concert pianist,
and the combo, (piano, bass, drums)
is a cinch to help draw repeat biz.
The Clouds makes its debut in
the face of unprecedented nitery
competition arid the near opening
of two $2,000,000 resort hotels just
down the street. Operating on a
headliner, policy,, the room has a
stiff nut to crack,- especially inas-
much as it can seat only about 125.
customers. But very much on the
plus side is the fact that The Clouds
reflects smart , showmanship right
down the line:. Additionally, there’s
a large free parking area just 100
yards away, which is something
few Waikiki niteries can boast,
Walt.
Flamingo, Las Yogas
Las Vegas, Oct, 21.
Debra Paget, Ben Blue ( with
Sid Fields, Sammy Wolfe), Les
Brown Orch (19), Flamingo Star-
lets (12 ); no cover or minimum.
Debra Paget, sporting long titiari
tresses, personifies sex and . youth
in torrid dances, and although tal-
ented in terps chores, and exhib-
iting a warm, friendly manner, the
best the young filmstar can net in
the current three-framer is run-
nerup honors; For the beguiling
young thesp must vie with cafe vet
[ Ben Blue, than whom there are
[ few cannier in the hoite belt. This
is no disgrace to Miss Paget, who
comes off rathei* well in her first
nitery try and she’ll get better
with experience. (See New. Acts). .
Blue, with the aid of his side-
kick vets, Sid Fields and Sariimy
Wolfe, jokes; and pantomimes in
crowd-pleasing and . familiar vein
in a revue in which all acts are
integrated. Pruning to tighten the
95-minute package is riecessary for
the lively show to look its best. Les
Brown brings his orch in for co-
starring and showbacking spots.
Blue is the show’s standout in a
park scene with Miss Paget, involv-
ing, a little bee. Blue also delivers
his oldtime Chandu the Mind
Reader bit for guffaws. Fields is
a topnotch straightman while
Wolfe registers in comedy-singing
impressions.
The Brown crew leans heavily
towards brass and syncopates ear-
pleasing sounds in the all-too-brief
spot it has to. itself. Butch Stone
offers a clever bucolic vocal df “A
Good Man Is Hard to Find,” while
Stumpy Brown, maestro’s young
brother, is a pleasing little clown.
Although backing the show is its
main chore, the Brown music
makes itself felt* pleasantly
tJlWghouV., Bob*...
Colony, London .
London, Oct. 2L
Betty Reilly, Felix King & Don
Carlos Orchs; $5 minimum.
Betty Reilly’s London debut cor
inoides with the annual ;. lotor
show, and it is the latter which is
primarily responsible for the neces-
sity to put the ropes out . nightly,.
The crarnmed room is, however,
fully appreciative of the exuber-
ance. and vitality of her perform-
ance.
Handsomely turned out. arid look-
ing attractive on stage, "Miss Reilly
is. an uninhibited performer arid,
at times, a little too boistevous.
She displays a verve and, enthusi-
asm for the work and has a snappy
lineup of songs more than ade-
quate to satisfy the customer de?
mand. She is at her best when: in
a relaxed mood, singing two to
three Mexican numbers while,
strumming away on the guitar.
"Begin, the Begat,” although heard
in this cafe before, is still an amus-
ing novelty in her hands; arid she
has a boff . entry in "Molasses/’
with its biting impressions of
Margaret Truman, Bette Davis and
Sarah Vaughan.
The Felix King combo does its
usual sterling backgrounding; and
tne Don Carlos unit caters to the
rhythm dance sessions. Myro.
Aiiiafo 7 s, Portland^ Ore.
Portland, Or Oct. 21.
Nelson. Eddy with Gale Sher-
wood & Theodore Paxson, Chop
Chop & Charlene, Sparkleits (5),
Wyn Walker Orch ( lO) with Rene
Weiss & Johnny Clement; no mini-
mum, $2 cover.
A new, versatile NelsOn . Eddy
displays his talents smartly to
AmatO customers from the time
he enters until he begs off gra-
ciously 33 minutes later to plenty
of palm-wacking. Eddy is in for
two weeks and should gain
patrons as he goes. The half-hour
moves swiftly and. is tightly knit
with good tunes, comedy, chatter,
and even some hoofing by the star.
"My Melody” scores big, as does
a medley of his pic tunes. Top-
drawer bit is with 88er Teddy Pax-
Son, on "Hungarian Rhapsody/’
Blonde, blue-eyed, well-endowed
Gale Sherwood is on for some due
chirping, much to the delight of
the patrons. Gal has a sensational
set of pipes, is outstaff&irig in
every department and adds plenty
to the layout.
Chop Chop opens with some
betterrthan-avefage magic stuff.
Cute Charlene assists. The Flor-
ence Pickett. line (5) is on for two
neat production numbers. The
fresh, long-stem gals .fill the
Pickett-designed costumes well
and display some good cleatirig.
Wyn Walker and the house band
play a tough show and set the
terripo for dancing. Cute Rene
Weiss and Johnny Clement knock
out some of the pop tunes during
the dancing seshes. The 70-minute
layout was well received by the
full opening-night house. Feve.
Hal Tabarin, N. Y.
Kenny Davis, Nina Dabore,
Averil & Aurel, Vic Spaddy,. Lou
Harold &: Ray Rizzony Orchs,
Montmartre Girls (6) ; $2,50, $3
minimwnis.
The Bal Tabarin is one of the
oldest cabarets . in the Times
Square sector. Now in its 21st
year, this operation by Johnny &
Laurent Hourcle has been able to
keep a fairly good level of busi-
ness with an atmosphere that looks
authentically French and a mod-*
estly-priced menu. Surprisingly,
the Bal Tab has a fairly high level
of entertainment.
Naturally, at the prices charged,
it’s impossible to v expect names,
but booker Jack Lewis gets a show
that has a Contirierital tone and
with a lot of entertainment values.
Furthermore, it’s a well-populated
bill with a well-drilled six-girl line
who show a trio of good rqutines..
'Finale, a lively can-pan, provides
a worthy closer to this session.
Current program has collected a
batch of regulars for this spot. Most
of this bill have been at the Bal
Tab previously, but with the : ex-
ception of Vic Spaddy and dancers .
Averil & Aurel, haven’t been docu?
mented in. the New Act file. Kenny.
Davis and Nina Dabore are further
described there.
Spaddy is an Jmpressionist of
promise. He shows a routine here
that indicates a strong closer for'
the more expensive . situations
when he gets this particular bit
of business in . better working order.
Spaddy does a brace of operatic
tunes as they would be perforiried
by the. popular singers of the day. .
j3e has some fairly good gab in
other portions of this routine, and
net result is a good mitting!
Averil & Aurel are French* im-
ports who have played the Mont-
real spots prior to hitting the Bal
Tab. tliqv .show, a, gallic .gaiety .in
.CCopLtfpupfl.Qdi page 73),
72
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
Palace, N. Y.
Honey Girls (4), Raymond &
Lee, Duke Dorr ell, Stylers (3),
Maude Hilton & Marion Lee, Kurt
Jons Dancers (3), Stump &
Stum , Joe Lemke’s College of
Chimps, Jo Lombardi Orch; “ Per-
sonal ■ Affair” (VA),' reviewed in
Variety Oct. 28, ’53..
New, Palace bill, though compris-
ing f6ur New Acts, is one of the
better sessions in recent weeks,
moving along swiftly and with few
dull spots; Coilple of the newcom-
ers, Duke Dorrell and The Stylers,
are pleasant surprises, and the vet
team of Stump & Stumpy in next-
to-closing tops off some highly sat-
isfactory fare,.
. Under New Acts are Raymond &
Lee, in the deuce; Dorrell, in the
trey; The Stylers in the four spot,
and Joe Lemke’s College of Chimps
in the closer. Bill is opened by art
attractive femme aero quartet, the
Honey Girls, who go through a
smooth series of cartwheels, flips,
etc- Nothing on the socko side, but.
well-performed within its limited
framework,
Maude Hilton, who’s been on the
boards with one partner or another
for many years, is out this time
With blonde Marion Lee in a rath-
er routine comedy stint. It's the
customary irisult-fested material
With Miss Hilton on the delivery
end and Miss Lee an okay foil;
Best of the business is the ad libs,
but the rehearsed stuff is about as
old as the Palace. Kurt Jons Danc-
ers, reduced to a trio With Jones
backed by two femmes, go through
their orientai-motifed routines
with style and precision. But it’s
almost mechanical; there’s neither
verve nor excitement to; the act.
Good dancers all of them, but lit-
tle else to recommend them be-
yond their technical facility.
Stump & Stumpy are back only
two months, but this time in riext-
to-elosing. It’s the same routine,
to the letter * that they used in
their last Palace appearance, but
the material and the delivery are
good enough to stand up for sev-
eral sessions more. They’re both
clever comics Who have the ability
to combine sophistication with
slapstick (as in the “Dragnet” take-
off), and their singingndancing are
added plusses to an already fine
comedy stint. Jo Lombardi Orch
provides per-usual pluperfect show-
backing. Cfiam
only solid entertainment value on
a new act; Mainliners, like the
Clovers, Edna McGriff and Paul
Williams’ tooters, are undisciplined
in their respective musical spe-
cialties.:
The Tapateers (see >New . Acts.)
are a terp trio with an exceptional
repertoire that lifts the early por-
tion of the stanza. Helping some-
what is band warbler Danny Cobb;
who opens the show. He’s got a
colorful wailing- style in r&b ren-
ditions of “Rocking Chair Blues”
and “It’s All Oyer Baby.” The
limited musical appeal of his muf-
fled pipes is offset by his sense of
humor.
As for The Clovers, they deliver
five tunes, not one of Which cashes
in'. The quintet is best in “Fool,
Fool,” but. all. their songs are
hindered by a grating bass. Edna
McGriff, who came up a couple of
years ago, has continuing difficulty
with volume' and sometimes her
tone Wavers. She is, however, a
very smart-looking femme. ...
In backgrounding, the Williams
band is way off the mark, blit in its
own appearances the sidemen offer
some neat blowing, in “I, Want
Some ; Tootsie Roll’ for one.
Trumpeteer-Singer Jimmie Brown,
uses his neat tenor to draw a big
ihitt in “Masquerade Is. Over.”
Rounding out the card are Spo-
Dee-O-Dee, frequent Comedy turn
at the Harlem flag, and exotic Rosa
La Roso (NeW Act). Spo, With the
aid of a supporting duo, drags
through an overlong 15 minutes
with a threadbare burlesk situ-
ation. ’ Art,
Olympia* Miami
Miami, Oct. 22.
Joe Howard, Little Jack Little
Pitchmen (2 ) , Marianna & Carlos
Miranda, Faye i & Andre, -Les
Rhode' House Orch; “A Woman’s
Face” (M-G),
Despite overbalance on vocalis-
tics as represented by vets Joe
Howard and Little Jack Little in
the toplirier spots, plus lack of
comedy, current Compote manages
to come off in okay fashion, thanks
to. knowhow and showmanship of
the duo.
Working, with a spfyness and
grace that belie his venerable
years, Howard spells out the
charm-mood while recounting his
hits, “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her
Now,” “Honeymoon,” “Goodbye.
My Lady Love,” among others, to
keep aud Warmth mounting, wind-
ing them into, a community sing
that leaves: all happy.. He tops
matters with a bit of cakewalk for.
the big Sendoff.
Of a more modern era, but still
a vet. Little, a regular in this
house, whams across his tricky
keyboard ideas, then pliisses im-
pact With his almost- whispered in-
tonations of the song clicks he’s
Written, and .been associated With,
themed by “Jealous” arid VShanty
In Old Shanty Town-” Amiable
approach . arid. . sound protection
buttress his roundelays to rack up
resounding stubholder reaction.'
The Pitchmen. ..now. a duo, offer
tip tlieir trademarked screwy- in-
strument concepts to maintain in-
terest throughout a bright canto.
Again, its the knowhow that aids
In building a warm reception,
Adagio work of Faye and Andre
is uninspired, with the standard
stunts essayed;' Carlos and Mari--
..anna Miranda are also in the
standard vein, their comedy-
mgico routines garner ring mild
Tetur Lary.
Apollo,N. *Y.
• Clovers (5), Tapateers ( 3 ), Ed-
na McGriff, Spo-Dee-ODce, Rosa
La Roso, - Paul Williams Band
(ii'ith Danny' Cobb, Jimmie
Brown); “ Stand at Apache River ”
(til).
The Apollo is disappointing this
week, The sesh depends for its
Empire* Glasgow
Glasgow, j Oct. 15. .
The Trinder Shota, with Tommy
Trinder, Woods & Jarrett, Salici
Puppets, SixiFlying De Pauls, Two
Arvings, Anne Hart, Pat Galloway,:
George Mitchell Quartet, Larry
Gordon Girls (10), Alan D’ Albert
Orch.
and offbeat kidding in bad taste of
Toronto’s recent hurricane and
the bombing of Warsaw.
Bobby Brant opens the stage
stirit with very agile ballet taps
and pirouettes, following with a
neat modern softshoe routine to
“Hot Canary” and acrobatics. Vip
Charles is also over on his pup-
pets, particularly on little peoples’
trapeze act, a girl doll hootchie-
kootchie, and a finale skating act,
Sis & Sunny Arthur are also, over
big . ori their comedy ballroom
dancing and acrobatics, a fine
jitterbug finish with somersaults.
Whole is a neat stage package.
Me Stay.
Radio-TV Cleaning Up
Continued front page 1
W^EK OF OCTOBER 27
Numerals In connection with bills below Indicate openlnn day of show
whether full or split Week
Letter in parentheses Indicates circuit, (I) Independent; Loewi
Anthony Dexter
Ralph Young*
Piroska
Art. Watier Oro
B Harlowe Ore
_ La Ruban Bleu
Juliu4 Monk
Norman Paris 3 .
Irwin Corey
ASTON .
Hippodrome (I) -25
Nat Gonella
Leon Cortez
Doreen^ Harris
Afique
Canine Wonders
BIRMINGHAM :
Hippodrome
Kitt Carson .
C Callinicos
Eddie Oliver Ore
Tony Martinez Ore
Blltmore Hotel
Kirby Stone 4
Nanci Crompton
Nita A Peppi
Hal . Der win Ore
v Clro's.
Marilyn Maxwell
Mathurins
Skeets Minton
Bob Street
Judy Brent
Joe Paz
Dick Stabile Ore
Bobby Ramos Ore
Charley Foy's
Wally Vernon
Charley' Foy
Mary .Foy
Sid Hurwitz Oro
Crescendo
June Christy
Margo Good
Jack - Nye Ore
Mocembe
L Finley Rev
Will Jordan
Paul Hebert .. Oro
Moulin Rouge
Frank Llbuse
Margot Brander
Szonys 02) -
Charllvels (3)
Miss Malta A Co
Doubledaters (4)
Mme. Ardelty
Jery . LaZarre
Ffolliot Charlton
Tony Gentry
Gaby Wooldrldgo
Luis . Urbina
Eileen Christy
Bob Snyder Oro
Statlor Hotel
Dorothy Shay
Ralph A Lorraine
Skinnay Ennis Oro
miaMi-miami beach
Clover Club
Sherry Britton
Luis Torrens
Harold A Lola
Baron Buika.
Tony Lopez Ore
Selma Marlowe Line
Woody Woodbury.
Leon A Eddie's
Lois De Fee
Lynn Star.
Rose Ann
Rita Marlow . ,
.Charlotte Watere
Nautilus Hotel
Hal. Fisher .
Antone A Ina -
Sid Stanley Oro
Black Orchid
Jo Thompson
Richard Cannon
Sans Souci Hofei
Gillian ' Grey
Sacasas Ore
Ann Herman Dcrs
Anne Barnett
. Saxony Hotdl
Tano & Dee
Nlrva
Dan Tannen
June Forrest
The Archers
Freddy Calo Ore
Johnny Silvers Oro
The Patio
Sammy Walsh.
NTelida
Pat Paulson
Bombay Hotel
Phil Brito
Link Andrews
Peter; Mack
Dorothy Vincent
Johnlna Hotel
B S Pully
Sam Bari
Harry Rogers Ore ..
Gloria Hart . .
Columbus Hotel ..
Arthur Warren- Ore
Roney Plaza
Jose Cortez Ore
IAS VEGAS, NEVADA
Flamingo
Ben Blue .
Debra Paget
Les Brown Ore
Sliver Slipper’
Sally Rand
Buddy Baer '
Kalantan
Hank Henry
Desert Inn
Betty - Hutton
Sahara
Marlene Dietrich
Last Prontier
Benny Goodman
Buddy Lester.
» El Cortez
Harmohicats
Golden Nugget -
Gas -Lights A Pink
Tights
Sands
P L Hayes . A M
. Healy
Clark Bros
El Rancho Vogas
Lillian Roth
S Gibson Red ,Cap«
Showboat
Minsky’s Follies ol
1955
Thunderblr
Gaylords .
Davis Sc Reese
RENO
Mapes Sky room
Alan King
Taylor Maids
D Arden Dancers
E Fitzpatrick. Ore
New Golden
Four Knights
Wallis Sc Carroll
Will Osborne Ore
Rivers!
Ben Lessy
Patti Moore
Starlets
B Clifford Ore
Wed tie 8 day, October 27, 1954
i
DEBRA PAGET
(With Jack . Hannon, . Hon Sky,
Sheldon Smith)
Song and Dance 1
20 Mins.
Flamingo, Las Vegas
Debra Paget is interestingly
showcased as, a nitery entertainer,
and the young film star, now
adorned by'titian* shoulder-length
hair, emerges solidly as a dancer.
Song material is okay and she
works well with male partners
jack Harmon and Don Sky, but
she lacks in the vocal department.
The values are great, however, in
the terps, An all around good act
for the. headliner might be to do
an abbreviated flicker scene, or
some other narration, and other-
wise make with some happy talk
and execute her. dancing, for she
has a warm personality and a nice-
ly modulated speaking voice that
holds interest.
The high spot finds her at her
sexiest in an abbreviated costume
of gold chains to simulate the one.
she wore in the flicker, /‘Princess
of the Nile.”. Her 110-pound chas-
sis carries this 60-pound gear as
she perfonris a torrid, torso-toss-
ing, sinuous dance, from which in-
flections, even as she Writhes on
the floor, her figure is clearly sug-
gested. The “Princess of the Nile”
dance is in good taste and well-
portrayed and yet has those “ex-
otic” .values.
Miss Paget works well with her
partners in “Wide Eyed And Inno-
cent No More,” .although the sing-
ing is a letdown compared to the
abandon she puts into the. dance;
“Don’t Put Off ’Til Tomorrow
What You Can Do Tonight,” has
a Mae Westian flavor in the lyrics
and .Miss Paget gyrates efficiently
and pleasingly to “In Havana.” The
duo dances well with her and pi-
anist-arranger SheldOn Smith is a;
strong factor in the star’s favor.-
Bob.
JOE LEMKE’S COLLEGE OF
CHIMPS
Chimpanzees
10 Mins,
Palace, N.Y<
Standard chimp tur , with a
high wire, motorcycle, stilts' and
several types of bicycles, but there
are. four chimps and for some rea-
son only two are used. : Other two
ar pinned down upstage arid
prove a distraction, what with try-;
ing to. tangle up the curtains, etc.
First thing Lemke and his unbilled
assistant should do ’ .either get
those extras into the act or train
thern to sit still onstage.
Act was caught in probably its
worst, performance to date, one in
which everything sAenied to go
wrong and Lemke and his assistant
were hard put to go through the
normal paces, let alone keep things
flowing smoothly. Assistant got
into an embarrassing spot when
one chimp threw him for a prat-
fall while the asst, was removing a
stilt. Possible that Lemke and
the assistant had a hard time get-
ting the chimps accustomed to a
stage after outdoor work only. But
that pratfall opens the possibility
that Lemke could develop this into
a high comedy act if he can train
the chimps well enough, immedi-
ate object, though, is to get the
chimps used to working indoors
and to make better use of the
two spares; Chan.
DUKE DORRELL
Violin
11 Mins.
Palace, N.Y.
Duke Dorrell is a refreshing sort
of musical act; a trick violinist J
with a bizarre sense of humor. He
looks-— by intention— as if he'd
just walked out of a Charles
Addams cartoon, With long black
hair; a pale, face and darkened
eyebrows, and his actions serve to
accentuate and supplement the ap-
pearance. Works With a minimum
of talks and lots of. panto bits,
like throwing away a series of
combs after funning them through
bis hair, and pulling a hanger out
of Jiis jacket shoulders.
Trick violin stuff is topnotch too,
ivi.th Dorrell putting the bow in
bis mouth or between his leg and
moving the violin instead of the
bow to get- amazing, results. He
bscs the castoff, hanger as a sub-
stitute bow; ditto for a piece of
sheet music he’s found pinned to
ms trouser leg- And, to top it off,
ooes some straight violining with
fl ?shy effect. Pine bet for vaude,
mteries and ..telb guest shots..
jEDHi KING
Songs
22 Mins,
Black Orchid, Chi.
Onetime. George Shearing thrush
js playing her first major nitery
bat^as a single, and her schooling
i Jbi e jazz idiom is at: once mani-
There’s no quarrel whatever
Teddi Kingis voice; it’s a.
oeaut, having either an uplifting
m wistful quality as her numbers
dictate, For disks or other blind
media she’s an excellent bet.'
What cripples her as an act,
though, is something she has no
control over at this point. Here is
a femme with, mature pipes and so-
phisticated singing technique who
has the iriisfortune of looking like
anyone’s teenage kid sister. Visu-
ally she just doeshlt jive with the
affairs-of-the-heart she’s selling.
Probably she doesn’t even convince
herself in the worldwise role, for
there’s a noticeable air Of diffi-
dence in her stance.
She follows a zestful opener with
a set of hep standards like “Lady
Is a Tramp,” “Gypsy In My Soul”
and- “Basin Street.” To look at
her, the whole rep has the same
out-of-character smack as the in-
genue’s, slinky strapless gbwn. Yet
it’s the kind of chirping her voice
lends itself best * to. Assuming
there were , enough topflight little-;
girl ditties to rebuild an act upon,
Miss King Would still be out of
sorts - because her Voice doesn’t
have that / cutie-pie ring. ,; As. it
shapes, it’s a hapless dilemma.
Les.
LINE RENAUD
Songs
30 Mins.
Moulin Rouge, Paris
Line RAriaud is one of . the top
disk, names here, but this is her
first public: appearance in three
years; Her stint at this immense
house is jairiming it every night,
though some of this Overflow is
drie to the ihsurge brought by The,
Auto Expositiorii. However, Miss
Renaud emerges as an. engaging,,
fresh, tousle-headed personality
who has a fine gamut of emotion
and. interpretation that makes hers
a slightly different Gallic song-a-
log. "
She comes on in a. simple black
dress to play up her bouncy appeal
arid goes into a raucous- voiced
“Pam Pou De,” and then into a
more moody piece about “Mister
Everybody,” theh segues carefully
into a blue “Le Spin” She has a
good voice that can. easily, take the
range and change she gives it and
her act is one of balance and
versatility. 'She looks like a good
bet for; ;U. S, chances in riiteries
arid has the verve and thespic ap-
peal for revue slotting. She is ably
backed by rhythm trio with
liubby Loulou Gaste. on the piano
and also author of her hit songs.
She sings one song in English that
^denotes her ability to adapt into
another lingo and make her a more
durable bet for that ocean hop.
Mosk.
DEE PARKER & AVRAM SING-
ERS (6) & CO. (2)
Songs
30 Mins.
Hotel Statle.r, Detroit
Dee Parker, former thrush with
Jimmy Dorsey and Vaughn Mon-
roe, arid for. three years one of the
to prated Detroit tv stars as
“Auntie Dee” in a moppet talent
program on WXYZ-TV, has an all-
special material act that . will
please the smart supper club set.
Doris Fisher has composed a
Couple of songs for this Act that
have definite hit possibilities. They
are “Mama, Stay Away from That
Jukebox,” and a very catchy “If I
Had a Neon Sign on My Heart.”
Act opens with Avram Singers
— four guys and two gals— coming
on with an . opener telling of the
nine Muses of Greek mythology.
Miss Fisher adapted this from one
of her songs in “Down to Earth,”
the Rita Hayworth starrer. Miss
Parker joins group with sortie clev-.
er and nicely teriipoed terping,
singing the praises of Terpsichore;
Which gets show off to fast start.
Miss Parker then sings “Little
Things Mean a Lot’’ with accom-
paniment by guitarist Joe Messina.
This is well done. Next comes the
“Jukebox” nuiriber, With Avram
Singers assisting. Clever choreog-
raphy by Bill Wilson and plenty of
show biz savvy by Miss Parker,-
who portrays tot ■ trying to get
mother away from jukebox, earns
strong mitting.
. “I Cried” is soloed for nice re-
turns by . Miss Parker, followed by
an as yet untitled. Fisher song tell-
ing of, the singer’s love for the
waltz, rtiamboi ballad and show
tunes. Miss Parker shows off her
versatile; style for good effect here.
Finale is the “Neon Sign” song
Which should go places. Avram
Singers return holding large, light-
ed red hearts and flashlights for a
well-staged blackout routine. It is
only in this number that the Av-
ram Singers— Gene Avram, Gor-
don Limburg, Bbb Burrell, Dick
Denbroeder, Barbara Wilkes and
Janet Trumbo— -show to good, ad-
vantage.
Act cOuld easily be handled
alone by Miss Parker, without los-
ing its impact Orch backing by
Phil Brestoff, Miss Parker’s hus-
band, is good. Act, booked for two
weeks, .sets precedent since it
marks first time a localite has
preemed a show in the Terrace
Room. Tew . i
THE STYLERS (3)
Songs
9 Mins.
Palace; N. Y. .
Male, trio has all the makings of
a top vocal combo. They’ve got a
good ensemble style, fine solo
voices, a good sense of staging arid
are personable. Trio, currently
recording for Jubilee Records,
needs a new approach to ballads,
judging from the . one slow num-
ber they did, but ape very strong
on rhythm numbers,
. Open with “HucklebucK,” then
do “The World Is Yours,” which
though unimpressive, in the slow
part is salvaged by a rhythm-type
closing. Bdw off With solid
hoked-up spiritual; : “Down . By the
Riverside.” Trio is ready for nite-
riAs and vaude situations as well
as some video' exposure. Chan.
PETER SELLERS
Comedy
10 Mins.
Empire, Glasgow
Here's a talented young English
comedian, who attempts to give out-
fronters something a bit more sub-
tle than the usual fun line, arid-
clicks with a. considerable section.
He already has a large radio fol-
lowing from series like “The Goon
Show’’ arid “Ray’s A Laugh,” arid
thus arrives with advance reputa-
tion, Which he now consolidates
via a vaude offering,
i Comedian has quaint entrance
and exit shuffle, makes much com-
edy capital from strange mouth
sounds, and altogether offers: an
unusual act that defies precise de-
scription most of the way.
Throughout act, he reveals talent
for impersonating the accent of
various regions.:
Okay , for general run Of Vauder-
ies * y.K. and Commonwealth,
but would have to attune 7 act to
Americanisms and speed it u-ri. for
U. S. ‘market. Gord.
TWO ARVINGS
Cycling
7 Mins.
Empire, Glasgow
-. Male and femme twosome, offer
entertaining routine in trick cyc-
ling which shapes as useful act
for general run of vauderies.
After opening antics by the male
on a unicycle, he enters on a two-
wheeled machine. Distaffer, taking
over on this, rides into back of
lier. male partner, catches him on
front of machine, arid jumps off
so that male rides on alone,
perched on very front of the con-
traption. Male shows dexterity by
controlling a high Unicycle from a
lofty position and indulging in
comedy antics, and there are cus-
tomer gasps When the girl leaps
on to his shoulders and stands
balanced aloft while he keeps the
uriicycle in almost Stationary posi-
tion. . '
Continental act, though riot tops,
rates good applause and has visual
appeal with no lingo barriers.
Gord.
FLYING DE PAULS (6)
Tumblers
8 Mins.
Empire, Glasgow
Six girls, all neatly decked In
white, hurl themselves about the
stage in cartwheels, tumbles, leaps
and somersaults. Fast pace rouses
.solid mitting from the customers.
Distaffers, who hail from Aus- 1
tralia, are particularly effective in
back somrnersaults.' Much applause
when one girl engages in flying
leap over the other five. Agile and
shapely, the sextet also form them-
selves into decorative groupings.
It’s fresh and slick enough to
warrant booking, for tumbling and
equilibrist spots in U. S. vaude or
tv situations. Gord.
NINA DABORE
Songs
9 Mins.
Bal Tabariri, N.Y, .
Nina Dabore, an import, sings in.
a variety of languages with a Con-
tinental flavor. She has a charm-
ing mittel-European accent and an
experienced mien with a song.
Miss Dabore opens with a
French tune arid thence into La-
tino and American . pops. All are.
done nicely. Her song selection is
good being picked primarily ori the
basis of melodic content, which is a
fairly sound proposition since the
bulk of the audience do riot dig
foreign lyrics. Jose.
JULIETTE GRECO
Songs
40 Mins. .■
Bobino, Paris
. Juliette. Greco Was for. a long
time the muse of St. Germairi-Des-
Pres, arid her lank hair, black togs
and smoldering Voice soon* became
a symbol of this Existentialist hold
some years ago. Now St.-Germain
is fading as a tourist arid fad lure,
but it looks like Miss Greco has
come out of this intact, and; has
established a special niche for her-
self in the cha'ntoosy corps here;
Gal now essays a black form-fitting
[ woolen dress, the long hair and a
new bobbed, nose.
| Slightly reminiscent of the girt I
in the Charles Addams cartoons,
She makes a striking display, and
demonstrates an expert use of
body, hands and an expressive-
physiognomy. Husky voice dips well
into a neat, offbeat rep which
treads lightly among the . Left Bank
laments, the potshots at the stuffy 1
and sanctimonious, and has a fine J
undercurrent of impishness arid j
impropriety that gives this stint . a
more Well-rounded air. She is pri-
marily Gallic in appeal, but could
be of interest for specialized. East
Side spots in N.Y. or, for U.S. tv
or vaude for that specialty.
Mosk.
KENNY DAVIS |
Dance
9 Mins. *
Bal Tabarin, N. Y.
Kenny Davis is a competent
hoofer. His taps are- clean and
sharp and he has several Routines
that Warrant midterm applause.
Davis shows a trio of energetic,
turns that involves , a lot of * -
tricate work.
Davis comes on in blank-faced
makeup with cap and heavy
glasses. However; this serves little
purpose as his cleat-work doesn’t
carry out that motif. . He virtually
has to start all over again after he
makes his entrance. However, he
does make the grade in this spot
and he could work the production
in higher-priced situations.
Jose.
LORRAINE & BRUNNER
Songs, Dance
15 Mins.
Gatineau, Ottawa
Previously paired Only in the
line at New York’s Copacabana,
Betty Lorraine and Chuck Brunner
are ' organized into a ' terps-chant
act that shows top. promise. With
some trimniirig and : tightening, the
duo can make a. solid showing on
any nitery floor. Young and fresh
with definite dance ability, the
team could reduce chanting chores
considerably for more; impact and.
while male’s brief 88ing is accept-:
able it could . be sacrificed to the
dancing’s benefit. Brunner has
Affective stage presence and Mi$s
Lorraine is nicely constructed arid
shows it well.
Caught at opener (21), act was
highlighted by a socka impression
of oidtirne (sic) vaudeville* using
chants, props, costumes and terps
to touch on Clayton, Jackson &
Durante; the Charleston era* and
the boa-tossing “I Don’t Care” gal.
Gorin.
FRANK COOK
Instrumentals
15 Mins.
Medrano, Paris
Frank Cook is a U.S: act just
back frond a couple of years on the
international road; Cook stops
them here with a fine offbeat mu-
sical turn which consists of a gui-
tar and a small harmonica played;
entirely with his mouth, no hands.
Cook has an ingratiating personal-
ity and segues into a well-selected
bunch Of Standards and then into
jazz numbers and a resounding
“William Tell” bit as a finale.
Upheld mouth organ and string
accomp give this a unique turn and
he shapes as a good entry for tv
and vaude spotting in the U.S.
Mosk.
THE ARTUROS
Balance-acro
10 Mins, ' I
Medrano, Paris
Boy and girl go through a se-
ries of good balancing , bits that
may make this of interest for an
aero part of vaude shows. Boy
starts things by a one-finger stand
on a glass, globe, then With gal
partner atop his 'head he climbs a
ladder and down again.
Act has . bounce and enough dif-
ferent qualities to rate. Mosk...
THE TAPATEERS (3)
Dance
12 Mins.
Apollo, N. Y.
This trio of Negro terpers is
well-costumed, well-trained and
each facet of their dancing draws
strong aud support.’ ;
The Tapateers unquestionably
have been around for some time,
judging by their ability ahd gen-
eral appearance, but they have
never gotten the, new act treat-
ment! They do a relaxed opener
(o the slow-tempoed “Poor,. Butter-
fly,” first working in unison and
then breaking for consistently
slick solo footwork. The initial
number benefits, from hokum with ;
canes attached to; their arms by
means of. hardly visible elastic. In
the- next bit, they, do, sortie dazzling
solo tapping, rtiixed with Classy
aero, for a real pleaser. The only
possible weak spot ensues when
performers, perhaps, a stall to
catch their wind after previous ex-
ertions, come up with not-so-funny
chatter line. Bowoff is a punchy
aero routine that elicits warm re-
sponse. Art.
HEW ACTS 73
RAYMOND & LEE
Whistling
7 Mins. *
Palace, N. Y.
Mixed team of whistlers does
okay with the hand-in-mouth har-
monics, flashing off “Mocking Bird.”
and another familiar in fine style.
But when they do the. bird panto,
they run into a little bit of trouble.
For one thing, it’s almost an exact
carbon of the familiar bit done by
the Three Arnauts. For another,
it’s hot particularly funny, being
executed somewhat crudely and
with little aplomb*
Best bet for this pair to is to lay
aside the. panto . routine and con-
centrate on the straight musical
whistling, working out some spe-
cial material in that department.
There aren’t that many straight
whistling acts around, and Ray-
mond & Lee are among the better
in that category, when they con-
centrate on it. Ch n.
ROSA LA ROSO
Exotic Dance
5 Mins,
Apollo, N. Y.
Rosa La Roso an exotic
whose ; chief asset is energy. The
dancer’s physical attributes are
okay too, but she doesn’t provide
enough terp knowhow or variety
frorri one. routine to the next.
. Femme has a slow starting open-
er, consisting of little more, than
a walk to music; She segues into
frenzied bump a/nd gi’ind stuff in
•her deuce, taking off a* diaphanous
black skirt and nothing mor .
Makes okay filler in vaude and
burlesk situations. Sepia strippers
are not around, so plentifully.
A
Nighl Club Reviews
Continued from .page 71
Bul Taliariii, X. V.
their work.. Their terps are well-
designed arid personable, and i
dicate considerable .skill. Male’s
leaps are excellent, and the girl
charms in impressions of the
Charleston days. They go over
handily.
The Lou Harold band showbaeks
well and. the Ray Rizzony outfit
reliefs^' Jose.
BlinsfruBi’s* Boston
Boston, Oct. 18.
Esquires (4 ) ,. Goetschis ( 3 ) ;
Blair & Dean, Franklin & 'Astrid,
Rudenko Bros. (2), Michael Gay-
lord Orch (7), Lou Weir,, organ;
$2 minim m.
Answering desperate SOS
from Stanley , Blinstrub, who
learned early: Monday (18) a.m.
that. Kitty Kallen's illness would
prevent , her skedded appearance
that evening, the Esquires, four
local lads, stepped into the breach
and scored a solid smash. Although
the boys had just wound an out-
of-town engagement the previous
night Arid were set for a week’s
layoff when boniface Blinetrub
sent out th‘e call, three were im-
mediately available. But the lead
singer had taken off for a New
Hampshire vacash arid could not
be located until about 8 that even-
ing. Guy grabbed a taxi for the
50-plus mile ride to the Hub and
the boys were onstage shortly after
10 p.m. Sans rehearsal.
The boys made their first major
nitery appearance here last spring
arid the songbag dished out the
second time around is essentially
the same. Opening with “There’s
No Tomorrow,” they also include
“There Are Three Things,” a
gimmicked “Maharaja of Maga-
dore” and “Everything,” their first
Cadence etching. Before vocaliz-
ing “Chapel in Moonlight,” the
spokesman acknowledges ' Miss
Kallen's identification, with the
number, expressing, a sincere hope
the ill thrush would Soon be back
in action. Guys are forced to beg
off with “Secret Love.”
Supporting acts , are all repeats,
the Goetschis,. in next-to-closing,
also appearing on the bill during
the Esquires’ initial, stint here last
spring. The three guys are among
the toppers in the . trick uriicycle ■
riding field arid their amazing
stunts riding two and three high
garner hefty applause. Bill tees
off With the Rudenko Bros/, a.
couple of; slick jugglers who play
this room regularly, with Franklin
& Astrid, also w k. here, clicking
nicely in the second slot with a
sesh of hand balancing and aero
tricks. Blair & Dean, a graceful
terp duo,, as usual; nab warm reac-
tion from the customers.
Michael Gaylord’s band back-
stops nicely and Lou Weir fills in
the lulls with -organ melodies.
Elie.
New eastsiderie in New York,
the Chez Carlo, has added enter-
tainment after 10 p.rii; Steffen
Ballerirti, who formerly worked at
the ChAz Vito, N. Y. Will head a
vocal group there..
74 LEGITIMATE * P&RIEff Wednesday, October 27, 1954
Moira on N.Y. Crix: ‘Really!’
Minneapolis, Oct. 26.
Moira Shearer/ costar of the . Old Vic’s, touring ‘‘Midsummer
Night’s Dream,'- sounded off here last week against New York
critics who panned the revival, She said that "the public is ulti-
mately the final judge and they’ve been most enthusiastic."
In an interview with Minneapolis Tribune staff writer Daryie
Feldmeir, the red-headed ballerina accused one of the dissenting
New York critics of not even knowing that Mendelssohn actually
wrote, the; music or the show.. "He thought we’d simply inserted
the ‘Overture’,” she said. "Really!" ■ '
Miss Shearer declared the "Dream" production should be ap-
proached as . a: spectaqle — which Broadway reviewers didn’t do.
‘‘Some of them," she said, “were ’ disturbed, because they expected
a bare stage and lectern business."
"Really, the public wouldn’t sit through, it if it were bored,"
sorted Miss Shearer. "You've got to approach this without any
prejudices. I suppose you always remember the bad reviews. They
: stick in your craw."- , f
The revival drew favorable reviews and tremendous business in
three performances here.
By ARTHUR BRONSON
The Metropolitan Opera Assn,
opens its 70th season in N.Y, Nov.
8 on a highly upbeat note— coin-
wise, artisticwise and publicity wise,
Subscriptions are running ahead of
last year, which was a banner bn&
Opening night, always a sellout 1ft
upped tariffs for about a$60,000-
$65,000 take, will have added value
this season, revenue and promotion-
wise, from being televised into 30
or more theatres .around'- the. coun-
try.
Artistically, the Met shapes as in
Improved position over recent sea-
sons. The hew artists roster looks
good. The changes, are for the bet-
ter, and casting looks stronger.
Repertoire has also been buttressed'
by some preems. There were no
new works in the rep last season.
This year will see the- U.S;. preem
of Strauss’ "Arabella,” and the re-
vival (in a new production) of Gior-
dano’s ; "Andrea Chenier," which
hasn’t been heard at the Met in
almost 25 years. In Addition,
there’ll be an innovation in an orig-
inal ballet, "Vittorio," by the Met’s
ballet master, Zachary ; Solov,
which will have its World preem.
There'll be 26 operas in all, in-
cluding five of Verdi and foiir of
Wagner.:
For the first time in Met history,
the 1 production opening night Will
not be a complete opera, but .seg-
ments from several— undoubtedly
a sop in deference to the tv
audiences. Artistically this may be
a cheapening of standards, and the
purists are grumbling strongly, but
boxofficewise this - should bring in :
some badly-needed extra coin.
Of more, interest this year than
even theatre-tv and premieres is
the talent roster. General manager
Rudolf Bing has scored a couple
of 10-strikes with the signing of
Marian Anderson and Dimitri
Mitropoulos. Latter is the. electric.
N.Y. Philharmonic-Symphony mae-
stro, perhaps the most exciting
theatrical conductor on longhair
podiums.
Most unusual event, of course, is
the addition of Miss Anderson, first
Negro singer to be asked to the
Met. (A Negro dancer, Janet Col-
lins, Was signed as premiere bal-
lerina three seasons ago. She left
this season), Breakdown of the
.Met’s anti-Negro barrier is as im-
portant to the music world as the
recent Supreme Court anti-segre-
gation ruling is to the world in
general. Event should have hap-
pened 10 years ago, however, when
Miss Anderson was in her prime,
but it is still history-making, pav-
ing the way for several brilliant
young Negro singers * (Mattiwilda
Dobbs, Lawrence Winters and Wil-
liam Warfield among them), who
deserve already to be at the Met.
Mitropoulos will also be making
his U.S. operatic bow, conducting
the aforesaid "Masked Ball," as
well as Strauss’ “Salome" and the
"Vittorio" ballet preem. Another
new Met maestro will be the Ger-
man conductor, Rudolf Kempe,
while returning as guest batonist
again will be the veteran Pierre
Monteux. The ballet department
has been strengthened with addi-
tion of Mia Slavenska as lead bal-
lerina.,*
Some interesting names ait.
among those dropped from the
roster this year. Soprano Irmgard
Seefried and Contralto Fedora Barr
bieri are real losses, these being
top artists. Another top departee,
tenor Jussi Bjoerling, however, has ,
been sick off and on 'in recent
seasons, and is past his prime.
Basso Nicola Rossi-Lemeni, most
highly touted of last, season’s addi-
tions, is a personality lore' than
singer and needed specially tai-
lored roles (like Boito’s "Mefisto-
fele”) . that were not in the Met’s
rep. But he’ll be missed.
: Newcomers to the singing roster
(in addition to Miss Anderson),
however, do include a couple of
volatile potentials, as in Sopranos
Christ el Goltz and Renato Tebaldi,
’contralto Giulietta $imionato and
baritone Otto Edolmann. Other
new singers are Laurel Hurley
(from N.Y. City Center), Shakeh
Vartenissian, Bernd Aldenhoff,
Giuseppe Campora, Ralph Herbert,
Calvin Marsh, Kurt Boehme, Louis
Sgarro and Gioi'gio Tozzi. Re-
turnees from former seasons in-
clude Della Rigal, Mario del Mo-
naco, Hans Hopf, Giacinto Prari-
delli, Waiter Cassel (now at City
Center) and Paul Schoef fler.
Return of the Native
Edward Johnson.* .former
general manager of the Metro-
politan Opera, will make his
first public appearance at the .
house : since he ieft In 1950
when he acts as emcee for the
intermission events : on the
closed-circuit telecast opening
night, Nov. . 8.
Johnson, who was manager
for 15 years prior to Rudolf
Bing’s tenure and who was a
leading Met 'tenor for 13i years
before that, emceed the tee-
veed opening night of his last
seas'on in 1949, Then he in-
terviewed his artists backstage
in their native tongues,, and
made a very favorable impres-
sion. Return' to the' house was
made at Bing’s special invite.
Revived Ballet Russe
Rocking Them on Tour;
Sock $51,300 for Seven
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, ■
revived this year by Columbia
Artists Mgt. (Schang, Coppicus &
Brovyn division) after two-year
layoff, has been doing sock busi-
ness since - start of its: tour Oct. 1.
In three performances in Balti-
more Get. 1-2, the troupe did $16,-
500, Week following, Washing-
ton the terpers garnered $34,500
for ejght shows; Week of Oct. ll
in Boston, they rang up a smash
$53,500 for eight, in striking Con-
trast to a $19,000 gross racked up
in the Hub on their previous visit
several years! ago.
■Last week, the company did a
split-week, with a sock $51,300 for
seven showings in three stands.
Pittsburgh drew $11,800 for two
performances;: Reading, Pa., a
huge $7,000 in a single, and
Philadelphia grossed $32,500 for
four. Another .split-week, covering
Worcester, Providence,- Springfield
and Hartford, is current.
Troupe’s biz this fall has been
a general surprise to the trade.
Columbia’s prez, Frederick Schang,
attributes the draw to three, fac-
tors. The troupe has been out of
the field two years and audiences
are curious f about the revived
setup. Also,' Ballet Russia, was
always a name that drew (like
Sadler’s Wells). Finally, the pres-
ence of Maria Talfchief as . lead
balleri ’ figured a help,
S.F. Summer Boom Ends;
New Pickup This Week
San Francisco, Oct. 26.
San Francisco’s biggest legit
summer in years has finally
dwindled to a standstill, but ac-
tivities have picked up again and
indications are for a good fall and
winter.
Helen Hayes in "What Every
Woman Knows" opened this Mpn-
' day- '(25) at the Curran for a four-
week run. Moira Shearer, Robert
Helpmann and Stanley Holloway in
the Old Vic production of "Mid-
summer Night's Dream," are due
Oct. 27,. at the War Memorial
Opera House for 15 performances,
under the sponsorship of the Civic
Light Opera.
Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn
open Nov. 1 at the Geary in "Face
to Face," a program of readings,
and stay through Nov. 13, Melyyn
Douglas opens Dec. 6 at the Cur-
ran in "Time Out for Ginger" and
Jean Arthur arrives Jan. 10 at the
Curran in "Saint Joan.”
The Dublin Players begin a two-
week program Nov, 22 at the
Geary, with a company of 20 pre-
senting a repertory of. four plays.
Greco 18G, Montreal/
Montreal, Oct. 26. -
Jose Greco and his company of
Spanish dancers drew almost $18,-
000 at Her Majesty’s last week,
with the 1,704-seater scaled to
| $3.38.
Other than occasional one-hight-
ers of a local nature, house is dark
I till "Caine Mutiny Court Martial”
i comes in Nov. 15.
Ballet Theatre Repacts
Levine; N 4 Scores Disked
Joseph Levine, who joined Ballet
Theatre in 1952, has been reen-
gaged as musical director, Troupe
opened its 15th season in Prince-
ton last night (Tues.).
To mark the troupe's 15th anni,
Capitol Records has issued two new
disks by Levine and the BT orch.
One platter offers Antheil’s "Cap-
ital of .the World" and Banfteld’s
“Combat." Other has suites from
Offenbach’s ‘‘Bluebeard’’ and
"Helen of Troy."
PGOperafest
Yearly In P. Rico
1 +
San Juan, P.R., Oct. 26,
An annual grand opera project,
under semi-official- sponsorship, in-
volving a $100, 000-plus, budget,,
with personnel headed by Metro-
politan Opera stars, is eyolviiig
here. Meeting of strategy board
last week resulted in a second
Opera season beirigt set for next
June;; paralleling last spring’s' suc-
cessful test stanza.
tinder auspices of. the U, of Puer-
to Rico, eight to 10 performances
of opera will be given June 10-19
at the University Theatre, in - Rip
PiedraS; Repertory will probably
be | Aida,". “Trovatore,” "Faust,"’
"Manon,” "Rigoletto,” "Barber of
Seville;” ‘‘Traviata,” . "Pagliacci”
and "Cavalleria Rusticana.” Casts
and directors, will be set around
Christmas.
Original season last June was
the brainchild of a N.Y. show biz
attorney, Albert B. Gi . many of
whose clients are concert people.
Working with university authori-
ties, he put together a week of
eight performances June 11-19.
it was the first opera festival the
government - sponsored university
had ever staged. Gins, as director-
general, flew here (and back) a
group of soloists, conductors and
stage directors; 16 Choristers* eight
ballet dancers, with costumes and.
sets. University added more sing-
ers and dancers. Orch of 50 men
was mostly from the N.Y, Met.
Gins had Met singers Eugene
Conley, Nadine Conner, Robert
Weede* Dolores Wilson, Brian Sul-
livan, Tomika Kanazawa, John
Brownlee, Thomas Hayward, Jean
Madeira, Charles Kullman, Frank
Valentino* Jan Peerce, Norman
Scott, Herva Nelli, Maria d’Attili,
and Lois Hunt.
The . Met’s Wilfred Pelletier,
City Center’s Joseph Rosenstock,
and WOR’s (N.Y;) Emerson Buck-
ley were the conductors, with the
Met’s Desire. Defrere heading the
stage directors. The 2,000-seat hall
was scaled from $8. Attendance
was SRO, with 400 standees each at
three performances. The b'.o. was
$99,000, with a nut around $97,000.
As a result of this venture, Chan-
cellor Dr. Jaime Behitez asked Gins
back to do a repeat this spring.
University group negotiating with
Gins were Dr., Jose Gueits, dean of
students, and the festival’s local
sparkplug; Dr; Alfredo^Matilla, di-
rector of social activities, and Dr.
Ramon Mellando, vice-chancellor
and dean of administration. After
the huddles, Dr. Benitez left for
N.Y., ( to be guest speaker at Co-
lumbia U.’s : Bicentennial celebra-
tion.
FAYE-‘RUNN1NG MATE’
BUDGETED AT $65,000
"Running Mate," William Mc-
Qleery comedy which will bring
Faye Emerson back to Broadway
this season, is being capitalized
at $65*000, with provision for 20%
overcall, by producers Kenneth
Banghart and Warren P. Munsell.
It goes into rehearsal Oct. 28 under
the direction of Luther Kennett,
will try out Nov. 25-27 at the
Shubert, New Haven, and tWo
weeks beginning Nov. 29 at the
Plymouth, Boston, with: a Broad-
way opening Dec. 15,
Play, which tried out under the
title "The Lady Chooses” at the
Westport (Conn.) Country Play-
house and the Newport . (R. L).
Casino Theatre, is a one-setter re-
quiring a cast of 13 (including
four major roles), with a locale
in a prosperous town about 100
miles from New York.
Legit pressagent A1 Spink re-
tired last week after 38 years in
the business. He made his final
calls last. Friday (22) in Columbus,
O., as advance man for "King and
I" . . . Robert G, Swan, New York
and Baltimore ad exec, has written
the book, music and lyrics of a
musical comedy, "On Our Way,"
which he is dickering to have pro-
duced on Broadway next spring,
British film-legit actress Valerie
Hobson, femme lead in the London
production of "King and I,” will
retire from show biz when she
is married early in January to John
Profumo, Parliamentary Secretary
of the Ministry of Transport.
Burgess Meredith; currently star-
ring in the Broadway production
of "Teahouse of the August Moon"
as temporary replacement for
David Wayne, will repeat the
Sakini role in thd Howard Lindsay-
Riissel .Crouse touring edition of
the comedy skedded to get under-
way in' mid-December; Signing of
Meredith apparently indicates that
plans for a touring version of last
season's "Remarkable Mr. Periny-
paker" have been shelved, since hie
had been committed to duplicate
his starring role in that production
on the road.
Arthur Gelb, of the Ni Y. Times
city" staff, has been shifted to the
paper’s dramatic department suc-
ceeding Jack Shanley, who moved
over this week to the tv-radio de-
partment Emmet Lavery and
his wife returning to- their Holly-
wood home after a six-week Euro-
pean trek ... A road company of
the . Yiddish play, "Will They Re-
member,” being presented at the
Parkway Theatre, Brooklyn, will
be sent out as a co-op venture by
the Hebrew Actors Union.
Mae West and Bobby Clark are
being sought by J. J. Shubert,
Billie Burke (widow of Floren?
Ziegfeld) and Stanley Gilkey for a
new edition of "Ziegfeld Follies"
. . v Miriam Hopkins will star in
"Time of the Cuckoo" next week
at the , Fox Valley Playhouse, St.
Charles, 111. "Sabrina Fair," with
Louise King starred, is current at
the theatre, which began a six-
week experimental fall season Oct.
19 . . . Tempo Theatre, a new off-
Broadway group is skedded to bow
Nov. 27 at the Speyer Hall Play-
house of the University Settlement
Assn,, N. Y., with "The Maids" by
Jean Genet, French playwright-'
novelist.
. "The Girl From Samos," by Ida
Lublenski Ehrlich, will preem un-
der the auspicies of Everyman’s
Theatre at the Labor Temple* N.Y;,
next Monday (1) . . . Having re-
written the script, Michael Kalles-
ser is planning pn a revival of his
play, "One. Man’s Woman,” which
rah during; the ’20s ... Irving.
Cooper is general manager,
Nicholas Saunders, stage manager
and Richard Shull, assistant stage
manager for Gordon W. Pollock’s
"Black-Eyed Susan," due Dec. 16
on Broadway.
Ann Corlo began a tour yester-
day (Tues.) in "Separate Rooms" 1
at the Biltmore Theatre, Miami . .• .
New Repertory Theatre . has op-
tioned the. English rights to Edwin
Justus Mayer’s "Children of .Dark-
ness," originally produced in New
York In 1930 . . ,. Helen Hayes will
open and close the N. Y. City Cen-
ter Drama season beginning Dec;
22 with a two-week stand in ‘‘What
Every Woman Knows" and wind-
ing Up with a fortnight’s run in
"The Wisteria Trees," starting
Feb. 22.
Ballet Theatre Foundation elect-
ed Harold Clurman, Broadway
stage director and drama critic for
the Nation: magazine, as a member;
of its board of governing trustees.
Playwrights Co/s Walter Alford
going out as advance man for
Katharine Cornell’s production of
Christopher Fry’s "The Dark Is
Light Enough."
Toni Lander, formerly ballerina
of the Royal Danish Ballet, arrived
in N.Y. from Europe last Friday
(22) to join the London Festival
rBallet; British company began a
week’s engagement at the Chicago
Opera . House Monday (25).
Legit Bits Abroad
London, Oct. 26.
Hyman Zahl leaves for Holland
over the weekend to close a deal
for Rene Sleeswijk’s revue, "Made
in Holland." This is: Zahl’s second'
trip and will finalize arrangements
for a tour of London and the
provinces. Zahl next planes to
Wiesbaden to confer with the En-
tertainment Chief of the U.S.
Forces for setting up several top-
ranking units to start their tour
in mid-November and end in Janu-.
ary, with each unit guaranteed a
minimum of 12 weeks.
"An Evening , with Beatrice
Lillie," currently touring the pro-
vinces, opens Nov. 24 at the Globe/,
replacing Noel Coward’s musical,
"After the Ball.” . . .Laurier Lis-
ter’s revue, "Pay the Piper,” sto-
ring Elsie and Doris Waters and "at
present in the sticks, comes to the
Saville theatre Nov. 24, replacing
"Keep in a Cool Place,” the Roger.
Livesey sturrer.
Odhams is publishing Donald
Wolfit’s autobiography under the
title of "First Interval" early
January . . .. Edition Ryan planes
to New York on a two-week trip,
taking with him a new play,
"Tread Softly," by General Savory,
for Broadway production. He will
also dicker with Elmer Rice for a
Continental filming of "Grand
Tour" with Anglo-American, coin.
Patricia Neal is likely to play the
lead.
Laurie Lister’s show, "Pay the
Piper,’’ currently touring the prov-
I inces with Elsie and Doris Waters
as stars, opens Dee! 14 at the
Globe, replacing 'Noel Coward’s
"After the Ball” . . . Harry Foster
and Bernard Delfont to Paris for
four days last week to scout talent
for the new "Folies" at the Prince
of Wales in March, and the new
Val Parhell and Delfont show at
the Lbndon Palladium due in the
fall, with Norman Wisdom agai
starred.
Glasgow Bits
Glasgow, Oct. 26.
Sketches by Nancy Hamilton,
American revue writer whose work
i is new to the United Kingdom, will
be used in the new Laurier Lister
revue, "Pay • the Piper," set for
Theatre Royal here Nov, 1. Lyrics
and music are mainly the work of
Michael Flanders and Donald
Swann.
Ballets Espapols 13G
On Solo Week in Wash.
Washington, Oct. 26.
Ballets Espagnols grossed
shade, under $13,000 for its one-
week stand at the National Thea-
tre. Audiences were enthusiastic
but the terp troupe, opened cold
here, completely unknown. Nation-
al is dark this week, but the Shu-
bert Theatre opened its season last
night (Mon.) with a single weeks
engagement of “Fifth Season.”
Future D.C. bookings include
Nov. 1, "Wedding Breakfast,” try-
out, National (two weeks, subscrip*
tion, . and "Gentlemen Prefer
Blondes," Shubert, one week; Nov.
15, "Bad; Seed," tryout, Shubert,
one week* anjd "Tea and Sympa-
thy," National; one week, Nov. 22,
“Portrait pf a Lady," tryout, Na-
tional, two weeks, subscription,
and "Flowering Peach," tryout,
Shubert, two weeks; Dec. 13,
derfiil Town,”. National,
weeks, subscription; Jan. 3, r ‘Re-
markable Mr. Pennypacker,’ Na-
tional,. two weeks, subscription;
Jap. 24, "Dark is Light Enough,
tryout. National, two weeks, sun*
•scription.
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
\ •
By JESSE GROSS
professional winter/ stock, wjhich ;
has been making a comeback, in the-
last several years after . a couple
of decades’ hibernation, continues
on . the upbeat. At least four new,
regular-season, ventures are /;
r'ently functioning. Another , oper-
ation has posted a bond, with Acr
tors Equity for a! Nov. 10 opening.
. . playwrights. ^Theatre, Chi.* which
had stock policy last summer,
is also reportedly going 1 to reopen
for the .muffler traffic. Additional-.
]v, it’s expected that mpst of last
season's ’approximate 25 cold-
Aveather Equity stock outlets will,
repeat this winter.
Included in the quartet of fresh’
stock theatres currently operating
is the Bucks^ County Playhouse,
New Hope, Pa., normally a sam-
pler spot but continuing this year
through : November. /The., other
th/ee spots are the. /Dramatic Arts
Center, Ann Arbor, Mich., which
opened last Thursday (21); Glen
Falls (N.. Y.) Arena Guild, which
began a four- week season Oct. 5,
and the Fox Valley Playhouse, an-
other. strawliat. which initiated a
ix-week fall season Oct. 19.
Manager of the Ann Arbor out-
let is Joseph Gistirak, while Rich-
ard Stem heads the Glen Falls
project. Latter ran a similar four-
week season at the same locale
early last summer. Bucks County
is run by Michael Ellis, who’s .ini-
tiated a “fall festival” of tryouts,
while the Fox Valley showcase is
.run by* Marshall Migatz, who durr
irig the summer heads this opera^
Mon and the Salt Creek Theatre,
Hinsdale, 111;
Venture for which a bond has
been posted, for a Nov. 10 preem
will be at the Memorial Auditori-
m, Louisville, Ky., under the man-
agement of George Gans, who op-
e ates the, Louisville Amphitheatre
during the summer. The Town and
Country Playhouse, Indianapolis,
the Pleasant Mills (N. J.) Play-
house and the Red Barn Theatre,
Westboro, Mass.; are still- running.
So is the Rochester Arena Theatre. .
The Arena Theatre, Washington,
is continuing, as is the Alley The-
atre, Houston. Also, the Sombrero
Theatre, Phoenix, and Margo
Jones’ Theatre ’54, Dallas, lire ex;
peeled, to post bonds soon.
Ph ix Theatre; N. Y., began
its season . Oct. 14, while the Em-
press Theatre, St. Louis, reopened
Sept 28. ..The Playhouse; Houston,
opened Sept. 26, while the Hilltop-
Parkway Theatre, Baltimore, re-
lighted Oct. 12.
Crowd Fills Nine Acres
As Langner Dedicates
Stratford, Conn., Site
Lawrence Langner, of the The-
atre Guild, tvho in his private
status as a citizen has been spear-
heading the American Shakespeare
Festival & Academy at Stratford,
Conn., was off, and . into, the
ground last Sunday (24) as prin-
cipal speaker at the ceremonial
start of the /theatre ( by the Housa-
tonic River. About 400 people, a
niixture of theatrical VIP’s, local
officials, commuters, small children
and dogs, gathered on the nine-acre
tract which will form the setting
.for "the . third .Stratford” in follow-
up -to England’s and Canada’s
■shrines to the bard.
Although the American. Shake-
spear Festival breaks ground a
year late and will get going in the
summer of 1955 Father than last
summer, Langner was getting “we
never thought you’d make it” con-
grats following speeches by Kath-
arine Cornell, Maurice Evansj ex-
actyess Mary Bragiotti, Connecti-
. -'Cut’s Cxractor . Governor John
Lodge, and Stratford town council
President Tom Morey.
■ liaising money, a task partly en-
h'j'xt.ed to Mary Hunter, still the
Festival’s exceptive-secretary al-
Uuuigh no longer on salary, proved
a j ormidable hurdle. The theatre,
^/o cost around $290,000. Firtaii-
r lily-weighty members added to
the board now include Stanton
/ ; 'iff is, Lincoln Kirstein, Joseph
//rner Reed and Irving S. Olds.
• 1( r* Langners ( Armiha Marshall)
hm c purchased a residence on the
b'fct and given it so tire Festival
; vi -'l have a schoolhouse in addition
to the theatre structure.
Barrie j Who Dat?
Richard Halliday, producer
of “Peter Pan,” starring, his
wife Mary Marti , ran into,
considerable difficulty persuad-
ing Hugo Winterhalter, of
RCA-Victor, .to. attend .the mu-
sical ' at the Winter Garden,
FI. Y., before discussing an
alburn!/ As.. busy as recording
exees usually are, Winterhalter
hated to spare a whole evening
to “a fairy tale about pirates.”
Halliday clinched .the. visit
to thrf Winter Garden by re-
vealing that,, a rival publisher
had offered $5,000 for one duet
between Mary Martin and her
12-year old daughter Heller
Halliday. Number is one of .the
big hits of the show.;
“Anniversary Waltz” is in the
black. The Joseph Mi- Hyman-
Bernard Hart production recouped
its $75,000 investment Sept, 11, its
23rd week oh, Broadway.
As oi last Saturday (23), profit
on the Jerome Chodorov-Joseph
Fields comedy totalled around
$16,000. Accbrdng to an account-
ing, dated Oct. 2, tlie backers had
been paid back 55% of their in-
vestment, equalling . $41,250..
As of Oct. 2, profit came to
$8,277 less an estimated insurance
reserve of $587. Profit fof ; the three
weeks ending last Saturday (23)
is estimated over $8,000. Gross for
the four weeks ending Oct. 2 Was
$78,251. Net profit for the period
was $8,821, plus $400 royalty : pay-
ment for a stock production of the
comedy last summer at the La.
Jolla ( Cal. ) Playhouse. Coin paid
back to investors during that pe-
riod was $26,250.
Macdonald Carey and Kitty Car-
lisle costarre* is in its 29th . week
at the Broadhurst, N« Y. .
DICK GRAY’S PROD. BOW
WITH ‘WEDDING DAY’
. The legit musical, “Wedding
Day” formerly under option to
Clinton Wilder, producer of “The
Tender Trap,” has been taken- over
for production by Dick Gray,
brother of comedienne-singer Do-
lores Gray. He has resigned his
post as Coast rep for Frank Music
to embark on . his maiden legit pro-
duction. Score is by Vernon Duke,
and lyrics by Ogden Nash.
Ilka Chase will work on revising
the book, an original by Leonard
Gershe, who wrote the “Born in a
Trunk” cavalcade for Judy Gar-
land in. “A- Star Is Born,” and has
just done the script of “The * Girl
Rush,” indie for Paramount re-
lease starring Rosalind Russell
(Mrs. Frederick Brisson) which the
latter and Floyd Odium (Atlas
Trust) are producing.'
Duke” is also writing a ballet,
“Girls Dormitory,” a continuation
of Johann Strauss’ “Graduation
Ball,” for David Lichine and
which both are discussing with the
Ballet. Theatre.
Stock Prod, Sam Hirsch
Indicted on Red Charge
Miami, Oct. 26.
Sam Hirsch, operator of the Bilt-
more Theatre, ' local stock opera-
tion, has been indicted by the Dade
County Grand Jury on charges that'
he lied under oath about Commu-
nist party connections and mem-
bership. * 1936-38.. Charges in-
volve possible sentence for; -a total
of 160 years in jail under the
State maximum penalty of 20 years
for each count. He was released
under $10,000 bond immediately
following His surrender to the
state attorney’s - office,
Hirsch, a. former assistant profes-
sor of drama at: the IJ. of Miami,
left that post two years ago on a
leave of absence to organize a local
repertory group, which staged a
summer series of revivals at the
Casablanca Hotel. He’s/ been op-
erating th Bijtmore since last
spring.
P'AHIETY
Kay Ashton Stevens In
$50,000 Suit vs. Airline
Chicago, Oct. -26.
Kay Ashton Stevens, widow of
Ashton Stevens, late legit critic of
the Chicago American, has filed a
$50,000 damage suit against Ameri-
can Airlines. She claims she was
injured when she was tossed about
on a flight .between Chicago and
New York in April ,1953/ ’ i -—
Suit asks; $10,000 for loss of tv
earnings .. ana the, remainder for
loss of personal property and “pain
.and. suffering.”
Hollywood, Oct. 26."
Arbitration last week of a dis-
pute over partnership rights in
“Once Upon a Tailor” has. paved
the way for Broadway production
of the folk comedy later this sea-
son. The Baruch Lumet play is
running weekends at the Circle
Theatre here!
American Arbitration Assn, panel,
ruled that Lou Brandt; who di-
rected “Tailor.” in its initial pro-
duction at the intimate arena-style .
Circle, is entitled to 50% of the
net profit of the engagement,
. Leonard Horwin, George J. Gott-
fried and Harry ,S. Ackerman
served as arbiters on the case.
Their ruling was that Brandt will
have, no part of any future pro-
ductions of the play, either here
or in New York.
Producer George Boroff over the
weekend greehiighted .plans for.
the N, Y. production in . which, he
may partner with the Playwrights
Go. Oscar Karl weiss has been
mentioned: for the role of the.
tailor.
Dallas Playgoer Beefs
At Unbilled Stand-Ins
For ’King and I’ Stars
Dallas.
Editor , Variety:
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “King
and 1” has, just finished playing at
the Texas State Fair in Dallas.
There was a heavy mail order busi-
ness before the opening because
Yul Brynner and Patricia Morison
were , the advertised stars.
You. will note from the enclosed
clipping from the Dallas Morning
News fob Friday, Oct. 212, that up to
that time Brynner had been absent
from four -performances*. Miss
Morison from two. No one can
quarrel with the lanagement’s
statement (quoted in the Morning
News story) that “It would be
physically impossible for the two
leads of ‘King and I’ to sing and
act 24 performances in 17 days.”
The State Fair Auditorium seats
some 4,500. But why, if 25% of
the performances are to be with-
out the principals, could not the
management have advertised the
fact, or eliminated the extra per-
formances, or otherwise acted in
good faith so that some 24,000 pa-
trons wouldn’t fee! bilked?
As you can surmise, I was one
of the disappointed patrons. I sent
in fny $9.60 for tvvo seats early and
let the management pick the per-
formance, I was more interested
in good seats than any specific day.
And the main reason I sent for
those tickets Was the chance to see
Yul Brynner, who was out that
evening.
I question, also, the manage-
ment’s statement that is com-
mon practice , in New York, or
that Leonard- Graves and Holly
Harris are not understudies but
alternates. In the program they
*are definitely listed as under.-
studies. And :as ;I . remember New
York practice, alternate casts are
always, so advertised. I remember,
' (Continued on page 78)
REVIVE ‘FOOL’ AS NEXT
AT LAS PALMAS, H’WDOD
Hollyvyood, Oct. 26.
Next production at the 400-seat
Las Palmas Theatre will be a re-
vival of Changing Pollock’s “The
Fool,” four-acter originally pro-
duced in 1922-23., “That’s Lif 6.” a
revue, wound up an. 18-week run
at the house over .the weekend.
“Fool” will be produced by T. R.
Joy, who recently purchased the
J theatre from Paul Schreibman.
LEGITIMATE 71
in
Is Denhamholz There?
Reginald. Denenholz* associ-
ate to pressagent .William
Fields at the Playwrights Co.,
is working on , the production
of Maxwell Anderson’s “Bad
Seed,”: .whibh Reginald Den--
ham Is directing. There has
been some, confusion at: the
switchboard on incoming calls,
but none in. the Playwrights
office,
There Denham known
as Reggie and Denenhoiz as
Denny.
London Teahouse’
Nets $3,40# a Wt
i.
' . London production of “Teahouse
of the August Moon” is paralleling
the Broadway original as a money-
maker. Both shows got solid rave
reviews and have been drawing car
j pacity attendance. . However, the
b o. scale,. gross receipts and profits
on the West End edition have been
less than for the New York ver-
sion, as usual * In such circum-
stances.
Produced for $49,616, the Lon-
don edition paid off last Aug. 28,
after 19. weeks at Her Majesty's
Theatre. Since * then it has been
averaging a weekly profit of nearly
$3,400 on -an average weekly, gross
of $12,684.
Of those amounts, one-third of
the profits and 2% of the gross
are payable to the New York com-
pany, As of last Saturday .(16)
total coin due the Broadway pro-
duction was approximately $9,600,
based on $1,374 average weekly,
share..
Produced in London by William-
son Music, Ltd:, (Rogers & Ham-
merstein subsidiary) and Prince
Littler, the John Patrick -Vern
Srieider comedy opened at Her
Majesty’s last April 23 and lids
been doing virtual capacity biz
since then.
Weekly profit -on the Broadway
presentation, produced by Maurice
Evans and George Schaefer, is ap-
proximately $6,5(30, bringing the
total weekly take, including Lon-
don profit, to about $7,874.
In addition to the Broadway and
West End companies of "Teahouse”
a third unit is slated to tour the
Coast early next year under the
management of Howard Lindsay
and Russel Crouse. A fourth com-
pany may eventually be formed by
Eyans and Schaefer.- Additional
income has been received from the
$150*000 Metro film deal.
EQUITY ISSUES 7 NEW
TALENT AGENCY OKAYS
Actors Equity has franchised
seven more agents. Of these, six
have their own offices. They are
Milton Goldman, Ted Ashley, Alec
Alexander, John’ Harvey/Henry G.
Brown and. Martin. Baum, Jatter
being partnered in the Baum-New-
born Agency. Other Denny
Beach; of the Paul Small office.
• Franchises, as others granted dur-
ing the past year, ale all temporary
pending the formulation of' new
Equity rules governing agents.
Agt In Jail, Fails To
Pay Fee; Opera Is Off
Bethlehem, Pa., Oct. 26.
Scheduled appearance next Frk
day (29) of the . Rome Opera Co.
at the highscIiQol here has been
cancelled. Outfit failed to make a
deposit of half the $140. rental fee,
for the school, auditorium last
Wednesday (20), the deadline. As
a result Clifford Frey, secretary of
the Bethlehem School district,
called off. the deal.
. At the. time the deadline was'
reached, Mine. DeGomcz Florelli,
advance agent for the opera, Was
in jail on charges of defrauding
two' hotels of $160 in room rent..
She was released last Friday (22)
after, paying the coin,, but; it was
(lien too late to make the down
payment;
4- By HOBE MORRISON
A number of ref brms, including
revision of the election procedure,
are due under the scheduled mer-
ger of Actors Equity and its affili-
ate, Chorus Equity. Consolida-
tion was voted last week by the
combined ..council of the two
■unions, will be submitted to -
ferendum within a month and: is.
due to become effective next Jan.
Under the new election setup,
the principal Change will be the
scrapping of the former system of
nominating committee election of
a regular slate, with provision for
independent candidates. Instead,
nomination Will be by petition oi
20 members in good standing. The
vote itself will be by mail referen-
dum, dropping the old setup of bal-
loting at the annual membership
meeting.
The nomination-by-petition pro-
cedure, similar to that already in
use in the affiliate American Fed-
eration of Television & Radio Art-
ists and the Screen . Actors Guild,
is expected ; . to eiimihate a long-
standing source ... of criticism,
namely, the manner in whiefy or-
ganized factions could sometimes
dominate a quarterly membership
meeting to control the election of
the nominating; committee.
With nominations by petition,
it’s hoped the election of officers
and council members may involvs
less factional maneuvering, . Simi-
larly, it’s expected that election by
referendum may increase the num-
ber of votes cast and thus involve
mere democratic choice of officers
and council members,
Terms of the merger call for
continuation' of the present Equity
requirement of 24 weeks of work
(Continued on page 78)
London, Oct. 26,
Percy Cudlipp, News Chronicle
columnist, is beefing at having to
pay sixpence (7c) for an eight-page
theatre program, four pages of
which were, filled with advertise-
| ments. Admitting to being puzzled
as to why a further three had not
been let to advertisers, he suggests
the worthwhile information in tho
program could have been got on to
a single page.
He outlines how the program
was padded: the name of the play
appeared three times, and of the
author twice; it gave the name Of
the licensee, the . manager and box-
office manager and of eight offi-
cials of H. M. Tenrient, which pre-
sents the play (“Hippo Dancing”)—
“in none of whom J have the faint-
est interest,”
“It was also done,” adds Cudlipp,
“by x telling rne who supplied the
dresses, the suits, the nylons, the
furniture, the electrical equipment,
the vacuum cleaner, the leather-
wear. Whether there are playgoers
who, unlike myself, would feel
frustrated if these details were
withheld, I don’t know.
“What I do know is that the
vast majority of playgoers would
like to be told something about
the writing of the play — where and
when it was done, how long it took,
something about the careers of the
author, the actors and the pro-
ducer, mething even about the
history of the theatre! itself,”
Squawks about the fact that the-
atres charge for the relatively
skimpy programs are an old and
familiar . story in London. The mat-
ter is. most frequently raised by
recent visitors to New. York, Where
legit playbills are not only free,
but are genei'ally highly .informa-
tive, especially with biographical
material about the actors.
■ . Y-
Littler’s ’Book’ Modest
Entry for London Run
London, Oct. 26.
Emile Littler’s production of
“Book of the Month ,” which opened
last Thursday (21) at the Cam-
bridge as. the only new legit offer-
ing of the week, is a flimsy com-
edy by Basil Thomas. It should get
by for a modest run.
Pauline Grant has directed the
play with a light: hand and the
principal parts are skillfully played
by a cast headed by .Hugh Wil-
, liams, Judy Campbell. Margaretta
I Scott and jane Griffiths.
76 I.KC1T1MATB
Peter Pan
Richard Halliday presentation o£ Edwin
Lester production of musical comedy in
three acts, based oh play by James M.
Barrie, with lyrics, by Carolyn Leiglv
music by Mark- Charlap, additional move
by .Tule Styne, additional lyrics. by Dotty
Comden and Adolph . Green. Stm.s Mary
.Martin'; features Cyril Rltnhr.rd. Kathy
Nolan. Mavflalo Gill more. Directed- by
Jerome Robbins (Mary Hunter, assistant).
Scenery, Peter Larkin; costumes. Motley;
Iightincv Peggy /r 'iark; technical direction,
Richard Rod'!..; Conductor, Louis Adrian;
orchestral arrangements; 1 Albert Scndrey;
Indde’-.ial music, Trude. Rittman, Elmer
Bcwstein: dying effects, Joseph Kirby,
by Peter Foy. At Winter Gar?
Oct. 20; ’54; $5.90 top ($9.20.
.iWpcFVisicd
den,. N.Y;,
opening).
Wendy
John
Liza
Michael
.Nana
Mis. Darling
Mr. Darling
Peter Pan
Hon , . .
Kangaroo
Ostrich
Slightly
Tootles
Curly
Nibs ,
Crocodile
Kathy Nolan
•Robert Harrington
Heller Ilallidav
Joseph' Stafford
Norman Shelly..
Margalo Gjllmor
Cycil Ritohar
Mary Martin
Ichard Wyatt
Don Lurid
n Tewkesbury
David Bean
Ian Tucker
Stahley Sicnher
Paris Theodore
Norman Shelly
Twins Alan Sutherland; Darryl Duran
Capt. Hook ojfAV. i, i.,'
Sihee
Tiger
Cfecco .
Noodler ,
Jukes
Starkyy
Mullins ;
Wendy Grown-Up
Jane
Cvril mtchuril
Joe E. Marks
Sondra Lee
Robert Tucker
... Frank Lindsay
. William Burke
Robert Vnn^dow
. Jnmes White
. SalHe Brooby
Kathy Nolan
i rates: Robert' Tucker, Frank L'ndeay;
Frank . Marasco, James White, William
Burke. Chester Fisher. John Newton.
Arthur Tnokoian, Robert Vansclow, Ich-
ard Winter.
Indians. Robert Bands. Don Lurioi
nbert Piper. William Sumner. Richard
’yatt, Linda D’lngcil, Lisa Lang, Suzanne
uckc.v, Joan Tewkesbury.
Songs: “Tender Shepherd;” , 'Tve Got
to- Crow.” .“I’m Flying,” “Pirate Song,”
“A Princely Scheme.’’ ‘Indians.” “Another
r-incely Scheme." "I Won't .Grow -Up.'’
“To the Ship,” “The Battle,” byLdgb?
Charlap, and "Neverland." "Wendy;”
“NeVerh'nd Waltz.” “Mysterious Lady,”
“Uggra-Wugg.” “The Pow-Wow Polk’.”
“Distant Melody;” “Hook's Waltz,” by
Slyne-Comden-Green,
Janies M. Barrie would probably
be more astonished than anyone to
discover that be was a Broadway
librettist But if he could see this
musical version of his “Peter Pan/’
the little Scot sentimentalist would
surely be even more pleased than
surprised.
With Mary Marti as the per-
sonification of perennial boyhood,
and a brilliantly inspired produc-
tion, “Peter” seems the perfect
Vehicle for musicalization. How
could it have been overlooked so
long?
-.- Possibly Tinker Bell was Work-
ing some of her magic offstage,, for
it's evident that someone per-
formed a few miracles during the
show's , long tryout on the Coast.
Anyway, “Peter” is a delightful
show that belies . advance reports
and captivated the Winter Gar-
den’s first-nighters.
From a commercial angle, how-
ever, this “Peter” is considerably
less salubrious: Disregarding its
original Coast setup, which was- a
separate operation, the show cost
about $95,000 to bring to. Broad-
way, excluding approximately
$30,000 in bonds. It needs between
$37,500 and $40,000 weekly gross
to break even and; besides the the-
atre share, must pay about "25%
off- the top in royalties, etc.
It can probably earn about
$9,000 weekly operating profit at
$57,500 Capacity, but Coast pro-
ducer Edwin Lester gets the first
$35,000 return and, about 25% of
the producer’s end thereafter.
Also, the San Francisco Civic Light
Opera, which originally presented
the production as a subscription
offering, gets 10% of the net
profits.
Allowing for these various slices,
Broadway presenter Richard Halli-
day and his backers stand to get
into, the clear with the Venture
after about 15 weeks, providing it
Sells out. that long. The engage-
ment at the Winter Garden is an-
nounced for 16 Weeks, ' but is
subject to indefinite extension if
business warrants.
The big question, therefore, . is
.whether ..“Peter” -can. do. smash'
business- lonfe enough to pay off.
That, ; obviously, depends on
whether .the show has general or
special audience appeal. ' Judging
fr m the reaction at. the premiere,,
practically everyone will love
•“Peter.” But it remains to be seen
whether the business lrian trade,
expense account boys and visiting
firemen will take a night off from
girly musicals and laugh plays for
a taste of the fantasy and Enchant-
ment of childhood,
“Peter” has started as a
standees-only smash, with the
inevitable extra juve demand for
matme.es. Although, a few dis-
gruntled- purists may object, most
audiences are likely to approve of
the adaptation, which is frequently,
more musical comedy than Barrie,.
Moppets, in particular, will revel
in the added comedy touches;
dance numbers and imaginative,
special effects. In fact, this musi-
cal edition must surely be the best
“Peter” ever produced.
li has undeniable enchantment.
Miss Martin is so completely right,
so believable and infectious as the
eternal boy; that, it seems incred-
ible that Barrie’ didn’t write the
original play for her. From her
first, electrifying entrance through
the DarLing childrens’ bedroom
window to the curtain, when Peter
and the three kids, fly away to
Neverland, soaring bre.athtakingly
back and forth across the stage,
it is one of the thrilling first acts
in memory.
Although that level of excitement
is never quite equalled in “the sub-
sequent acts,; and the second, act
and to some extent the third have
relatively prosaic passages that
could profitably be cut; the show
as Whole remains enormously
enjoyable. Virtually all the Barrie
Story is retained, •and there; are
numerous interpolations, including
some hokum comedy bits to amuse
adults and panic; the urchins.
In addition to Miss Martin's
iridescent performance of thE title
part, Cyril Ritchard is diverting
as the luckless Mr; Darling and
rib-spraining in a lampoon por-
trayal ..of Capt. Hook; who sings
and dances and gets off preposter-;
Oiisly funny readings. It’s, a per-,
formance that borders perilously
on over-exaggeration, and must be
strictly restrained, however.
Small, bloiid dancer Sondra Lee
is a deliciously impish Tiger Lily.
Joe E. Marks is brilliantly cast as
a horrendously ineffectual Smee,
Kathy Nolan is appealing 1 as
Wendy, Heller Halliday (daughter
of Miss Martin and producer Halli-
day) is charming in the greatly
expanded role of Liza, the maid,
with, an especially disarming duet
.in one with the star. Margalo Gill-,
more is suitably protective as Mrs.
Darling and the . assorted boys,
pirates apd Indians are well
chosen.
The songs, including both the
original numbers supplied by
Carolyn Leigh and; Mark Charlap
and the added contributions ; of
Jute Styne and Betty Comden and
Adolph Green, aie generally" Un-
distinguished. with “I’ve Got to
Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up,” “Ugg-
a-Wugg,” “The Pow-Wow Polka”
and “Distant Melody” seemingly
most notable. HOwever, that limita-
tion matters little, since the fact
.that theie is music at all, regard-
less of its quality, provides a
stringboard for the broad musical
comedy treatment and the staging
inspiration that make this. “Peter”
outstanding.,: .
Major credit for the brilliant
show manifestly; goes to Jerome
RObbi , who did the overall di-
recting and staged the entertaining
dances, with recognition also , due
Peter Foy, whose supervision of
the flying effects is an obviously
valuable asset. In addition, Peter
Larkin’s scenery, Motley’s cos-
tumes and Peggy Clark’s lighting
are clearly helpful. Hobe.
Shows in Rehearsal
Keys: C. (Comedy), D ( Drama ),
CD (Comedy-Drama), R (Revue),
MC (Musical Comedy), MD (Musi-
cal Drama), O (Opera), OP (Op-
eretta),
Bad Seed (D) — Playwrights Co.,
prod.; Reginald Denham* dir.; .
Nancy. Kelly; star.
Black-Eyed Susan (O—Gordon
W. Pollock-James Goodmah-Everett
Hart, prods.; Gregory Ratoff, dir.;
Vincent Price* star; ...
Flowering Peach (D) — Producers
‘Theatre; Inc,, prod.; Clifford Odets,
dir.; Menasha Skulnik, star.
House of Flowers (M) — Saint
Subber, prod.; Peter Brook, dir.;.
Pearl Bailey, star.
Lunatics & Lovers (D) — May
Kirschner, prod.; Sidney Kingsley,
dir.
On With the Show (M)— Eliza-
beth Miele, prod.r Charles W.
Chrislenberry Jr. Sc Byrle Cass,
dies.; Irra Petina, Star.; .
One Eye; Closed (C)-Haila Stod-
dard, prod.; Romney Brettt, dir.;
Torn Relm.ore, star:
Pajama Tops (C) (Rd.)— H. Clay
Blaney, prod.
Portrait of a Lady (D)— Lyn Aus-
tin-Thomas Noyes— Producers The-
atre, prods.; Jose Quintero, dir.;
Jennifer Jones, star.
Sailor’s Delight (C)— Richard
Aldrich, Richard Meyers, Julius
Fleischmann, prods.; Arthur Sic-
ro.m dir.; Eva Gabor, star.
Silk Stockings (M)— -Cy Feuer &
Ernest H. Martin, prods.; George
S. Kaufman* dir.; Hildegard Neff,
Don Amecfie, stars.
Tea & Sympathy (D) (RD.)—
Playwrights Go., & Mary K. Frank;,
prods.; .Elia- Kazan, dir.; Deborah
Kerr, star.
PfistiEfr
. .»
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
Show Out of Town
Shows Abroad
bes Uussai’d!)
(THE SOLDIERS)
Montreal, Oct. 14.
Le Theatre dii Nouveau Monde produc-
tion of tragicomedy in three acts, by'
Pierre-Aristlde Brea!. Features Guy Hoff--
mann, Georges Groulx,. Giselle Schmidt.
Directed by Jean Gascon; decor and cos-
tumes, Michael Ambrogi.. At Gesu Thea-
tre, Montreal. Oct. 7, ‘51; $2.25 top.
Joseph Lippi . . . , , • .... • • Ovila Legare.
Maria L : :i ,. . . Antoinette Giroux
Mine. Ba^Uone Jeanne Demons
Raphael i... Jean Dalmain
[ Cesar Carotti ...... . . . . . Georges Bouvier
Coslma . . ... Giselle Schmidt
Giacoma . .... Jean. Gascon..
Elisa Denise Dubreuil
Pietro ... ... Gabriel Gascon
Ange-Marle Le Gouce; ... .Georges Grtulx
Fllcot v . Guy. Hoffmann
Le Capltalne Jean-Louis Roux
UnSoldat-greffier . . . . ... . ... .Marc Facreaii
Le Theatre du Nouveau Monde
gets its fourth season away with
flying colors, presenting Breal’s
tragi-Comedy, “Les Hussards” to
solid audience reaction and top
drawer performances throughout.
This is the first play of any stat-
ure, written in recent years, that
a French-Canadian company has
managed . to acquire. With most
Gallic writers keeping in mind the
lucrative ,U;S.. legit and film mar-
kets for their material, French-
Canadian outfits rarely get a
chance at a modern French plaiy as
the rights,, for both French arid
.English arE usually sold as a pack-
age. However “Les Hussards” is
the exception, with the TNM group
getting the French rights and Jose
. Ferrer having the English rights
for; Broadway, etc,
“Les Hussards” is a reasonably
thi joke spread out over three
acts; but saved in the current of-
fering by: the standout thesping of
Guy Hoffmann and Georges Groulx
as the two confused soldiers, arid
the breakneck; pace establish by di-
rector Jean Gascon, who also turns
in #n admirable performance
the village stutterer.
Stofy involves two members of
Napolean's army in : 1796 during
the war with Italy, and the action
takes place in a small town some r
where in the north of Italy. Local
villagers, who know the French are
coming, have heafd tall tales of
their ruthlessness .arid their treat-
ment of Italian women, but the
first arrivals are: two forlorn arid
weary privates, who enter the vil-
lage almost by accident.
Giselle Schmidt as a maid who
becomes a key figure in the yarn,
is lively, convincing! and always at-
tractive as she arouses her fearful
employers and uses her feminine
charms to divert, the soldiers.
Gabriel Gascon, as a hostage is
suitably Italian in appearance and
manner, Jean Dalmain adds spark
End contrast as an unsuccessful
suitor, and Ovila Legare and An-
toinette Giroiix are effective as the
patents.
As with most TNM offerings, . the
cast is letter perfect, but the preem
of “Les Hussards” suggests almost
too much rehearsing. . Several of
the leads sound as if they had had
strained their voices, the* constant
fast tempo turns some scenes into
near shambles. Newt.
Mrs. Paftrrson
(HARRIS, CHICAGO)
Chicago, Oct; 12.
After some retooling during its
three-week tryout run in Detroit,
“Mrs. Patterson” comes tantaliz-
ingly close to being a minor suc-
cess as a showcase for singer
Eartha . Kitt's not inconsiderable
drariiatic talents. As it plays now,
it's bewildering mixture of
charrri and monotony with the lat-
ter beating the foriner to the wire.
It’s Miss Kitt all the way. She
has much to do in the partially co-
herent tale of words and song,
realism and fantasy. As the 15-
year-old Teddy, the love child of
a deep , south domestic arid a pass-
ing fancy* she flits - between im-
poverished fact and ri dream world
that’s, a strange composite 61
southern belledom and the big city
lures of Chicago.
The star sings five songs, a num-
ber called “Be Good” having been
dropped. While hardly showstopr
pers, the ditties are all pleasant
enough. It reriiains a question
whether they add Enough to break
the action.
Avon Long has taken over the
part of Mr. D, succeeding Alonzo
Rosen, and he and Enid Markey,
in the title role,' are standouts in
a fine supporting group. Ruth
Attaway, as Teddy’s hardpressed
Mom, comes through ably as does
Terry Carter, as a poor boy ad-
mirer, Estelle Hemsley cops plenty
of laughs in her. portrayal of the
Bible-spouting light finger. Helen
Dowdy adds a, filip as the blues
singing gal from the city. Dave,
Joan of Are at the Slake
London, Oct. 21. .
Muslkart Society Ltd. (by ari-angement
with Jack Hylton production of oratorio
in one act (11 scenes). Stars Ingrid Berg?
man. Directed by Roberto Rossellini;
music. A, Honegger; text. F. Claudel
3.83 top. ■
Pete Sidney Pollock
Arlene -Sylv-ia Miles
Steve , . v Josesph D. Sargent
Nellie . Susan Cabot
Danny Fisher Phillip ..Pine
Sam Cordon . • • • ■ • Bert Freed
Mrs. Fisher Jeanette Boony
Mlini . • : • • .... v ■, . . BAibara; J oyce
Mr. Fisher . . . Wolfe Bar./ell
Maxie Fields Zero Mostel
Spit ; v, Maurice Gosfield -
Ronnie Gloria McGehee
Abe Joe Bernard
Jack , Alfred Stone
Mr. Wiser Robert ibbons
A$ a^play, “A Stone For Danny
Fisher'’* has some melodramatic
suspense, some arresting insights
into morbid psychology, some good
cracks, and some dandy actoiv:
But that’s it, The plot, at least in
stage adaptation, emerges as famil-
iar reprise of Jewish, family life
on Manhattan's Avenue. B, plus
neighborhood hoodlums with over-
tones of sadism,
A main Weakness is that the.
"hero” is a weakling, all the way
and that Philip. Pine, who tries to
evoke audience sympathy, is fight-
ing the lines in the script which
persistently make it clear that
Dartny is devoted to the idea that
only crime can cure poverty; All
of which makes for unsatisfactory
drama.
Where the play falls, down in
respect to the original novel must
go unanswered here. There were
rehearsal . difficulties with the
script, the backers, and a 1 change
of directors. The program credit
to ‘‘Francis Kane” aS stager should
actually read Luther Adler. Har-
old Robbins,- who wrote the prose
text, is a still-young statistician at
Universal Pictures; this being liis
4th book. (Houston Street play-
house was full of U homeollice
gentry opening night).
These paragraphs. are necessarily
concerned with thfc adaptation of
Leonard KantOr. It employs a
divided stage, alternating scenes,
and different time levels. Much,
iuse is made of reverie (flashback)
and one scene is played in arrested
tempo (impressionism!.
At the end the family reconcili-
ation (the father repents) is. larger,
ly robbed of heart-tug by the! audi-
ence’s clear knowledge that Danny
is plotting the murder of liis
brother-in-law, a bigger and tough-
er hood than, he is. Although
Danny attempts a last-minute
switch and grts murdered himself,
neither he nor his brother-in-law
had the slightest, intention of go-
ing straight. Despite implicit sen-
timent in both men, its either
Danny or the brother-in-law, also
played for a sympathy that the
lines won't Support, by Bert Freed.
Zero JHostel gives a morbidly
fascinating characterization ais a
softspoken, mock-polite all-round
bum who delights. in the highly in-
telligent humiliation of his stately
girl friend, well played by Gloria
McGehee. He calls her his
"poodle” and orders her to cross
arid Uncross her legs, get up, sit
down, kiss her former lover, then
undress in front of him 'to show
how well she now looks disrobed.
Maurice Qosfield rejoices in the
sobriquet of "Spit.” He’s a shiv,
and strictly for shivers. (A wag
has defined a shiv as a violent spiv.
Their taste runs to carving up
people with a switchblade knife).
There are 15 players, all com-
petent and several noteworthy.
They gave the show a' professional
quality,-, as the off-Broadway thea-
tre gives them valuable, if perhaps
brief, showcasing. Susan Gabot
makes the Italian gal appealing.
Barbara Joyce as Danny’s Sister
who' married a racketeer for
money and ended up wanting liis
love is standout, partly because
the role is meaty. Land ,
I Feel Wonderful
(Theatre de Lys, N. Y.)
"I Feel Wonderful” . is the type
of revile usually done briefly in
hideaway spots rather than an
established off-Broadway house
like the Theatre de Lys. There’s
little iri it for the professional
market. Jerry Herman, who Wrote
the music and lyrics, is okay in the
former category but fails in the
latter. Sketches by Barry-, Alan
Grael have an occasional bright
line, but. the . material, is mostly
undergrad stuff.
A few members of the generally
procast show up Well, Terper Rich-
ard Tone is standout in a lively
“Jailhpuse Blues”, and also clicks
in show’s title number, with ah
able, assist from Rebecca Barksdale
and Rita Tanno. Former, in a scant
costume, spices up the proceedings
with some fancy belly . maneuver-
ing. Joan Coburn impresses as
being able to sell a song, while
John Bartis and Jane Janvier are
adequate in other piping assign-
ments.
Skits are genarally run-of-the-
mill, with a takeoff on the new
Dior fashions nicely handled by
Phyllis Newman. Frank' Wagner’s
dances have Vigor, while Romairi
Johnston's costumes and set design
are good. Jess.
’King’ Whammo $100,300
For 10 Shows, Dallas
Dallas, Oct. 26.
“King and I” grossed nearly
$100,300 at the State Fair here in
its . final 10 performances ending
Saturday (23), ^Entire 24-perform-
ance run drew about $250,000.
Yul Brynner, who costars with
Patricia Morison, has been tempo-
rarily replaced by Leonard Graves.
Brynner has gone to Egypt for lo-
cation shots on Cecil B. DeMille’s
"The Ten Commandments” and is
scheduled to rejoin the musical
Nov. 23, ‘ Chicago.
Legit Casting
COMMON STOCK |
The Company will employr its funds S
in diversified entertainment enter- m
prises connected with television,
motion pictures and the theatre. ffl
Price 501 a share 1
1 HoUyWOOD ANGUS, INC. *1
• 29 West 65th St., N.Y. 23, N. V. *>«pt. V4 r
• TRalalcar 4-1815 I
Send Free Offering
itbout cost.
I •; I • : I
J Aririratt ... ■■ ■ ■ . • - -■ - I.
I .C i • ■ , Zone. |
! Pfittn* M* ■ ■ ,.l
— 'mi _ _ _ im-m. _ _ _J
Abie’s Irish Rose — Ludwig
Donath, Neil Fitzgerald.
Anastasia • — Joseph Anthony,
David J. Stewart.
Bad Seed — Patty McCormack,
Luella Gear, Eileen Heckart,
Thomas Chalmers, Joseph Holland,
Joan Croydon, John O’Hare, Wells
Richardson, Theodore Mann.
Black-Eyed Susan — Ira Roberts,
Charles Boaz.
Dark Is Light Enough— Arnold
Moss, John Williams,
Festival — Paul Henreid, Holly
Irving, Luba MalinffJ George
Voskovec.
Flowering Peach— Janice Rule,
.William Smithers.
Grand; Prize — Betsy. Palmer,
June Lockhart, John Newland.
House of Flowers— Rawn Spear-
man, Jacques Aubuchon, Winston
George Henriques & Solomon Earl
Green (Do & Don’t), Ad Moore,
Enid Mosier,
Lunatics and Loyers — •' Dennis
King, Jayne Meadows.
Oh Men, Oh Women (Rd.) —
Ralph Bellamy (replaces Lloyd
Bridges).
Sandhog— Paul Ukena, Gordon
Dllworth,
KIRBY’S FLYING BALLETS
"Th* Peter Pan Firm"
Kirby’s Flyjng Equipment” from London, England, Is Now Being Used
With Great Success in:
“PETER PAN” Starring and Plying
MARY MARTIN
“MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” Starring
MOIRA SHEARER
LIMITLESS EFFECTS— TV, STAGE, ARENA. COMMERCIAL SHOWS
Established 1904
For Information: PETER LAWRENCE
40 E. 49th St., New York City 17 PLdza 8-1425
Mired ’Blondes’ $14,000
In Swamped Toronto
Toronto, Qct. 20. ...
Manny Davis production of
"Gentlemen prefer Blondes,” with
Jet MacDonald and Walter Long,
grossed a bad $14,000 last week at
the 1,525-seat Royal Alexandra at
$3.90 top. Hiimcane and flood
conditions offset good notices.
On a test elimination of Wednes-
day matinee and substitution of
twinight performances Friday and
Saturday (6:30 apdJhOO p.m.), the
earlier performances drew poorly,
the latter fairly well,
Cronyn-Tandy in Coast
Stand in ’Face to Face,’
Program of Readings
Hollywood, Oct. 26.
First husband-wife team to in-
vade the growing field of platform
theatre, Hume Cronyn and Jessica
Tandy have fashioned a diverting
evening out of bits of past suc-
cesses arid snatches of reading
they’ve liked. Their material
ranges from Dorothy Parker to
William Shakespeare with way-
stops to visit such authors as
Stephen Vincent Benet and
Thomas Wolfe arid their selections
provide a skillful blend of comedy
arid pathos.
After 10 one-nighters to break
in at western whistlestops. "Face
to Face” gets its first real test in
the current orie-week. stand at the
Huntington Hartford Theatre here
and a following .fortnight at the
Geary, San Francisco. It ; has good
commercial prospects and the
three Coast weeks should, register
a strong profit before the Crpnyns
fly .to Florida to begin a series
of dates under the NCAC banner.
As a theatre evening, "Face to
Face” is more than urbarie or
witty. It has memorable moments,
as for example when Miss Tandy
recreates thte poignancy of Tennes-
see Williams' "Portrait of a Mal-
donna,” which served as the gen-
esis for "Streetcar” and which she
has done to acclaim before in
Coast productions. This time, if
falls a' trifle short of the virtuoso
past performance, but only be-
cause it’s done as a reading ver-
sion with distraction created by
the style.
Another highspot. Croriyn’s
handling of the "Oh, What a
Rogue” soliloquy from "Hamlet.”
Their highly, skilled dueting of
proposal scenes from "Hilda
Crane” and "Pride and Prejudice,”
teamed with the threatened di-
vorce scene from "Fourposter” is
an effective curtain trilogy.
Readings that win sustained
chuckles or rapt attention include
Ogden Nash’s ‘‘Private Dining
Room” and a lumping of Parker-
isiris under the title, "General Re-
view of the Sex Situation,” plus
exderpts from Wolfe’s “Time and
the River,” Benet’s prelude to
"Western Star” and a fine excerpt
from Andre Obey’s "Noah.”
Impeccable taste in selecting the
material arid sensitive handling of
the diverse mood make "Face to
Face” compelling stuff. It’s hdn-'
died with an informal charm and
ease of manner that spell fine re-
turns on the Chautauqua circuit
and indicate good business for any
limited stands undertaken in the
larger centers. Kap.
Dallas Playgoer
Continued from pace 75 ssssss-
for instance, alternate boys for the
role of Pudge in one of the produc-
tions of "On Borrowed Time,”
This is to cast no reflection on
Graves or Miss Harris, Fm* all I
knowvthey may be superior to the
chosen leads. But I strongly com-
plain about their being given the
leads in so many performances
with no announcement as to what’s
being done until the performance
is just about to begi .
The management’s statement that,
so far only one. person had asked
for his money back is thought-pro-
voking. ‘ I have never asked for my
money back, but if that is the only
action that carries weight with
management, you can be sure I
shall ask for a refund in the future.
I don’t know whether this prac-
tice is confined to Dallas or is cus-
tomary in other road towns. I don’t
know whether it is special to
Rodgers & Hammerstein produc-
tions or all productions. But I
don’t like it.
Name Withheld.
Plays Abroad
Continued from page 70
a serious contender for transfer
to Broadway.
Pauline Grant has directed the
play with a confident light touch
and, by adroit timing, gets a top
laugh reaction from the script. At
times, however, the author intro-
duces . farce-like situations’ and
these do not blend too convincing-
ly. The overall effect is satisfac-
tory, although the plot droops
from strength to weakness as the
story unfolds,
TliCre is not much substance to
the yarn about a teenage girl who
Writes a novel caricaturing her
family and friends and putting
them in comproihlsing situations.
There is an intriguing part of the
development in the second half of
the first act when these incidents
in the novel are performed on the
stage as a sort of book within a
play.
The production calls for bright
and frothy performances and these
are given in good measure by the
competent cast. Hugh Williams
and Judy Campbell as the girl’s
parents; Margarette; Scott as the
aunt and Jane Griffiths as the
young novelist put realism into the
play, but can’t disguise the fact
that tiie script has too many
cliches, to make it a best seller.
Myra.
Current Road Shows
(Oct 25-Nov. 6)
Caine Mutiny Court Martial
(Paul Douglas, Wendell Corey,
Steve Brodie) — Cass, Detroit (25-
30); Hanna, Cleveland (1-6)..
Face to Face (Jessica Tandy,
Hume Cronyn)— Huntington Hart-
ford, L.^A. (25-30); Geary, S. F.
(1-6), (Reviewed in Variety this
week).
Fanny (Ezio Pinza, Walter Sle-
zak) (tryout)— Shubert, Phila. (25-
30); (Reviewed in Variety, Sept.
22, ’54), '
Fifth Season—- Shubert, Wash.
(25-30); Shubert,. Phila, (1-6). V
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes— Er-
langer, Buffalo (25-30); Shubert,
Wash. (1-6).
Getting Gertie’s Garter— Majes-
tic; Boston (25-30); Locust, Phila.
( 1 - 6 ),
King and I (Leonard Graves,
Patricia Morison)— Aud., Memphis
(26-30); Aud., Louisville; Ky. (1-6).
Living Room (Barbara Bel Ged-
des)— Shubert, New Haveri (28.-30);
Plymouth, Boston (1-6).
Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rob-
ert Helpmann, Moira. Shearer,
Stanley Holloway)— War Memorial,
S. F. (27-6).
Moon Is Blue (Jerome Cowan) —
American, St. Louis (25-6).
Mrs. Patterson KEartha Kitt)
(tryout)— Harris, Chi, (25-6) (Re-
viewed in Variety, Sept. 29, ’54).
Naughty Natalie — Memorial
Hall, Joplin; Mo. (25-26); Conven-
tion Hall, Tulsa, Okla. (27); Arca-
dia,, Wichita (28-30); Pabst, Mil-
waukee (3-6).
: Oklahoma — S.R.H.S. Aud., Glens
Falls, N. Y. (25); Proctor, Schenec-
tady, N. Y. (26-28); Oxford, Plain-
field, N. J. (29-30); Loew’s, Syra-
cuse (1-2); Loew’s, Rochester (3-
4); Palace, Hamilton, .Can. (5-6).
(Reviewed in Variety, Oct 13,
’54).
On With the Show— Shubert,
New Haven (4-6).
Quadrille (Alfred Lunt Lynn
Fontanne, Edna Best, Brian
Aherrie) (tryout)— Colonial, Bos-
ton (25-30).
Pardon Our Antenna (Qlsen &
Johnson) (tryout) — Selwyn, Chi (25-
6) (Reviewed iri Variety, Oct. 20,
’54). .
Saint Joan (Jean. Arthur) (try-
out) — ‘ Cox, Cincinnati (25.-30);
Hartman, Columbus, O. (1-6). (Re-
viewed in Variety, Sept. 22, ’54).
School for Brides— Court Sq.,
Springfield, Mass. (4-6).
Seven Year Itch (Eddie Bracken)
—Iowa, Cedar Rapids (26); Pabst;
Milwaukee (27-30); Murat, Indian-
apolis (1-3); Lincolri, Decatur, III.
(4); Shrine Aud,, Peoria, 111. (5-6).
South Pacific (Tva Withers,
Webb Tilton)— Forrest, Phila. (25-
6 ). : /■' .
Time ; Out for Ginger (Melvyn
Douglas)— Capitol, Salt Lake City
(25-26); Marlow, Helena, Mont;
(28); Bow, Butte, Mont. (29); Fox,
Billings, Mont. (30); Orpheum,
Spokane (1-2); International, Van-
couver. B. C. (4-6).
Wedding Breakfast— rPlayhouse,
Wilmington, Del. (2&-30); National,
Wash. (1-6).
What Every Woman Knows
(Helen Hayes) — Curran, S. F.7(25-
6) (Reviewed in Variety, Sept. 29,
’54).
Wonderful Town (Carol Clian-
riing) — Shubert, Chi. (25-6).
World of ShOlora Aleichem —
Parsons, Hartford (28-30); Mosque,
Newark (31); Walnut St.* Phila.
( 2 - 6 ).
Wednesday, October- 27 , I954
M NG 7G, K.C
Kansas City," Oct.
‘.’Naughty Natalie,” Danny i,
berg's two-for-one touring f
drew a slim $7,000 in an e
performance stand last week a?
KMBC Playhouse here, at a ni
nel.top of $3 .'92. Booked in by
John Antonello agency, the (
had been ' expected to do s
business during the Royal Anil
cafi Livestock show.
Next local legit booking i s j,
Arthur iri "Saint Joan” in Dece
her.
ill- Chorus
5555 s Continued from page 75
in two years of membership,
least two shows as qualification
senior membership and the rl
to vote. However, present Cho
Equity members will be entlt
to immediate senior members
rating,, with the right to vo)
Hereafter, all new. members, i
eluding chorus performers ’ y
have to meet the regular requii
ments for senior membership. ,
Expanded Council
; The Equity council, now compr
ing 50 members, plus nine r
reseritatives of Chorus Equity,
be expanded to 70 members, ,
which 15 must be chorus perfon
ers. Instead of the present Cho
Equity executive committee, th
will be an advisory committee
chorus performers; . to assist
council On matters relating
chorus.
The present, setup of a sepal
contract for chorus., perform
will be retained arid the cho
casting department will be
tinued. Dues for actor mem
will remain at $24 a year,
$100 initiation fee* but the cho
member dues will continue to
$18 for at least another year.
: The present officer setup will
revised slightly to provide for
vice-president to.be a chorus
former; The officers will conti
to include a president (curren
Ralph Bellamy), four vice-pr
dents (now Marice Evans, :
Ross, Frederick O’Neal and M
galo Giilmore), a . treasurer (F
Dullz.eli) arid a recording secret
(John Effrat).
. Ben Irving, executive-secret
of Chorus Equity* will transfer
the merged union as an assistanl
Angus Duncan, Equity exec
and all office personnel of Cho
Equity will be retained^ It’s
derstood, however, that there
been no formal discussion as to
future status of Rebecca Bro
stein, Chorus Equity attorney
formerly doubled as Actors Eg
counsel, She exited the latter
last year after differences
the couricil. , Herman* E. Co
is now Actors Equity attorney.
‘ The council denied last
a recent report in Variety tin
faction in Chorus Equity opp
merger and favored succe
from the parent organization,
declared in a statement that
thorough examinatioii of the
suits of complete independ
from Equity would reveal that
a course would be extremely de
mental to Chorus Equity.”
Executive Secreta
¥
Fredwctlon Steratary for thaatrli
office. Need reaourceful, thNhl
ally experlonced girl far damai
Ing |eb. Steretarlol skllli mci
• ary, alto ability manuierlptt •
office mgmt. Versatile, taclf
Age 25-40. Fermanentr Glvt l
detalif. Ropiiea hold confidaritl
Box V-l 02554, Variety,
154 W. 46th St., New York 36, N
Rahearsal Rooms Availab
Facilities Used bv butstindlna L *l
and TV Shows
STUDIO ONE G.E. THEAT*
KRAFT BEST OF BROAOW*
GOLDERCS FRONTIERS OF FA'
CAN CAN ARABIAN NIGH
, Modern — SsaelcUi — : Clean
W«ll ventllattd ElevaUr-SwItehbbird 8 (fyl
Mcdtrata R«ntal( — Flanw .
Stvtrsl Alr-C#ndltl»n«d Centrally LF* 1
At CENTRAL PLAZA . /
ill 2nd Avt., Naar 7th St., N.Y.c-
2 blocka east of Watiamakers
AL itlOt B. Blrns,
SALE OR RENT
New Modern Summer Theai
In Pocene’ Mountains Reiort A
Seats 500 — For PartUul
Write Harold Amen.
Penha., or Phene iiiihklll !
Wednesday, October. 27* 1954
(A
VARIETY
CHARLES P. SKOURAS
Charles P, Skouras, 65, president
- of National Theatres who rose from
a Greek immigraht hoy to one of
tlie . nation’s highest paid execu-
tives, died of a heart attack Oct
22 in. Hollywood.
Details on Page 4.
JULES VON TILZER
Jules Von Tilzer, 86, general
manager of he Haffry Von Tilzer
jviusic Publishing 'Co., died - Oct’ .22
at. his home in the Delmonico
Hotel, N. Y. He was the oldest
of six brothers, whose . real Sur-
name was Gumm, and had. been
general manager of the publish-
ing firm, founded by his brother
Harry, since its inception 52 years
ago. * ", :
Jules* had a reserved manner
ancl generally remained in the
background while running the
business. He was considered to
have been i stabilizing influence
GEORGE McMANUS
George McManus, 7l, newspaper
cartoonist who created the ’‘Bring-
ing Up Father” comic strip, died
of a heart attack Oct. 22 in' Santa
Monica where he had been hospi-
talized with, an: infected liver.
His career as a cartoonist began
in 1904 on the old New York
World where he created two strips,
“The Newlyweds” and “Let’s Do
It.” Moving to the New York
American in 1912%. he created
“Bringing Up Father,’’ which lias
run continuously for 43 years and
has been serviced to 750. news-
papers by the King Features Syn-
dicate.
" Surviving are his wife, Florence,
and his brother, ‘“Leo F. McManus,
an executive in the comic art de-
partment of King Features.
SHOLOM PERLMUTTER
$hdlom Perlmutter, 70; play-
wright and historian of the Jewish
in the operation of the company
during its early years. He had
also performed in vaude at the
turn of: tlie century.'
Only two of *the six brothers are
still living. They’re Harold.
Gumm, president of the: publishing
company, and composer Albert
Von : Tilzer. Of the deceased
brothers, Wilt Von Tilzer headed
Broadway Music and for years was
a member of the board 'of direc-
tors of the American Society of
Composers, Authors , and Publish-
ers while Jack Von Tilzer was ac-
tive in the radio industry.
Surviving, besides his two broth-
ers, is his wife,
NICK HOLDE
Herrmann Nicholas (Nick) Holde,
71, legit company and general
manager, died Oct. 21 in Great
Kills, Staten Island, Born in Ber-
li he was brought to New York
theatre, died Oct. 19, in New York.
After a brief stint as an actor he
turned to play writing. Some of;
his works were, produced at the
Second Ave; Theatre, N. Y. Among
them were “Narishe Tates” arid
"Abi Gezundt.”
Perlmutter was vice president of
the Hebrew. Actors Union, which
he helped organize, and was also
a representative of the Society of
Jewish Composers- arid the Jewish
Playwrights League. His book,
‘‘Jewish Dramatists and Jewish
Composers," was published last:
year.
Four sons and a daughter sur-
vive.
WILFRIED SEYFERTH
Wilfried Seyferth, 46, German
character actor, Was killed Oct. 9,
in an auto accident near Wiesbad-
en, West Germany. He began his
acting career in 1928, at the Berlin
sentative for two years, Rea was
one of the group that resigned last
month to form the new Actors In-
ternational Union.
His wife survives;
JAMES Ss, TYLER .
James S. Tyler, 41, director of
advertising and promotion for the
Mutual Broadcasting System, died
in New York, Oct. 22, shortly after
.he collapsed at his desk. He joined
the Mutual net in March, 1942,
after previous posts with the J.
Walter Thompson Co., Advertising
and Selling mag and CBS. >
A native of Philadelphia, Tyler
had also been conducting a column
in Advertising Agency mag in
addition to his Mutual duties.
Surviving are his wife, thrrie
daughters, a son and a brother.
ROBERT. H. FORD
Robert H&mptpn Ford, 47, tv
Writer and former film producer,
died of a heart ailment, Oct. 20,
in New York. Born in Philadelphia,
he* parted his scripting, career as
a newspaper reporter there' and
later worked fpr the N. Y. World-
Telegram.
. Ford , became associate producer
for Cinemart Inc., while ori the
Coast in the 1930’s. More recently
he turned out documentary films
in Spain, Italy and Portugal. „
1 Surviving are his wife, mother,
brother and sister.
MRS. FREDRIKA H. WOODFORD
Mrs. Fredrika H. Woodford, 64,
retired vaude: performer, died Oct!
19, ‘ New York; after a three
week illness. With her husband,
the late Harry E. Woodford, who
EARLE L. McGILL
as a youth and practiced law prior
to entering the theatre in 1908.
He worked for such top Brpadvvay
producers as Florenz Ziegfeld,
Earl Carroll and *A1 Woods.
Shows he was associated with in-
cluded “Dead End,” Ziegfelcl’s
revival of “Show Boat” and “One
Touch of Venus.”
In 1913, Holde persuaded the
.. Shuberts to Convert a stable . on.
39th St. into the Princess Theatre,
where he presented a series of
one-act plays. He later .went to
Hollywood, where he made silent
pix starring Ruth Boland and Jack
Saunder£ He returned to Broad-
. way in 1931 and became general
lanager for Max Gordon. He was
also manager for A, C. Blumen-
thal and Norman Bel-Geddes.
Several days prior to his death,
Holde penned a farewell note to
his friends for simultaneous re-
Schauspielhaus and later was with
Heinz Hrlpert’s Deutsche Theatre
(Berlin). „ * '
Seyferth made his screen debut
in “Schleppzug 17” (1933). After
the war, he becking one of West
Germany's most versatile character
players in films. Among his last
films are “Der froehliche Wein-
berg,!’ “Toxi,” “Heimweh nach
Dir“ and “08/15.” He also had a
supporting role in the 20th-Fox
film, “Decision Before Dawn.”
His actress-wife, Eva-Ingeborg
Scholz, survives.
ANTHONY HAWTREY
Anthony Hawtrey, 45, actor-man-
ager, died in a London hospital
Oct. 18, following a heart attack
the previous night while attend-
ing dress rehparsal of his latest
play, “The Wild Goose Chase.” It
IN FOND REMEMBRANCE
JOE BURNS
NOV. 3, 194*
VERA and MACK GOLDMAN
lease with the obituaries.
Wife survives.
K. 3. FRITZSCHE
. ,K. J, Fritzsche, 71 German . mo-
tion picture pioneer, died Oct. 12 in
Munich after a long heart ailment.
He. had been associated with the
German film industry since 1910.
In 1919, he set up the first Ger-
man film export company (Trans-
■ lean). . Nine years later, he
. founded Deutsche Film Union,-
■* v;li.ich reportedly was the first
German - American coproduction
company.
After 1935, Fritzsche became
economic director and Chief of
production Of Tobis, one of Ger-
many’s foremost film producing
outfits. Shortly after the last war,
oe founded the Deutsche London-
Film (together with Theo Oster-
wind and Johaniies Fischer) and
independently produced several
*uccess£ul pix. ' !
opened at the Embassy Theatre,
Swiss; Cottage, Oct. 19.
, A' son . of Sir Charles Hawtrey.
he . had been, on the stage since
1930 and, after a walk-on part at
the Garrick, joined the Old Vic.
the same year. He was first asso-
ciated with :the Embassy in 1939
and reopened that theatre in 1945.
The current London and Broadway
hit, “The Boy Friend,” was pre-
sented there Under his manage-
ment before moving to Wyndham’s
Theatre;
AL REA
Al Rea, 66, former vaudeville
comic, died Oct. 23 in. Philadel-
phia. For 30 years he was a part-
ner in the comedy act of Jones &
Rea, which appeared throughout
the U. S. hi vaude houses, includ-
ing the Palace, N. Y,
Active in affairs of the American
Guild of Variety Artists for 15
years and its Philadelphia r,epre-'
died last May, she trouped in the
song and dance, team of Jarvis &
Harrison on. the nation’s top cir-
cuits in. the heyday of vaude.
Surviving are a son, Harry E.
Woodford Jr,, and a daughter; Mrs.
Georgeanna Ayres, wife of band-
leader Mitchell Ayres. ■
ALBERT M. MORAN
Albert M. Moran, 62, who had
been associated . with the film in-
dustry since he joined the Pathe
organization in 1912, was killed
when struck by a trueje in Tampa,
Fla., according to word received
Oct. 14, by his brother, Mayor J.
Edward Moran ,of Burlington, Vt.
Since the advent of talkies, Mo-
ran had been, identified with the
sound equipment end of the film,
business and traveled throughout
the country.
H. Herbert Vacheron, inveterate
first-nighter at theatrical , and
musical events in the Albany area,
and onetime manager of Broadway
legit companies, died Oct. 16 in
Albany. His wife, Harriet A. Jones,
former member of the WGY Radio
Players in Schenectady, and two
brothers survive.
Brother, 47, of Mrs, J. Meyer
'Schine, wife of the Schine Circuit
and Schine Hotels president, died
of a heart attack in Gioversvill ,
N. Y., Oct. 19, while driving an
automobile;
Daughter, 26, of Stephen R. Rin-
toul, former Albany radio station,
manager and now a partner in a
New York radio-television repre-
sentatives agency, died Oct. 23 in
Albany,..
Samuel Woodworth, 58, founder
and general manager of radio sta-
tion WFBL, Syracuse, died Oct. 22
of a heart attack in that city.
Henry Steele Lewis, 54, presi-
dent of Norfolk Newspapers Inc.
and vice president and treasurer
of the WTAR Radio Corp., Nor-
folk, died Oct. 24 in that city.
Eugene D. Dautell, 74, former
actor, died Oct. 17, in Toledo. Dur-
ing his youth he was With a travel-
ingstock company. His wife, a
son and two daughters survive.
Stanley Rose, 54, literary agent
and former book shop operator,,
died of a liver ailnient Oct. 17 in
Hollywood. His wife, a son and ttvo
brPthers survive,
Fred Pape, 63, formerly in
charge >pf ( transportation at 20th-
Fox, died Oct. 18 in Los Angeles i
after a long illnes§.
Jacob J. Uhl, 60, violinist with
Meyer Davis’ orchestra and mem-
ber of. radio station KYW ojph.,
died Oct. 18 in Philadelphia. His
wife and £on survive.
- ! ,■ -
Alexander Drummond, 56, chair-
man of the Scottish Community
Drama Association, died Oct, 15 at
Brechi , Scot
Sarah D. Cuscaden, 81, character
actress, died Oct; 18, in. Hollywood,
Her husband and daughter sur-
vive.
Bert H. Delmar . (Albert Victor
Hall), 79, vaude arid concert artist,
and* writer of comic songs, died
Oct. 2 in Morecambe, Eng.
Jack Harrison, 70, representative
of the British Variety Artists’ Fed-
eration in Liverpool, died Qct. 6
in Liverpool.;
Sidney Friedman, 76, vet cinema
exhib and managing director of the
King’s Theatre, Greenock, died
Oct. 12 in London.
Bobby Stevens, long wtih the
Balaban &. Katz circuit, died re-
cently in Chicago; A sister sur-
vives.
• Father; 58, of Ruth Rainy, writer
With Kling. Studios, Chicago, died
Oct. 15 in that city.
Father, 75, of Johnny Victory*
Scot comedian* died 'Oct. 14 in
Edinburgh.
Father of Perry Jubilirer, of Mil-
tori Berle’s tv staff, died in Pitts-
burgh Oct. 15 after a short illness.
. Harry B. Webster, 83, veteran
violinist, died in Laconia, Ni H.,
Oct. 15, after a week’s illness.
Al Hardy, 45, pianist, died Oct;
20, of an overdose of sleeping pills
in Burbank, Cal. His wife survives.
Father of Samuel and Joseph
Gel lm an, Pittsburgh theatre own-
ers, died Oct. 1 i that city,
Mother- of Benn Jacobson, for-
mer talent scout for Metro, died in
Utica, N.Y., Oct. 7.
Father of publicist David E.
Green died Qct. 15 in New York
following a fall.
Mrs. ROSetta Churgin, 64,. retired
concert violinist, died Oct. 25 in
New York.
Rickman
Continued from page 2 — j
motion pictures are once , again a
,going business, a profitable busi-
ness, and. 'a Supremely healthy
business’ which is going forward at.
full speed.
And this you said under the
heading, “The Pendulum Swings;”
in the issue of Oct. 6. And very
clearly, indeed.
I feel that the .“message” under
“The Pendulum Swings” is vitally
important to everyone in show
business, and particularly to the
wellbeing, of all of us in the picture
industry. It is so vitally important
that this should be hammered
home at. every possible opportu-
nity. to the calamity howlers who
have expressed fears as to the fu-
ture of motion pictures.
The whole history of entertain^
ment has shown that every new
development and every worthwhile
new form of entertainment has not
only found a place for itself in
the over-all entertainment struc-
ture but has, in addition, strength-
ened and benefited ail other forms
of entertainment.
The motion picture industry
does not and should not -be afraid
of television. Television is another
and potentially excellent, medium
of entertainment, and should have:
a definite plade> in the entertain-
ment structure ; of our times. The
only disadvantage' i: can. see to
television ' at this moment is that
it is in the 'position of a plant
which has been “forced” a little
too energetically arid too quickly.
It took motion .pictures a great
many years to attain full maturity,
ft took radio many years to attain
maturity.: Some impatient people
have, not been able to understand
that television requires exactly
the' same intelligently nurtured
growth processes.
Close cooperation between the
motion picture industry and tele-
vision will help both sides. -The
motion picture industry will bene-
fit from the audience appeal Of
this great new medium, and. tele-
vision will benefit from the years
of showmanship and entertain-
ment knowledge of the motion
picture industry.
I am sure you agree with these
thoughts. ’ In effect it is exactly
what you said first in “Peepshow
: in Reverse” and again in “The
Pendulum Swings.” 1 feel very
strongly that it is absolutely neq-
[ essary thpt your reassuring confi-
dence aS to the basic, health and
solvency of the motion picture in-
dustry be hammered home re-
peatedly and on a continuing basis
to the motion picture Industry it-
self. I am sure that “The Pendulum
Swings” should inject a little
sorely-needed starch into, some in-,
dustry backbones which could use
a touch of stiffening. And if .-you
keep hamrriering away with this
same message, it will help our
industry achieve the kind of erect
posture that lets us look hope-
fully and. confidently ahead, our
eyes fixed on the high goals w
want to reach.
Jerome Pickmcin.
(Adv.-Publicity; V,P.,
Paramount Pictures):.
MARRIAGES
: Nita . Kauffman to Stanley F„
Hodes, Miami, Oct. 22. He’s pro-
duction exec vvith Rainbow Pic-
tures in that city and son of the
late Hal Hodes, . Coluriibia Pictures
exec.
Judy Johnson to Mort Lindsey,
New York, Oct. 9. Bride* is a
singer; he’s a disk jockey, cur-
rently airing on WABC, N. Y.
Mary Anne Bohen to Wayne E,
Price, Albany, Oct. 23. Bride was
formerly on staff of WPTR there.,
Knut Stensrud to Olive Roth, San
Antonio, Qct. 23. Roth are with
the Shrine-Pollack Bros. Circus.
Bride is a dancer; he’s an acrobat,
Rose Madaline Biegler to Wil-
liam John Paisley, Regina, Sask.,
recently. She’s a former member
of ‘Tcecapades.”
. Anri. Frances Carroll to Edward
I. Hersom, Phoenix, Ariz., Oct. 7.
Bride is a member of the. Water
Follies of 1954; lie’s, stage manager
of same show.
Eithne McGrath to Dermot Troy,
Dublin, Oct. 11. He’s an operatic
tenor.
BIRTHS
Mr. and Mrs, Steve Glick. daugh-
ter, Hollywood,' Oct. 15,. Child is
the granddaughter of Hy J. Glick,
Republic secretary-treasurer.
Mr. and Mrs. ‘Larry Creshkoff,
daughter, Boston, Oct. 20. Father
is program exec at WQBH; mother
is Nancy Harper,- f emcee uf juve
shows via same outlet.
: Mr. and. Mrs. Max Allentuek,
daughter, New York, Oct, 16.
Mother is legit actress Maureen
Stapleton; father is legit manager
currently associated with. David.
Wayne's tele series.
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Granada,
son, Blackpool* Eng., Oct; 7., Pa-
rents are .Dotothy and Peter
Granada of vaude act known as El
Granadas.
Mr. and Mrs. John Foster, son,
Watertown, N. .Y., Oct; 13. Father
is an anriouheer with WWNY and
WCNY-TV. '
Mr. and Mrs. George Bonn,
daughter, Chicago, Oct. 17. Father
is a booking agent in the Windy
City.
' Mr. and Mrs. Moody Blanchard,
son, Los Angeles, Oct. 17. Mother
is Patricia Kaskel, tv actress.
Mr, and Mrs. Ronald Thomas,
son, Oct. 15,. Cocoa Beach, Fla.
Father’s formerly of Silhouettes,
Pittsburgh si nging instru men tal
combo.
. Mr. and Mrs. Bernie Gould,
daughter, Hollywood, Oct. 13.
Father is producer-director-writer
on r^dio.
Mr. and Mrs, George Ball, daugh-
ter, New. York, Oct. 18. Father is
director of public affairs at WHLI,
Hempstead, N. Y.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Gilmore,
daughter, West Palm Beach, Fla.,.
Oct. 15.* Father is a cameraman
with WJNO-TV. . .
Mr. and Mrs, Harold E; Wond-
sel, son, New York, Oct, 16. Father
is president of Sound Masters, l v
commercial and industrial filmm.akv
irig outfit,
Mr! and Mrs. Page Gilman,
daughter, Santa Monica, Ott. 22.
Father is a radio actor.
Mr. arid Mrs. Howie Richmond,
son. New York, Oct. 21. Father is
a music publisher,
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest D. Glucks-
inan , daughter, Oct. 1 1 , v Holly Wood.
He’s a tele producer and director
for NBC; she’s Judy Allen, a
dancer.
Mr. arid Mrs. Frank Farrell,
daughter, New York, Oct. 25. Fa-
ther is the N-. Y. Wprld-Telegrai
& Sum cafe columnist;
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Schultz, son,
New York, Oct, 24. Father’s
agent.
Mr. and" Mrs. Raymond Scott,
daughter, ManhaSset, L, I.,. N. Y„
Oct. 24. Father’s • an orchestra
j leader; * mother is singer Dorothy
^gollins.^^ '
PfatlETt
Wednesday, October 27, 1954
v
■t:
Left Vaude and Night Clubs for a bit
...to do my piece in Legit!
Now I'm whilin' away my hours
as "Madam Fleur' in "House of Flowers''
it t ' f , i .■ 1 h
S i
Scanned from microfilm from the collections of
The Library of Congress
National Audio Conservation Center
Coordinated and sponsored by
M E D I A
HESTQRV
i:
A search of the records of the United States Copyright Office
has determined that this work is in the public domain.